Churches With Heart

Moody First United Methodist Church

Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV)

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ” ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, I was a Boy Scout. I have great memories of scouting. I remember those times we went camping. Even though I lived in a small town, our scout troop was fairly large. We could all sleep in three tents. Don’t let that mislead you! Each tent must have been 17-18 feet wide. I don’t remember, but I’m guessing they were 30 feet long. With army cots we could sleep something like 12 to 14 boys in each tent. We’re talking large tents.

On this one particular camp out, we all went to bed one night. I was sleeping soundly. All of a sudden something woke me up. I opened my eyes and looked straight up. I thought, “Wait a minute. I’m looking at the sky.” You see a thunderstorm came through that night. It was raining hard. The wind was blowing. All of the tent stake on one side of our tent came out of the rain soaked ground, the wind picked up our tent and laid it on the ground on the other side of all of us. That tent didn’t touch a single person. One second we were sleeping soundly under our tent. The next second we were awakened by rain in our face.

Now my tent had it easy. In the tent next to us the long ridge pole that extended the length of the tent supporting the roof broke. That tent just fell right on top of those boys.

The Scout Motto is “Be Prepared.” Be prepared. We were not exactly prepared for what happened that night. For some things we can be well prepared, but for others it is difficult if not impossible to prepare. When we know a tornado is coming we can prepare to protect ourselves. We find a place of safety within our homes or out of harms way. With warning we can be prepared to protect ourselves, but there is no way we can protect our home from destruction if it receives a direct hit.

That night the thunderstorms hit our campsite, we were not prepared for the tents to come down. However; we were prepared to work together to accomplish a goal. We got the boys out from under the one tent and then all the boys from both tents proceeded to set my tent back up. It was still raining a little, but the wind had slowed down. Yes, I remember that camping trip. We were not prepared, yet we were prepared.

This story we read from the book of Matthew is a story about being prepared. Five of the bridesmaids (virgins) took only their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of the bridesmaids (virgins) took not only their lamps, but also extra oil. Five of the bridesmaids were called wise, and five were called foolish. What made the difference? Preparation. Those who were prepared for the long wait were wise. The foolish five who did not take extra oil missed the party.

Jesus is talking about being prepared. He believed that we should all be good Boy Scouts. But he was talking about preparation that goes well beyond a flask of oil. Jesus is talking about a kind of preparation that covers all circumstances. Jesus is talking about a kind of preparation that is most important at the end of our earthly life. Jesus is talking about a relationship with him.

God so loved the world that he sent Jesus so that we might know Jesus and in knowing Jesus we would know God. God loved us so much that God sent Jesus so that in knowing who He is we can be totally prepared for a life with no end in God’s presence. God even gives us a bonus. In knowing Jesus we are also prepared for anything this life can throw at us. Yes, there will be pain, but with Jesus we can be prepared to come through painful times.

David wrote in what we have recorded as Psalm 138, “When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.” Boy Scouts are trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. We can trust in our God, who is loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous and kind. We can trust the God who calls us to be obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.

Boy Scouting prepares one for life’s challenges. I remember way back when that the lifesaving merit badge was one of those tough things scouts had to accomplish if they were to become an Eagle Scout. I remember that state high school track star who taught the lifesaving merit badge at summer camp. He would be out in that 10 foot deep water with his arms outstretched just waiting for his next victim. The scouts job was to rescue this lanky spider waiting in his web. If the scout fail to approach in just the right way, both of his arms would rap around the rescuer and down to the bottom they would go. (Life can sometimes feel like that.) Learning to rescue someone who is drowning was a difficult step. By the way, I also remember working on that merit badge at our local pool rather than with “the spider.”

I remember swimming for one mile without touching the pool sides or bottom. I learned many life lessons in that endeavor. I learned perseverance, to hang in there. I learned that I could do more than I think I can. I learned to keep going even in difficult times. Yes, Boy Scouting prepares one for life’s challenges.

Faith in God is an important part of the scouting journey. Boys have the opportunity to work on the God and Country award, spending many hours on their spiritual development. The last of the twelve scout laws is: “A Scout is reverent. He is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.”

There are three points to the Boy Scout Oath, duty to God, country and self. I would like to generalize that to duty to God, others and self. Does that sound familiar to you Bible scholars. Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment. He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:36-39 (NRSV) Love God, others and self. God’s greatest commandments are reflected in the Boy Scout Oath.

Scouting can prepare us for life’s challenges. Even so there are time in this life when we think it is impossible to be prepared.

We hear the diagnosis of cancer, stroke or heart failure.

We hear the prognosis of only six months to live.

We hear the name of a soldier who is killed and say I know him/her.

We are told that one we love has been killed in a tragic accident.

But we can be prepared for the most difficult of life’s challenges. We can know the God of David. The God he addresses in Psalm 138.

David says, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever–do not abandon the works of your hands.” We have been given God’s son, Jesus Christ, that we might have a close, personal relationship with this God who does not abandon us. With this God all things are possible. We can be truly prepared. We can have the ultimate preparation for the ultimate that life has to offer. We are given the chance to prepare for eternal life with our Creator. God gave us that gift, that ultimate preparation. All we have to do is believe that Jesus death on the cross was God’s way of preparing for our eternal future. Do you believe? Are you prepared?