Matthew 25:1-46

Scripture Reading: Daniel 7:13-14

Introduction

Last Week, We Looked at All 51 Verses of Matthew 24

I Take the Interpretation & Made the Argument…

That the Entirety of the Chapter…

Is about the Destruction of Jerusalem/Temple

In Matthew 23, Jesus Said Judgment was Coming Upon Jerusalem

Then in Chapter 24, He Told His Disciples that it would Be Destroyed

They Asked 2 Questions:

1.) When will it Be Destroyed?

2.) What will Be the Signs that it’s Destruction is Near?

Jesus Told Them the Signs First…

And Then Said that He Didn’t Know the Exact Day/Hour

Then He Told Them 2 Parables Which Taught 2 Related Points:

1.) Be Alert…

Because You Don’t Know When the Day of Judgment will Be

2.) Be Faithful…

Because if the Lord Returns & Finds You Otherwise…

You’ll Receive Horrible Judgment

This Morning, We’re Going to Look at:

Matthew 25:1-46

If You Ignore the Chapter Division…

You’ll Notice that Jesus is Going to Continue with More Parables…

That, I Believe, are Referring to 70 AD

Chapter 25 Begins with 2 Parables:

1.) The Parable of the 10 Virgins

2.) The Parable of the Talents

But the 3rd & Final Part of the Chapter & this Discourse…

Seems to Be an Apocalyptic Vision…

That’s Peering into the Distant Future…

At the Final Day of Judgment

Regardless of How You Interpret the Parables in 24 & 25…

Every “Judgment Day” that’s Ever Been…

Has Been a Foreshadowing of the Final Judgment to Come

That Means, the Lessons that Jesus’ Disciples were to Take from this Discourse…

Also Apply to Us as We Await the Final Day of Judgment:

The Day When King Jesus Returns

Let’s Read the Parable of the 10 Virgins:

Matthew 25:1–13 (NASB95)

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.

5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Jesus is Comparing His Reign to Part of a Jewish Wedding Celebration

10 Young Women would Escort the Bride & Groom with Lit Torches…

To the Wedding Banquet at the Groom’s House

But the Women Didn’t Expect the Bride & Groom…

To Take So Long to Arrive

5 of Them were Wise & Prepared Extra Oil…

To Keep Their Torches Burning, Just in Case

But the Other 5 Didn’t

They Didn’t Prepare for the Possibility…

That the Bride & Groom May Take a While to Arrive

When They Go to Purchase More Oil…

The Procession Begins…

And the Others Make Their Way into the Banquet

When They Make it Back, it’s Too Late

They’re Not Welcomed into the Banquet

What’s Jesus’ Message Here?

Matthew 25:13 (NASB95)

13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Just Like He Said in Chapter 24…

Neither He, Nor the Angels Know…

When the Judgment Upon Jerusalem was Coming

They Know it’s Within Their Generation…

But They Don’t Know the Day or Hour

So They Need to Be Constantly Ready/Prepared

It could Come at Any Moment

The Same Point is True for Us…

And the Final Judgment We’re Waiting on

Jesus’ Return could Happen at Any Moment

But in this Parable…

The Young Women weren’t Caught Off Guard By How Sudden He Arrived

They were Caught Off Guard By How Long it Took Him to Arrive

Many Times it isn’t the Case that People are Unwilling to Obey the Gospel

It’s that They are Unwilling to Continue Obeying the Gospel

They Count the Cost for the Short-Term…

But Not the Long-Term

It’s One Thing to Be Faithful for a Short Time

It’s Another Thing to Be Faithful for a Long Time

Matthew 25:14–30 (NASB95)

14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 “To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.

16 “Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17 “In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. 18 “But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 “The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ 21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

22 “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ 23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

24 “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25 ‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. 27 ‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.

28 ‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ 29 “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30 “Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Now Jesus is Comparing His Reign to a Master…

Who Divided Up Talents to 3 of His Slaves

Each Slave Received an Amount that Matched Their Potential

5 Talents to One Slave

2 Talents to Another

1 Talent to the Last

One Thing to Keep in Mind:

None of Them Got the Raw End of the Deal Here

Even a Single Talent is an Insane Amount of Money:

Around 75 Pounds of Gold/Silver

Could Equal Around 20 Years Worth of Work

This Master is Going on a Journey…

And He Expects His Servants…

To Use the Money They’ve Been Entrusted with…

To Gain More Money

The Slaves with 5 & 2 Talents Did Just that…

And They Doubled Their Money

But the Slave with 1 Talent Did Nothing with it

When the Master Returned…

The First 2 Slaves were Rewarded for Their Efforts

But the 3rd Slave was Banished & Severely Punished

He Knew His Master’s Expectations…

But He was Afraid He would Fail in His Investments…

And Lose His Master’s Money

So He Did Absolutely Nothing

His Master Called Him Wicked & Lazy

He Didn’t Use What He’d Been Given By His Master…

To Fulfill His Master’s Will

The Point Jesus is Making is this:

