Sleepers Awake

J.S. Bach

VIDEO

Scripture referenced enclosed

First performed on 25 November 1731. Composed for the 27th Sunday after Trinity. To be prepared for the Day of the Lord. With readings from 1 Thessalonians, and Matthew’s Gospel.

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But you do not need to be written to about times and seasons, my brethren, For you truly know that the day of our Lord so comes as a thief in the night. When they shall say, “There is peace and quiet”, then suddenly destruction shall arise upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. But you, my brethren, you are not in darkness that the day should overtake you as a thief. For you are all children of light and children of the day and you are not children of the night, neither children of darkness. Let us not sleep therefore as the rest, but let us be watchful and sensible.For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk are drunk at night. But we are the children of the day; let us be vigilant in our minds and put on the breastplate of faith and of love and let us take the helmet of the hope of Life, Because God has not appointed us to wrath, but to the possession of Life in our Lord Yeshua The Messiah, He who died for our sake, that whether we are awake or asleep, we shall live together with him. Because of this, comfort one another and build one another up just as you have done.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Matthew 25:1-13