Nov.9 , 2008                                                                   Psalm 70

                                                                                                  Matt. 25:1-13                

“Foolish Choices”

          Do the names Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye ring a bell for you?  That’s right.  In 1995, they started writing a series of 16 “Left Behind” books.

          The parable of the ten bridesmaids was clearly one of the biblical resources used to write these intriguing, if not frightening stories.  Go back to Matthew 24 in which Jesus says, “Then two will be in the field; one will be taken away and one will be left.  Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.  Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day the Lord is coming.”

          Misters. Jenkins and LaHaye have done well for themselves.  Biblical Prophecy Headquarters is thriving.  Why?  Because people are convinced that they know the date that Jesus is coming back. Nobody wants to be left behind!

          Tim LaHaye by the way, was born in 1926 and he is still among us.  He is a dispensationalist premillenialist which means that he believes in a strict interpretation of the Book of Revelation and he believes that the end is near.  

          I would dearly love to dive deeply into this whole subject, but the twelve minute rule forces me to suggest that you do your own research and that I offer something more manageable from today’s story of the ten maidens, five of whom were “foolish” and five of whom were “prudent.”

          The story seems a little strange to us because our marriage customs are a little different now.  Men do not generally go traipsing through the woods in the middle of the night to claim a wife and carry her off to her new home.  But the matter of wedding practices is really not of concern to us because the point of the story is readiness, readiness for the return of Jesus.

          But here’s the problem:  people of every generation since Jesus left this world have been convinced that in their time, Jesus was coming back.  Such assumptions flow out of eschatology or the doctrine of last things.  Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins did well because they managed to tap into this whole fascinating and horrifying concept:  The end is near and I might get left behind for destruction while all the good guys get hauled up into heaven.  

          No other theme in the Bible can come close to this in terms of striking fear into the hearts and souls of humanity.  Tragically, for many who suffer f from one of a wide range of psychiatric disorders, the theme of the End acts like a powerful magnet.

          So as faithful, responsible and rational Christians by the grace of God, what are we supposed to do with this ancient story as told by Jesus?  What are we supposed to make of it?  Jesus himself did not know when the Kingdom of Heaven would arrive, so certainly it is not our job to try to figure that out.  What is the point here, especially since people have now been waiting in earnest for over two thousand years?

          We explore into the story with contemporary eyes and realize that what makes most sense is to think about what the Boy Scouts of America do:  “Be prepared.”  See, the issue is not that the women fell asleep, asleep at the watch, if you will.  The issue is that five were prepared for a long night and brought extra oil while the other five brought their lamps only and no extra oil; five were not prepared because they expected the bridegroom to come early in the evening.

          The story is not about weddings.  The story is a metaphor about making wise choices.  The story is about being prepared in when you don’t know what the future holds.  Sounds like the right time for a retirement seminar doesn’t it?

          The relevant question for us as 21^st century Americans in a world that is both expanding in numbers and shrinking dramatically because of laptops and Blackberries is this:  how can we best make use of the time God has given us on this great planet earth given all the uncertainties of the times?  How important is it that we do our absolute best to make the best choices we can for the sake of future generations.

           Some of our Christian brothers and sisters feel the need is for us to save as many souls as possible before the apocalypse.  The rest of us approach the dilemma differently:  while we know that some day the  Kingdom of  God will arrive fully, our responsibility is to engage in this world to make it a better place.  You see, we believe that Jesus Christ has already saved us all and that our task now is to serve humanity.

          So, what are we supposed to do?  “Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.”(Micah 6:8)  We are called to continue our Firday night work at the Boys and Girls Club and our wonderful Prayer Shawl Ministry.  We are called to make good choices; to make good and constructive use of our time, and to be open to new ministries to which God is calling us.

          Next Sunday, after worship, those who are interested will stay for a discussion about membership in this church.  This is a discussion we have not yet had.  You will hear from me my vision for this church and you will hear my expectations for you as you commit more formally.  After participating, as people are ready, they will sign our charter and, if appropriate, send for a formal letter of transfer from their former church.  For those with no previous membership, you will commit through either a reaffirmation of faith or a confession of faith.

          This will be an important step in our growth and development; it will also be an important time of spiritual discernment for you.

          After graduating from seminary many years ago, I ran into a former fellow student who told me about the major shift in his thinking.  Rejecting the thoughts of most of our seminary professors, he had become deeply involved in a very conservative Christian group.  He was on a mission to get as many people as possible to commit to Jesus Christ; he was looking to save souls before Jesus cam back.  He and his wife had decided not to have any more children because the end was near.  The newly introduced bar code system in the supermarkets for him was a sure sign that the time of the anti-Christ was upon us.  The bar code system was for him an expression of the number 666, the mark of the beast in the Book of Revelation.

          I wonder where he is today and if his thinking has changed.  In contrast, over the years since we last talked I have sought to involve myself in ministry that helps to address human problems and to help bring the light of Jesus Christ into the world.  I take the Book of Revelation seriously but not literally. 

          As we prepare to receive communion this morning, know that I am eager to continue these discussions with you as each of us decides how best to serve God while looking to the day when the “New heaven and the new earth” have arrived.  Together let us discern the best choices we can make for the sake of and to the glory of Almighty God.

Amen