Dear Christian friends:

Today is the last Sunday of Trinity and the last Sunday of the church year. Today is the last time you will see the green stole and paraments for several months. Next Sunday it will change to purple, the first Sunday of Advent. On this last Sunday of the Church year our lessons tell about the last day of the world and how our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ will come to judge and to take us who are ready to glory in heaven.

We are tempted to forget about that wonderful event and may be careless or asleep or doing something wicked and then be caught without faith and be lost.

So in our lesson today Jesus warns us to stay awake and be ready always. He tells the story about ten girls and a wedding. He shows us in this story why we should always be ready for his coming.

Jesus compares His coming to a very happy event, a wedding feast. We all like to go to a wedding to see young people beautiful and happy and enjoy the wonderful food and drinks, the dancing and celebrating. So when Jesus our Lord and Savior comes that will be a very wonderful celebration for us if we are ready for Him.

When you receive an invitation to a wedding feast, you are happy and excited and you get ready a long time before that day comes. You buy new clothes and presents. You don't want to be late and not ready for the wedding. So we also should feel and think about Jesus' coming on the Last Day. That will be very wonderful. We don't want to miss that we want to be ready.

But we don't know the exact date when Jesus will come. In our text Jesus says the bridegroom delayed his coming and the ten girls fell asleep. In Matthew 24:36, Jesus says, "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Jesus warns in Matthew 24:42, "“So be prepared, for you don't know what day your Lord is coming."

The people before the flood laughed at Noah. When the flood came they were surprised and sorry, but it was too late.

So Jesus wants to warn us to not delay about Him and Church. Don't think tomorrow, next Sunday, I will change my ways and be good. You may not see tomorrow Jesus may come today. Or you may die today.

The Bible says, "For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Are you ready to meet Jesus today? Are your friends and relatives and family ready? Will you talk to them? If you wait until Jesus comes it will be too late. The five foolish girls were not ready. They did not bring along extra oil for their lamps. They tried to borrow some from the five wise girls, but the five wise girls answered "No."

So don't you think you can borrow faith from someone else on judgement day. Don't think, "My mother and father believed in Jesus and did good for people and gave money to church. God will accept me because of my mother and father." That is not true. You can't borrow faith and good works from anyone else. You, yourself must believe in Jesus and love God and do good works if you wish to be ready when Jesus comes again.

Now some of our members say, "We don't have to give and pledge for church and the new building. Missouri Synod is rich. Ray Schweigert is rich. Hauptman is rich. Let them support the church. I don't need to."

But you can't be saved by Ray Schweigerts faith and good works or by pastor's faith and good works. You, yourself, each one of you must believe in Jesus Christ and love God and do good works. You better not say, "Missouri Synod is rich. I don't have to pledge." That shows you have no faith and no love yourself in your heart.

If you think that way and talk that way you will not be ready when Jesus comes. Your lamp will be out. Your faith will be gone. Better to confess your greed and confess that you are cheap and be ashamed and sorry and ask God to forgive your sins for Jesus' sake.

Believe that God loves you and forgives your sins through Jesus crucified. Ask Him to give you a new heart and true right spirit to love Him and serve Him.

Don't be like the five foolish girls. Be like the five wise girls. Keep your faith growing and burning. Hear Jesus' wonderful words often.

Amen.