Matthew 26:15-25 Incomparable Riches!

Matthew 26:15-25  Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?”  So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.  From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.  On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”  He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near.  I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’”  So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.  When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.  And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”  They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”  Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.  The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him.  But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man!  It would be better for him if he had not been born.”  Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

In this passage we see Judas the betrayer coming out from the midst of the disciples to betray Jesus to the chief priests and leading elders in the Jewish community.  Judas was part of Jesus’ retinue; he had seen the miraculous deeds of Jesus.  He had experienced everything that the others had experienced in aiding Jesus’ ministry.  However, even though he was an integral part of carrying the Good News of Jesus, the Messiah, to the Israelites, he sold his support and allegiance to Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a lowly slave.  He understood that Jesus’ adversaries would pay money to know where Jesus was at night.  Of course, they were aware of the location of Jesus during the day, but they feared to arrest him during the day because the crowd might attack them for such a dastardly act, so they wanted to arrest Jesus when He was alone with his disciples.  In the darkness of night, in Gethsemane, Judas handed Jesus over to them with a kiss and word of respect: Rabbi.  Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.”  Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.  (Matthew 26:48-49)  Even though Judas capitalized on the animosity that the Jewish leaders held towards Jesus, his heart was sorely affected when he realized the leaders intended to kill Jesus.  He repented of his decision of betrayal by throwing his money at the feet of the chief priests in the Temple, then killed himself.  When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.  “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”  “What is that to us?” they replied.  “That’s your responsibility.”  So Judas threw the money into the temple and left.  Then he went away and hanged himself.  (Matthew 27:3-5)  Judas was a deceiver who exploited his position as a disciple, but he also had affection for Jesus.  He could not live with his invidious deception.  As Paul describes so well in the second chapter of Ephesians, Judas was following the ways of this world, under the captivity of Satan.  He intended to gratify his flesh by using the 30 pieces of silver to benefit his worldly desires, but what he really received was not a benefit in this world but the eternal judgment of God.  As the proverbial account of the war between good and evil: the devil on one shoulder whispering in your ear to do evil and the angel of goodness on the other shoulder whispering to do good, Judas aligned himself with the devil’s spirit and received his just reward: the wrath of God.  But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man!  It would be better for him if he had not been born.  Oh that we could see ahead of time the disastrous results of our decisions when we listen to the enemy of our souls.

At the Passover meal, Jesus clarifies what will happen to him in the immediate future.  He tells the disciples one of them will betray him to the rulers of the society.  Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.  The disciples are being prepared for the coming traumatic events; however, they remain ignorant of the why or how of the things that will happen.  Jesus knows these are his last few hours on earth, so He desires to celebrate the Passover with his dedicated disciples.  He sends Peter and John to prepare the Passover lamb.  This entails them going to the Temple, purchasing a lamb without blemish.  Jesus is allowing for the traditions of preparation to take place, including the sprinkling of blood on the altar.  Then they will take the lamb back to the upper room to cook for consumption by Jesus and the disciples.  This whole procedure is a shadow of what will happen to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.  The disciples are not fully aware of any of this design, so they are in the upper room to enjoy a meal with their Lord.  But in this first part of this meal, we see Jesus pointing out the perfidy of one of them.  This betrayal must happen, for it will open the door to the Passover of God to be implemented.  The Lord God will smite his Son—He will bring him to the cross through the hands of men.  Jesus knew the cup of pain and suffering was at hand.  Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.  After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.  (Isaiah 53:10-11)  God alone was the only power that could put Jesus on the cross and cause his death.  No other power could kill the one who could raise the dead.  It was the will of God to allow Jesus to be the Passover Lamb.  No other authority, not even the devil himself could touch Jesus’ life.  We see Jesus not only killed by man but smitten by God himself which is translated to mean being beaten, given stripes, punished, or crippled.   God allowed the suffering of the world to rest on Jesus’ head.  He would not escape the wrath of God on sin.  But Jesus’ redemptive power in this judgment act of God would crush the serpent’s head and take away Satan’s authority over man, replacing his kingdom with the kingdom of God.  “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”  (Genesis 3:15) The cross breaks Satan’s power over mankind, yet the redemptive act started with a sinful act of betrayal, but that which was thought to be evil  was turned into victory, for the cross brought freedom from slavery for whosoever would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and his works.  A complete sacrifice at the cross brought complete victory over sin and death.

