Matthew 25
COMMENTARY:
: 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes. (1127 “watch” [gregoreuo] means be vigilant, give strict attention to, be cautious, be awake, be on the alert, or become fully awake.)
DEVOTION: When something is important to the LORD HE repeats it over and over again. Why does HE do that? The reason is that He wants us to understand how important it is to HIM and to us. We have short memories.
HE is repeating the thought that we are to be watchful for HIS return. Too often we can get caught up in our own life that we forget that our life has to be caught up in HIM. If HE isn’t first in our life we are in trouble.
Our first thoughts each morning should be to praise HIM. We should open our day with “thank you LORD.” We should also end our day with “even so come, Lord Jesus.” Our days should be full of thanksgiving to HIM for all HE is doing for us.
If we think HE is not doing anything for us today than we are not in right relationship to HIM. Correct it quick.
There were five good virgins and five foolish virgins in this parable. The five good virgins were ready for the return of the LORD. The five foolish virgins were not prepared.
CHALLENGE: Are you prepared for the LORD to call you home today? If not get ready!!! We don’t know the day or the hour.
: 21 His lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things; enter you into the joy of your lord. (5479 “joy” [chara] means the emotion of great happiness and pleasure, gladness, happiness, delight, bliss, or state of rejoicing.)
DEVOTION: The parable of the virgins informs us that we have to be watchful for we don’t know the time of the LORD’S return. This parable of the talents is instructing us that we are not only to be watchful but we need to faithfully use our gifts for service to the LORD while we are watchful.
Each of us has been given a gift by the Holy Spirit the moment we became a believer. This gift is to help the local church reach their world for the LORD. If everyone in the church was using their gift regularly there would never be an empty position in a church that was faithful to the LORD in their programs.
Each of us has to be faithful in small things before HE will give us greater responsibilities. Too often we want to be big before we are small. Too often we look at others rather than just working in our gifted area. God knows what is necessary for HIS work to move forward. HE has you where you are needed at this time period of your life. If you remain faithful in your service to HIM, HE will move you when HE thinks you are ready. If we move ahead of God we are asking for trouble. Stay in HIS timing and not in what you think the timing should be.
CHALLENGE: Trust HIM and remain faithful in the small things.
: 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (2090 “prepared” [hetoimazo] means make ready, provide, or make arrangements.)
DEVOTION: It is noted that God has a plan that HE made before HE created the world. HE knew what was going to happen from creation to creating a new heaven and a new earth. HE is omniscient. HE is never surprised by what is happening in our world. Remember again that HE doesn’t live in time only we do.
God sets the standard for those who are HIS followers. Jesus goes through a list of requirements for those who claim to be HIS followers. What are the requirements? First HE is concerned with those who are hungry. Next HE is concerned with those who are thirsty. Thirdly, HE is concerned with those who had no clothes. Fourth, HE is concerned with those who are sick that they need visitors. Finally, HE is concerned with those who are in prison.
Today we find that all these individuals need friends who care about them. Believers are supposed to be noted for their help of those who are helpless. We shouldn’t leave it to government to help those who are in need. They only care for the body, we can care for the body and soul.
Christians are to bring the gospel with them when they help others. Does that mean we are not to help those who will not listen to the gospel presentation? NO!! I have spoken in many city missions around the country. Many of those have heard preachers every day. They tune them out usually because they can tell those who really care and those who are just there to say they have been there. Those who care at any given city mission know the names of the regulars and also part of their story. Those individuals have the respect of those who are there because they know they are genuine.
The same is true for people in our churches. If there are needy people in a given church and some people visit to help they know which ones are there because they really care and which ones are there to put in their time and brag about how much they care.
Jesus isn’t interested in bragging rights. HE is interested in people who genuinely care about those in need.
There is the other side. There are those who think that all they need to do is give an offering on Sunday to help someone in need and let others care for them. They never visit. They never feed. They never get involved personally. They think they are either too good or don’t have the time. They are just giving excuses. God knows their heart.
CHALLENGE: God examines our motives and actions. HE knows if we are genuine. People know if we are genuine. Be genuine in your help of those who have genuine needs.
: 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (2851 “punishment” [kolasis] means correction, penalty, or torment.)
DEVOTION: This chapter is dealing with the return of the LORD. No one knows the day or the hour when the LORD will return. The only one who has the knowledge is the Father as the son other responsibilities.
