Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:14 | hello today let’s talk about coffeee ice |
| 0:18 | cream and |
| 0:20 | blood the text before us is Matthew 25 |
| 0:24 | verses |
| 0:24 | 1-13 the parable of the great wedding |
| 0:28 | feast |
| 0:30 | introduction it was about 50 years ago |
| 0:34 | that I entered |
| 0:36 | Seminary I still remember some of the |
| 0:38 | relationships from those days I remember |
| 0:41 | the day that a young man asked me to his |
| 0:44 | home we had just finished morning |
| 0:47 | classes and the chapel service when he |
| 0:50 | said to me hey Kurt why don’t you come |
| 0:52 | over to my house for a cup of |
| 0:54 | coffee I said sure and we walked |
| 0:58 | together to his apartment he and his |
| 1:00 | wife lived just a couple of doors down |
| 1:02 | from the apartment that Debbie and I had |
| 1:05 | none of us had much most of us were |
| 1:08 | newlyweds living with hand-me-down |
| 1:10 | furniture and not two cents to rub |
| 1:13 | together he made me a cup of coffee and |
| 1:16 | we talked about class and theology about |
| 1:20 | our doggies and our wives it was very |
| 1:24 | nice then I thought that I should go but |
| 1:27 | he said something like oh don’t go yet |
| 1:29 | sit a while so I did it was |
| 1:34 | nice after a little while I tried to go |
| 1:36 | again but once again he said the same |
| 1:39 | thing oh don’t go yet sit a |
| 1:43 | while and I realized a couple of things |
| 1:45 | first I |
| 1:47 | thought this is very |
| 1:49 | nice not just the coffee or the |
| 1:53 | hospitality but he is truly a nice |
| 1:57 | person and then I thought |
| 2:01 | we’re beginning a |
| 2:02 | friendship I like |
| 2:04 | that we did become friends after four |
| 2:08 | years of Seminary we were God Parents |
| 2:10 | for each other’s children and we were |
| 2:13 | best |
| 2:14 | friends when we each received our first |
| 2:17 | calls to Ministry our congregations were |
| 2:19 | not that far apart so for many years our |
| 2:22 | families continued to see each other for |
| 2:24 | holidays family events and sometimes |
| 2:27 | just to get together |
| 2:31 | I should also tell you that a couple of |
| 2:32 | years ago we got together |
| 2:35 | again he had |
| 2:37 | cancer he was |
| 2:39 | wonderful he was hurting and could not |
| 2:42 | eat much but as always he was wise and |
| 2:45 | gentle and a 100 times smarter and |
| 2:47 | better than I was he died soon |
| 2:51 | thereafter I miss |
| 2:55 | him |
| 2:56 | anyway I think that our friendship |
| 2:58 | started with his wonderful invitation |
| 3:00 | hey Kurt why don’t you come over to my |
| 3:02 | house for a cup of |
| 3:04 | coffee what a dear |
| 3:07 | friend there was another fellow with |
| 3:10 | whom I went to Seminary and I wondered |
| 3:12 | if perhaps we could be friends too it |
| 3:15 | was several months later I talked to my |
| 3:17 | wife and I said you know I would like to |
| 3:21 | invite this other fellow and his wife |
| 3:23 | over for dessert after dinner Debbie |
| 3:26 | said sure that’s fine so on a Friday |
| 3:29 | after class I caught this other fellow |
| 3:32 | and I said how would you and your wife |
| 3:33 | like to come over for dessert this |
| 3:35 | evening after dinner and he said that he |
| 3:38 | would |
| 3:39 | check I was pretty excited in those |
| 3:42 | early years I remember counting pennies |
| 3:46 | and balancing our checkbook weekly to |
| 3:48 | the |
| 3:49 | penny so Debbie and I went to the store |
| 3:52 | and we |
| 3:53 | splurged we bought a gallon of ice cream |
| 3:56 | now in early |
| 3:58 | 1970s it was only about a dollar or so |
| 4:02 | but that meant a lot to us after dinner |
| 4:05 | we cleaned the whole house and we got |
| 4:08 | everything ready Debbie was pregnant but |
| 4:11 | we had not yet had our first child so |
| 4:14 | there we sat on the wooden Deacon’s |
| 4:17 | bench that her father had made for us we |
| 4:21 | waited for |
| 4:23 | hours until finally it was |
| 4:26 | bedtime our ice cream evening |
| 4:30 | never |
| 4:31 | happened I later learned that the other |
| 4:33 | fellow and his wife had gone over to |
| 4:35 | someone else’s |
| 4:37 | apartment isn’t it |
| 4:39 | interesting some |
| 4:41 | invitations lead to lifelong friendships |
| 4:45 | others well they do |
| 4:50 | not point one the joy of Heaven the |
| 4:54 | gospel lesson is about the grandest |
| 4:56 | marriage celebration ever it is about a |
| 4:58 | bridegroom who loves his bride and a |
| 5:01 | bride who is Overjoyed with her |
| 5:03 | groom as you may know Jesus is the |
| 5:06 | bridegroom of this Parable and the one |
| 5:09 | holy Christian and Apostolic church is |
| 5:12 | his bride that means you and |
| 5:15 | me in this Parable Jesus tells us that |