We look back on Judas’ traitorous act and wonder how a man this close to Jesus, who saw all of his miracles, who had been fed literally by the hands of Jesus could so easily walk away from his allegiance to him.  But this is the nature of man; willingness to do his own thing above following God.  Man is rebellious.  His spirit is focus on himself above all else.  Judas reveals this spirit well.  He knew the Lord; he knew what to do and what not to do, but he chose the latter.  He chose it because he thought money could win him a better life.  He might even have thought this following Jesus was not going to pay off for him in this life, so why not take a better way of achieving goods, by betraying Jesus.  No big deal, they will arrest Jesus, maybe even beat or whip him, but he did not see death as part of the bargain, no.  But when Judas realized their threats of death to Jesus were going to be carried out in reality, he was greatly grieved for he had betrayed an innocent man to these murderers.  Often Christians believe they can play around with deception and intrigue, not fully understanding the devil intends to use these kinds of thoughts and actions as a means to destroy the Christian message.  Judas thought he was winning a better life by messing around with Jesus’ future.  No big deal!  But it was a big deal, for the devil was in the process of destroying Jesus and his followers.  But God’s plan was carried out to completion by using the devil’s scheme against him.  For the death on the cross for the sins of men and the subsequent resurrection brought a path of redemption for all people.  The walls of Egypt’s captivity fell—the curtain between the holy of holies where God dwells and the self-willed life of mankind was torn down.  Eternal life for all was possible.  No longer would they have to serve the Pharaoh of evil in their lives.  Christ had bruised the head of the wicked one, taking his authority over men away; replacing Satan’s authority with God’s redemptive authority of freedom for all men and women for eternity.  Judas thought he was winning something for himself when he betrayed Jesus, but he really was opening the door to the mysterious plan of God to bring mankind back to him in love.  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  (Ephesians 2:4-7)  Let us take our rightful place in God’s kingdom without bothering with the intrigue and schemes of the foolish to make this world a better place for us with our 30 pieces of silver.  Let us display the mercy and grace of God to all people without malice or deception; let us be true Christians, shining brightly for Jesus.  

Matthew 26:1-12 Do Something Beautiful!

Matthew 26:1-12  When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”  Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.  “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”  While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.  When the disciples saw this, they were indignant.  “Why this waste?” they asked.  “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.  Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman?  She has done a beautiful thing to me.  The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.  When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.  Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

The schemers the murderers were meeting in a palace to devise their wicked plan to kill Jesus.  We see Jesus in the home of Simon the Leper, probably not as opulent or well-finished as Caiaphas’ palace.  Caiaphas was the high priest; he had succeeded greatly in the Jewish society, but Jesus was not so successful in gaining material goods from this world.  Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”  Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”  (Matthew 8:19-20)  There would be no palaces for the followers of Jesus.  In Jesus’ reply to the teacher of the law, he wanted the man to know he would sacrifice a lot to follow Jesus, personal belongings or even a home.  Religious leaders lived in luxury and were even adored, but he as a follower of the Messiah might live a life of uncertainty caught up in altercations.  A committed disciple of Jesus might not know where his next resting place for the night would be or whether he would have a full meal for his health’s sake.  Paul describes his life of following Christ as one of turmoil and constant struggles and persecutions.  He shares with the Corinthians a litany of trials and disputations that he had endured in following Christ.  In addition to the threats of death and physical abuse he suffered, he states, I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.  (2 Corinthians 11:27)  He had been cold and naked, without adequate housing or food to eat.  He said he was constantly on the move.  He did not have his meals and drink served by servants as did the high priest.  He gave up everything to serve God.  He counted all that he left behind as dung.  As a young man he was destined for adulation and fame because of his zeal for the Jewish religion.  He was a fast-track man on his way to a leadership role in the Jewish society.  He was under direct orders from the high priest to hunt down Christians and to bring them back to Jerusalem, so they might be forced to recant their belief in Jesus as the Messiah.  But on the road to Damascus to carry out the high priest’s orders, Paul met Jesus, changing his view of his life one-hundred and eighty degrees.  Jesus turned his life upside down.  He counted all things lost for knowing Jesus.  

