Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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*Wisdom and Foolishness*
*Lessons for Dads from 10 Bridesmaids*
*Matthew 25:1-13*
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\\ * *
*Springfield Heights MC*
*June 17, 2007*
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\\ Today is Fathers Day...
The day when we are nice to our dads
as the back of our bulletin suggests we should.
Ill.: A little boy was smarting
after being punished by his father.
Shortly afterward he knelt by his bed to say his prayers
which ended with the usual blessings
for all the family... but one.
Then he turned to his father and said,
"I suppose you noticed you weren't in it."
As a dad I have to confess that some of my decisions
have been pretty foolish ones.
And I also believe… I hope… I pray...
that some of my decisions as a dad
have been wise ones.
Can you as fathers and mothers identify with that feeling?
I believe you can.
At first glance, the Gospel text from Matthew 25
doesn’t seem to lend itself very well
to a fathers day sermon.
It may seem more appropriate to remind our children to
“honor and obey” their parents.
However,
I’d like to invite us…
dads and moms, grandparents, and children alike
to reflect on the lessons we can learn for our lives
from the parable of the ten bridesmaids or virgins.
\\ Listen to the story…
!!!!! Matthew 25:1-13…The Parable of the Ten Virgins
And listen especially for some key words and phrases
that call to mind the themes of wisdom and foolishness…
/1//"… the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins /
/who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
/
/3//The foolish ones took their lamps /
/but did not take any oil with them.
/
/4//The wise, however, /
/took oil in jars along with their lamps.
/
/5//The bridegroom was a long time in coming, /
/and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
/
/6//"At midnight the cry rang out: /
/'Here's the bridegroom!
/
/Come out to meet him!' /
/7//"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
/
/8//The foolish ones said to the wise, /
/'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' /
/9//" '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.' /
/10//"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.
/
/11//"Later the others also came.
/
/'Lord!
Lord!' they said.
'Open the door for us!' /
/12//"But he replied, /
/'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' /
/13//"Therefore keep watch, /
/because you do not know the day or the hour./
The Parable of the ten Bridesmaids
is a really fascinating story.
There are many symbolic parts of this parable.
In this story,
Jesus is traditionally seen as the bridegroom.
The followers of Christ can be divided into two camps:
five foolish maidens symbolize five foolish followers...
... Christians who don't pay attention to their commitment.
The five wise maidens represent faithful followers of Christ.
The wedding feast represents the reward of heaven.
The lamps have been interpreted to mean
the witness of the Christian –
as in the favorite Camp song
“This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine…”
And the oil that fuels the lamp
has been seen to be the Holy Spirit,
a steadfast Christian faith,
and also the Christian Hope that keeps us going.
The context of this parable reveals that
this is a warning to be watchful,
to be prepared and equipped,
and not to fall asleep at the wheel
or to be oblivious about important things.
In the previous chapter (24)
Jesus' predicts the devastation of Jerusalem
and the destruction of the temple.
Judgment will fall on Jerusalem and its people
because they rejected Christ and the gospel.
Matthew 24 ends with a warning
to be faithful servants (24:45-51),
and to be watchful
because the day and the hour are unknown.
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