| 5:19 | there are 10 Young maidens who are to |
| 5:23 | join the bride |
| 5:26 | oh I should explain something about the |
| 5:28 | wedding C customs in the day of Christ |
| 5:31 | the groom either lived at his own home |
| 5:33 | or more probably he lived in his |
| 5:34 | father’s home the groom would work hard |
| 5:37 | to make the home ready to receive his |
| 5:40 | bride also his family would have a |
| 5:43 | fabulous banquet and Celebration The |
| 5:46 | Feast would last for days there would be |
| 5:48 | incredible food and drink music and |
| 5:51 | dancing laughter and joy for everyone |
| 5:53 | and then he and his bride would live |
| 5:57 | together in his father’s house now as |
| 6:00 | the custom goes when everything was |
| 6:03 | ready the groom went with his groomsmen |
| 6:05 | to get his bride at her parents’ |
| 6:08 | house the groom led a joyous procession |
| 6:14 | and when the procession reached the |
| 6:15 | bride’s house she would be greeted by |
| 6:18 | her betro and his friends then the |
| 6:21 | procession returned to his home for the |
| 6:24 | grand marriage feast and the beginning |
| 6:27 | of their new life together here’s the |
| 6:30 | first point that I want to make |
| 6:33 | Jesus is telling you about your life in |
| 6:37 | heaven and what it’s going to be |
| 6:40 | like it will be the greatest grandest |
| 6:44 | most joyous celebration than you can |
| 6:47 | possibly |
| 6:50 | imagine actually that’s such an |
| 6:52 | understatement I must say it differently |
| 6:55 | it will be infinitely more wonderful |
| 6:59 | than the the most joyous occasion than |
| 7:01 | you can possibly conceive not only will |
| 7:04 | there be everything that you can think |
| 7:06 | of when you dream of a terrific family |
| 7:09 | holiday but it will be a million times |
| 7:12 | better than that why because not only |
| 7:16 | will this Feast include Heaven’s best |
| 7:19 | food and drink Heaven’s best music and |
| 7:21 | dancing and laughter and joy but as |
| 7:24 | Jesus has explained this is a Heavenly |
| 7:28 | Kingdom marage marage feast and so every |
| 7:31 | human heart will be fully healed made |
| 7:35 | holy and pure and every human |
| 7:37 | relationship will be fully restored made |
| 7:41 | genuine and |
| 7:43 | true it is impossible for us to grasp |
| 7:48 | what it will be like to love and be |
| 7:51 | loved by God the Father Son and Holy |
| 7:53 | Spirit and to love and be loved by every |
| 7:56 | other member of his Heavenly redeemed |
| 7:59 | family |
| 7:59 | family every single relationship with |
| 8:03 | every forgiven and restored Saint will |
| 8:06 | be |
| 8:07 | wonderful we will know the joy of |
| 8:11 | Heaven point two the inevitability of |
| 8:15 | his coming now here is where the parable |
| 8:18 | gets interesting the 10 Young maidens |
| 8:20 | are waiting along the way when the |
| 8:23 | procession passes it will be loud and |
| 8:26 | boisterous and they will hear it and |
| 8:28 | they will run out and they will join the |
| 8:30 | procession going back to the groom’s |
| 8:32 | home for the big party in this instance |
| 8:36 | however there was an unexpected delay we |
| 8:41 | don’t know why but Jesus by use of this |
| 8:45 | Parable explains that there’s going to |
| 8:47 | be a delay in the procession of the |
| 8:51 | groom in other words Christ’s Second |
| 8:54 | Coming is not going to be when we expect |
| 8:57 | it it’s going to be |
| 9:00 | a surprise when the groom leaves his |
| 9:03 | father’s house and comes to retrieve his |
| 9:07 | bride you see what I’m saying Jesus is |
| 9:10 | going to leave his father’s house and he |
| 9:12 | will come to bring us his bride back to |
| 9:17 | heaven with |
| 9:18 | him Jesus continues his Parable so at an |
| 9:22 | unexpected time a shout goes up behold |
| 9:25 | the bridegroom come out to meet him |
| 9:29 | and as the parable |
| 9:31 | goes the 10 |
| 9:33 | girls have fallen |
| 9:35 | asleep they’re suddenly |
| 9:38 | awakened but they were as prepared as |
| 9:40 | they were going to be they grabbed their |
| 9:42 | lamps five of them had oil for the |
| 9:45 | procession five of them did |
| 9:48 | not all of the girls light their lamps |
| 9:52 | but some of the lamps will not stay |
| 9:55 | lighted they are out of oil what will |
| 9:59 | they do they ask the other girls if they |
| 10:02 | can have some of their oil but no then |
| 10:06 | none of them would have enough to make |
| 10:08 | the procession to the groom’s house the |
| 10:10 | five without oil must go find some for |
| 10:18 | themselves the festival procession |
| 10:21 | continues the five girls with oil join |
| 10:24 | in but the five girls without oil are |
| 10:28 | desperate |
| 10:30 | the wedding parade reaches the groom’s |
