Matthew

Matthew 25:1-13

Once again in scripture we see the analogy of the bride and bridegroom.  The Lord is the bridegroom coming soon for his bride, the church.  The traditions of the Jewish wedding are not readily recognized by us.  Before the wedding a betrothal occurred.  This was the promise that the bride and bridegroom would be wed.  From this time forward, they were viewed as wed, although they were not together and not living as husband and wife just yet.  After the betrothal, the bridegroom announced he was going away to prepare a place for the bride.  He then went to his father's house where he made a place for his bride.  This betrothal time was about year long.  No one knew the hour or time when the bridegroom would return, they just knew that he was coming.  The wedding party was to wait and watch.  Among the wedding party were these young girls as attendants to the bride.  When the day came for the bridegroom to come take his bride, it was traditional to come at night.  The bridegroom would send out servants to announce in the streets, "Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!"  At which time the wedding party was awakened.  Those that were prepared had their clothes at the ready, their lamps full of oil so they could quickly hurry out to meet the bridegroom.  The bridegroom came quickly after the servants and the wedding party met him in the streets.  It was unlawful to be out at night without a lamp so you had to have a lamp, oil for your lamp and your wick trimmed.  The bridegroom would come take his bride and the all the wedding party and take them to his father's house where he had a place prepared and there would be a weeklong ceremony and wedding feast and the bride and groom were together then forever. 

In the parable Jesus used said there were ten young ladies who had it in mind to be part of the wedding party.  However, some didn't plan ahead.  The bible calls them foolish; translated from the Greek word is moros meaning: lacking wisdom and good judgment.  We get the word moron from this same word.  These young ladies were foolish in their approach of not having any oil in their lamps.  We often see the oil used symbolically as the Holy Spirit, but also the light is the presence of Jesus in our life.  I think both are true.  These five foolish girls, while having it in mind to go with the bridegroom, weren't prepared, having no light, no oil.  Their attitude was disrespectful the to the groom.  They all slept during the delay.  But then the cry was heard,

'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'

The wise were found clothed in their wedding garments with their lamps lit.  While the foolish were not found ready and were looking for help, looking to borrow from those prepared.  But each must prepare for themselves.  No one can borrow and come to the wedding by the preparation of others.  While the foolish girls went to buy oil, the bridegroom came and those ready went with Him and the door was shut.

At the start of the wedding feast the door was shut, no latecomers allowed, only those who were prepared.  All those days when the bridegroom did not come they referred to as a delay, when in fact those were the days of preparation.  Like those clawing to be let in the ark as the waters rose, we can imagine the pounding and the clawing at the door to be allowed into the wedding feast.  The bridegroom said, I don't know you.  Those who knew him and loved him were with the bride, they respected Him enough to be prepared and watchful.  The foolish girls wanted to attend the feast but didn't want to be inconvenienced during the delay to use that time to watch and prepare.

Jesus warned that His coming will be very much the same.  Everyone wants to go to heaven but very few love and respect Him enough to spend the delay of His coming to become prepared.  Are you clothed in Christ?  Is you wedding garment pure and spotless by the blood of Christ?  Are you filled with the light of His love?  Have you been anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit that keeps the light of Jesus burning bright? 

Romans 8

⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. ^10[1]

Many have fooled themselves into believing they are ready.  Many play a religious game saying they are saved but have no presence of Jesus in their life.  They say their robes are spotless, yet they've never been washed in the blood of Christ; they still bear the stains of iniquity.  On that day, Jesus will say, I do not know you.  The quote of verse 12 is translated different ways.  We can see:

All have the implied truth and finality that there will be no negotiating.  Many who know of Jesus will claw at the door, but if you aren't know by Jesus, you will find yourself locked out.

¹⁷ Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Make sure you are known by Him.  Then watch and wait.  Use the delay wisely. 

It might be today He returns for His bride.

