Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Daniel 6:10-13; 16-17; 19-23
Matthew 25:1-13

What a week!  Last Tuesday night I sat with my kids and watched the election returns.  We had some great conversation.  Lots of questions about the process and I found myself thinking how thankful I am that my kids will someday be able to officially add their voice to the election process and vote. Whether you are pleased with the results or not I think it's pretty safe to say that most, if not all of us, are relieved to have the commercials and campaigning over-well, mostly over anyway.  It seems that here in Minnesota there'll be some ongoing debate regarding the outcome of the Senate race. But still-for the most part-the messages that bombarded us about which candidate to choose have stopped-for now. 

We are blessed with an abundance of choices in our culture and in our lives-choosing who to elect to public office is only one example.  Every day, every moment we're faced with choices to make-some big, some small-some that change the course of our lives and history, others that are made with seemingly no effect.  Think about just this morning...so many choices that we can't begin to name them all.  For those of us in this particular place, and this particular time-when to get up, what to wear, when to eat, what service to attend, how to respond to children who are not responding that it's time to go, where to park, where to sit...well, maybe not-so-much as some of you consistently sit in the same place whenever you find yourself in this sanctuary---who to greet, what to sing, how to spend the rest of the day....you get the idea-an abundance of choices. 

We're currently in a sermons series here at Bethlehem called "Your Abundant Life" and as Pastor Chris noted last week, the concept is not one we're used to hearing about in the world today.  Especially with news of the economy, the message we predominantly hear is that we are living in a time of scarcity, not abundance.  But in the gift of faith we receive a new perspective.  God's love is abundant.  God's forgiveness is abundant.  God's blessings are abundant!  It may not always feel that way, but faith isn't a matter of how you feel--in faith we choose to focus on what is good and to name that goodness as God's activity in our lives.

Just the ability to make choices is a blessing. When God created us in his image God gave us a tiny measure of what God has without limit-the ability to choose.  In the book of Genesis we read:  "Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, in our likeness...and let them have dominion..." Dominion is a kingdom word meaning power, control, authority, command, and say-so.  God has created us to have some say-so.  God has created us to take part in God's creative force for good in the world.  It's one of the reasons that having no choice in a matter can be so difficult; when we feel like we have no control or that we've lost the power to choose there is a part of us that dies and we grieve the loss.  The reality of having no choice in a matter can be devastating.

Daniel's story, some of which we read in the first lesson earlier offers some helpful insight for us, even these thousand years later. As a young teenager, Daniel and several friends were taken to Babylon in the first group of captives-about 605 B.C.  There Daniel was trained with young men from other districts of the far-flung empire for the Babylonian civil service.  Through a series of events recorded in his book Daniel was advanced to the highest positions in the administration of three empires, and his lifetime spans the entire period of Judah's captivity.  Five major events illustrate Daniel's relationship with these world rulers:  his decision not to defile himself with pagan foods in chapter one, his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's first dream and second dream in chapters two and four, his reading of the writing on the wall of the new king, Nebuchadnezzar's son Belshazzar in the fifth chapter, and Daniel's being cast into the lions' den in chapter six which we read earlier.

Throughout each experience it seems as if Daniel has little choice in what's going on.  He is a victim-most everything is determined for him by outside forces over which he has no control.  In just the first chapter we hear that Daniel has lost his freedom, his home, his culture, his friendships, and his status as one of Israel's nobility.  He even loses his name as King Nebuchadnezzar renames Daniel with the Babylonian name:  Belteshazzar.  Could life be anymore bleak?

And yet that's not how Daniel's story is told.  Daniel is portrayed as a distinctly committed and humble man.  Ezekiel compares Daniel's righteousness to Noah's and Job's (Ez 14:14) and lifts up Daniel as one by whom to measure wisdom (Ez 28).  We would understand if Daniel were angry, resentful or complained about all that's gone wrong in his life.  Who knows-there may have been moments of that-- but if so that part of the story remains untold.  Daniel's story is powerful because he doesn't choose to focus on those things over which he has no control.  Instead Daniel keeps his focus on God. 

