Faith United Presbyterian Church

On that fateful April night in 1912, a terrified woman found herself seated in a life boat on the Titanic. As the boat was about to be lowered into the icy North Atlantic, she suddenly thought of something she had left in her stateroom. So, she asked permission to return to her room to retrieve the items before they cast off. She was granted three minutes to return - or they would leave without her.

Undaunted, the woman ran across the deck that was already slanted at a perilous angle. She raced through the casino - where the money had rolled to one side and was ankle deep. She arrived at her stateroom and quickly pushed aside her exquisite jewelry, her diamond rings and her expensive bracelets and necklaces. She reached to the shelf above her bed and grabbed three small oranges. She quickly found her way back to the lifeboat - safe and sound.

Three small oranges! Who would pass by all of that money? Who would leave behind all of that jewelry? Who would leave the safety of a life boat - for three small oranges? Thirty minutes before - not even this woman - not even for a crate of oranges. Why now?
Death had boarded the Titanic. No one looked at life the same. Instantly, priceless things had become worthless. Worthless things had become priceless. A crate of diamonds - cases of jewelry - mounds of money - would be worthless on a lifeboat. But three small oranges could be the difference between life and death. She didn't know what her future held, but she knew she must be prepared.

Life is filled with events - such as this - that have the power to transform the way we look at the world. A phone call - a doctor's diagnosis - a successful interview - a marriage proposal - an acceptance letter - the birth of a child - the death of a loved one - a divorce - a retirement - life is filled with life changing moments that - as unpredictable as they may be - are not unexpected.

Our reading from Matthew - the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids - offers a glimpse of another such life-changing event - the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Though we know not when, Jesus will return and we must be prepared.

The woman on the sinking Titanic knew - in the light of her circumstances - she must make preparations for life on a lifeboat. Diamonds would do her no good - but a precious orange might. Likewise, in this world - where Christ may return at any moment - the parable warns - we must prepare for life eternal in Jesus Christ. For though Christ's return is unpredictable - it is not unexpected.

The good news of Jesus Christ - the gospel - proclaims the Living God became human that we might know the fullness of God's love. The Bible tells us in that act of divine love - the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - in that act of divine love - our world has been changed forever. The Bible tells us - as well - that because God loved the world - in this way - the day will come when Christ shall return and sin and suffering - mourning and crying and pain - even death will be no more.

As Christians, this is our hope. This is the Truth upon which we stake our lives. In Jesus Christ - Life has entered our world and we cannot look at our world the same. In the Light and Love of Jesus Christ priceless things have become worthless and worthless things have become priceless. We see glimpses of this Truth in our lives today. Transforming moments where the veil is lifted and we see Christ face to face. We wait in hope for that day when Christ will return and we will live in the New Creation of God's Love.

Our reading from Matthew - the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids - is actually a warning to Jesus' disciples of the need to prepare for that day - by living in the light and love of Jesus Christ - today. Those who are prepared will join Jesus at the wedding feast - the New Creation of God's Love. Those who are not prepared will be left behind.

Like the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats - or any of the biblical passages proclaiming a day of God's Judgment - our passage this morning is a tough one to preach. When preaching God's judgment, we preachers seem to stumble into a couple of traps. Either we forget it is God's judgment - not our own - and start condemning everyone to Hell who is not one of us. Or, we ignore the reality of God's judgment altogether.

This morning, I come to you as one who takes seriously the reality of God's judgment. And - while I believe the church's teaching that Christ has taken God's judgment of us - upon himself - I live in full awareness that - at least for the time being - God may look upon me - if not some of the rest of you as well - as a goat.

When it comes to being who God has created and called us to be - we are works in progress. We are not yet the people God claims us to be and yet we are God's people nonetheless. We'll say more about sheep and goats in a couple of weeks - but I thought it important to clarify where we stand in relation to God's judgment because - as people of faith - we cannot live in fear for our salvation - and yet we have to hear such a passage - as this - with the urgency God intends. We must prepare for the day of Christ's return - or we may be left behind.

Matthew tells us the potential for our being estranged from God for all eternity - especially for those of us in the church - is a real possibility. Should such estrangement from God come - it will come - not because God is capricious, angry or vengeful. Our estrangement will come because we did not prepare for the relationship with God that Christ offers.

