Amos 5: 18-24                                                                                                           Rev. Dr. Galen E. Russell III

Matthew 25: 1-13                                                                                                                       November 8, 2026

       There are several ways to interpret this parable. Some say it’s about preparing for the advent, the arrival of the Son of God. Others say it’s about getting ready for the bridegroom (Jesus) who is to meet his bride (the church) and the bridesmaids are Christ’s servants in the world. A third popular understanding is that it’s about when Jesus comes back to the earth, and you’ve got to keep awake, so you don’t miss it. And a few interpret it as a lesson on sharing resources with others.

But today I invite us to read this parable through the lens of Jesus’ larger teaching on living in anticipation of God’s future that we’re preparing for. Because the parable is situated at the end of Matthew’s gospel, and with good reason. Many of the stories of chapter 24 and 25 are about the coming of God’s realm, a kindom of justice and peace of grace and forgiveness for all. And how this kindom is worth preparing for, and inadequate preparation can lead to dead ends and frustration, spiritual emptiness. Let’s listen:

But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!”

Prayer: O God, it’s your light and life in our lives that counts. May we plan and prepare to share it.  Amen.

      Please forgive me, but I feel like I have to address the events of this past week. Are you like me? Are you glad the general mid-term elections are over? Yay! But you know, it’s not so much that the elections—those were fine, important too, but I’m so glad the political advertising is over… at least for the time being. I was amazed that on Wednesday last week, I only had one piece of mail in my mailbox! I felt totally neglected!

      But I am thrilled to see the end of the terrible commercials. All the damning and debasing and demonizing of candidates, all the slander and unfounded claims on both sides. You really got to be strong in spirit and stable in your faith to hold that garbage at arm’s length and not get sucked into it! And not talk like those about public officials or anyone.

But it’s all over now. Or is it? The election may be over, and most of us did our civic duty, which is great. That is vital in our country.

      But now the real work begins. With this shift in leadership, the time is now—not to sit back—but for both political parties to get going. To work together for what’s best for our nation. To prioritize broken systems. To enact legislation for the good of the American people. All people. Not just the privileged and powerful. All people.

In my opinion, it is not a high priority to gloat, to wage vendettas or to get revenge, or to focus on impeachments. Maybe there’s a time for some of that, to hold accountable those who have gotten away with wrongs and such, but right now, I think that will only produce more chaos and hatred.

      Right now, I think it’s more important to focus on the needs of the American people in this new power shift. Because it seems to me that our politicians and civic leaders must get on the same page. To work together for a just and safe society. To pass and enact legislation that keeps the ideals of our Declaration of Independence in sharp focus—that all are created equal, and all have certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. ¹Legislation that prioritizes the mission of our government found in the Constitution, which is to form a more perfect union, to establish justice, to ensure domestic tranquility, to provide for the common defense, and to secure the blessings of liberty. There. I said it. I got it off my chest. ²So if you want, encourage our politicians with that.

      And, of course, on face value, these ideals of The Declaration of Independence and goals of the Constitution are in keeping with the biblical vision that God has for humanity. A vision that is central to the world’s history in the Bible. Which is that all creation is intended to be in a good and healthy relationship with every other, living in harmony and in security. That the vision of just and safe world for all is the priority that we work toward.

      This vision of the Kingdom is God’s light in the world. And God’s light is a symbol of this vision, this hope, this dream that God has for humanity and the creation. And Jesus is God’s agent, who taught us to be God’s light in the world. Remember he said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8: 12), and he also said, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5: 14). We are the ones to bring that vision into reality.

      Now I know some say this vision feels like ‘pie-in-the-sky’ thinking, that it’s impossible to happen. Everyone has enough and lives in peace? Everyone has a relationship with God and lives life in a just and loving way? Reflecting God’s just and loving way with us? They say it will never happen.

      But our faith is to the contrary.  Our faith says that with God, it is possible. With God, it is possible that people like us can become serious and effective agents of God’s vision, helping to bring God’s light into the world. With God, we become a church community that gathers around such an impossibility and prepares for moments when God’s light needs to shine out from us. Onto that moment.

      Which takes me to this parable of Jesus.  The need to prioritize the light is symbolically shown by how the ten bridesmaids prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom. Five prepared wisely making sure they had enough oil. They prioritized the arrival of the bridegroom. The other five were lackadaisical, flippant, and took it for granted that they could mooch off the ones who had enough oil. They did not prioritize the arrival of the bridegroom. 

      As I said, there are lots of ways to take this parable, but the questions that struck me are, do we prioritize God’s light in a proactive way, preparing ahead of time, so that when the moment comes when it is needed, we are ready? Or do we wait for a crisis to arrive before we respond? Must a person go hungry before we address food security? Must a person be cast out onto the streets before we address homelessness? Must someone be departed before leaders address migration? Because we never know when we will be called upon to share God’s light.

      Can we prepare for a world shaped by God’s vision of justice, compassion, equality, and shared abundance? Are we preparing to welcome that world by fixing broken systems that oppress and exclude? Are we letting justice roll and righteousness flow?

Or are we simply reacting to crisis? Are we just keeping with the status quo?  Are we just going through the motions?

      There was once a community with a beautiful river flowing through it. And everyone loved the downtown riverside park. People had picnics there. Sat under the trees. But little by little, the pollution flowing in the river made the park dirty, stinky, and unsafe. And eventually no one visited it anymore. Then some of the city council people organized a big cleanup project. And it went well. And the riverside park was nice again. Until it wasn’t. A few months later, it was a mess. Because you can react and clean up the park all you want. But until someone becomes proactive and addresses why pollution is being created upstream in the first place and what to do about it, the value of a clean park will never become permanent. 



      I think God invites our lives today to reflect God’s values which we are working to bring into existence more than reactive emergency charity. I think what is required is to prioritize God’s values, God’s light, God’s vision, and anticipate human needs. Then proactively get busy.

Politicians and civic leaders, are you listening? Amen.

1 from the Declaration of Independence, Declaration of Independence: A Transcription | National Archives, retrieved November 6, 2026.

2 from the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America, Preamble - We the People | Constitution Center, retrieved November 6, 2026.