Matthew 25:1-13
 
Paul encourages the Thessalonian believers to abide in hope because Christ has risen from the dead – the “firstfruits” (as I Corinthians 15:20 says) of the great deliverance someday coming for the rest of us.
Today’s passage is also about that final deliverance, but from a different angle: it is less about God’s grace and more about our responsibility. This parable is one of a whole group of parables, all told in response to a question from the disciples (see Matthew 24:3) about what the “end of the age” would be like. Many of the terms Jesus used and the stories He told are familiar to us if we’ve spent any time around apocalyptic preaching or literature about the end times: wars and rumors of wars, persecution, suffering, watchfulness, and even an angel with a trumpet.
Jesus threads a common theme through these parables: the need to be ready. No one knows when the Son of Man will appear, when the end will come. This parable is perhaps the crowning example of that.
The bridesmaids Jesus talked about were waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom so that the wedding banquet could begin, much as we do today, lingering at wedding receptions. While the happy couple takes photos, we nibble on a few pretzels and talk to friends, eager for the moment when the bride and bridegroom will appear. It was the task of these particular bridesmaids to wait as long as necessary and be as prepared as possible. But in fact, not all of them were prepared. The unprepared ones went out to buy oil for their lamps, and when they came back, they discovered they had missed the party. The door was shut, and they could not get in.
We may question this parable (and people have). We know from elsewhere in the Scriptures that God loves and extends grace to everyone. Why would the unprepared bridesmaids be shut out? C. S. Lewis is helpful here. He states in “The Problem of Pain” that “the gates of hell are locked from the inside.”
That is, through the choices we make every day as we move along our path of discipleship in this life. We are either growing closer to Jesus or further away; we are making ourselves more into or less into the kind of people who actually want to attend the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. In church tradition, we call this process “sanctification,” but the term matters less than grasping the concept. The work we do, the decisions we make, the people we help, the justice we fight for, the hope we preach, the prayers we offer, all these make us more Christlike. They help us keep our lamps lit, ready for the moment when the bridegroom comes.
 
Reflection
How are you becoming like Christ? Where do you need His help to become more like Him?
 
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that the things we do for your Kingdom in this life are never in vain. Guide us as we seek to grow more like You every day and prepared for that great day of Deliverance.
Amen.

Colossians 1:3-4
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people.
 
When Mark was a senior in college, he and his roommate decided to spend the Thanksgiving holiday in Montreal, Canada. Neither of them had been there before, and they figured it would be a fitting adventure. They made the long drive from Boston to Montreal on Thanksgiving Day, getting into the city shortly before dinner time.
After settling into their pensione, they searched for a delicious turkey dinner. But they had no luck at all. They could not find any restaurant serving turkey and all the trimmings on Thanksgiving evening. Of course, it hadn’t dawned on them that Canada doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, but on the second Monday in October. They had missed Thanksgiving by six weeks! No turkey for them! They did find an inexpensive bistro serving tasty boeuf bourguignon, so the evening wasn’t a total loss. But it did seem most irregular to celebrate Thanksgiving by eating something other than turkey in a restaurant where everyone else was speaking French. Live and learn!
I share this story because it serves as a reminder that giving thanks isn’t something reserved only for the last Thursday in November. Yes, it’s appropriate to give thanks like the Canadians on the second Monday in October ... and on all the other Mondays, Thursdays, and the rest of the days of the year.
The Apostle Paul exemplifies the kind of consistent gratitude to which we might aspire. Early in his letter to the Christians in Colossae, he writes, “we always thank God … when we pray for you” (v. 3). As he considers their solid faith and strong love, Paul is grateful for God’s work among them. He makes sure to offer thanks as he prays, not just occasionally, but “always.”
The word “always” (pantote in Greek) reminds me of a similar verse in Ephesians: “[Be filled with the Spirit] . . . always [pantote] giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 5:20). When I was a young Christian, I worried about verses like this. How could it be possible, I wondered, for Paul to pray “always” or “at all times”? Wasn’t this claim a considerable exaggeration? Moreover, if I took what Paul says literally, how in the world could I ever be expected to imitate his example? It seemed impossible to thank God at all times.
Now that I’m well into the third third of my life, I no longer worry about what Paul says about thanking God always. I have come to understand that he is not claiming to be verbally praying to God at every moment when he talks about always giving thanks. Instead, he is using the word “always” in a figurative sense. He means that he regularly thanks God for the Colossians, as he does for the other churches entrusted to his care.
Today’s title is “Regular Thanksgiving.” I use this phrase not to refer to how Americans regularly celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. I want to remind us that giving thanks is something we should do frequently . . . often, consistently, habitually. Paul’s example suggests that we should adopt a regular posture of gratitude when we receive God’s gifts and offer thanks to God, either in words or in the prayers of our hearts.
So, by all means, give thanks to God this week. However, don’t limit your gratitude to a single day in November (or if Canadian, in October). Instead, learn to thank the Lord every day, throughout the day. Pay attention to God’s good gifts to you and be sure to express, “Thank you!”
Reflection
Would you say that you consistently give thanks to God? If so, why? If not, why not?
What helps you to give thanks to God consistently?
 
