Matthew 25
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
We are in Matthew 25 today, and this chapter is a natural extension of the previous one. In the previous chapter, the disciples ask two questions
When will these things be (When will the temple be destroyed)?
What will be sign of your coming and of the end of the age?
In the previous chapter, Jesus answers both of these questions.
With regards to the destruction of the temple, Jesus gives them signs to look for.
With regards to the second coming, Jesus tells them that there will be no sign, and no one knows.
Ultimately, he tells them that they must be ready.
In this chapter, and the previous one, Jesus goes on to show the disciples what readiness looks like.
25:1-13 The Virgins (Parable)
25:1-13 The Virgins (Parable)
How does this Parable fit into the context?
How does this Parable fit into the context?
In the previous chapter, Jesus told his disciples that some will be taken while others left. The point is that some will be ready while others are not.
These parables that we are studying show us what readiness looks like, and also what a lack of readiness looks like.
That’s what we see in this parable. The parable of the virgins teach us some lessons about the second coming of Christ, and how to be ready for that.
How exactly did the foolish girls fail to prepare for the master?
How exactly did the foolish girls fail to prepare for the master?
We don’t have a wealth of information about Jewish wedding customs of that time, but it seems like these young women were supposed to escort the bridegroom in a torchlight procession to his house, where there would be a wedding feast.
In order to light the torch (and it was a torch), you needed quite a bit of oil. As we know, some of the girls brought cans of oil with them, while some did not.
They were expected to bring oil for their torches, and they failed to meet the grooms expectations. This is how the girls were not ready.
(Follow-up) Was not carrying oil really that big of a deal?
(Follow-up) Was not carrying oil really that big of a deal?
It doesn’t really matter if we think it was a big deal or not. It was what the groom expected.
But it really was a big deal. As I said earlier, the language indicates that these girls were carrying torches, not simple oil lamps.
These torches wouldn’t last long at all without oil. Maybe a few seconds. A torch without oil is like a flashlight without a battery.
So, their failure to bring oil was gross negligence. They failed to accomplish the bare minimum of their responsibilities.
What if you were camping with a friend, and it was your responsibility to bring the flashlight, but you didn’t bring batteries.
That’s what’s going on here. It was a big deal, but regardless, they should have met the grooms expectations.
Some criticize the wise girls for being selfish (Matthew 25:8-9). What do you think about this?
Some criticize the wise girls for being selfish (Matthew 25:8-9). What do you think about this?
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.’
Those who criticize the wise girls are missing the point of the parable. In the real world, Christians would lend oil to their friends, but this is a parable and not the real world. The main point of the parable is not selfishness, it’s readiness.
The point here is that spiritual readiness is not something that others can provide for us.
I can’t rely on you to make me ready for Judgment day.
Vise versa
So the point is not that those girls are selfish; it’s that they can’t make others ready.
What are the lessons that we can take home from this parable?
What are the lessons that we can take home from this parable?
We’ve already mentioned one:
Others can’t be ready for us.
But there is another lesson that’s also important. Matthew 25:5-10.
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.
There are a couple of lessons from these verses
Notice that all of the girls went to sleep, but those who were ready were still able to enter the wedding feast.
The lesson is that if we are ready, then we can sleep soundly and still enter the feast.
If we are ready, then we don’t have to constantly worry. Things will be ok.
Here’s another lesson. Notice how the foolish girls went out to get oil, but the door was shut.
The lesson is that readiness is not something we can get by making last minute preparations.
If we are going to be ready, then we need to be ready today.
25:14-30 Slaves entrusted with Money (Parable)
25:14-30 Slaves entrusted with Money (Parable)
How does this parable fit into the context? (I might or might not ask this one)
How does this parable fit into the context? (I might or might not ask this one)
Again, this is a parable on readiness.
This parable is called the parable of the talents because the master entrusts each servant with a different amount of talents. Help us to understand what this “talent” is.
This parable is called the parable of the talents because the master entrusts each servant with a different amount of talents. Help us to understand what this “talent” is.
A talent is a very large sum of money. Conventionally, a talent is thought to be 6,000 denarii. That’s a lot of money. It’s essentially the amount of money a worker would make in half of their lifetime. It would take 20-30 years to earn one talent.
So this is a lot of money that the master is giving these slaves. As a matter of fact, even the one talent man received a lot of money.
In verse Matthew 25:15, we see that the master gave them talents, “according to their abilities.” What do we learn from this?
