THE PARABLE OF TEN GIRLS
(Matthew 25: 1-13) Linked
* Virgin is a young woman or maiden. They are similar to today’s bridesmaids.
* Of the ten maidens five are prepared and five are not. Prepared with what? Prepared with oil and lamps for the night procession. For what? For awaiting for their bridegroom….
The Bridegroom delays…..
* The unprepared are excluded from the marriage feast. Why? There is no oil for the lamps and there is no second chance given…..
Likewise, the disciples who are not prepared will be excluded from the banquet.
* Why shouldn’t the maidens lend oil to the foolish maidens? Why not help those indeed?
The Parable illustrates – personal faith, repentance, baptism, personal holiness, personal service and personal preparedness – which can’t be borrowed.
THE PARABLE OF THREE SERVANTS
(Matthew 25: 14 – 30) Linked
* In this parable the talent is an amount of money.
* A master leaving on a journey entrusts an amount of money to each of his three servants.
* The first two servants trade and double the investments.
* The third one, for the fear of the master buries his talent and returns to his master.
* The master casts the third servant into deep darkness.
* It talks about the final judgement. The two servants are rewarded for their diligence.
* His disciples must use the giftedness they have, whatever it might be and be useful to others.
Everyone does not have the same gifts from God.
* But when the opportunity is given, it should not be wasted.
* The master who goes on a journey represents Christ.
* The servants represent the various levels of believers and their responsibilities.
* Faithfulness is what the master demands of his believers.
* But the parable suggests that those who are faithful will be fruitful.
* The fruitless person is unmasked as a hypocrite and he destroys himself by his own righteousness.
* Being involved is part of being prepared.
THE FINAL JUDGEMENT
(Matthew 25: 31-46) Linked
This parable tells us about the warning, watching and the alertness of His disciples in preparing themselves to the kingdom of Heaven.
* As a Shepherd, He divides us as sheep and goats.
* The sheep are in His right hand side and the goats are in His left hand side.
* But what are the criteria for His judgement? What has the one group done that the other has not?
* The goats are busy with their religion and the hypocritical worship of God.
* They do not care about the needy.
WHERE AS……
* The sheep recognise the true worship of God and involve themselves in taking care of the poor and helpless. (Micah 6: 6-8; Luke 6:31; James 1:27) Linked
THE JUDGEMENT
* The punishment of the wicked is as never-ending as the bliss of the righteous in His Kingdom.
Let’s pray ……
Lord, make us to have personal faith, repentance, baptism, personal holiness, personal service and personal preparedness. Let’s us not borrow from others.
Lord, make us to use the giftedness that You have given and let’s be prepared for Your coming.
Lord, Let’s be alert and watchful and be prepared to our final judgement. Amen
Glory be to God
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