Ready Expectation For Christ’s Return

Transcript

GRM 884
1/18/2004
Ready Expectation for Christ’s Return
Matthew 25:1-46
Gil Rugh

Matthew 24, in chapters 24 and 25 give us the most extensive of the prophetic discourses Christ gave regarding His coming again to earth. If Christ is coming again, and He is, then the most important thing that man can do is to prepare himself for that event. That’s what Jesus is addressing as He talks about what it will be like when He returns to earth and what will happen when He returns to earth. It’s important we keep things in proper order in scripture. God has chosen the nation Israel to be the physical nation that would belong to Him. Their history begins in Genesis chapter 12 and from that point until basically Acts chapter 2, the Bible is concerned with the nation Israel. Other nations of the earth are dealt with, there are prophecies given concerning them, but their significance basically is as it relates to God’s program for the nation Israel. God chose that nation. That did not mean that everyone within that nation would be saved. That was the tragedy that overtook Israel. They began to think that because they were Jews, they were assured forgiveness of sins and a place in the kingdom that God would establish for them. But it always has been the case that even within the nation that God chose for Himself, there would be individual Jews that would come to believe in Him. There would also be Jews that would not believe in Him and would be lost. God promised to the nation Israel a kingdom on this earth, over which a Messiah would rule and reign. As a result of Israel’s sinful departure from God, they came under the judgment of God. They rejected their Messiah when He came, crucified Him, and now the nation is under the judgment of God and has been for 2000 years.

In Acts chapter 2 the church began. The church in no way replaced Israel in the program of God. Except that now God’s focus in His work of salvation on the earth did not center in the nation Israel, but it centered in the church. It did not center in a particular race or nationality of people, but it centered in all people who came to trust in Christ as Savior. So, the church begins in Acts chapter 2, and the church will be God’s focus in the world until the rapture of the church, the removal of the church from the earth where Christ will descend in the air. He won’t come to earth, but He’ll come in the air and call the church up to meet Him and then take us to the glory of His Father’s presence. Following that there will be a period of seven years where God completes His program with the nation Israel in preparation for the establishing of His kingdom. That’s what Matthew chapter 24 talked about. We looked into that chapter, particularly down through verse 28. Then verses 29-31 of Matthew 24 talk about the glory of the return of Christ. Then in verse 32 and through the rest of chapter 24 Christ gave really two parables to deal with readiness for His coming, watching for His coming. He gives the picture of the fig tree, and you can tell by seeing the change in the fig tree what the seasons are. You ought to be using the Word and a reminder to these Jews and particularly it will be applicable to the Jews in that 7-year period as they see events unfolding. Many of them turn to the Lord, they’ve discerned that it’s time for the coming of the Messiah. Verse 42 of chapter 24 said “Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” We can be assured that the Lord is coming. When He comes there will be judgment, and therefore be on the alert, be ready. Verse 44, “For this reason you must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

That is the theme that carries over into chapter 25. A series of parables, we usually call them three parables. Really only the first two are parables, and the last one is then a straightforward account with some analogies given. The idea of being ready, being faithful, coming judgment are the themes that are being stressed. The fact that Christ is coming has an impact on us in the way we live. This is true for Israel, it’s also true for us. Remember the church, we have our hope fixed on Him and His coming. John wrote in his first epistle, he said everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. We are living in expectation of His coming, in anticipation of giving an account to Him, of Him exercising judgment. There is a parallel in the sense that the people of God must be living with readiness for the return of their Lord at any time and wherever it will be. But you must keep in mind that Matthew chapter 24 and 25 talk about events that take place after the rapture of the church. The church is not in Matthew chapter 24, the church is not in Matthew chapter 25. He’s unfolded matters relating to His Second Coming in chapter 24, now in chapter 25 the emphasis will really be on being ready for His Coming and the judgment that will be exercised when He does come. He’ll give two parables, the parable of the ten virgins, the parable of the talents, which focus on Israel and the necessity for Israel to be ready for their Messiah at His Second Coming. They were not ready for Him at His First Coming and then He’ll give the account of the judgment of the nations. Technically, it is not a parable, though we sometimes call it that in the context of Matthew 25. He deals with the judgment that will come on the Gentiles when Christ returns. All three of these accounts in Matthew 25 have to do with the return of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom. The church will have been in heaven for some seven years when these events take place, having been raptured approximately seven years prior to the return of Christ to earth.

