Prepare Us for the Nighttime Meal, Oh God
The sermon encourages listeners to stay with Christ through all tribulation, have pure love and joy in their walk, and be prepared for the nighttime meal.
George Blaurock (Cajacob) preaches about the anticipation and preparation for the nighttime meal with God through Christ, emphasizing the importance of being clothed with the Spirit and freed from death and suffering. He warns against being unprepared like the foolish virgins whose oil ran out, stressing the need for enduring faith and pure love to enter the feast. Those who watch and wait with wisdom will inherit eternal possessions and experience the triumphant return of the king with a trumpet blast.
Text
Prepare us for the nighttime meal, oh God, through Christ your beloved Son! Clothe us with your Spirit. Free us from death and suffering! When we shall eat at last of that nighttime meal, who shall wait upon us? The one who knows our hearts and redeems us from our sin!
Blessed are those invited to the Lord's nighttime meal! Blessed are those who stay with Christ through all tribulation. He suffered. He hung on the cross, and those who follow him must suffer now. Oh Lord, give us pure love! Give us love to walk our way with joy! When our time comes to go, may we not, like the foolish virgins, find that the door to the feast has been closed. They cried, "Lord! Lord!" But their oil had run out while they were sleeping.
Blessed is the one who watches with the wise virgins. He will inherit eternal possessions, and his eyes will see the clarity of God. The king will break out with a trumpet blast! The elect will join his parade! Therefore Zion, holy commune, look at what you have received! Hold it and keep yourself pure. Then you shall inherit the crown!36
-- George Blaurock (Cajacob), Ausbund, 5:22-33
Sermon Outline
- The Invitation to the Nighttime Meal
- The One Who Waits Upon Us
- The Characteristics of Those Invited
- The Warning of the Foolish Virgins
- The Inheritance of the Elect
- Eternal possessions and the clarity of God
- The crown of inheritance
Key Quotes
“Blessed are those invited to the Lord's nighttime meal!” — Ausbund
“Blessed is the one who watches with the wise virgins.” — Ausbund
“The king will break out with a trumpet blast! The elect will join his parade!” — Ausbund
Application Points
- We must stay with Christ through all tribulation and have pure love and joy in our walk.
- We must be prepared for the nighttime meal by watching with the wise virgins.
- We will inherit eternal possessions and the clarity of God if we stay with Christ and have pure love and joy in our walk.