The first parable deals with the fact that some people who think they are ready for the LORD’S return are not ready. Some people think they are Christians but they are not. These ten virgins are waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. Five brought oil for their lamps and five did not. Only the five who had oil were let in.
The second parable deals with servants who are given money from their master to invest. Two of them invest wisely. The third buried the money. He was cast out and his money was given to the one with ten talents. The other two servants received a commendation from their master. The third was cast into outer darkness where there was going to be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Christ taught many times about the final location of those who were not followers of HIM. This chapter gives us a description of weeping, gnashing of teeth, and outer darkness.
The end of the chapter gives us more of the description of the final destinations for all people. Some will go into eternal life in heaven. The ones who are called righteous will be in that location. What makes a person “righteous?” A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is required. This relationship is manifested by practicing the disciples of the faith on a daily basis. This is done not as an external appearance but from the heart with an internal motive of glorifying God. Remember the five virgins without oil thought they could be with the bridegroom. Remember the third servant still thought the master would be glad that he did nothing with his gift. Good works don’t save but they show that an individual is saved if it is done with the right motive. Our righteousness MUST excess the righteousness of the Pharisees.
Now we get to the teaching of Jesus about the final destination of those who are not followers of HIM. There is a problem in our world. There are many in our religious circles that don’t believe that God could send someone to “everlasting torment.” They think that God is a loving God and therefore would never cause people to be tormented for eternity.
Here we find a verse that says that there is going to be everlasting torment given to those on HIS left hand. Those on HIS right hand will have life eternal. The Greek word for “everlasting” and “eternal” are the same. The same amount of time that the righteous will be in heaven is the same amount of time those who are wicked are going to stay in torment.
If heaven is only going to last for a short time then the place of torment will only last for a short time but if heaven lasts for a LONG TIME than the lake of fire is going to last a LONG TIME. Jesus warns those around HIM that they have to show that they are followers of HIS by helping those who need help. If we are unwilling to help the needy, we might not be on our way to heaven. If we are not willing to help our fellow believers when they are in need, we might not be on our way to heaven.
Are we doing all those things that are mentioned in these last verses of the chapter? We should be. Not to earn salvation but to show our salvation to others. In this way others will see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. Praise HIS name.
CHALLENGE: Find someone who has a need and help them anonymously.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Father blessesverse 34
Foundation of the worldverse 34
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
Parable of ten virginsverses 1-13
Bridegroomverses 1, 5, 6, 10
Lordverses 11, 37, 44
Son of manverses 13, 31
Parable of the talentsverses 14-30
Hard manverse 24
Sit on the throne of HIS gloryverse 31
Kingverses 34-41
Welcomes sheep into kingdom
Sends goats to be cursed
everlasting fire
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Holy angels coming with Christverse 31
Devil and his angelsverse 41
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Abilityverse 15
Nationsverse 32
Strangerverses 35, 38, 43
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Foolishverses 2, 3, 8
Afraidverse 25
Wicked and slothful servantverse 26
Unprofitable servantverse 30
Goatsverses 32, 33
Self- righteousverse 37
Cursedverse 41
Not feed hungryverses 42, 44
Not give drink to thirstyverses 42, 44
Not taking in strangerverses 43, 44
Not clothing the nakedverses 43, 44
Not visiting sickverses 43, 44
Not visiting those in prisonverses 43, 44
Not ministerverse 44
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Wiseverses 2, 4, 8, 9
Readyverse 10
Watchverse 13
Good and faithful servantverses 21, 23
Rulerverses 21, 23
Joyverses 21, 23
Sheepverses 32, 33
Blessedverse 34
Inheritverse 34
Feed the hungryverses 35, 37
Give drink to thirstyverses 35, 37
Housing for strangerverse 35
Clothes to poorverses 36, 38
Visit the sickverses 36, 39
Visit prisonerverses 36, 39
Righteousverses 37, 46
Minister to othersverses 44, 45
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Kingdom of heavenverses 1, 14
Liked to ten virgins
Son of man comesverse 13
Outer darknessverse 30
Weeping and gnashing of teethverse 30
Gather all nations – sheep and goatsverse 32
Kingdom prepared from foundation of worldverse 34
Everlasting fireverses 41, 42
People on left
Prepared for the devil and his angels
Everlasting punishmentverse 46
Life eternal – righteousverse 46
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