Until His Judgment Arrives…

His People are to Use What He’s Given Them…

To Fulfill His Will

His Servants are Expected to Not Be Idle/Lazy

He Expects Them to Be Productive/Fruitful

To Use the Abilities, Opportunities, and “Talents”…

For His Glory & to Fulfill His Will

As True as this was for His 1st Century Disciples…

It’s as True for His Disciples Today

Jesus is Going to Return to Reward & Judge

Those of His People Who are Diligent/Productive/Fruitful…

He’ll Greatly Reward

Those of His People Who aren’t Using What’s Available to Them…

For His Honor/Glory & to Fulfill His Will…

Will Be Greatly Punished

Now Let’s Read the Last Part of Jesus’ Final Teaching Discourse

The Apocalyptic Vision of King Jesus’ Reign Over the Earth…

And How We Ought to Live Until His Final Judgment

Matthew 25:31–46 (NASB95)

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation 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 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to 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 ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been 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; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Just as Daniel Described:

The Son of Man is Now King Over All the Earth

All Nations are Under His Reign & Rule

But Not All are Submissive to Him

In the Final Day of the Lord (the Final Judgment):

Some will Inherit the Kingdom

They’ll Share in the Blessings of God’s Eternal Reign

Some will Be Banished/Exiled to the Eternal Fire

A Place Prepared for the Devil & His Demons

What’s the Deciding Factor in Who is Blessed & Who is Cursed?

Those Who Loved/Served King Jesus…

Will Be Blessed

And Those Who Didn’t will Be Cursed

Here’s Where it Gets Interesting

Those Who will Be Rewarded will Say:

“When Did We Ever Love/Serve You in Your Times of Need, Jesus?”

“We Never Did Those Things for You”

And He’ll Say:

“Whenever You Fed My Hungry Disciple, You Fed Me”

“Whenever You Gave a Drink to My Thirsty Disciple, You Gave it to Me”

“Whenever You Showed Hospitality to My Disciple Who had Nowhere to Go…”

“You Showed Hospitality to Me”

“Whenever You Clothed My Disciple Who had Nothing to Wear, You Clothed Me”

“Whenever You Cared for My Disciple Who was Sick, You Cared for Me”

“Whenever You Visited My Imprisoned Disciple, You Visited Me”

“You Provided for Me, in My Times of Need, with All the Basic Human Necessities:”

Food, Water, Shelter, and Friendship

But Those Who will Be Banished/Exiled to the Fire will Say:

“When Didn’t We Love/Serve You in Your Times of Need, Jesus?”

“Had We Ever Seen You in Such Conditions…”

“We would have Gone to Great Pains to Serve You!”

And He will Say:

“Why Didn’t You Love/Serve Them?”

“Why Didn’t You Love/Serve My People in Their Times of Need?”

“If You Didn’t Love/Serve Them…”

“You Didn’t Love/Serve Me”

There’s Going to Be a Lot of People…

Who Claim that Jesus is Their Lord…

Who are Going to Be Banished to Eternal Fire

Why?

Because They Didn’t Love/Serve His People (Their Siblings)

Application

Just as the 1st Century Disciples were Waiting…

For Jesus to Come in Judgment…

So are We

And Just as with the Apostles…

He’s Given Us Instruction on What to Do in the Meantime:

Be Prepared

We Don’t Know When Jesus is Coming

It could Be Sooner or Later

Whenever it is, We Need to Be Prepared

But What Do We Need to Do to Be Prepared?

The Next Parable Tells Us:

Use Your Talents

God has Given Us Abilities/Opportunities…

To Use for His Glory

We All have Different Abilities/Opportunities

Some have More, Some have Less

But We’re All Expected to Use Them

To Refuse to Use Them Out of Fear/Laziness…

Is to Disobey Our King

His Judgment will Be Against the Disobedient

What should We Be Using Our Abilities/Opportunities to Do?

The Final Piece of the Discourse Answers that for Us:

Love & Serve Your Siblings in Christ

What is the Purpose of the Gospel?

To Save Us from Our Sin & the Corruption/Death it Brings

For What?

To Sanctify Us & Make Us a Holy People that Obey God…

And Bear God’s Image

For What?

Why Does God Want to Save & Sanctify Humanity?

So We will Be Redeemed/Restored to What He Made Us to Be

God Created Us to Live in Loving Harmony with Each Other

As Citizens of the Kingdom Who are Awaiting Our King’s Return…

We are to Live in this Age…

As if it were the Age to Come

We are to Live in Loving Harmony with Each Other

This is God’s Purpose for Us

And this is How Jesus Wants Us to Live Until His Return:

Prepared for Him By Using Our Abilities/Opportunities…

To Love/Serve Our Fellow Kingdom Citizens

We are to Live Now, in this Broken/Fallen Age…

As if We’re Already Living in the Age to Come

Only Then will We Be Rewarded with the Age to Come