This teacher of the law who came to Jesus really did not know what it would mean for him to follow Jesus.  He saw Jesus as the Miracle Worker; he probably assumed Jesus eventually would rise to power in the Jewish nation, for he was the Miracle Worker.  His disciples also viewed Jesus in that context even though Jesus had revealed to them that he would be murdered by the elite.  They had experienced some of the physical hardships of following Jesus.  They had eaten grain in the harvest fields to alleviate their hunger.  However, they were completely unaware of what would happen to them in the immediate future.  When Jesus was in the hands of the mob, they all fled.  Peter, the bravest of them, lost his nerve when the servant girl claimed he was one of Jesus’ followers.  He denied that he even knew Jesus.  Jesus had told the disciples if you deny me before men, I will deny you before the Father.  Then seizing Jesus, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest.  Peter followed at a distance.  And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.  A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight.  She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”  But he denied it.  “Woman, I don’t know him,”  he said.  A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”  “Man, I am not!” Peter replied.  About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”  Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”  (Luke 22:54-60)  Peter went away from that courtyard of the high priest weeping uncontrollably.  He failed miserably in his support of Jesus.  He had probably assumed he would be a man of prestige and power when Jesus took over the rein’s in Israel.  But Jesus was not out to win the world, politically, economically, or socially.  He was on the world’s scene to bring the kingdom of God to mankind, not to establish a better kingdom of men.  When Jesus prayed He said, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  (Matthew 6:10 KJV) The apostles abandoned him and went into hiding.  The assumption of the expert in the law about being someone important by being close to Jesus was quickly dashed.  Jesus said, If you follow me, you will not even have a place to lay your head.  Even worse, you might lose your head or your life for my cause.  Hardly a good job description for someone seeking power and success in this world.

In the home of Simon the Leper, we see what it means to commit to Jesus.  A woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.  This was costly perfume, equal to 300 days of labor, almost a full year of working for someone.  This is an illustration of giving one’s life to the Lord out of love for him.  As Paul left everything, this woman poured on Jesus this very costly perfume which represented much of her life.  We do not know how this woman earned this amount of money, but we do know it was an important part of her life.  The disciples who watched this scene assumed that she wasted it all on Jesus.  When the disciples saw this, they were indignant.  “Why this waste?”  In expressing their distaste for such an extravagant act, they claimed, This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.  A good perspective, a good religious act proposed, but Jesus would have none of it.  Why are you bothering this woman?  She has done a beautiful thing to me.  Jesus knew his immediate future, his coming execution and burial.  He knew this woman performed an act that was precisely in the middle of God’s will; she did it to prepare me for burial.  Giving to the poor is a good act, but Jesus tells them you will always have the poor with you; you will always have an opportunity to please God by giving money to the indigent.  But this woman has performed today an act that will be remembered for generations because she has fulfilled God’s will by anointing me for burial.  As we see with Paul, this woman committed much to following God’s will for her life.  Our lives should demonstrate just as much dedication to God as we construct our journeys of faith.  We who have the Holy Spirit resident in us have no excuse not to commit to God with passion.  The world needs calamitous events or strong voices to sensitize them to God, but we who are hidden in Christ know a quiet, still voice that directs our lives.  We need to heed that voice and to put away as Paul did so successfully the worldliness that binds us to the conventions of this life.  Paul tells Timothy we should be focused like a good soldier on the will of the commander.  No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.  (2 Timothy 2:4)  Let us not be too much in this world, but be organized in our thoughts and activities to serve the Lord in season and out of season.  Paul was in chains because he served the Lord; he taught Christ crucified and resurrected.  If we are in chains or persecuted, let it be for no other reason than for our teaching of Christ crucified and resurrected.  For this message is the only truth of life.  Paul experienced much turmoil and struggle in declaring this message.  But we also know if we are in a quiet time, a time of peace and dedication, God is in the midst of that period of life too as with the woman pouring expensive perfume on the Lord’s head.  Paul said it best about the way to live: I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.  (Philippians 4:11-13)  Paul never got to live as the high priest, no palace for him, and the woman never got to use this hard-earned ointment for herself, but both lived their lives in the center of God’s will, the epitome of a successful life for a follower of Jesus Christ.   

