Tag: Matthew 25
Living in fear!
Scripture reading for February 4th: Matthew 25
“And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 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 the master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.'” Matthew 25:22-27
When we do not know God from personal experience, we tend to make assumptions about His character. Sin has blinded us and given us a self-centered world view. Jesus, in answering His disciples questions about what it would be like when He returned, told this parable of a master giving property and money to his stewards. One got five talents, one two talents, and one got one talent, each according to their abilities. They were told to do his business. The master went away for an undisclosed time. The stewards each acted on their assignments, some in faith and one in fear.
The master returned and brought these stewards in for an accounting. The one with five had gotten five more. The one with two had gotten two more. Both were commended and rewarded. The one with one talent returned giving back the one talent. His statement revealed his fear of the master and his feeling of the master as a hard man who was unjust in reaping where he did not sow. He hid his talent in the ground and returned it without increase. For this, he lost his position as a steward and was sent away to suffer. This parable is meant to cause us to evaluate our stewardship of the talents God has blessed us with. Are we investing in faith according to God’s instruction in His Word or living in fear?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for these clear parables concerning conditions among mankind when Your Son returns. Help me to wisely invest Your talents given to me that I might have increase to offer You when I see You again. I desire to hear You say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” Amen.
The kingdom awaits the ‘sheep’!
Scripture reading for February 4th: Matthew 25
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Matthew 25:31-34 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. 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. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. 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.’
As Jesus finished His last instruction to His disciples before the cross, He told them the parable of the sheep and the goats. This parable described a judgment of the nations of the world and all it’s peoples. The people were separated from one another as sheep are separated from the goats. The sheep were to be placed at Christ’s right hand and were to be rewarded with blessing by God the Father with the kingdom prepared for them from before the world was made! This is an amazing reward for lowly ‘sheep’!
However, Jesus also placed the goats on His left and they will be rewarded too! “Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41) All nations will have had the opportunity for salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now they face judgment at the King’s throne and eternal punishment for their rejection of His grace. This place of punishment was not meant for any made in God’s image, but only for the devil and his fallen angels. (Revelation 20:10)
Observations for over-comers: Followers of Jesus from every nation will be rewarded and given authority in Christ’s eternal kingdom! Those refusing will suffer eternal punishment! “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for His wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.” (Psalm 2:12)
The sheep and goats!
Scripture reading for February 4th: Matthew 25
Jesus ended His teaching on the signs of the end of the age with a story about sheep and goats! “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. 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. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.” (Matthew 25:31-33) Jesus will come again in heavenly glory with His holy angels. He will set on His throne in Jerusalem to judge the nations. What an awesome vision of the future time of Christ’s return!
This judgment will be of individual people and separates them ‘one from another’. The group on His right will be the “sheep” people. They will have followed their Shepherd and been obedient to His heart and word. They will be the ones who while on earth were the hands, feet, and mouthpiece of Jesus to the lost, hurting and imprisoned. Jesus will say to these, “Come, you who are bless by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34)
The second group are the “goat” people. These were those from the nations that refused to follow Jesus or to do the works of compassion that flow from the heart of their Shepherd. Jesus explained to these that when they did not do the works He showed them, they mistreated Him! His final words to this group, “Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41) May we each heed the warning of Jesus concerning His return!