It seems to me that people look at this Gospel lesson about the Kingdom of Heaven ("The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins") and immediately want to waste a lot of time on the questions "Who's in and who's out?" and "What do I (personally) need to do to be ready?" It also seems to me that people look at the Thessalonians reading and immediately want to waste a lot of time discussing the (so-called) Rapture. These discussions miss the boat and the most important aspect of these readings - the setting!
In the Parable, the guests are waiting to get into a wedding reception. Now, think about the best wedding reception you've ever been to. What was it like?
- Was it in a country club? A hotel ballroom? A VFW hall? Outside in a grove of trees?
- Were the tables decorated fancy? Or homey?
- Did they have china plates? Or Chinet? Silverware? Or plasticware?
- Did you eat chicken cordon bleu? Or chicken BBQ?
- And how was the open bar?
- And when the wedding party was introduced, did everyone sit up to pay attention? And when the bride and groom were introduced, did everyone stand and applaud? And when the bride and groom came in, did everyone know that then was when the party started?
Because when we keep in mind that the Parable is about a wedding banquet, then we can keep in mind that it is about joy and anticipation for the coming of Jesus as Bridegroom, not Jesus as Judge or even King. It is about anticipation of celebration, not judgment. It is about joy, not dread.
And it's not about who has enough oil and who gets shut out, because for the sake of this celebration Jesus the Bridegroom Himself has given us enough to get in, enough righteousness in His blood and enough innocence in His redemption and enough blessedness in His resurrection to eternal life. For all who believe in Jesus, the question of the lamps is really a non-issue - we get to go in to the wedding reception!
And I wonder whether the Apostles preached it this way in the early days - with excitement and anticipation and joy and celebration. And I wonder whether that's why the Thessalonians were concerned about their dead loved ones. If the party didn't start until the Bridegroom would arrive, and if they assumed He would arrive soon, then what about their dead loved ones who died before He showed up? Would that mean they miss the party?
Not so! said Saint Paul. Because the implication of Jesus' resurrection is that all those believers who have died before the Bridegroom arrives will be raised to enter the banquet hall along with us who are alive when He comes, where we all will join the everlasting celebration together.
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