Thy Strong Word — Matthew 25:1-13: Unbelievable mercy to unbelievable sinners: Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning, burning burning.

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Rev. Tysen Bibb, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Norborne, MO joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study Matthew 25:1-13.

The Church waits for Christ’s return as the virgins wait for the bridegroom. To be ready for his coming required a lamp to be lit. To wait can cause us to lose focus and become drowsy like the virgins. When the bridegroom returned at midnight five virgins had enough oil and five did not. Faith, the oil in the lamp, is what is required to enter the wedding feast and you can’t have faith for another. The song “Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning, burning, burning” is a good prayer for Him to keep us close to Himself and we ask for that same oil for others. “O LORD, keep us awake, fill us with Your gifts of salvation to be ready when You return. You give us the reality of Your return because of Your love for us, give us hope as we wait and joyfully serve in Your kingdom. Amen”

Thy Strong Word reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is hosted by Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, MN, and graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

Matthew 25:1-13

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps[a] and went to meet the bridegroom.[b] 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 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.’ 10 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. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

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Footnotes

Matthew 25:1 Or torches

Matthew 25:1 Some manuscripts add and the bride

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org