King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Sunday, November 07, 2021
Chapters: Matthew 25
Message: The Faithful Servant
Hello My Friend,
Today is my birthday, as I was thanking God for my being born, I also thanked Him for looking out for me even when He did not know me, and it is actually fitting that we are reading this chapter today. Yes, I ma have been a creation of God, but I was not known to Him until September 11, 1984, when I was born again. And I would have to say that I really had no idea what that really meant. However, and strangely enough, on September 16, 2006, that was when I truly understood it, reconfirmed my faith, got baptized to prove it, and dedicated my life to Him. And let me tell you, Jesus certainly gives new meaning to the term, “I have chosen you.” when you discover that He has work for you to do for Him, [John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.]
There are many things in my fifty-one years that I am not proud of, even after I dedicated my life to Him. In fact, I would like to forget they ever happened, but the amazing thing is that the second I received Christ as my Saviour, God sure forgot them, and is not even a thought in His mind. Naturally, the more time you spend with Jesus the more you will discover just how wretched you were, value your salvation all the more, and literally give your life as that living sacrifice. And let me tell you, the blessings are endless when you do. Is every day sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows? Not a chance. Actually, it is a good thing that we do not live our lives through chance, I certainly do not want to gamble with my soul. So, as we continue in the reading of the Gospel, Matthew gives an account to a parable that Jesus had spoken that the other Gospels do not about heaven
[Matthew 25:1-6 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.]
[they all slumbered and slept.] [Slumbered; To sleep lightly; to doze. Slept; To live thoughtlessly; To be slothful; To be careless, inattentive or unconcerned; not be vigilant.] There is a reason why Jesus said slumbered and slept, He was referring to the wise virgins who slumbered, meaning they merely dozed off while they waited for their groom to call for them. As for the foolish virgins, they slept, meaning were careless and slothful, had no concern for when they would be called, and were not prepared for when their groom would call for them. And by the way, the oil is the Holy Spirit, and without Him in our soul, we are dead, [Romans 8:10-11 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.]
[And at midnight there was a cry made,] This is exactly when the dead in Christ will awake from their slumber, reunite with their souls, and will meet Jesus in the air. This reminds me of the Gospel song, The Midnight Cry, [I hear the sound of a mighty rushing wind. And it’s closer now than its ever been. I can almost hear the trumpet, As Gabriel sounds the call, At the midnight cry we’ll be going home, When Jesus steps out On a cloud and calls God’s children the dead in Christ shall rise to meet him, In the air, And then those that remain, Will be quickly changed, At the midnight cry, When Jesus comes again.], [1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.]
Well, of course, the foolish virgins did want to be among the living, they were just too lazy to prepare themselves and when the call came, that was when they expected the wise virgins to help. Only, that was not going to work, they would each have to go get oil for their own lamps, and what happened when they did? Well, Jesus tells us what happened, [Matthew 25:7-12 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.]
[and the door was shut.] This is exactly what happened when Noah built the Ark and waters came, and when the people tried to get in, but the door was shut. God was the one who shut the door, and once that happened, there was no getting in. God is so merciful and longsuffering in that He does not want one soul to die, but there does come a time when mercy runs out for the foolish, [2 Peter 3:9-10 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.]
Speaking of slackness, there is a reason why we do not become slothful in our serving God, it has nothing to do with keeping our salvation, and everything to do with bringing others to Him. Jesus speaks another parable that proves that we will be accountable for what we do after we are saved, [Matthew 25:14-18 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.]
[to every man according to his several ability;] Jesus never gives us a task that we cannot not handle, even if it is only one soul that He leads us to reach with the Gospel, that is all He is asking for. And He will certainly be with us every step of the way, [John 16:13-14 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.]
Another blessing that happens when we give our lives to Christ is that we do not have to wait until we are heaven to have an incredible life, even with all the struggles we are surely blessed for our efforts. As Jesus continues with the parable, He goes on to explain what each of them will receive, [Matthew 25:20-23 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.]
[I will make thee ruler over many things:] Did you notice that they both received the same thing? It does not matter if Jesus sends us to lead one soul to Him or one million, His chosen will all be rulers over many things. So, why do some of us have more responsibility than others? Well, the more He gives us, the more we actually do for Him. So, it is not as if one person is more worthy than another, it is that we do not waste our talents. And by the way, did you know that all of Christ’s saints will rule with Him when He returns to earth and reigns here a thousand years? Yes, will be, [Revelation 20:4-6 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.]
So, what happened to the guy who only received the Gospel, and buried it, well, he had to give an account also for what he had done with it, [Matthew 25:24-30 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.]
[thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not,] So, here is another fool, he heard the Gospel, knew what had to be done to get saved, yet tucked it away, perhaps even thinking that he had time. Little did he realize that he was going to be held on two counts, he not only hid the Gospel from his sight, he prevented others from learning how they can get saved as well. And to know who Christ is and not accept Him is worse than never knowing who Christ, and that makes him an unprofitable servant. We will all stand before Christ, saved or unsaved, and will give an account for what we have done with our talents. To explain this further, Jesus uses no parable, He flat out tells us our judgment.
[Matthew 25:31-36 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.]
[and ye gave me meat:] What exactly is the meat, drink, hospitality, clothes, and visitation that Jesus is referring to? Jesus wants us to have compassion on the lost, because it is the lost that need to be saved. Remember what Jesus said about those needing a physician, [Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.]
By our having compassion on the lost we are actually leading people to Christ. Just think of a lost soul who just found out that they had cancer, or one who was in a severe car accident who broke their back. Think about a lost soul who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got convicted of a felony they never committed or even one that resorted to robbing people at gun point. Think about a lost soul who lost their job due to these Covid mandates and has no way to provide for themselves, or one who got kicked out of their home because they did not get vaccinated. Every time we show some compassion on the lost, we are giving our time to Jesus, [Matthew 25:37-40 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.]
[unto one of the least of these my brethren,] Having compassion on the lost is not handing a dollar to every con standing on street corners (yes, most of them are), letting all the homeless people live in our homes, or altering our own faith to reach them. It is taking to time to show them Jesus through some form of kindness, [Titus 3:8-9 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. 9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.]
Now, just think about those lost soul examples I just mentioned, and all the people who think that their works in helping them is what is going to save them. These people are worse than unprofitable servants, they are working for absolutely nothing as Jesus has no recollection of who they are, even if they do them in the name of Jesus. Having compassion on the lost when one is lost is no different that the unprofitable servant, neither one is going to get saved, and will all end up in hell, [Matthew 25:41-46 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.]
[ye did it not to one of the least of these,] Jesus does not recognize our works unless we accept Him as our Saviour. Therefore, He will not acknowledge one thing that was done in His name, not to mention those lost souls would have been led to lies, which may result in their ending up on hell when they could have learned the truth and gotten saved. This is also what Jesus talks about as idle words, [Matthew 12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.]
Let Us Pray: God, Thank You, for giving me life, and for the life You have given me. Thank You, for giving me eternal life through my faith in Your Son, and for the great sacrifice You made to give life to my soul. You knew exactly when my heart would be ready to fully accept that Christ is my Saviour and He alone is my salvation from eternal death. Jesus, Thank You, for taking my place on the cross, and for delivering me from hell and the lake of fire. Through my faith in You alone I have received God’s Spirit into my soul, I know that one day I will take my last breath and see you face to face as I enter into Your joy. Until that time comes, keep my heart tender, and my mind on the Gospel, telling all You send down my path how they too can be born again. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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