In verse Matthew 25:15, we see that the master gave them talents, “according to their abilities.” What do we learn from this?
15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
Simply put, God knows that we are all different people. we learn that God gives us what he knows that we can handle. Sometimes we don’t know that we can handle it, that was the problem with the one talent man, but God knows that we can handle it.
Has God blessed us with a family? Well, God knows that we can handle that responsibility.
It will take prayer.
It make take help from our spiritual brothers and sisters, but God knows that we can do it.
For some of us, God has given us special responsibilities because of our abilities.
Some of us have the ability to take a passage and teach it with depth and effectiveness.
Those people have the responsibility to study and teach.
So, that’s what I see. If God has given us wealth or family or ability, then he knows that we can handle the responsibility of that gift.
What did the master expect from his servants? What can we take home from this?
What did the master expect from his servants? What can we take home from this?
The master gave his servants money, and he wanted them to bear fruit for him. He wanted them to rule righteously, and do some good with the wealth that he gave them.
The lesson for us is that we need to use what God has given us for good. We must rule righteously over what God has given us, and bear fruit for him.
As we saw earlier, a talent is a large sum of money, but the master says that they were “faithful over a little.” What does this teach us about what we have now vs what we will have?
As we saw earlier, a talent is a large sum of money, but the master says that they were “faithful over a little.” What does this teach us about what we have now vs what we will have?
It’s amazing that the five talent man was given over 100 years worth of wages. How much money would you make in 100 years?
Millions of dollars.
This is what the master calls a little, and he promises to give the five talent man “much.”
Here’s the lesson for us: What we have here in this life is just a little.
Even if we have millions and millions of dollars… it’s just a little.
True value isn’t found until the next life. That’s when we will have “much.”
Why is the master upset with the one talent man?
Why is the master upset with the one talent man?
It’s important for us to see that it’s not because he did something bad… The problem is that he did nothing. He failed to do good.
I’ve mentioned this before, but this is important to say. Sometimes we think that if we can avoid the bad, then we are OK.
Being a Christian is not just avoiding the bad.
It’s about actively doing good.
The one talent man failed to do good.
What are some lessons that we can take home from this parable?
What are some lessons that we can take home from this parable?
God understands that we are all different.
True value is found in the next life.
We must do good.
25:31-46 Final Judgment
25:31-46 Final Judgment
How does this final section fit into the context of the parables?
How does this final section fit into the context of the parables?
This section continues the theme of readiness. In this section, we see a picture of the final judgment where some are ready, but others are not.
In Matthew 25:31, Jesus quotes from Daniel 7. Why do you think that is?
In Matthew 25:31, Jesus quotes from Daniel 7. Why do you think that is?
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
Think about Daniel 7. In that chapter, we see a conflict between the nations of the world and God’s nation. We learn from Daniel 7 that the nations of the world all come to an end, but God’s nation - ruled by the son of man - will last forever.
If you remember, a couples of months ago, I preached about how the kingdom has an already/not yet aspect to it.
In some sense, the Kingdom is already here.
In some sense, the Kingdom is not yet fully here.
The reason I bring this up is because Max and I have already talked about how Daniel 7 was fulfilled when Jesus was raised and ascended to the throne of David.
But there is another sense in which Daniel 7 is not truly fulfilled until the second coming.
On that day, the earthly nations will be done away with, and the only nation to remain will be the kingdom of Christ.
This is why Jesus quotes Daniel 7 when talking about his second coming.
Throughout these parables, we’ve seen that the master has expectations for his people. This section spells out some of them. What does this section teach us about the master’s expectations?
Throughout these parables, we’ve seen that the master has expectations for his people. This section spells out some of them. What does this section teach us about the master’s expectations?
Here, we see part of what it means to bear fruit. It means that we do justice. That we aid our brothers and sisters who are vulnerable.
Jesus tells us that if we help those who are vulnerable, then we are helping him.
Matthew 25:34 – What does it mean for us to “inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world.”?
Matthew 25:34 – What does it mean for us to “inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world.”?
34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
There are scholars who say that it’s better to translate this, “inherit a kingship.” The idea is that we will rule in eternity with Christ. I think that’s right
This is something that we see throughout scripture.
Matthew 24:46-47
46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
Matthew 25:21
21 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.’
So, we are supposed to rule righteously over the earth, and if we do this, then we will rule with God in eternity as well.
Looking back over the chapter, what are some of your big take-home points?
Looking back over the chapter, what are some of your big take-home points?
Invitation – Greg