Parables on Watchfulness - Pt. 1

Here in chapter 24 of Matthew we have the judgment of Jerusalem/temple in AD 70 clearly pictured but when we get to (vv.37-51) there seems to be a shift from the escapable judgment to the inescapable coming and judgment of Christ.

Matthew 24:37–38 NASB95

37 “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

Matthew 24:38–40 NASB95

38 “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.

Matthew 24:41 NASB95

41 “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

As leading into our section today want to point out where I stand on this and why.

Matthew 24:37–38 NASB95

Matthew 24:39–40 NASB95

39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.

Matthew 24:41 NASB95

41 “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

Mt24:41

The word took in (v.39) is the same greek word used in several other passages.

Matthew 1:20 NASB95

20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 17:1 NASB95

1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

Mt17:1

and finally

John 14:3 NASB95

3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

This i believe points to the final return of Christ when He will “take” us to be with Him and judgment will come upon the world and we need to be ready, to be looking and to be serving and not sitting and waiting.

So Jesus is going to teach in a series of parables that today we will look at the first one

Parable of servants (Mt24:42-51)

Parable of Ten virgins (Mt25:10-13)

Parable of talents (Mt25:14-30)

It is a very long section to read in the story book but I think to keep in context we need to

Turn to (pgs. 128-29) in Story book; and Mt24:42-51 in Bible for today

What do you see? What do you notice? What sticks out to you?

Be Ready!

With this section starting with therefore (v.42) we had to look at what came before, Noah, 120 years of preparing, we too need to know and to prepare. Noah knew what was coming.

What can we know (v.42)?

What is the fact made in (v.43)?

What is the warning in (v.44)?

Be on the alert, similar to other versions that say “keep watch” - - keeping watch, being in the alert, means be diligent, be prepared, be ready. You can see this in other scriptures too to help understanding the importance (1Cor16:13; 1The5:6; 1Pt5:8)

1 Corinthians 16:13 NASB95

13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 NASB95

6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.

1 Peter 5:8 NASB95

8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

There is another piece of information we can glean in (v.42)

Matthew 24:42 NASB95

42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

What more to you notice at the end of (v.42)?

The day YOUR LORD is coming

We do not belong to ourselves, we belong to our Lord. When He returns He is going to hold us to account (Rom14:12)

Romans 14:12 NASB95

12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

So we need to be ready to give an account, and in preparing for that we are watchful, we are diligent we are faithful until He returns.

So now let’s break down (v.44)

We can tell who is coming

we already know why He is coming (vv.39-41)

We just do know know when, so we should be prepared

If we are prepared then it will not take us by surprise, and we will be ready to receive our rewards, but unprepared will receive their punishment

II. Be Wise

Matthew 24:45–46 NKJV

45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.

Matthew 24:47 NKJV

47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.

This portion as well as (vv.48-51) will in more detail give us the principle of being ready, why it is important.

What will the Lord (master) be looking for (v.45)

What will be the results (v.46)?

What can we do to be ready, to be watchful, to be prepared?

Be a good steward of what you have been entrusted with

Be looking, longing, watching for the return not just sitting waiting

We need to remember He is coming at a time we do not expect Him (v.44)

Each of us must consider what has the Lord entrusted you to be a good steward of? Are we being a faithful wise steward of it?

One thing we are entrusted with is each others lives, we are love one another (Mt22:39)

Matthew 22:39 NASB95

39 “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

If we are faithful in what He has given us now, the Lord will trust us with “all” His possessions upon His return (v.47)

The alternative is to is not a place we choose to be

III. Don’t be unwise it is too costly

Matthew 24:48–49 NASB95

48 “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards;

Matthew 24:50–51 NASB95

50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mt24:50-51

What is the problem (vv.48-49)?

What is the results (vv.50-51)?

Don’t take a chance of when and if the master is coming back. He promised He would

Jn14:1-

John 14:3 NASB95

3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

Don’t get lazy for then the day will come when you don’t expect Him and it will be to late.

Remember they were both servants, they were both servants of God. They both were entrusted to be good stewards of what God gave them.

To the servant who who decided to live licentiously now and plan to get cleaned up again in the future, well tomorrow may be too late. - - don’t be deceived by the world or by yourself, be ready, be prepared, be looking, be serving and be faithful.

Our final salvation is pending right now, our rewards are there for us who are faithful, judgment if we lull into life and not be ready or prepared. Next week we will look at some others with a similar situation (Mt25:1-13)

III. Lessons from Mt24

Don’t put your confidence in religious monuments; your faith needs to be in Jesus and faithfulness to Him

Look out for the false teachers; they peddle something that can keep you out of the kingdom of God

Even in the hard times; be faithful and endure until the end.

Find hope in the promise! - Our final salvation

Be ready, be alert, be prepared for Christ’s return.

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