Sermon on Matthew 25: 1 – 13 – Got Enough Fuel in the Tank?
“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” ( NIV )
My grandfather loved to take in the scenery. Unfortunately, it often came at the expense of paying attention to where he was driving. But this is where my grandmother came into the picture. She kept her eyes on the road and was quick to alert my grandfather when he wasn’t. She was also quick to alert him when they were low on gas. If that needle was anywhere near the quarter tank level, her eyes focused on finding the next gas station so they could fill’er up! For her it was the peace of mind knowing they would have enough fuel in the tank to get them safely to their destination.
Maybe in your travels you’ve seen signs alerting you to the fact that the next exit will be the last exit for many miles so if you’re running low on fuel for the body or fuel for your mode of transportation, it might be wise to stop and fill’er up. Dear friends in Christ, got enough fuel in the tank? I’m not talking about where the needle is sitting on the car out in the parking lot. Where’s the needle when it comes to your spiritual gas tank? Filled to the brim, three quarters full, half full, quarter full, or do you find yourself running on fumes? No matter where your needle is sitting today, you’ve pulled into the right place because the fuel is free and plentiful and the service is out of this world! Your Lord himself promises to fill‘er up!
In our text for today Jesus tells the parable of ten virgins preparing for a wedding celebration! A parable based on Jewish wedding customs of the day. Customs that began with a religious ceremony of betrothal which legally bound a couple together as husband and wife. Some time later the bridegroom went to the house of the bride in order to bring his wife home. When that time came, the bride’s attendants, the virgins, went out to meet the groom and escort him to the bride. It was their lamps that would light the way and provide festive lights for this happy occasion!
In his parable Jesus speaks of ten virgins preparing for this happy occasion! Five of them were wise and made sure they had more than enough oil. Five of them were foolish and thought they had enough to get them by. Unfortunately they didn’t because the bridegroom was a long time in coming, much longer than anticipated. At midnight the cry rang out that the bridegroom was coming. When the virgins got up to trim their lamps, the foolish ones realized they didn’t have enough and went out searching for more. Problem was, while they were out searching, the bridegroom arrived. The wise virgins went in to celebrate. When the foolish ones came back, they knocked on the door expecting to be let in. The reply they received was, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” How devastating! If only they would have taken the time to make sure they had more than enough oil instead of thinking they had enough to get them by.
Let’s take a look at the details of this parable. The wedding celebration would be the wedding Supper of the Lamb known as heaven. If you’ve ever thought that the five wise virgins represents believers and the five foolish virgins represents unbelievers, there’s an important clue you’re missing. All of these virgins had oil at first. And whether you interpret the oil as God’s Word or as faith, the end result is the same. When the bridegroom comes, those who have it will enter the wedding celebration, those who don’t will find themselves locked out. They say wedding celebrations often bring tears. Don’t let this wedding celebration find you or your loved ones weeping tears of sorrow instead of tears of joy. Got Enough Fuel In The Tank? I. It could be a long ride until Jesus comes again. II. Make sure you have enough fuel until he does.
I remember an episode of Seinfeld where Kramer and a car salesman were taking a test drive and their goal was to see how far they could get without having to stop for gas. With a needle well below empty, the last scene has them zooming right by a gas station laughing hysterically all the way. It might be fun in a show about nothing, not fun to do when a person’s eternity is at stake. Although we have God’s own assurance that “a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,” which means that even cars that cross the finish line of heaven on fumes will still find a warm welcome, do you really want to take that chance, especially when the fuel is free and plentiful and God himself is standing at the pump ready to give you nothing but the best?
In the book of Revelation, Jesus tells us, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul writes, “faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.” In the book of Hebrews we are told, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” The Day being referred to is Judgment Day. The Day when Jesus our bridegroom will come to take his bride the Church home to be with him in heaven. Whereas last weekend Jesus compared believers and unbelievers, this weekend Jesus compares believers with the encouragement for all of them to wisen up!
For the times we haven’t seen His Word as the one thing needful in life. For the times we haven’t seen His Word as our greatest treasure in life. For the times we haven’t taken advantage of opportunities to fill’er up at the full service station of God’s house. These and all of our sins have been completely forgiven through the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ. His resurrection assures us that we will live with him forever in heaven. Faith that was created in our hearts and continues to be strengthened in our hearts through the Means of Grace, the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. The sacrament of Baptism, where the Holy Spirit washed us and made us his own dear children. The sacrament of Holy Communion, where Jesus feeds his children with his body and blood in, with, and under the bread and the wine. Daily time spent in God’s Word, Meditations, Devotions. All of these serve to top off our tanks and send us down the road of life to our heavenly destination.
God doesn’t want his children running on fumes. He definitely doesn’t want to see them stranded on the side of the road short of that destination. Godly wisdom involves the ability to realize when your car is sputtering along and doing what it takes to top off the tank. Godly wisdom also involves the ability to realize when the cars of others are sputtering along and encouraging them to do the same. Hopes, prayers, wishes, and good intentions are nice, but hopes, prayers, wishes, and good intentions can’t provide the fuel that is needed for the tank. Spiritual engines can only be fueled by the Means of Grace, the Gospel in Word and Sacrament, which means that at times it might even take a little push to get to the station.
“Come, you who have no money” is how the Lord puts it in the book of Isaiah. Even better than free gas promotions that radio stations offer from time to time. Promotions that have cars lined up for miles. When it comes to God’s Word, there’s no wait, no lines, and the fuel is plentiful, and free, and you can never get enough. Got enough fuel in the tank? Make sure that you do. Don’t take God’s Word for granted. And make sure the kind of fuel you’re putting in your tank is nothing but the best. Make sure it’s free of any engine harming impurities in the form of false doctrine which over time can build up to the point where it shuts your engine down as the Apostle Paul writes, “a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough…and…their teaching will spread like gangrene.”
This weekend we take the time to remember and give thanks to God for the vision and efforts of those who founded Good Shepherd. Men and women who realized that when Jesus told his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, that this wasn’t just a suggestion, it was a command. Men and women who heeded the advice of the apostle Paul who tells us, “let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit.” Men and women who realized, like you and me, that God’s Word in its truth and purity is our great heritage and shall be ours forever to pass down from generation to generation, supporting a church and a school.
The season of Christmas is coming soon. The season that so often saps so much of our time, money, and energy. All the driving around that can find us running on fumes both physically and spiritually. In addition to pulling into the station on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, stop by on Wednesday evenings to top off the tank in the middle of the week. As we begin another church year, consider more personal devotion time in your life to top off the tank. Women’s Bible study on Monday mornings. Men’s Breakfast Bible study on Saturday mornings. Sunday morning Bible class is another great opportunity to top off the tank and meet and greet the regulars at the station.
The theme for our service today focuses on the Saints Triumphant. Those who made sure they had enough fuel in their tanks and now enjoy the wedding supper of the Lamb in heaven. Fellow saints in the eyes of God through the blood of Christ, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…let us fix our eyes on Jesus” knowing that one day we too will join them. What a day that’s going to be! One that we definitely don’t want to miss!
Amen.