Sermon Tone Analysis

Christ’s Coming and the Professing Church.

In the section devoted to Israel, Jesus described primarily the outward events of the period; in this section, He described inward attitudes.

While everyone who has trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour and repented of their sins is going to heaven, not every believer is ready to meet the Lord.

When Jesus Christ returns and takes His church to heaven, He will sit on His judgment seat and judge His own people.

He will not judge our sins, because these have already been judged on the cross.

But He will judge our works and will give rewards to those who have earned them.

These parables suggest that Jesus will judge three different groups of professed believers.

Obedient and disobedient servants (vv.

45–51).

It is a serious thing to be a pastor or other officer in a local church.

We must take care that our motives are right and that we serve Christ and His people in love.

The servant’s task is not to be popular, but to be obedient.

They who deal in secular business, think they succeed well and gain their point, if they raise an estate, and advance their families, and make to themselves a name among the great ones of the earth; they rejoice because their wealth is great, and their hand has gotten much, and say, “Soul, take thine ease.”

But the ministry, though it is the best calling, is the worst trade, in the world

He must feed the family the food that it needs, when it needs it.

He should bring out of his “spiritual cupboard” things new and old.

If the spiritual leader is obediently doing his job when the Lord returns, he shall be rewarded.

But if that leader is not doing his job when the Lord returns, he will be dealt with in a severe way.

The whole picture is one of pain and loss.

Loss of reward and loss of opportunity.

The reward for obedient service is the capacity for greater service.

Not to have a place of ministry in His kingdom would, to me, be a tremendous loss.

What caused this servant’s downfall?

Something went wrong in his heart:

He ceased to expect his Lord to return.

Wise and foolish witnesses (vv.

1–13).

A wedding in that day had two parts.

First, the bridegroom and his friends would go from his house to claim the bride from her parents.

Then the bride and groom would return to the groom’s house for the marriage feast.

The church has known for 2,000 years that Jesus is coming again, and yet many believers have become lethargic and drowsy.

They are no longer excited about the soon-coming of the Lord.

As a result, there is little effective witness given that the Lord is returning.

Oil is usually a symbol of the Spirit of God and the Word.

When the bridegroom and bride appeared, half of the bridesmaids were unable to light their lamps because they had no oil.

“Our lamps are going out!” they cried.

The bridesmaids who had oil were able to light their lamps and keep them shining bright.

It was they who entered into the wedding feast and not the foolish girls who had no oil.

This suggests that not every professing Christian will enter heaven, for some really have not trusted Jesus Christ sincerely.

Without the Spirit of God and the Word of God, there can be no true salvation.

Jesus ended this parable with the warning He had uttered before: “Watch”.

Profitable and unprofitable servants (vv.

14–30).

Please note that each servant in this parable was given money (a talent was worth about twenty years’ wages) according to his ability.

The man with much ability was given five talents; the man with average ability received two talents; the man with minimal ability received one talent.

The talents represent opportunities to use our abilities.

If five talents were given to a person with minimal ability, he would be destroyed by the heavy responsibility.

But if only one talent were given to a man of great ability, he would be disgraced and degraded.

God assigns work and opportunity according to ability.

We are living in the period of time between Matthew 25:18 and 19.

We have been assigned our ministries according to the abilities and gifts God has given us.

It is our privilege to serve the Lord and multiply His goods.

The three servants fell into two categories: faithful and unfaithful.

The faithful servants took their talents and put them to work for their Lord.

The unfaithful servant hid his talent in the earth.

Instead of using his opportunities, he buried them!

He did not purposely do evil.

But by doing nothing, he was committing sin and robbing his Lord of service and increase.

The two men who put their money to work each received the same commendation.

The third servant was unfaithful and therefore was unrewarded.

What we do not use for the Lord, we are in danger of losing.

Conclusion:

These three parables encourage us to love His appearing, look for His appearing, and labor faithfully until He comes.

We should be watching, witnessing, and working.

We may not be successful in the eyes of men, or even popular with others.

But if we are faithful and profitable, we shall receive our reward.