Sermon from Nov. 9, 2008 (Dr. James M. Davis)

[James Davis]

Proper 27 (A)
November 9, 2008 • All Saint’s, Russellville, AR
Matthew 25:1-13
Be Ready!
Elections produce overwhelming hope or overwhelming disappointment. On Wednesday morning after a national election, one half of the country wakes up disappointed with the other half. If it's our candidate who's won, we celebrate the new day dawning.
Ronald Reagan once summarized the nation's political eschatology: "Someone once said that the difference between an American and any other kind of person is that an American lives in anticipation of the future because he knows it will be a great place." He continued in his trademark optimistic vein by adding:
There remains the greatness of our people, our capacity for dreaming up fantastic deeds and bringing them off to the surprise of an unbelieving world. When Washington's men were freezing at Valley Forge, Tom Paine told his fellow Americans: 'We have it in our power to begin the world over again.' We still have that power.

Although Obama and McCain excited partisan emotion, they deviated very little from the playbook of Reagan. Our two major political parties may differ in important ways, but they share an embrace of a political eschatology that marries danger today with hope tomorrow.
A quick glance at Jesus' parable of the ten bridesmaids gives the impression that the modern American obsession existed centuries ago — having enough oil! But Jesus sketches the eschaton in ways that run against the grain of our political language. Whereas Reagan spoke (as did campaigners Obama and McCain) of an optimistic tomorrow, the parable ends with a disquieting judgment on the foolish, who when they beg, "Lord, lord, open to us," hear from behind the closed gate, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." Jesus suggests that the future may not be a great place for all. How un-American.
The apostles and the whole early church had the expectation that Jesus would return. That urgency felt by the early Christians turned into disappointment and even disillusionment when they began seeing persecution and then the death of Jesus’ original disciples. They had understood Jesus to say that his followers would not die before he returned. So urgency turned into disappointment, which gave way to doubt, which finally gave way to indifference.
Our gospel lesson for this morning — in fact, this whole section of Matthew — is clear. ‘‘Watch,’’ Jesus says. ‘‘Be ready.’’ Jesus calls us to be prepared for the day he comes again. We must watch for the bridegroom, in whatever way(s) that “second coming” may occur.
The pictures Jesus uses to describe our need to be ready are graphic and memorable. Jesus tells a story about ten maidens who were called to keep their lamps burning until the bridegroom arrived; yet only five brought enough oil to last. The other five missed the wedding. All these pictures scream out to us: Be ready! Watch! Be wise! The message is clear, but how are we to go about it? Exactly how should we prepare ourselves? What should our sense of urgency lead us to do as we wait for the Lord?
In the Old Testament, the prophet, Amos, tells us what not to do as we wait. Amos brings a complaint from God against the people concerning their worship. God complains against those who think they are ready, who say they desire the day of the Lord. He complains that they go about worshiping as they always have, not thinking about what their worship means. They don’t notice that their worship should turn them in the direction of doing justice, of showing God’s love to their neighbors. God is unhappy with those who are indifferent toward their faith. Amos quotes the Lord: ‘‘I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies .... Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps.’’1
‘‘Be ready!’’ Jesus urges. ‘‘Do justice!’’ God cries. As we wait for the coming of the Lord, we are to be ready by doing justice. As God’s people, we need to do for each other the same thing parents of teenagers need to do for their children. As we wait for the coming of Christ, we need to encourage one another in our dreams of doing justice, of making a difference in the world for the sake of the gospel. It is not easy to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, or speak out against hatred. It is not a simple matter to alter our lifestyles or open our minds to the needs and concerns of others. But if we take one another’s dreams seriously and work together, we can ready ourselves for Christ’s presence in the way God cries out for us to do justice.
I saw a news account about a teenager named Trevor. One night on the evening news, Trevor saw pictures of the homeless people living in his own city. As he watched, he was reminded of how cold it was outside in the winter, even to walk a few blocks to school. At that moment, a dream began to unfold in his mind. Trevor wanted to go downtown and give a blanket to someone who was cold. After that experience, Trevor’s dream grew. With encouragement and help from his parents, his friends, and other concerned people, he began a food kitchen called, ‘‘Trevor’s Place,’’ that continues to bring warmth and food to the homeless in his city. Trevor’s Place is one of the lighted lamps shining brightly in preparation for the arrival of the bridegroom.
At this moment in the Church Year, God cries out for justice to be done. Be ready, by loving neighbor and by allowing that love to turn into acts of justice. As we light our lamps, as we care for each other while we wait, an amazing thing happens. The actions of God’s people become the actions of Christ. When we do something to help those in need, when we act to turn your own dreams of justice into reality, or when we encourage someone else in their dreams, Christ returns. Jesus comes! A new world emerges right in our own community. As we wait, we begin to realize that Christ has come, and continues to come to us every day — helping us to dream, to wait, to prepare, to work for justice.
A Christian apocalypticism realizes that any situation can seem dire, any night can seem long and dark, so that the important question is, "Are we prepared?" As ardently as we feel the loss or the victory of our particular choice for president, Jesus calls us away from political affirmations to face a more important question: Are we prepared? Amen

The Rev. Dr. James M. Davis