   

Matthew 25:31-46 I Was Hungry!

Matthew 25:31-46  When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  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, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’  “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’  “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” 

In this story the Son of Man separates the sheep who represent righteous people from the goats who represent self-centered humans, who predominantly live their lives for their own gratification.  The sheep’s lives include involvement with the least in the world, the poor in spirit; these are people who are in need.  They are materially poor and in need of help.  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  (Matthew 5:3)  The main characteristic of the sheep is that they looked out for the needy in life.  The goats functioned diametrically opposite to the sheep; they lived their lives in a self-absorbed way.  They did not see the homeless, the starving, the thirsty, the imprisoned, those without adequate clothing.  They saw only what they needed or wanted in life.  The sheep were servants to others, especially to God. The goats organized their lives to fit themselves—they looked to fulfill their bucket list in life.  They loved those who loved them or could reciprocate their love.  Jesus castigates the lives of the goats.  He is angry because they care about only their own concerns and the lives of people in their circle.  In another place Jesus said,  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?  Do not even pagans do that?  (Matthew 5:47)  People who know God should be a reflection of God on earth.  They should be the salt of the world, bringing God’s love to people, especially those who are struggling in life.  The goats are so blinded by the way they live that they do not see the struggles of people around them.  They walk by the handicapped without even looking in their direction, as if the handicapped do not exist.  They walk by the minorities without love, taking no notice of them as fellow human beings who need love and care.  The goats willingly ignore those who are living desperate lives, who are losing out in life.  They are comforted by their self-serving lifestyle, but the Son of Man is not satisfied with their lives.  At the judgment seat, each person’s life is assessed by how she or he lived.  Jesus separates them accordingly to what they did in life, how good they were to the downcast, the downtrodden in society.  Were they sensitive to God’s will or to their own self-interests?  The sheep are placed on his right side, the goats on his left.  Those on his right side receive eternal life with the Father God, but those who failed to live as a refection of God’s love for all people will be placed on the left side of the Son of Man. The latter will receive eternal judgment away from God. The Son of Man came to restore man to God, to reveal the love of God through his sacrifice on the cross.  His followers were to carry out this mission to the world by loving the world as God loves the world.  But the goats saw this act of God’s love not worthy enough for them to change their lives.  They would not be a love gift to the world as Jesus the Lord was God’s gift to the world. 

