Last Sunday of the Church Year (Trinity 27)

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Last Sunday of the Church Year  Trinity 27

November 20, 2022 A+D

St. Matthew 25: 1-13

In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

1. Intro: The flesh takes Jesus’ delay as temptation to despair or as a time to indulge the flesh. That is foolish. Godly wisdom believes the Words and promises of Jesus and seeks Him even now where He may be found.

 

1. Foolishness
   1. Foolishness thinks itself wise. It is impossible for it to be self aware. In the Bible, that which the world thinks wise is actually foolish and vice versa.  Thus the foolish virgins are surprised they aren’t let in.
   2. It is characterized by a desire to live for today. In disregarding morality, it disregards eternity. Thus the foolish virgins have no oil.

 

1.    “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:18–25, NKJV) 
   1. Unnecessary. God could have spared Himself the pain but simply forgetting about sin or offering amnesty. Problem: then God would be unjust.
   2. It is God’s own fault anyway. Why create us with free will? Why set up a standard that men can’t meet? We didn’t ask to be born. Problem: God’s motives judged. Makes God the author of evil.
   3. If Jesus died for everyone, then everyone will be saved. Problem: Universalism.

 

III. The Wise Virgins

 

1. Wisdom hidden in the mystery of our glory.

However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory.    The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 1 Co 2:6–7.

 

The wise virgins knew the hidden mystery: the Bridegroom doesn’t lie. They didn’t give up hope. They weren’t perfect or without sin, but they had faith. 

 

That which God has ordained before the ages for our glory is the atonement. The Bridegroom loves us. 

 

1. The Bridegroom who comes in glory at the end comes now in grace in humble ways. It is a call to faith. The Bridegroom’s announcement is mercy. He wakes them up so they have time to trim their lamps. This is the cry now. 

 

1. Those who are wise know they are fools and that they have failed. But they also know that the mercy of God endures forever and that Jesus’ death was not in vain, that their Baptisms are valid.

 

In +Jesus’ Name. Amen.