Collect, Bible Passages, and sermon for Wednesday of Pentecost 21

Wednesday of Pentecost 21              November 5, 2025

 

Collect of the Day: O Lord, grant to Your faithful people pardon and peace that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve You with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 

 

The Epistle for this 21^st Wednesday after Pentecost is from Ephesians, the 5^th chapter. (Ephesians 5:15-21)

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,²¹ submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. This is the Word of the Lord

The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 22^nd chapter.  (Matthew 22:1-14)

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

22 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, ² “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son,³ and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. ⁴ Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ ⁵ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, ⁶ while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. ⁷ The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. ⁸ Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ⁹ Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ ¹⁰ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹ “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. ¹² And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. ¹³ Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen.” This is the Gospel of the Lord

 Sermon:

O Lord, your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. 

The Apostle Paul begins the Epistle reading, “¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time for the days are evil.” Apparently, the word “walk or walking” does not simply refer to the act of two legs putting two feet out one in front of the other and thus propelling the body forward. Nor does walking carefully mean look that you don’t trip on the uneven ground or don’t slip on the wet or icy pavement. The word “walk” is another way of talking about how the change in your heart that Christ Jesus has brought is reflected in the church’s conduct and choices. 

This is now the fifth time that the Apostle uses the word walk as a way to describe how one navigates this world as a baptized Christian. Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which have been called…”. In 4:17, Paul writes, “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” In 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”  In 5:8, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” 

The Apostle encourages and directs the church to dwell on this earth in a distinctive way that is different than the world. The Apostles instructions remind us of the wisdom embodied in Psalm 119:105 “Your Word is lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” How we navigate this world, the spouses that we choose, the way we raise our children, how we interact with the wider community, the ethical and moral choices that we make, and the priorities that we set, are all reflections of the light of God that lights our way. When we are baptized into the promises of God and grow in faith, the Word of God, Jesus Christ and his cross and resurrection, shape our discernment about what we are to be careful of as we walk forward in this life. As Christ has mercy upon us and loves us, so his mercy and love emanate from the church to the world that does not know Christ. Walking in love is the verbal and non-verbal way in which we witness our faith to the world. 

Christ promises us forgiveness in this world and the hope of everlasting life with Him in the next world. Keeping our eye on our future with God gives us a direction in life. We make best use of the time by loving God and neighbor. We avoid selfish, self-absorbed behavior. The Apostle encourages us to embody Christ’s gospel and refresh our mind and heart through reflection on Scripture, prayer, and faith filled worship of the one true God. 

The peace of Christ which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.