| 10:33 | house the bride and her family and her |
| 10:36 | friends are greeted by the Grooms family |
| 10:39 | and friends the Heavenly Party begins |
| 10:42 | the door is shut and the door is |
| 10:46 | locked when the girls who had no oil |
| 10:50 | arrive and find the door locked they |
| 10:52 | begin to bang and to shout let us in let |
| 10:56 | us in But the Groom will not his |
| 10:59 | response is truly I say to you I do not |
| 11:03 | know |
| 11:05 | you what is going on here what is our |
| 11:09 | Lord teaching his disciples what is your |
| 11:12 | lord Jesus teaching |
| 11:14 | you point three the oil of Christ first |
| 11:19 | you must understand that the number 10 |
| 11:22 | means completion there are 10 |
| 11:26 | commandments and it takes at least 10 |
| 11:28 | families to make a synagogue and at |
| 11:30 | least 10 persons for a funeral |
| 11:32 | procession in this Parable 10 virgins |
| 11:37 | complete the number that represents all |
| 11:39 | of the followers of Christ in his church |
| 11:42 | throughout the |
| 11:43 | ages but unfortunately not all of those |
| 11:47 | who are in the church are wise it |
| 11:51 | appears that some of them are |
| 11:54 | foolish now this is a spiritual Parable |
| 11:57 | so it seems that some in the church are |
| 12:01 | spiritually |
| 12:03 | foolish though no Maiden in the day of |
| 12:06 | Jesus would leave her home without oil |
| 12:08 | for her lamp it’s clear from this |
| 12:11 | Parable that some of the Christians |
| 12:13 | throughout history will come to meet the |
| 12:15 | bridegroom Jesus Christ without oil in |
| 12:19 | their spiritual |
| 12:21 | lamps they may try to find a place to |
| 12:24 | buy spiritual oil when the bridegroom |
| 12:27 | comes but when the goes up the |
| 12:30 | bridegroom has come they will not be |
| 12:32 | able to buy any oil it will be too |
| 12:38 | late |
| 12:40 | why because the spiritual oil that a |
| 12:44 | Christian carries is given by the grace |
| 12:47 | of God you cannot buy it or manufacture |
| 12:51 | it or create it on your own it comes |
| 12:54 | from God this spiritual oil comes by |
| 12:59 | hearing the word of God and by receiving |
| 13:02 | the gift of faith in Jesus Christ you |
| 13:05 | see not only is Jesus the light of the |
| 13:08 | world he also is the oil that enables |
| 13:12 | your lamp of Faith to |
| 13:15 | shine and this spiritual oil that you |
| 13:19 | carry in your heart is a demonstration |
| 13:22 | of a Divine relationship that you have |
| 13:24 | with God by grace through faith |
| 13:29 | your relationship with |
| 13:32 | God is more precious and more powerful |
| 13:35 | than you can possibly understand it |
| 13:38 | means that you will always have oil for |
| 13:41 | your lamp because Jesus the light of the |
| 13:44 | world is always with you and it means |
| 13:49 | that because of the faith relationship |
| 13:51 | that Jesus has given to |
| 13:53 | you one day you will join the |
| 13:57 | bridegroom’s Heavenly process ession |
| 13:59 | into the marriage |
| 14:01 | celebration that has no |
| 14:04 | end |
| 14:06 | conclusion the relationship that you |
| 14:09 | have with God through the bridegroom |
| 14:13 | Jesus Christ is not like any other |
| 14:15 | relationship that you will ever have |
| 14:18 | even though a wonderful friendship May |
| 14:20 | begin with a cup of coffee your |
| 14:22 | relationship with Jesus did not start |
| 14:25 | with |
| 14:26 | coffee and even though some |
| 14:28 | relationships do not last and are |
| 14:31 | rejected this relationship with Jesus is |
| 14:34 | not lost because a gallon of ice cream |
| 14:37 | was never shared no the faith |
| 14:41 | relationship that you have with Jesus |
| 14:43 | Christ is not because of coffee or ice |
| 14:46 | cream it is because of |
| 14:49 | blood the blood of Jesus Christ that was |
| 14:52 | shed for you Jesus offers his precious |
| 14:57 | gift to all all and some receive it and |
| 15:01 | a wonderful Eternal friendship is made |
| 15:04 | but others do not choose to accept the |
| 15:07 | invitation and no relationship |
| 15:12 | results your faith was created by the |
| 15:14 | word of God and quickened by the Holy |
| 15:17 | Spirit by grace through faith God Made |
| 15:20 | You part of his family by means of his |
| 15:23 | holy word and |
| 15:25 | sacraments and the same glorious bride |
| 15:28 | Grom who will one day come to take you |
| 15:31 | to his father’s house already is alive |
| 15:36 | and living in you right |
| 15:39 | now Jesus is your oil that will never |
| 15:42 | run out and Jesus is your bridegroom who |
| 15:46 | has prepared the Heavenly marriage Feast |
| 15:48 | that even |
| 15:51 | now is waiting for |
| 15:55 | you |
| 15:57 | amen |
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