The parable of the ten virgins, only recorded by Matthew. Some material, as you are aware, what are called the synoptic gospels, particularly. Synoptic meaning being seen together. Matthew, Mark and Luke see things together similarly, whereas John, the fourth of the gospels, is mostly materially unique to John. It’s not overlapped in the other three gospels. We talk about synoptic gospels, we’re talking about Matthew, Mark and Luke. They are the gospels that see things together. If you get a harmony of the gospels that arranges in parallel columns so you can see where this is said in Matthew and Mark and Luke, you’ll see much repeated material. But the parable of ten virgins only occurs here, and it is a parable to exhort Israel to be ready and prepared for the coming of the Messiah.

Look at Matthew 25:1, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be compared to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.” Now this is the picture, waiting for the coming of the bridegroom. Christ is the bridegroom, and the pattern is the oriental weddings of Biblical times. First there was the engagement or betrothal period and that was a binding commitment to marriage. We call it an engagement, but it is much more binding than our engagement process. It could only be broken by a decree of divorce. This is where there was payment of a purchase price by the bridegroom. The marriage is really finalized there, in the sense the relationship is now binding. Then the second step was there was a period of separation in regular weddings for about a year and during this time the bride prepared herself for her husband, the husband prepared the place for his bride and so on. The third step was the groom would come and get his bride, take her to the place he had prepared in his father’s house. In some of these things we see the church’s role as the bridegroom of Christ; and at the rapture Christ will come and take the church to the place He has prepared, John 14:1, “In my Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and 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.”

Then following the consummation of the marriage there would be a feast; and that would be attended by all the family and friends. That’s the picture here. Now you have these 10 virgins. Now they’re not waiting to be married to the bridegroom. In the context they are prepared for the coming of the bridegroom with his bride and they’re ready to celebrate the marriage feast, which is, if you will, the climax of this series of wedding-related events.

Matthew chapter 25 begins, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be compared.” This connects to the preceding discussion on His Second Coming. Back in chapter 24 verses 29 and following, “immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened” and so on. Verse 30, “then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. All the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” Then He told them about the signs with the fig tree and the necessity to be alert for His Coming. Verse 25, then the kingdom of heaven will be compared to 10 virgins. So, the Jews would understand, the disciples would understand that when the Messiah comes, we are anticipating the kingdom. That’s part of the struggle they have now. If He’s the Messiah, why isn’t He setting up the kingdom? Remember their question in Acts chapter 1:6, “Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Are we now ready for the establishment of the kingdom? He says you don’t need to know the timing of those events. Rather you’ll receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you. The establishment of the kingdom is a future event.

The kingdom of heaven, this is the kingdom that was promised to Israel. The kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God referring to the same kingdom in the gospels, and it’s referring to the kingdom that God promised for Israel, the kingdom that would be established on earth over which the Messiah would rule and reign. It’s compared to 10 virgins, and I take it the 10 virgins here refer to Israel, representative of Israel. They have their lamps; their oil lamps and they’re going out to await the arrival of the bridegroom. Keep in mind the virgins aren’t the bride, the virgins, the attendants, but they are not the bride. The bridegroom is a reference to the Messiah. There are five foolish virgins, and there are five wise ones, five were foolish, five were prudent. The foolish ones are those who have not prepared properly for the coming of the Messiah. The prudent or wise ones are those who have prepared for the coming of the Messiah. Again, you can see the similarity to the First Coming of Christ, and much of Israel was not prudent. They were not ready for the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist came to prepare the way, but the bulk of the nation did not respond to his message, and so were caught unprepared. So it will be at the Second Coming. Israel again, much of Israel, will not be prepared.

