Seriously, if I were to ask you if you had a level of “certainty” in your life, what would your answer be? How would you rate your life on a scale of 1(uncertain) to 5(certain)? What things are you relatively certain about? Your family? Your job? Retirement? Health? Success? The truth of your opinions? God? Your friends?

In the 24th and 25th chapter of Matthew’s gospel, we find Jesus giving a long talk about living faithfully in uncertain times. Throughout the whole thing, he talks about the coming of the Son of Man, of God’s final intervention in history. He speaks of it with certainty, as if there was not debate about whether it will happen. But as to how long it will be till it happens, and the differentiation between his first coming and his second…well, its hard to figure out. The journey between now and then is going to be full of uncertainty, and that is the time when we’re going to have to live by faith. He gives us some stories, parables, that are remarkably helpful in navigating this time, even while not uncovering all the mystery.

This weekend, we’re going to look into the parable of the ten bridesmaids in Matthew 24:1-13. Check it out.
“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ 7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’  9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ 12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ 13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

It’s a good read. It’s also confusing, due mostly to the fact that it comes to us out of a remote culture. As I read it, I’m stuck wondering why these girls were standing outside the gate with lamps in the first place. Why weren’t the wise ones giving grace to the ones who weren’t so wise? And wasn’t it a little harsh not to let them in to the party, even after they had gone to the trouble of getting more oil for their lamps (new batteries for their flashlights)? And why does Jesus conclude the parable by saying, “Therefore keep watch for you do not know the day or the hour,” when both the wise and the foolish girls got drowsy while waiting?

Here’s the best answer I have so far. The reason the bridesmaids were there was not primarily to get into the party—though that was part of it. In my mind, I jump to a modern scene with a bunch of young people waiting in line to get into a trendy night club—and then some having to jump out of line because they forgot to bring money for the cover charge. That’s not the picture here at all. Their purpose was to light the way and greet the bridegroom at the end of a traditional middle eastern wedding procession. If the wise ones gave away their oil, they might all run out, and there would be no greeting for the groom. The wise ones had a purpose beyond getting into the party and they were prepared to do what it took to fulfill it. It wasn’t about them, the upcoming party or the foolish ones. It was about the bridegroom.  The engine behind their wise preparedness was not the awesome party. It was loyalty to the Bridegroom himself.

In that case, there are two deeply important question for those of us who continue to wait for the bridegroom: 1) Do I love him enough to wait, even if its longer than I anticipated. 2) Will I take steps to acquire the resources to be and stay ready?

See you this weekend. Bring your empty oil jar.

Yours for the Journey,

Pastor Tom