Kingdom of Heaven Parables – Are You Really Serious Regarding Your Faith? Matthew 24:45 – 25:30
Someday my Lord will come, he’ll come for me – He’ll call me His very own and I’ll be going home to stay – with him
There will I be set free from harm, from sin and grief – Free from war, free from pain, free from all the things that bind
me.
Someday my Lord will meet me, reach out His hand to greet me,
I’ll walk with Him every step of the way – when he comes to take me home, on that day!
Are You Really Serious Regarding Your Faith? Jesus is hammering the point home over and over.
“Be ready. I’m coming back.” Last week: Wait and Watch Expectantly!
24 45 “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household
servants and feeding them. 46 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.
47 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 48 But what if the servant is evil and
thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ 49 and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk?
50 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, 51 and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place
with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
1) Because we don’t know the exact time Jesus will return, what is the temptation to do rather than be prepared for
Jesus’ return?
Specifically listed: take and advantage and even abuse others, party, and get drunk. The trap is to think, “I don’t abuse
other people. I don’t party. I don’t get drunk.” But these are just examples of not focusing on Jesus’ return.
(But would any of us be guilty of those specific sins if we knew Jesus was coming today?) No
2) What might it look like to live daily as if Jesus was coming tomorrow?
Bands practice for days to get one song down. Then they practice their set of songs several hours to perform a concert of
maybe 90 minutes. Athletes do drill, practice plays, scrimmage for months before the season, for weeks, then every day
during the season for a few hours. Best example: Military – armies may train for years, not knowing when they will be
called to action. Basic training – Ten weeks – just for the “basics.” How hard is it to stay combat ready? What does the
military do to stay combat ready? It’s not a playground, is it? Life is a battleground! So, to stay “ready” requires
practicing disciplines: praying, bible reading & study, fasting, participating with your “unit” (your church) – in making
disciples. Wait and Watch and TRAIN Expectantly!
Chapter 25 1 “ Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the
bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for
their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all
became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come
out and meet him!’ 7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others,
‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for
all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then
those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five
bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’12 “But he called back, ‘Believe
me, I don’t know you!’ 13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
3) V1-13 Because we don’t know the exact time Jesus will return, what is the temptation to do rather than be
prepared for Jesus’ return?
This parable focuses on lack of preparation. Some were prudent in preparing for the wedding, taking care of their lamps,
some were not. Marriage: 1st, the parents arranged the marriage with the consent of the bride and groom. 2 nd , there was an
engagement period of many months, making it clear that the bride was a virgin. 3 rd , On the day of the wedding the groom
would go to the bride’s house to claim his bride from her parents. His friends would accompany him. 4 th , the marriage
ceremony would take place at the bride’s home. 5 th , on the evening of the day of the wedding the groom would take his
bride home. This involved a nighttime procession through the streets. Most marriages in Jesus’ day took place at night.
6 th , the bride and groom would consummate the marriage at the groom’s home the night of the wedding. 7 th , there would
be a banquet that would often last for seven days, usually at the groom’s home.
The Midnight Cry was an announcement that the bridegroom was arriving!
I hear the sound, of a mighty rushing wind And it's closer now, than it’s ever been
I can almost hear the trumpet, as Gabriel sounds the call And at the midnight cry, we’ll be going home
When Jesus steps out, on a cloud to call His children The dead in Christ Shall rise, to meet Him in the air
And then those that remain, shall be quickly changed At the midnight cry, we’ll be going home
The ten virgins or bridesmaids woke up, those who had prepared lamps worked, those that weren’t prepared, their lamps
soon went out. The time to prepare had passed.
4) V10-12 What does the closed door represent to those inside and those outside?
To those who were ready and went inside the door meant they were at the party – for us – we’re safe, secure. To those
who weren’t ready and were locked out – they were banished. Exclusion from the presence of God and the enjoyment of
his blessings – this is the essence of hell. So, what do we do to be ready for the “midnight cry?” V13 “So you, too, must
keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his
servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to
another, and one bag of silver to the last – dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. 16 “The
servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags
of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the
ground and hid the master’s money. 19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an
account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward
with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ 21 “The master
was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so
now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! 22 “The servant who had received the two bags
of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ 23 “The
master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will
give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and
said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate.
25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ 26 “But the master
replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate,
27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ 28 “Then he ordered,
‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they
are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they
have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.’This is about faithfulness.
5) Define faithfulness.
Steadfast in affection or allegiance. Firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty. What makes it hard to
remain faithful to Jesus? The cares of the world are always coming at us. Satan is prowling about like a lion seeking to
devour us. Things come at us that we don’t understand, that aren’t fair. Our life is a journey, we can easily wander off of
the path of faithfulness. What can we do? How should we live? 1 st , Jesus says trust me. Trust the path. It will have rough
spots, valleys, but also high mountains. “Trust me.” 2 nd , Hang on to the promises, be steadfast in your allegiance.
3 rd , Do your duty to Jesus. (Sounds trite, but yes, stay in the battle) It’s not a playground. It’s a battleground.
6) The money in the parable. What all does God give us to help us live faithfully and “do our duty”, live for Him, be
about doing what He ask of us?
Bible, church family, Holy Spirit in us, our own gifts and abilities, a circle of influence (friends, family) to reach for Him.
In this parable Jesus gave these men a lot of money. And the point is that He gives us a lot, too. Talent = 6,000 denarii,
16.5 years wages for a laborer or soldier. Five talents is a lifetime of money. The point is God gives us more than we
need – if – we will be in shape mentally, physically and spiritually to receive it! But, too often like the last man, we
choose safety. Safety of the four walls of our homes, safety of doing what we’ve always done – not making any changes.
(Which is often a very false safety, isn’t it?) END SLIDE Trust Jesus – Hang on to the promises – Be steadfast in your
allegiance – Do your duty (He wants to celebrate success with you!) – Realize you live in a battleground – Wait and
Watch Expectantly! Listen for that Midnight Cry!
When Jesus steps out, on a cloud to call His children
The dead in Christ Shall rise, to meet Him in the air
And then those that remain, shall be quickly changed
At the midnight cry, we’ll be going home