Prayer
Gracious Heavenly Father, Paul’s example reminds me to thank You for the people who have made such a difference in my life. They are gifts from You to me and I receive them gratefully. Thank You also for Your grace at work in their lives. Specifically, Lord, I thank you today for … (fill in a name for who you are grateful).
All praise be to You, O God, giver of such good gifts!
Amen.

Isaiah 60:2-3
​See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
If you are a lover of Handel’s Messiah, you cannot read Isaiah 60:2-3 without hearing, in your mind, the words of this passage sung by a deep bass voice: “For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”
Centuries before it was put to music by Handel, this prophecy of Isaiah emphasized the worldwide impact of the Lord’s blessing of Israel. As God revealed divine glory to and through Israel, this glory would be reflected to all the nations. All nations would be drawn to Jerusalem to see the light of God. Thus, God would fulfill the promise to Abraham to bless all the peoples of the earth through him and his nation (Genesis 12:2).
This is exactly what began to happen in Jesus Christ. As we read in John’s gospel: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). Jesus, the ultimate revelation of God’s glorious grace, was the Savior, not just of Israel, but of the whole world. People from all nations have come – and are – to experience God’s glory through Him.
Isaiah 60 reminds us that we are to reflect God’s glory into the dark world around us. As we communicate God’s truth, as we reach out with God’s love, as we offer forgiveness and mercy, and as we live and speak and work differently, people will see God’s glory through us and be drawn to God. That is an essential element of our high calling as Christians. We’re to reflect God’s glory wherever we are, in every quarter of our world.
Jesus talked about this very thing in the Sermon on the Mount, though using slightly different language. He said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16). Notice what happens when people see our good works. They don’t praise us. They don’t think we are so special. Rather, the “give glory to [our] Father in heaven.” This suggests that we have been honest with people about what, or better, Who enables us to live in this world with truth, justice, and grace. When we give God the credit that God is due, then others will glorify God when we do what’s right.
 
Reflection
When have you experienced God’s glory?
How do you reflect God’s glory in your part of the world? In your work? Family? Neighborhood? Church?
What could you do today to reflect God’s glory more completely?
 
Prayer
Lord, thank You that You are glorious beyond all measure! We praise You for revealing Your glory to us! Lord Jesus, You are the ultimate revelation of God’s glory! Help me, Lord, to see more of Your glory, that my mind and heart might be filled with awe and wonder! Help me also to reflect Your glory in this world, so that people might be drawn to You!
In the name of Jesus, the glorious Word of God, Amen.
Amen.