The sheep represent people who are the “I will” people.  They are humans who will display God to even the least in society—they are under the mission of God’s Spirit to bless the world.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  (Galatians 5:22-25)  People who are willing to keep in step with God’s Spirit in good times and in bad times are those who consistently do the will of God.  They are servants to God; this requires consistently loving people.  Often people substitute the requirement of loving others by participating in spiritual exercises, such as going to church, reading the Bible or even praying.  All good things, but not necessarily very profitable in helping the destitute make it through life.  We see in the scripture very harsh words for those who are spiritually intense, but fail to do the will of the Father.  Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’  (Matthew 7:21-23)  We must assume these intense religious people were not doing the will of the Father.  What is the will of the Father?  We see it in the evaluation of the sheep’s lives.  They fed the hungry, gave a drink to the thirsty, invited strangers to stay the night in their homes, put clothes on the naked, visited the prisoners.  Otherwise, spiritual activity alone does not satisfy the will of the Father.  Yes, they are good, for Jesus prophesied, cast out demons, and performed many miracles.  But Jesus functioned as a servant of God at all times.  All of his actions evolved out of God’s love for people.  Jesus was nailed to the cross because of God’s love for mankind.  Jesus paid the price for mankind’s waywardness from God.  Spiritual activities of men might be emblematic of true love for mankind, but they also might be indicative of self-will, the desire to be magnified among men, to accrue a special place of importance in the eyes of people.  But a true servant of God has no desire for aggrandizement in his lifestyle; he is just a servant to fulfill the Master’s will.  In serving the least of these in society, a person is sacrificing for others, to make their lives better, not his own.  The sheep represent this kind of living, all of which brings God’s blessing.

The sheep are the blessed ones who follow God determined to reveal him to the world by helping the needy.  “You are the salt of the earth.…“You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.  (5:13-16)  A self-absorbed life does not reflect God’s glory, his love for his creation.  Such a life can only reflect man’s nature that existed before and after the flood: The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.  (Genesis 6:5)  Man chafes under this description.  He shakes his fist heavenward, wanting to believe he has a better nature.  Of course, we see mankind do wonderful things, but there is a rebellion that cannot be satisfied even by good works.  In every way, he is struggling with God about this identification.  But Jesus came to eliminate this rebellious nature to God’s will.  What is God’s will?  That all men be born again and display his nature to the world.  The sheep are the ones who clearly reveal God’s nature to the world.  They are not in the body of the goats; they are sheep, not goats!  They have a different nature, one compliant to God and his will.  They are sensitive to the hungry, the naked, the thirsty, the stranger, the imprisoned.  The goats do not even see these people.  They are so unaware that they say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’  As goats, they lack ears to hear and eyes to see.  They need to be transformed.  We who are sheep should take on the sheep’s role: help people survive in a wicked world.  The least of these need help to survive.  We cannot say to them, go be comforted.  To be a sheep requires action.  Action-less is a characteristic of goats.  As Jesus taught, Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  The merciful, the pure in heart will see God; they are placed on the right hand of the Son of Man.  These are the people who bring peace to the troubled, the losers in society.   Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  (See Matthew 5:3-10 for the Beatitudes)  We who are sheep have the Spirit of God within us.  He sees the lonely, the heartbroken, the sad.  His ministry is to be in each of us, not just in our spiritual leaders.  To heal the broken lives of others is everyone’s ministry.  If our focus is on anything else than the people of the world and their struggles, we are in the skin of the goats and not the sheep.  This breakfast is a challenge for all of us, for the world becomes too much a part of our daily journey.  We blend into the form of the world way too easily.  But the word of God, bends our will to God’s will if we are faithful servants to him.  Therefore, the chosen around this breakfast table know this:  As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  (Colossians 3:12)  Clothe yourself with the brightness of the wool of the sheep; be easily seen as God’s servants for all of mankind.  Just as Christ died for all mankind so must we serve God with this goal before us.  

 

Matthew 25:14-30 Fight the Good Fight!

Matthew 25:14-30  “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.  To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability.  Then he went on his journey.  The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more.  So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.  But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.  After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.  The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five.  ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold.  See, I have gained five more.’  “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!’  “The man with two bags of gold also came.  ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’  “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!’  “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came.  ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground.  See, here is what belongs to you.’  “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!   So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?  Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.  “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags.  For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance.  Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.  And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