Daniel determined that in all circumstances he would choose to honor God.  Daniel acted in a very particular way.  He chose to honor God in all things, in all circumstances.  This is almost always NOT the easy choice to make-that message is clear in Daniel's story too.  But honoring God is the necessary first step in choosing to live wisely.  Honor God in what you say and what you do...honor God in choices you make and you will begin to see more clearly where God is already at work in your life-leading, guiding, offering comfort, hope and peace.

Like Daniel, there are times in our life when we will find ourselves in Babylon-an unexpected diagnosis, the loss of a job, 401k's slipping away, betrayed by family or friend-times when life seems absolutely out of control. But the key question in situations like this writes John Ortberg, is never "what have I lost?"  It is instead what do I have left?"

That's the problem some of the bridesmaids run into in Matthew's parable we heard earlier.  5 of the 10 bridesmaids in the story Jesus tells have nothing left by the time the bridegroom arrives.  In every other way the 10 bridesmaids are all alike:  all of the bridesmaids are waiting for the bridegroom; they all belonged to the same community;  they all fall asleep; they all respond when his arrival is announced; they all wake up; they all get up and trim their lamps-but 5 had oil to light the lamps, and 5 did not.  5 are wise in matters of the kingdom of God and 5 are not.

Now there are some troubling things about this parable to be sure.  In many ways it seems as if it flies in the face of other stories Jesus tells about God's kingdom.  We could spend an hour or a lifetime for that matter, dissecting the many layers of this story and trying to understand what it all means. But for today, in these few moments, I want us to focus on the significance of the oil:  Oil is needed to light the lamp;  Oil is required if you're hoping for light.  Wise bridesmaids have plenty of oil; foolish ones do not.

In baptism we hear Jesus' call to "let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven".  Christians are called to be light for the world.  It's not our light that shines-it is the light of Christ that shines in and through us.  The source of the light is Christ himself-the oil, if you will, that is necessary for the light to shine.  We need oil-we need Christ in our life-if we hope to bring his light-his hope, his good news, his love-into the world.  God has promised a life time supply of this oil.  God has promised that we have a never ending supply of his presence, his forgiveness and love in the person of Jesus Christ.  In faith God gives this gift-and nothing can take it away.  And yet, even as I dare to call myself a person of faith so often it seems I act in ways that counter this truth.  Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!

You see,  I know what it is to run out of oil.  I'm guessing you do too.  When you snap at your kids for no reason-guess what, the tank is getting low.  When you work too many hours in a day your relationships are going to suffer.  When conversations with your spouse center only on logistics of getting through each day your marriage begins to go dry.  When you focus on what others have you begin to resent the things that you don't.  When you run out of oil the light begins to dim until it eventually goes out.  But lack of light is not God's doing; it's a result of the foolish choice we often make to try to go it alone.

          So what is it that replenishes your oil?  What fills you up spiritually when you are feeling dry?  Where do you find God so that you can filled up again?  If we're looking for ideas the Scriptures are a great resource.  One psalm reads:  Be still and know that I am God.  The prophet Isaiah proclaims:  the mountains and the hills shall burst into song...and it shall be to the Lord a memorial, an everlasting sign.  And Jesus tells us:  I was hungry and you fed me.  I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink.  I was naked, and you clothed me.  I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.  I was in prison, and you visited me.  I was sick, and you comforted me.  These are the places where we find the spirit of the living God-in the quiet, in creation, in the needs of others. These are the ways oil is replenished so that the light of Christ burns bright-in us and for others. 

We need to be spiritually fed, for Christ is the source of all hope and light. So be wise in this way:  honor God-pray to God; praise God; name God as the source of all that is good.  And then look for Jesus in the needs of neighbors, in the face of enemies, in unexpected places of your life.  Keep awake.  Watch for Christ.  His promise is that he will come and every time he does you, me and all the world are blessed.  Amen.