In verses 3-4 they took oil, I mean these are oil lamps, you see them in pictures. If you go to Israel, you can buy these little oil lamps that are Biblical replicas and so on, where they put the oil in and pull a wick out the end and that would be the lamps. Now with no oil in the lamps they didn’t work, so taking the oil was part of the preparation for being ready for the Messiah. On this account, I don’t know that we ought to be looking for a particular spiritual significance. What does oil represent? Well, it just pictures being ready. It was something that everyone in Biblical times could understand.

The wise and the foolish. Back up to chapter 7 of Matthew, to help you understand the contrast between these two groups Jesus used in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew chapter 7 verse 24, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mind and acts on them may be compared to a wise man who built his house on a rock.” Verse 26, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand.” These descriptions describe believers and unbelievers; and so it is in Matthew chapter 25. The foolish are the unregenerate, not prepared in Israel. The prudent or the wise are those who have acted upon the Word of God, and they are ready for the coming of their Messiah.

“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep,” verse 5. There is nothing particularly wrong with being drowsy and sleeping. The point in the story was the bridegroom took a long time in coming. But you’ll note, the wise get drowsy and go to sleep as well as the unwise. There is no condemnation there, as there might be in other passages of scripture where the context would indicate drowsiness indicates lack of preparation. The preparation has been made, the point is it took long enough for the bridegroom to come, so long that it’s easy to forget he’s coming. But some were prepared for his coming and are ready.

Verse 6, “at midnight there was a shout, behold the bridegroom. Come out to meet him.” The point of it being midnight is it’s a time when naturally you’d be asleep, and you wouldn’t be looking. Let’s face it, you can’t stay up 24 hours a day, 7 days a week looking out the window or standing in the doorway. Here at the time (what do we say?) least convenient, most unexpectedly the Messiah comes, the bridegroom comes. Now we find out who is prepared and who is not. The point is if you’re not ready at this point it’s too late to make preparations. It’s midnight, the cry comes, the bridegroom is coming. Everybody needs to come out to meet him. Verse 8 “The foolish said to the wise, give us some of your oil. Our lamps are going out. The prudent said no, there won’t be enough for us and you, too. Go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourself.” Now you have to go out into the city or the town, try to get the merchant to open his store and sell you some oil. While they were going away to make the purchase the bridegroom came. Now note this statement in verse 10, you ought to underline it, “those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast.” Now that’s crucial, that’s what we’re talking about, the wedding feast which will be the millennial kingdom. The door was shut. So those who are prepared are going in to partake of the wedding feast. These are the virgins, these are the friends of the bridegroom and the door is shut. Now there is no more access to the feast. Those who are prepared at his coming go into the feast with him, those who do not prepare are closed out at his coming. Verse 11, “Later the other virgins also came saying Lord, Lord open up for us. And he answered, truly I say to you, I do not know you.” What’s the point? “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day or the hour,” verse 13. Very striking picture, and what is pictured here is prepared Israel going into the wedding feast, the kingdom; unprepared Israel being closed out. The point, you better be ready for the coming of your Messiah.

Turn over to Revelation 19. Revelation 19 unfolds this Second Coming of Christ, the return of the Bridegroom to earth and there is great celebration in heaven, the beginning part of chapter 19. Then in verse 7, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him,” note, “for the marriage of the Lamb has come or has occurred. And His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean. For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” The bride is the church. The church has been already called into His presence, been to the Father’s house, clothed in the garments of righteousness He has provided. “And He said to me,” note, “write blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” See now we have the bride here with Christ, now we’re ready for the marriage supper. And the millennial kingdom is the marriage supper of the Lamb, if you will. “And blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper.” These are true words of God. That’s the point we are in Matthew 25 with the 10 virgins. Christ descends in glory with His bride. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper, those who are prepared go into the marriage supper. Those who are not, the door is closed, they are not going into the kingdom. Point then, back in Matthew 25, is be ready, be ready. Israel is the friend of the Bridegroom; Israel is not the bride. Remember what John the Baptist said about himself?