Though it is an allegory, the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids is fairly clear. Christ is the bridegroom. The church - the bridesmaids - are waiting for the bridegroom to arrive that they may all enter the wedding feast - the New Creation of God's Love - together. The light in the bridesmaid's lamps is the church's witness to Jesus Christ. This light is fed by the oil of faith - steadfast, active, obedient discipleship.

For Matthew, those who live in faith - bearing witness to the light of Jesus Christ in their lives and the Church's life together - will be prepared when Christ returns and will join Christ in the wedding feast - where there is neither sin nor suffering - and mourning and crying and pain - even death will be no more. Conversely - Matthew warns - those who do not live in faith - those unprepared for Christ's return - shall not join Christ in God's New Creation.

Tough words. When Christ returns - we're prepared or not. We're in or out. I'm not sure it can be said much clearer. What I hope you hear in God's Word is this. The possibility of living eternally estranged from God - that way of life the Bible calls Hell - is real. But such a relationship with God - in this life and the next - comes not - necessarily - by God's choosing, but our own.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ has called and claimed our lives for God. We are the bridesmaids - awaiting the bridegroom's return. We will either fill our lamps with the oil of a steadfast, active and obedient faith - so we will be prepared for Christ's return - or we won't. In either case - whether we are wise or foolish bridesmaids - we have been forewarned. The Bridegroom will return. Though the timing of his return in unpredictable, we must not live as if his return is unexpected.

How do we prepare for the Bridegroom's arrival? How do we prepare for a life changing event where that which was once priceless in our eyes has become worthless and that which was once worthless in our eyes has become priceless? How do we prepare for eternal life in the New Creation of God's Love? How do we prepare for Christ's return? We remember he is already present.

This morning, we will gather - again - at our Lord's Table. Many of you are aware of my pastoral concern that the infrequency of our celebration of the Lord's Supper has left our spirits malnourished. The richest traditions of our Reformed faith support my concern. Calvin, himself, believed the service of the Word and the service of the Table must never be separated one from the other. Yet - generations ago - for pragmatic reasons - Presbyterians in America moved toward the infrequent celebration of communion - and that has become our custom.

When I try to encourage us to celebrate communion more frequently, I encounter the concern that: "The Lord's Supper wouldn't be special, if we celebrated communion more often." Try as I might, I have never understood this sentiment. We encourage parents to tell their children - every day - they are loved. That doesn't make it any less special. We say the Lord's Prayer every week. No one has ever suggested we should say it less frequently to make it more special. Likewise, no one has ever suggested we only sing their favorite hymns four times a year. Wouldn't such infrequency make them more special? Perhaps, I should preach only four times a year. That would be special!

I'm not poking fun. I'm simply pointing out the absurdity of saying: "I don't want to break bread with Jesus Christ more than a few times a year, because it wouldn't be special." Yet, that is the sentiment being expressed by many - if not most - of the people in this sanctuary. It wouldn't be special if we ate at Christ's Table more than a few times a year." Since I can't believe anyone would ever tire of being in the presence of Jesus, I've had to wonder, "What's really being said here?"

While I trust - most of you - are like the wise maidens - well prepared to meet Christ wherever he may be- I fear some of you may feel unprepared or reluctant to welcome Christ - particularly at his Table.

Some of you may be living through a crisis of faith and - though you hunger for Christ - you leave the table feeling empty. Others may be approaching the table with unbearable guilt - you are ashamed to break bread with Christ for you feel unworthy. Still others may simply be afraid. To sit at table with Jesus Christ - to encounter the Living God face to face - to offer your life to God - might change your life in unpredictable and unexpected ways.

People of faith - if this is who you are - I appreciate your reluctance to come to this table. Nevertheless - whoever we are today - wise or foolish - God reminds us: Christ's return - though unpredictable is not unexpected. More importantly, God promises that - if we are prepared - if we live the life of faith - a life of steadfast, active, obedient discipleship - we have nothing to fear. For the Christ who comes in judgment is also our redeemer - the Son of God who waits at this table to share with us his life and his love.