November 9, 2014
Preparing for the Delay
- Matthew 25:1-13
- Rev Ruth Chadwick Moore
Preparing for the Delay
Joshua 24: 1-3a, 14-25 and Matthew 25: 1-13
November 9, 2014
Ruth Chadwick Moore
When I read Matthew’s parable about the ten bridesmaids I am thankful this is not the only parable about the kingdom of heaven. There are other stories to describe it that don’t involve bridesmaids, oil reserves and doors that lock half of us out just because we were a little late. I prefer the parables of the sower or the mustard seed rather than the one we have today which hinges on not sharing what you have. Is this how Christians are to describe a wise person – as someone who only takes care of herself? Is this how we want people to think the church acts? Well maybe we do because sometimes we have the tendency to preach the wisdom of stockpiling. Being prepared for a rainy day is important, but sometimes we can take that a bit too far. And isn’t it our dirty little secret that sometimes we believe that if people are in need it’s really their own darn fault?
But my main concern is how to reconcile these verses with what Matthew says in earlier parts of the gospel. For instance, what about “do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” (6:19) – but this parable wants us to remember that once you get there you will need large oil reserves! Or how about Jesus telling us to “ask and it will be given, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you” (7:7) – unless of course you’re late and the bridegroom answers the door! Boy I have a hard time with this parable!
But as Teri has said to us before, parables are stories with a twist and there are a few of them here. I think the reason I have a problem with this parable is because on the surface it challenges many of the things I believe about God. It flies in the face of pivotal gospel teaching. If taking care of yourself and not sharing with others were the main message of the gospels the miracle of the loaves and fishes would never have happened. Jesus wouldn’t have fed the crowd – he would have expected them to pack their own picnic supper. Instead of the “Feeding of the Five Thousand,” we would have “The Moral of the Very Few Who Came Prepared.”
And of course the real issue for me is that this parable hits very close to home. The truth is I like to be prepared. I think it’s a good idea to prepare a sermon if it’s your Sunday to preach. I’m in favor of saving money and buying life insurance. I try to take care of myself physically and mentally so I will age gracefully – not sure I’m doing very well with that! As a culture we like to know what lies ahead and prepare for it, otherwise we look like a bunch of fools who didn’t do our homework. So I recognize the wise bridesmaids even if I don’t like them for not sharing their oil.
So is that what we have here in this story with a twist – just a story any Boy Scout or insurance agent could have told us? I think we need to look at this story a little more carefully and also with the lens that it is a parable about how we are to live while awaiting the second coming of Jesus – when the kingdom of heaven will be complete. And Presbyterians avoid talking about the second coming of Christ and we’re not really sure what the kingdom of heaven is either. But the kingdom of heaven has begun with the coming of Jesus and it will be complete – the world will be totally restored and renewed – when Jesus comes again. This parable is about living in that tension between the now and the not yet. And as we live in that between time it’s our job as Christians to try and understand how to be wise and not foolish bridesmaids.
Of course the parable doesn’t say whether the bridesmaids had any oil at home. It doesn’t tell us if the wise ones were hoarding it or the foolish ones hadn’t had time to get to the store that day. For all we know, the wise bridesmaids were down to their last flask of oil and the foolish ones had gallons of it at home. The only concern in this story is what they brought with them and how prepared they were for the task at hand that night – to meet the bridegroom – to meet Jesus.
This is not really a story of how much oil you have. Maybe it’s about how much oil you carry with you. The parable is very clear – all of the bridesmaids fell asleep and all of the bridesmaids had lamps. The wise ones brought extra oil to keep their lamps burning and the foolish ones showed up with lamps and nothing to keep them going. And when your lamp goes out you may have gallons of it at home, but it won’t do you much good there.
So what does that look like, the kind of oil you carry with you?
The Rev. Dr. Anne Carter Florence, who ideas and words helped me write this sermon, teaches preaching at Columbia Seminary. At the beginning of the semester she gives a lecture to the students about the spiritual life of the preacher. They use an oil lamp, the old fashioned kind with a wick and oil in the bottom. And they light the wick and talk about how the role of the pastor – and the role of any Christian – is to be a light to others – to be “the light of the world.” But Anne only puts a small amount of oil in the lamp and so it only burns for a minute or so. And then she asks, “What happens when the oil runs out? The lamp burns out and you have nothing to give. And a pastor with no oil, a Christian with no oil, can’t be the light of the world for anybody can they?” Then Anne asks her students what fills them up spiritually when they run dry? “What replenishes your oil? Where do you find God and how can you make sure that you get enough of that oil for your lamp so that God can fill you up again?” Because we all run dry and when we do we can’t be a light for anybody. It’s like on an airplane when they tell you to put on your own oxygen mask first before assisting others.