This allegory features servants of a supposedly hard master.  Viewed from the eyes of the least talented, he says of the master, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  We recognize that this master he knew or envisioned was not Jesus, for Jesus sowed seed from town to town, spreading his message abroad.  We also know that this is not the nature of the Father God, for He displayed his love for the world by giving his Son on the cross, proving that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8:39)  But we do see a master with great power, for we see him capable of dispensing eternal judgment, so we see him as God at the judgment seat, judging those who would not serve him no matter how good He was to them.  He gave them life, one bag of gold.  Rather than honor him for life, they lived self-indulgently, ignoring their rightful service to him.  They were meant to love the Lord their God with all their hearts and with all their souls and with all their minds.  The first two servants went immediately to work for their master.  They fully intended to fulfill his assignment; they at once put his money to work.  They knew their effort, their work, would honor and bless their master.  Their lifestyle was oriented towards the master’s desires.  However, the servant who received one bag of gold had no intention of serving the master’s wants.  He organized his life around his own needs and desires.  The man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.  He was given one bag of gold, reflecting his basic skills, but he was to use the gold for the master’s purposes.  By hiding the gold, he was free to live his life as he wanted to live it, ignoring the gold.  He had little interest in serving his master because his master was away on a long journey.  Consequently, he lived for himself, knowing that when the master returned, he would have the gold the master gave him.  When the master returns and takes account of what the servants were doing while he was gone, he finds two of his servants behaving very responsibly, but one lived a wayward and irresponsible life.  This servant’s lifestyle is classified by the master as not only indolent but wicked.  His lack of faithfulness to fulfill his reasonable service to the master was unforgivable in the master’s eyes.    

We can assume this allegory is emblematic to people not living for the glory of God.  All people have been given life from God; all that they know by their senses has been given to them by their Creator.  Knowing that God has blessed them with life, they should be about the business of serving God.  As they have been blessed so should they love others: Love your neighbor as yourself.  (Mark 12:31)  The least servant of the men in this parable failed to carry out the master’s will.  The insufficient servant lived his life without considering the master’s will.  Others had more giftings than he.  They were more talented; consequently, they received more bags of gold.  Not all people are the same, but all hold the same responsibility: in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.  (Matthew 7:12)  They are to fulfill the law of their MASTER!  We see the followers of Jesus address themselves as servants: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ; Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.  (James 1:1)  (Romans 1:1)  These men as well as the other disciples knew of themselves as servants, just as this parable addresses serving.  For them, Jesus went on a long journey as the master in the parable.  Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.  Christ’s servants were entrusted with the wealth of the kingdom, the knowledge that Jesus saves, that He alone has eternal life.  After Paul received his assignment from Jesus to preach the Good News, he began to work just as with the man who was given five bags of gold starts out immediately to work.  At once he (Paul) began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.  All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?  And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”  Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.  (Acts 9:20-2)  When Saul became Paul, he became a new creation with a new purpose: to save sinners.  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  (2 Corinthians 5:17)    

Paul was a man of wonderful talents: disciplined, aggressive, learned, a classical Jew in every way.  Consequently, Jesus handed five bags of gold to this talented man.  Others were not so talented, but they readily spread the gospel of Jesus as the Messiah.  The blind man who was healed said to the doubting Pharisees, “I was blind, now I see.”  (John 9:25)  In this simple statement, he was telling the Good News to the scoffing religious leaders.  Paul, a man of many talents, worked hard to spread the gospel to many.  I try to please everyone in everything I do.  I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.  (1 Corinthians 10:33, NLT)  Christians who are servants of the Most High should always have that frame of mind, to do anything and everything to save some.   We should not be idle in our servanthood.  God finds no pleasure in those who retreat from their responsibility to him.  We are always to be about our Father’s business.  We urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.  1 Thessalonians 5:14-15)  The lazy, slothful servant will find no reward in heaven.  His works will be burned up for his life has been dealing with self-serving behaviors: wood, hay, and straw.  This kind of life will not endure the testing of God by fire.  Let us not be the ones who build with such flammable material that indicates self-indulgence.  Instead, let us build on Christ and his works.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.  If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.  If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.  (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)  For Christians eternal existence is not dependent on the material we build with in our lives because we build on the foundation of Christ who is eternal life.  But a fruitless life is a sad life to bring before our glorious God.  Such a life will not hear the joyous words of the Lord, Come and share your master’s happiness!  The secular world has much to fear when they bring their fruitless lives to the Lord; the lives they lived in the laziness of self-indulgence.  They will hear from the Master, throw this worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Let us be as Paul,  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.  (2 Timothy 4:7-8)  Today, are you on the right path, professing Christ and showing his love to a broken world?  He will give you strength to face the struggles of each day and make you an overcomer.  

