Awaiting the Bridegroom in a Life Full of Distraction
Matthew 25:1–13
[Jesus said:] “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’
“Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
“But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’
“But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, keep us safe in these last days of peril. By your Word fill our hearts with the oil of your Spirit so that the fire of our hearts be a sincere faith in our Savior. Preserve us from hypocrisy. Give us certainty of a blessed future in the Word of Christ. Amen.
Dear Fellow Redeemed,
In his well-known book, “The Screwtape Letters,” C. S. Lewis transcribes the letters between one demon to another. In these letters, Screwtape, who is a wise and experienced demon, is writing to his nephew Wormwood, a recent graduate of the devil’s training college. In these letters, Screwtape is giving advice on how to get Wormwood’s patient (a human being) to hell. He is giving this more inexperienced ways to tempt this human being. C.S. Lewis understood the human psyche. He has an uncanny ability to display the weakness of our flesh—and our remarkable ability to fall for the devil’s tricks. By writing from the demon’s perspective, Lewis helps Christians understand their own temptations. I wonder if this is what a letter might sound like today if we were the “patient” of Wormwood and Screwtape was giving advice on how to tempt us.
My dear Wormwood, [1]
It displeases me to hear that your patient has become a Christian. But I urge you to quit your vexing and perplexing, because many of those who have fallen for the Enemy have been brought back to our Father below [Remember, the Enemy of the devil is our good God and Savior]. It seems you have forgotten your schooling and need a reminder of the many tactics you can use. You seem to think these two footed beings are stronger and wiser than they truly are.
One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see her spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners. That, I confess, is a spectacle which makes our boldest tempters uneasy (2 Kings 6:17). But fortunately, it is quite invisible to these humans. All your patient sees is the physical building. When they go inside they see their neighbor with an oily expression on their face who hands them a worn-out book with religious lyrics. When they get to their pew and look around, they see a selection of people whom they would normally avoid. Focus on those neighbors. It doesn’t matter what kind of people the next pew contains. They may be a great warrior on the Enemy’s side. No matter. Your patient, thanks to our Father below, is a fool. If one of those neighbors sings out of tune, or has boots that squeak, a double chin, odd clothes, or habits different from their own, the patient will quite easily believe that they are not truly a Christian. Work hard on them to see their neighbors as disappointments and fools. Do not let the patient see their own sins and vices. Do not let them see their own hypocrisy. For they naturally, even while admitting their faults, believe that they have a very favorable credit balance in the Enemy’s ledger by living a Christian life and going to church.
(The experienced demon continues…)
Yet, if these attempts prove unsuccessful, have no fear. As soon as they walk out into the world they walk into our kingdom. Just as in church, keep your patient proud. Send them the most terrible events and happenings in the world. Let them see the unchristian living, the wars, and hateful political campaigns. In my experience, if you can get your patient to focus on the mundane things of this world, they will be easily swept away by them. But in all this, keep them proud. When they see the attacks we make in the world, let them think, “This world is so evil. People are so wicked. I can’t stand them. If only, they could be a good Christian like me.” Teach them to see a solution in themselves, not in the Enemy. For otherwise, when they see the things in this world they will have compassion, and not hate.
Another great advantage, Wormwood, is that these physical beings are so attached to material things. Don’t forget this. If you let them have time to study the Bible and pray, much of your work will be lost. Consider what tools you have in their home. A phone? A TV? A computer? An inappropriate magazine? These are marvelous distractions. The busier they are with these things, the less likely they will spend time in that Book which makes us tempters shutter. Of course, if these don’t succeed, use their work or other life activities to pull them away from the Enemy’s protection.
Finally, and this is crucial, my dear Wormwood—keep them away from recognizing their own sins. Pride is your patient’s greatest idol. If the Enemy works to show them their sins, do all that you can to minimize them and magnify the sins of their neighbors. For if they recognize their own sins, that will drive them towards the Enemy and away from our Father below. For this reason, I advise you not to send thoughts about death or the judgement. That will make them think about the Enemy, and our kingdom here below. If ever they think about hell, let it only be about where their neighbors will go—not themselves. Otherwise, like I have said, it will drive them to the Enemy, which will be the ruin of your years of tempting.
Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape
Our Lord Jesus is aware of the real spiritual dangers that his believers face in this life. The devil, a master of a thousand arts, uses everything and anything at his disposal to try to distract us from Christ and his Word. But the devil is beat. His head has been crushed. His power is chained and his time running out. The Bridegroom is coming and then his tricks will be forever exposed and put to an end.
But right now, we are still waiting. And so, Jesus says, “Watch out” and “be ready!” Jesus tells us a story about ten virgins who are waiting with lamps in hand for the bridegroom. While they are waiting for him, not knowing the time of his arrival, the virgins get drowsy and nod off to sleep. The oil in their lamps is consumed and the lights go out. Suddenly, they are startled by the cry, “The bridegroom is coming!” They all jumped to trim and refuel their lamps so that they may be part of the wedding procession. Five of them brought extra oil to refuel their lamps, while the others did not. They begged for some oil but could not get any and while they were out to buy more oil, the wise virgins met the groom and went with him to the feast, and the doors were shut. When the foolish arrived, they were too late.
The virgins represent all those who outwardly belong to Christ’s church here on earth and profess faith in Jesus. The foolish virgins, although having it for a time, lost their faith—their flame. They let the oil of their lamp dry up. The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit who works through the Word of God to ignite our faith and keep it burning. Just as it is impossible for a wick to keep burning without oil, likewise, it is impossible to have faith without the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:3).
We live in a life full of distraction. Perhaps, that’s an understatement. We have opportunities and obligations pulling us every which way. The devil is happy to use even God’s blessings to lead us astray. He’ll do whatever he can to distract us from the One Thing Needful—whether that be material things, distractions from the Word, or our pride.
So, Jesus says, “Watch out!” Jesus knows his sheep are prone to wander, but he doesn’t want them to be snatched by the old wolf. And so, Jesus warns us of things like judgement and our own death. Not to scare us, but to encourage us to stay close by our Shepherd’s side. He wants us to repent of our sins and put our trust in him. He wants us to cross through the narrow gate which leads to heavenly pastures.
While the Screwtape Letters are fictional, God’s Word is true. And what does the Lord say to you?
“But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.”
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (I Thessalonians 5:4–11).
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16–17).
“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9). “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25–26).
This is God’s Word to you.
This sermon is not a call to arms to wage war against the devil. This sermon is a call to run for safety to the loving arms of your dear Lord Jesus who has defeated death and the devil. Our preparedness is not found in our valiant efforts to fight off the devil, but in Jesus who has already won the victory. In Jesus, who has already defended us from the devil’s temptations. In Jesus, who went to the cross to takeaway your sins and mine. Every sin, every distraction, and every careless word.
To keep us close to our Shepherd’s side until his return, our Lord Jesus has given us his Word and Sacraments through which the Holy Spirit works to create, sustain, and strengthen our faith. By his Word, the Lord calls his sheep. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). For the times we have strayed and sinned, Jesus gives us his Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins. It’s there Jesus gives you the food to keep you strong.
To not be known by God is a scary thing, but to be known by God is the greatest of all treasures. For this reason, God has instituted Holy Baptism whereby he makes you his own, calls you by name, and forgives you your sins. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine” (Is. 43:1).
Although we are often weak in faith, we can be confident that God will see us through this life to eternity with our gracious God and Savior. The power of faith is not in itself, but in the object of our faith—which is Jesus. Whether we have a weak faith or a strong faith, we have the same Christ, the same Lord, and the same open door. And our Lord assures us, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out” (Isaiah 42:3). No one can take away the hope of those who abide in Jesus. As he comforts us, “No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” Amen.
[1] The structure & some content of this fictional letter used and adapted from: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (1988).