Isaiah 65:17-25
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Matthew 25:1-13

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.  

Ten virgin maids excited for their friend’s wedding.  They, just like the Bride are excited.  They can’t wait.  Their dresses make them look radiant.  They are enthralled by the tradition of the Groom sweeping in like a knight in shining armor on his charger saving His fair maiden to escort her and her bridal party to the wedding banquet.  The love-smitten bride is expectant.  Her ten virgin friends share her excitement.  

Isaiah 51:9-16
Colossians 1:9-14
Matthew 9:14-26

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.  

Do the clothes make the man or does the man make the clothes?  Here on earth with fashions you can argue both to be true and valid.  But in God’s kingdom clothes clearly make the man.  

Remember all those wedding parables where the invited guests won’t come, so the King invites the people in streets and then shockingly throws out a man not dressed for the wedding?  It seems so strange to our way of thinking, but the King had provided clothes for all.  To not wear the clothes He provided, to not be dressed for the wedding, is to want a free meal but want nothing to do with the King or His Son getting married.  It is terribly disrespectful and dishonouring to the King’s Son.  

Proverbs 8:11-22
Philippians 3:17-21
Matthew 22:15-22

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.  

Death and taxes.  It’s the mantra of cynical people who think that nothing in the universe is true, lasting, or unchanging except these two burdensome constants.  But they leave one most necessary constant out: God.  God is the source of all things.  He is the first cause.  He is the eternal unmoved mover.  It is from Him that all authority in heaven and earth derives.  He sets up governments.  He gives them authority to maintain peace and order in certain regions, over certain peoples or language groups.  He gives them authority to manage the civil affairs of the world.  The power He puts in their hands is that of justice, the sword of vengeance.  It is the power to use force to make the unwilling comply with what is good, right, and just.  If we are wise we submit to these authorities and give them their due, be that taxes, honour, or doing your civic duty in times of war, or times of election, etc.  For these governing authorities are God’s gift to us to keep order on earth so that all things can proceed as they ought.  God the Father, the creator of heaven and earth is the source of all this.   He is the Father.  From Him comes all authority.  He set up this system.  We pray that in a sinful, fallen world He upholds those in authority so that might be a blessing to those under them as He has designed.  

Revelation 7:9-17
1 John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.  

We miss the meaning of the Bible because we look with eyes fixed on earth and not on heaven.  We hear “beggars in spirit” and think of depressed people, rather than of repentant believers who bow their knees before God knowing they are but beggars.  We hear “mourning” and think of the different emotions that accompanies the loss of loved ones rather than those whose heart breaks over their sin, who mourn it and suffer because of it.   We hear “meek” and think of those who are too weak to stand up for themselves and take what is theirs, rather than of those who look for every good thing from the Lord and thus are able to be gentle with others for in faith they need not engage in the dog eat dog attitude of this world.  We hear “hunger and thirst” and think of our stomachs, not paying attention to what they are thirsting for: the Lord and His righteousness that He gives abundantly and overflowingly to those who trust in Him.  We hear “merciful” and think of “paying it forward” or “what goes around comes around,” rather than thinking of how God’s mercy toward us shapes our relationships with others.  We hear “pure in heart” and think that if someone is good enough they earn the right to see God face to face, rather than of the faith that purifies the heart by clinging to God’s declaration of forgiveness, giving you the ability to walk by faith, and to see God at work in your life.  We hear of “peacemakers” and think of revolvers or international peace conferences and the end of world wars, rather than of those who work to bring Jesus to us, whose work gives us peace with God.  We hear “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” and think “no good deed goes unpunished,” rather than recognizing the enmity that the seed of Serpent and sin has always had since the beginning against the seed of God’s promise.   We are fixated on the here and now.  Christ is describing heavenly truths.  Repent, and listen rightly.