Matthew 25:1-13 Keep Watch!

Matthew 25:1-13  “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.  The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.  The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.  “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!’  “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’  ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you.  Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’  But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived.  The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.  And the door was shut.  Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’  But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’  Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”   

In this parable Jesus gives another account warning the people to keep watch for the Lord to return to earth, his kingdom.  In the first parable He likens his return to a fig tree sprouting leaves, foretelling the coming of summer, producing figs.  He tells his disciples when they see the tree sprouting, know that figs are not far behind.  The leaves are a telltale sign of the last days when God will harvest his crop of people.  He asks them to discern the signs of the last days, taking notice of the many wars and conflicts in the world, unrest even in families.  A significant sign of the last days is the desecration of the Temple.  The fig tree blossoming indicates the Lord’s soon return.  Most people on earth will be too wrapped up in life’s obligatory duties to notice signs of the last days.  Jesus also talks about Noah’s time.  People will be involved with eating, drinking, being merry, not at all aware of the catastrophe that will take place in their lives.  All of a sudden their violent, sinful lives will be taken from them.  God’s judgment seat will be their only future.  How horrible to meet God in your unrighteousness.  Jesus also relates the goodman of the house must be aware of the nature of a thief.  He will come to steal when the owner is most unaware of his presence.  Jesus will come when people do not expect his return.  Therefore, the goodman of the house must always be cognizant that thieves may break in at any time.  Unless people are perceptive and wise, they might slumber, unprepared for Jesus’ quick returning.  Jesus also says people in important positions should never get tired of the duties the master gives them.  They should responsibly implement their assignment to the end of time.  If they get tired of taking care of the master’s property and servants and seek their own worldly desires, their master will discipline them harshly.  We should not shirk our responsibility to the master because we believe He has delayed too long in coming.  Finally, Jesus relates a story about a wedding where ten virgins who because of their purity are asked as the bride’s friends to help prepare for the wedding.  As with most Jewish weddings, the ceremony starts after the Sabbath hours when the sun goes down.  They should have been prepared to meet the groom when he shows up.  The bride who already has been betrothed is waiting for her future husband.  The groom and his father have been preparing a room in the father’s house for the newly married couple.  Now the room is ready to be occupied.  So the groom comes unexpectently to the bride’s house at night with great commotion and fanfare, waking up everyone.  The bride and all her household are waiting for this happy occasion.  The bridesmaids were all asleep.  However, five of them were well prepared for the groom’s return.  They had extra oil to put in their lamps so they could attend to the bride’s needs.   But the five others were not prepared.  They did not have extra oil to fulfill their duties to the bride.  When the commotion began, the reality of the groom returning sets in for these ten sleeping bridesmaids.  They awake to fulfill their duties.  However, the five lethargic bridesmaids lacked oil for the wedding function that night.  Five were ready to fulfill their duties, five were not.   Because they were not ready, their positions in the ceremony were not fulfilled; therefore, they were strangers to the groom, the Lord of the house.  When they begged to enter the feast, the Lord of the house would not let them enter.  These five were not ready when the Lord returned for his bride.  The theme of all five parables is to keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour when Jesus will return.  

