As the Lord allows, this coming Lord’s Day, I will deliver the first of two sermons to complete my series on “The Second Coming of Jesus” taken from the Olivet Discourse!
These final two sermons will cover, “The Parables of the Kingdom” (25:1-30) and “The Sheep and Goats Judgment.” (25:31-46)
This Sunday, we will consider these two Parables of the Kingdom!
Matthew 25:1-30
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 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.’
10 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. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
Notice the progress of events in this passage based on the “time” and “event” words that JESUS uses:
What if you knew that you were going away from those people you love most in the world, and you knew that in the future the most important thing that would ever happen to them was really going to happen to them; what would you say to them?
That is exactly the situation Jesus faced in our passage for this morning. HE knows the HE is going to be arrested, crucified, and buried soon. Then HE will rise from the dead and be with them for only forty more days. Then, HE was going to be physically separated from them for the rest of their lives. In that situation, these verses are about what HE said to them. HE chose to use parables, which were to HIM a very familiar and often used method of teaching.
As HE prepares to leave them; as they are about to enter the most difficult days of their life; Jesus talks to them about two things – readiness and faithfulness.
I cannot help but believe that since HE thought this was so important to them, that these two things are really important to you and me as well. So, the message for today is simply this: BE READY FOR HIS RETURN AND BE FAITHFUL TILL HE COMES!
Let me begin with some helpful hints about interpreting parables…
First, the word “parable” itself is easy to understand. It is made up of two basic words: “para” which means “alongside” (as in parallel lines) and, “bole’” which means to “roll out” (think, bowling.) So “para-bole’” means “something rolled out alongside something else.” A parable is given alongside a story to illustrate its meaning.
Second, parables almost always have one particular point. Just one. So, we see in these two Parables of the Kingdom one simple lesson each:
(Matthew 25:1-13) JESUS IS COMING AGAIN – BE READY!
There are several principles in these verses that apply to our Kingdom Life today!
These were all equally good people who had the best of intentions!
Even good people can make very foolish mistakes!
Waiting on the return of Jesus is hard on everyone; the foolish and the wise!
Regardless of how hard it is to wait; and, how long it has been; JESUS IS going to return!
Neither being a good person, nor having the best of intentions will make any difference when JESUS returns – you will either be ready or not!
(Matthew 25:14-30) JESUS IS COMING AGAIN – BE FAITHFUL!
Again in these 17 verses, we have key principles for faithful Kingdom living!
JESUS has physically gone away from us and while HE is physically absent, HE has left us in charge of HIS resources. The Biblical name for this is, “Stewardship.”
JESUS does not give everyone the same amount of resources and responsibility; but, HE expects the same amount of faithfulness from all of HIS stewards!
The #1 reason that unfaithful stewards are unfaithful stewards is fear!
God is not bothered by any “politically-correct” sense of fairness! HE gives more to those who produce and takes away from those who do not!
I hope that you will read over, think over, and pray over these verses and comments as you prepare to hear the Word of God on Sunday!
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