A NEW MONTH!

Day 312 – Reading – Matthew 25

Read and believe in Jesus!

Matthew 25.

Jesus continues His warnings about the end times, this time using parables and illustrations.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins warns about being prepared. Ten young women, bridesmaids, waited at the Bride’s house for the Bridegroom to come, so they could form a procession to the festivities.  These gals waited a long time, all of them napping as it got later and later.  Their oil lamps burned lower and lower. 

Finally, the joyful call that the Bridegroom was coming!  Quickly, they trimmed the wicks of their lamps, and five of them refilled them with oil.  But the other five could not.

They thought they had an adequate supply in their lamps.  They did not bring extra oil.  They did not plan on waiting a long time or persevering through the long night.  When they asked to borrow some from the others, they were denied. Perseverance and faithfulness (the oil) are a personal thing: each must have their own supply in their heart.

“Watch therefore,” Jesus said, “for you know neither the day nor the hour (of the Lord’s coming).”

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The Parable of the Talents is a similar story about wasting opportunities or being faithful in the Lord’s work until He returns.  A businessman was going on a journey and called His three top servants together to assign work while he was gone. 

To his best worker, he gave a very sizable amount of money to be responsible for – FIVE talents of silver. (One silver talent was equivalent to 20 years’ wages for a common laborer).  To the man’s next best servant, the man gave the responsibility of TWO talents of silver. And to the third man, he gave the oversight of ONE silver talent.  Then the businessman went away, confident his men would do well by him.

The best worker traded on the stock market and doubled his master’s money.

The second-best worker did the same, doubling the two talents he had.

But the third man, fearful of any risk, hid the silver talent safely in a vault in the ground.  He was sure not to lose any of it that way.

When the businessman finally returned, he called all three to account.  He was very pleased with the first two servants’ wisdom and the increase in his money. He praised them and rewarded them handsomely.

But he was very disappointed and angry at the third man.  If indeed the servant knew he was a “hard man” who gathered where he did not sow, should he not have AT LEAST put the talent in the bank where it would have earned interest?  The servant was wicked and slothful, and he was kicked out into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The wait for the Lord’s second coming may seem long (2,000 years?).  But Jesus’ true followers must be faithful, prepared, and working for the Kingdom, as God has enabled them..

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The illustration of Judgment Day tells us about those who obey or disobey His Commands to love one another (even our enemies). This love reflects God’s great, undeserved love for us and the root of His salvation, planned from before the world began.

At the end, on judgment day, the King will divide the people of all the nations into “the sheep” and “the goats.”  Sheep on the right (the side of blessing) and goats on the left (the side of judgment).  He will bless the sheep and give them the Kingdom that the Father had prepared for them.

Why are we rewarded? they ask.  The King answered, “For when I was hungry, you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”

“When did we do all this?” the sheep asked.

“When you did it to one of the least of these my brothers… you did it to me.”

THEN…

The King turned to the “goats” on His left and said, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!”

‘Na-a-a-a, why?” they asked, and were told that when confronted with the hungry and thirsty, strangers, naked ones, the sick and imprisoned … they – from their hard, selfish hearts – did not assist, supply, or help at all.  And because they did not do kindness to these, they had not done it for the King. 

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Again, the Lord is interested in our hearts. Do we look for His coming with longing, serving Him no matter how long it takes?  Do we shun laziness, and honor Him always with what little or abundance that we have?  And are we forsaking self desires and from out hearts serving others with love and kindness?

He knows.