So you might not be a pastor, but you are a mother, or a father, or a sister or a brother, or a spouse or a friend – and I would imagine most of you here today are Christians. So you know what it’s like to run out of oil. Your children don’t like the meal you prepared and so you snap at them. If your two year old doesn’t get a nap, he is going to crash and burn on you. When you haven’t had a conversation with your spouse about anything other than car pool duty in the last month your marriage is getting dry. When you work 80 hours a week year after year, your relationships are going to suffer. It’s fairly simple. When the arrow on the gas tank is on empty, you’ve run out of gas.
And there are some kinds of oil you can’t borrow from someone else. You might borrow someone’s homework and get the assignment done, but you can’t borrow the hours he or she put in studying for the test. There are some kinds of preparation we can only do for ourselves. There are some reserves that no one else can build up for us. You can’t borrow someone else’s peace of mind or their passion for God. You can’t say to your friend, “You have such a happy marriage, could you give me some of that?” Only you can figure out what fills you up emotionally, physically and especially spiritually. Then only you can make sure that you have some to carry with you every single minute of the day – because that’s how often you’ll need it.
And here is the thing – you will run out. Time will run out. The hour gets late and everyone gets sleepy. We all nap sometimes and put things off saying, “One of these days I’m going to quit working so much and spend more time with my children.” “One of these days I’m not just going to write a check, I’m really going to get involved with the food pantries in Indianapolis.” We all snooze sometimes. We all put things off. And then the shout goes up: “He’s coming!” It’s time. And one of these days is today, and it’s over, and you never did bring your flask of oil.
The oil is our faith. And faith is not something that can be borrowed. So we cannot live on someone else’s oil. Faith is not something you can give to someone – that’s why the wise bridesmaids told the others to go get some oil of their own. It’s not possible to give someone else your faith just like you can’t do someone else’s good deed. For Matthew this is not really a story about being alert or awake – all the bridesmaids fall asleep. It’s not about knowing when to be ready. It’s about faith in action. This story is a reminder to live the life that expresses the activity of God. That is being wise.
I also think some of us presume we have all the time in the world to tend to certain things – rebuilding a broken relationship, learning a new skill, offering a kind word or a word of gratitude or forgiveness. We think there is plenty of time to change that bad habit starting next Monday, that we can change careers, that we can deepen our relationship with God, that we can contribute our money to worthy causes, that we can spend precious time with a child – that we can faithfully follow Christ.
That is one of the hardest parts of this parable – because it tells us that the time will come when you have to draw on the oil you have right there on your body – in your flask. And it doesn’t come from your pension savings or your good intentions or your long range plans. It’s going to come from what fuels you spiritually right now. It’s going to come from where you see God today.
And where is that? Well Jesus tells us. I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you give me something to drink. I was naked and you clothed me. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was in prison and you visited me. I was sick and you comforted me. That’s where we find him. That is where we get filled up. These are the things we can’t check out of the library of borrow from our neighbor next door. They’re just out there, waiting for us to gather them in and do them and experience them.
There is a message of finality in this story with a twist. The foolish bridesmaids want to join in the celebration but the bridegroom does not open the door. The gospel of Matthew can be a harsh one, and there are consequences for foolish behavior. But we have the opportunity and the time is at hand for us to prepare for an unknown but secure future. We don’t want to just assume a bright future but do little to prepare for it.
I don’t think Matthew is trying to scare us in this parable. You don’t fill your lamp because you’re afraid you’re going to get locked out of the kingdom of heaven. And you don’t stockpile oil because then you can turn everyone else away and that would be so much fun. No, you stop at the lamp store and fill your flask with oil and take it with you because you can’t wait to meet the bridegroom. You fill it out of joy. That’s the only price of oil when you think about it – the desire to meet Jesus when he comes. Which he will. Soon. And in places and in times when you least expect it.
The kingdom of heaven summons us to a new way of life, improved commitment, a casting away of other gods, active waiting in hope, and renewed energy in faith. Faithful action done now prepares us to weather the un-understandable time of God, even as it prepares us for a heavenly wedding celebration where Jesus and his people are joyfully joined together in celebration forever. The Messiah comes at the right time – which is actually better than coming at the convenient time or on our time – and he brings a party with him. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Sources:
Day1.org, Filling Stations by Rev. Dr. Anne Carter Florence.
Feasting on the Word, Proper 27, Matthew 25: 1-13.
Seasons of the Spirit, Sunday, November 9.