Living in Light of the Kingdom

Disciples of Jesus live their lives in light of eternity by investing in God’s Kingdom and ministering to God’s people.

A Parable of Investment

A parable of profit and loss. Two servants understood the heart of their master, one did not.

Live for the “Well Done”.

A Talent was a unit of weight (silver or gold). Estimates range from two months to a year’s salary for a day laborer.

The Master is gone for a “long time” indicating that Christ will be gone for a period of time.

The servants were entrusted “according to their ability.”

The two wise servants spent the time seeking to increase their master’s possessions. They were faithful in what was entrusted to them. They were rewarded with their master’s joy and made rulers in his household.

The wicked servant thought he knew the master, and was afraid, but he didn’t have a relationship with him. He wasted what was given to him and encountered the master’s wrath.

Principle: Christ’s followers demonstrate their faith through faithfully stewarding what God has entrusted to them for His glory.

Matthew 6:20–21 NASB95

20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

A Prophecy of Judgment

The Scripture speaks of three different Judgments at the end times:

The Judgment Seat of Christ

This is for believers in Christ. And appears to take place prior to His return

2 Corinthians 5:9–11 NKJV

9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

It is characterized by reward, or loss, even though the person is still saved.

1 Corinthians 3:10–15 NKJV

10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

The Great White Throne Judgment

This is for unbelievers and Will TAKE PLACE after the millennial reign of Christ, before the new heaven and new earth.

Revelation 20:11–15 “11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

The Judgment of the Nations

This takes place at the beginning of Christ’s earthly reign. It separates the righteous from the unrighteous from the Tribulation periord.

It is for the gentiles.

The qualifier is how God’s people are treated.

Principle: Christ’s followers will demonstrate their faith by their care for God’s people, particularly in times of trial.

Appliation: Love God, and Love others