Keeping watch in our day is a matter of faith, believing Jesus keeps his promises and miracles do happen today.  The ten bridesmaids were the same: good, faithful, upright young ladies.  They all wore the same beautiful gowns, and all had the same assignment of preparing the bride for the groom.  They were intricately involved in the preparation of the feast.  However, five believed the groom would return at any moment and five did not hold this anticipation in their hearts.  Therefore, five of them went to bed on every Sabbath’s end with the hope that the groom would return that evening.  But five lost faith in the return of the groom, so they went to bed unprepared for his arrival.  For them, the ordinary events in life had taken preeminence in their thinking.  Every night was the same to them.  As Peter tells about the scoffers in the last days before the groom returns: Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?  (2 Peter 3:3-4)  These five ill-prepared bridesmaids were like the other five in every sense except they lacked faith that the groom would appear soon.  The faithful ones, the enduring bridesmaids, went to bed every night expecting the groom to return.  Nothing in life was more important to them than the groom’s return for his bride.  The five slothful bridesmaid had reoriented their priorities to such an extent that they no longer believed the groom would soon return.  When he did appear, they were caught unprepared, lacking enough oil in their lamps to fulfill their duties to the bride.  Being surprised by the event, they wanted the responsible ones to give them some of their oil, give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.  But the diligent ones had only enough for their own lamps. The unprepared had to go and buy oil so that they could fulfill their responsibility to the bride.  Because all of that took time, the frivolous, lazy bridesmaids lost their privileged positions that night.  Rather than being found in the household of the groom as honored servants to the bride, they were outside of the event, calling for the Lord of the house to open the door to them.  Jesus iterates this story to remind those who are called to the last-day festival to be ready for his return.  Let nothing interfere with being prepared for his soon return. 

Preparing for the Lord’s return requires enduring faith in God’s ability to do something so unexpected that the world cannot imagine it happening.  The five unfaithful virgins did not believe it.  All five of Jesus’ parables reveal that Jesus’ return will be miraculously quick and unexpected.  To accept this reality, Christians must believe all that has been described in the Bible.  When we doubt God’s word, we doubt the supernatural return of Jesus.  We must not slumber, thinking nothing new will happen in our time.  Look at the Bible where we see marvelous acts that confound the reasoning of men.  Jesus performed many miracles.  The Groom came into many people’s lives: immediately things changed.  In just one day, we see Jesus performing two miracles that no man could perform.  The lady with an issue of blood touched the hem of Jesus’ garment as He moved through the crowds.  As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.  And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her.  She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.  “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.  When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”   But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”  (Luke 8:42-46)  Jesus knew someone with enduring faith touched him, just as enduring faith kept the faithful virgins prepared every night.  This woman was healed immediately.  Jesus will come when no one expects him but a few: the Noah’s of the world.  We find in that same day, another person of enduring faith, Jairus the synagogue leader.  He begs Jesus on his knees to come to his house to heal his daughter.  But because Jesus tarries, healing the woman with the issue of blood, Jairus receives news his daughter is dead.  Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”  (Luke 8:50)  When they get to Jairus’ house, they find many people weeping and wailing, mostly a traditional activity for the dead.  Jesus tells them, “Stop wailing.  She is not dead but asleep.”  (Luke 8:52)  Be prepared for the groom is coming; He is even here.  “My child, get up!”  Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up.  (54-55)  We see Jesus fulfilling the duties of faith, believing when everything seems impossible.  These healings are quick and supernatural.  Do we believe such things are possible today, or are we slumbering, not prepared for his quick return?  This question is necessary, for we are in a time of great unbelief, disbelief that God can or ever did marvelous things, such as create with his Holy Spirit.  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  (Genesis 1:1-2)  Jesus was filled with God’s Spirit at his baptism, baptized with fire and power.  Jesus said that we can belittle him and even God, but we dare not disparage the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the power to create new things: new life, healings, miracles.  To resist God’s power, his Spirit, is unforgivable.  Dear friends, Jesus will return, the miracle will happen.  Do not waver, do not think God cannot perform miracles unthinkable to mankind, surpassing man’s knowledge and wisdom.  Let us be as the five wise handmaidens of God.  For sure, Jesus will come with power and fire to judge the world.  He did not come the first time to condemn the world, but the next time He will come to separate the sheep from the goats, the prepared and the unprepared.  Keep oil in you lamps, faith in God’s word.