Matthew 25:14-30

A talent was a significant amount of money.  Some say it was a years wage, others say more.  The point though is that the master entrusted the servants with that which was His.  The servants in turn were to show good stewardship in managing the goods of the master.  It's not enough to just hold only what was given, but we are to act on it, use it, invest it with wisdom and good stewardship.

There are great debates whether this parable is about salvation in any way.  It seems foolish to disregard verse 30 where the unprofitable servant is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  This is clearly a place apart from God and not just in the back of heaven where one missed out on the blessings others got.  Some teachers seem to be downright foolish in their handling of this parable. 

Great care must be taken to make sure no one thinks they are earning their salvation or that because they were good at investing they bought their way in.  This is simply good stewardship of the that which was entrusted to us.  If we are bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus; if we are Sons of God seeking first His righteousness to the detriment of all else; if Jesus is number one on a list of one; then good stewardship, having a servant's heart and using wisely what has been given to us is a right response that is called for. 

The main point of the parable is that the heart of the servant is revealed in his preparation of the master's coming.  This is consistent with the 'days of Noah' as wells as the 'Two servants' as well as the ten virgins.  In each picture we could find those who said they knew God, planned on going to heaven and were pretty sure they'd end up there.  But in each a door was shut and many who thought they were ready found themselves on the wrong side, separated from God for eternity. 

What side of the door will you be on?  Some may think they have an exemption; saying they've not been entrusted with any talents.  These same people scoffed at Noah, beat the other servants when the master was away, failed to have oil in their lamps and claimed God was unjust, unfair and they didn't even try to be faithful and obedient.  Have you been a good steward to what's been entrusted to you?  With every breath and every heartbeat, are you thankful to God?  Do you have no other gods before Him?  Do you seek His righteousness first, letting all else be secondary, regardless of the cost?

Matthew 25:31-33

As Jesus spoke these words to the disciples He was just a few days away from being beaten, stripped naked and nailed to a cross; while all the disciples would run away and hide.  Yet, here He is speaking of coming in 'His glory' with all His angels and sitting on a throne.

At the end of the Great Tribulation the world's population will be greatly reduced.  Even at that there will be a large number of people surviving this time, even as unbelievers.  'All the nations" are the gentile nations; every nation would give an account to Jesus.  The word for nations is the Greek word 'ethnos' in which we get ethnic groups.  These are people groups and not necessarily states or people from geographical regions.

While sheep and goats may share a pasture, no one would lose sight that they are vastly different.  The day comes when the sheep and goats are separated.  Interestingly enough, the goats aren't all that interested in being with sheep, they would just as soon be with goats as the sheep prefer to be herded together with other sheep.  The sheep would be set at the right hand, the place of honor and respect.  The goats on the left. 

Matthew 25:34-40

What a gift; a kingdom prepared from the foundation of the earth!!  This is a reward for their attitude toward the brethren of Christ.  The righteous, in essence said they didn't understand; they didn't remember doing any of these things for Jesus.  Jesus will clarify it for them; it was Christ they served when they served the hungry food; it was Christ they served when they gave a drink to someone thirsty.  It was Christ they served when they clothed the naked.  It was Christ they sheltered when they invited a stranger in.  It was Christ they ministered to when they visited the sick or the imprisoned.  When they did any of these things to the least, they did it to Jesus.

The actions didn't save these folks, but their actions revealed their heart.

Matthew 25:41-46

The fires of hell were not prepared for man, they were prepared for the devil and the fallen angels that went with him.  But many men will end up in that everlasting fire.  The hard heart of the goats is revealed by their actions. 

The goats answer reveals a self centered attitude.  They saw no hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick or imprisoned.  By the same righteous judgment, their attitude to the least revealed their attitude to Jesus.  They clearly would have done better if they could have picked Jesus out of the crowd and served Him but they weren't interested in serving others. 

The goats will be put away to everlasting punishment while sheep inherit eternal life.  

Amen

©2015 Doug Ford