“CHRIST THE OIL IN YOU”
Saint Matthew 25. 1-13
Last Sunday in the Church Year: 25 November Anno Domini 2007
Fr Watson
The Kingdom of Heaven starts off as ten virgins as Christ died for all; the entire world.
But the Kingdom of Heaven in time, in space, in reality, becomes only those who have been given faith in the sacrificial substitutionary suffering and death of the Lord. But not all who have been given faith necessarily remain in that faith. This is so else the Lord would never have told the famous parable of the Sower Who sows the seed on different kinds of ground.
The Baptized and visible members of the Kingdom of Grace, Christ's Church on Earth, are likened to ten virgins who had been given lamps with oil. The oil lamps represent faith in the visibly absent Bridegroom. The Bridegroom has made them all a part of His wedding party and has promised them He will return shortly. The Bridegroom has told them that the exact time of His sudden arrival is not to be shared but that they are to be constantly ready. Only faith in His Word, by His Word will keep them alert and on-guard. Only having oil in their lamps will allow them to see in the darkness of night, in the darkness of a visibly absent Groom. To sleep is not to lose faith in this story. To sleep is to be subject to the laws of a broken and sinful nature. To sleep is to sin. To sleep is to die an earthly death while waiting for the return of the Groom; the King.
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory, and of the obedience of God. The five were no better than the other five. You are no better than the Muslim, Jew, or Atheist. The five which took no oil are all those who rejected the Lord's love by resisting His message and disobeying His Word; His Word to be ready. The five who took oil in their vessels are all Who believe.
The sudden return of the King in the parable is the final advent of Christ when He returns at the end of this world. This return will catch many totally off-guard. Only those who have faith, who are believers, will have "oil" at this final trumpet call of the Kingdom. When all the dead rise out of their graves; that is, when they wake from their slumber, there will be no time then to acquire faith. One will either have it or not have it; one will either have oil or not have oil.
Since you have broken the Lord's Word; His Holy Commandments you deserve not only to die but to die the second death. You by your own actions deserve to be kept outside the wedding hall. The door does deserve to be barred to you.
But since your Groom loves you, you have been made by His Word, by His Body, by His Blood, the five virgins who have oil in their vessels. You have been given faith.
What do you to be those five blessed virgins? You do nothing. You don't become a virgin, you are born one. You don't become chaste and clean after a life of spiritual promiscuity and dirt you are made one by an outside source. Jesus has done your work and your job and He gives the paycheck to you: the wages are eternal life. Jesus has been punished for your crimes and you are set free not only with a clean "record" but with a royal pedigree and place at the head Table of Righteousness.
How do you know that you have oil in your vessel? How do you know that you're ready for the return of the King? Are you Baptized? When you remember and take stock in His washing of you, you spiritually "feel" the very wetness of the Water of Life soaking you clean; you wear the water of the Jordan as your wedding garment; you wear the wet Blood of Calvary as your victory robe. When the devil tries to confuse you with your lineage, when he asks you your name hoping to find a stray, you respond with your family crest "in the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of The Holy Ghost" and he must slink away hissing and spiting for He has no power over those in that Name and family of faith.
How do you know that you have oil in your vessel? Where are you at this very moment and what are you doing? You have been gathered by God the Holy Ghost to this place which is the very gateway to heaven. You have been shielded again in this redoubt, protected in this mighty fortress, healed once again in this mobile mash unit of mercy with the means of Grace. Here at this Altar, Pulpit and Font the Word of the Lord fills you up with oil unto forever.
How do you know that you have oil in your vessel? You eat and drink the very oil Himself.
You are anointed in the very Gospel, in the very New Testament when He feeds you and gives you to drink.
In Him, you watch, you wait, and you are ready.
In the Name of The Father and of The + Son and of The Holy Ghost