Matthew 25:1-46
Jesus tells three parables each encouraging us to be ready for that day when we will give an answer for our lives.
The Gospel of Matthew records the last teachings of Jesus after he and his disciples left the temple for the Mount of Olives. Two of Jesus’s most thought provoking illustrations (parables) are couched between the last days, or the end of the ages in chapter 26 and judgment day represented in the latter part of chapter 25. These two familiar parables are known as the “Parable of the Ten Virgins” and the “Parable of the Talents”. These two parables have many interpretations but it seems clear that the overriding messages are (1) being prepared, ready and alert for the Lord’s coming and (2) everyone has been given all they need for being prepared, looking forward with anticipation to that time. With these stories Jesus emphasizes what he has made available to all people everywhere with regard to the kingdom of heaven aka church on earth, a forerunner to what he says in the remainder of the chapter regarding the Day of Judgment.
Of particular note in verses 31-46 is how Jesus separates the righteous from the unrighteous, as a shepherd would separate the sheep from the goats. Also of very significant importance is the criteria he uses to determine righteousness. He does not include the spiritual disciplines we commonly consider as righteous living, e.g., prayer, fasting, singing praises, Bible study, etc. They are not mentioned in this list of what is considered righteousness and welcoming to eternal life. On the contrary, Jesus says the righteous are determined by their desire and actually feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the unclothed, taking care of strangers and the sick, visiting those that are in prison.
Jesus clearly explains that we can only serve him by serving other people; that our righteousness is manifested when we take care of those who need help. Does that mean prayer, fasting, praising, reading and studying scripture and worshiping together are unimportant to our spiritual walk and desire for righteous living? Absolutely Not! Those are critical to preparing and providing us with resources for service to others. However, we are called to literally and actively serve. That is our spiritual act of worship. Our church has multiple ministries where our members are actively involved in works of service. An opportunity for all to participate in serving is through our Grace Offering where sacrificial giving is being used financially to serve those in the Texoma community and other places in the world.
Billy Martindale
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1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten
virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five
of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their
lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took
oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in
coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the
bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their
lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our
lamps are going out.’
9 “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough
for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for
yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil,
the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the
wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they
said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know
you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the
day or the hour.
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey,
who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he
gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each
according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had
received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained
five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.
18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground
and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants
returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five
bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with
five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful
servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of
many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’
he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful
servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of
many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came.
‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have
not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was
afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs
to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So
you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not
scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with
the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it
to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and
they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be
taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the
darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the
angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations
will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep
on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom
prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and
you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you
clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to
visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did
we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes
and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit
you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever
you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for
me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from
me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his
angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not
invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in
prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and
did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did
not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but
the righteous to eternal life.”
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