Last week, we talked about Paul’s charge to Timothy to preach the Word and his warning that when Timothy persistently and faithfully does so, some will turn away from that teaching even when it is true and challenging. Perhaps especially when it is true and challenging. We focused on the fact that some will not want to hear the message preached because it makes us uncomfortable. I say “us” because I am certainly included. 
Many Biblical teachings make us uncomfortable. These include calls to repent, calls to mourn or lament, and calls to meekness, as mentioned last week. This category of uncomfortable teaching may also include calls to consider how we honor the sabbath or how the consumer culture we live in influences our spending and accumulation of possessions. In a politically divisive age, it may include challenges to give God a higher allegiance than our political party, or to love those with whom we disagree.
One question that I have found helpful is to ask when I find myself feeling uncomfortable after I experience a sermon or other form of teaching coming from a Christian leader (such as a book or essay) is this: am I uncomfortable because the teaching is unbiblical in some way, or is it because I am being challenged to grow in my faith in a new way? Fortunately, since I have attended church all my life, I must admit that most of the time I have felt uncomfortable after a sermon has been the latter. I am being challenged to grow in a new way.
This is a simple principle for all who want to be disciples of Christ, but not an easy one to follow (at least for me): the path to Christian growth often involves being willing to be challenged in uncomfortable and countercultural ways. We need to go outside our comfort zone if we are to grow, and we should be aware that our world's culture tempts us to a more comfortable message than that of God’s Word.
This passage from Paul to Timothy has an explicit message to congregations and to those in positions of leadership in the church: keep preaching the Word, even when it is challenging and uncomfortable, and when folks don’t want to hear it.
When I am invited to speak somewhere at a church, retreat, or conference, I usually start with one question before God: What does this audience need to hear right now? Phrased another way, I ask: What message - perhaps a challenging or uncomfortable one - is God putting on my heart?  But after I ask that question, I ask another one. How can I connect well with this audience? How can I understand them and break down any barriers that make the message harder to hear than it needs to be, without diluting the message itself? 
It is interesting to note that when Paul tells Timothy to persistently proclaim the message, along with convincing and exhorting (some translations read, correcting and rebuking), Paul also exhorts Timothy to be encouraging. I find that an uncomfortable message delivered with obvious love, understanding, and empathy is much easier for me to hear: a message from somebody walking alongside me on the challenging road of being a disciple.
 
Reflection
What Biblical messages, principles, or callings tend to make me uncomfortable? Why do I think that is?
Can you think of times when you had a conversation that made others uncomfortable? How did you respond to their discomfort?
 
Prayer
Lord, thank You that You love me enough to want me to grow closer to You and to challenge me. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, who always walks with me when those challenges make me uncomfortable. Help me, please, to do the same with others when I am called to speak uncomfortable truths.
Amen.

Dear Beloved Church Family,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  As we enter this month of November, our hearts naturally turn toward Thanksgiving. For many, it is a time of gathering around the table, sharing meals, and remembering blessings.  But for us as the people of God, Thanksgiving is not just a holiday—it is a way of life.
The psalmist reminds us, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1).  Gratitude flows not from perfect circumstances, but from the goodness and faithfulness of our God.  Even in seasons of trial or uncertainty, His mercies are new every morning, His grace sustains us, and His promises never fail.
As a church, I am deeply thankful for you.  Your prayers, your faithful service, your generosity, and your love for one another reflect Christ’s heart and strengthen the witness of our congregations.  Together, we are living testimonies of God’s goodness.
I want to encourage us to let our gratitude move us to action.  True thanksgiving is not only expressed with words but also demonstrated in deeds of kindness, service, and generosity.  This season, may we open our hearts and hands to those in need, whether it be a neighbor, a friend, or a stranger.  In doing so, we embody the spirit of Christ, who gave Himself for us.
As you gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving, may your table be filled with joy, your conversations seasoned with grace, and your hearts lifted in worship to the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

May the Lord bless you abundantly, and may our thanksgiving overflow into a life of praise.
Jesus in me loves you and so do I,