Turn over to John chapter 3. I was going to quote it to you, but turn to John chapter 3, verse 29. I mention this because many get confused on the distinction between Israel and the church; then these passages like we’re studying become muddled. Look at John chapter 3 verse 29, the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, according to the testimony of Christ, of those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist. What does John say concerning himself? Verse 29, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice, and so this joy of mine has been made full. He’s the friend of the bridegroom.” He’s not the bridegroom, people wondering if he was the Christ. No, I’m not the bridegroom and I’m not the bride. I’m the friend of the bridegroom. Israel’s relationship is compared to the church here. So that’s why these virgins representing Israel, the friends of bridegroom, if you will, invited to the wedding feast, the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Back to Matthew 7. Those closed out will say Lord open for us and He says I do not know you. In Matthew 7 in this portion of the Sermon on the Mount we read some portions beginning in verse 24. Back up to verse 13 of Matthew 7, “Enter through the narrow gate. The gate is wide, the way is broad that leads to destruction. There are many who enter through it. The gate is small, the way is narrow that leads to life and there are few who find it. Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing. Inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” That will become evident in the next parable we’re going to see, it’s also true with the virgins. You will know them by their fruits, five weren’t prepared, five hadn’t done what would be done by those who were true believers. So down in verse 20, “So then, you will know them by their fruits.” Verse 21, “Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons, in your name perform miracles.” And He’ll declare what? “I never knew you.” verse 23. What did He declare to the five foolish virgins who said Lord, Lord open to us? He said, “I do not know you.” They have no relationship to Him. To them it has been superficial. Ten virgins, all ten carrying lamps, but only five are really prepared for the coming of the Messiah. The other five are going through similar motions but are unprepared. Similar account to what He told in the Sermon on the Mount in the early part of His ministry. The sadness of people not prepared and the issue in the Sermon on the Mount was, who will enter the kingdom of heaven. Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, and these in Matthew chapter 25 who say Lord open to us, they won’t enter the kingdom of heaven. They are closed out. Serious, serious message.

Second parable in Matthew chapter 25. This is the parable of the talents, and again we’re going to divide it into two groups. Just like we had the five foolish virgins and the five wise virgins, here we’re going to have the parable of the talents and we’re going to have faithful slaves and unfaithful slaves. So only two kinds of slaves, those who were faithful and the one in the parable that was not faithful. Again, the same point will be illustrated—being ready for the coming of the Messiah and the consequences of not being ready. The consequence of not being ready will be the same as for the unprepared virgins. They were closed out of the feast. In verse 30 the worthless slave will be cast into outer darkness. Again, excluded from the kingdom.

Look at verse 14 of Matthew 25, note it begins with a preposition for. He’s continuing the same emphasis. Verse 13, “Be on the alert then for you do not know the day nor the hour, for it is just like a man.” So here is another parable, another illustration, another account to drive home this point to you. It is closely linked, same kind of subject matter. “For it is like a man about to go on a journey who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.” Slaves is the key word through this parable, it is used six times. These are those accountable to the master and they will give an account. During his absence as would happen in Biblical times, you have entrusted slaves and the master of the house, they have to make an extensive journey. He takes his most trusted slaves and gives them responsibility with his possessions. To one he gave five talents, and again here remember talents are a measure of money. My Bible has a note in the margin, a talent was worth about 15 years’ wages of a laborer. A large sum of money here. The point is, we sometimes pick this up and talk about our talents, and there may be an application of that, but don’t lose the point in the parable. A talent was money, as Jesus talked about it. “He gave five talents to one, to another two talents, then to another one.” Now note this, “each according to his own ability.” In other words, the slave that got one talent didn’t have as much ability as the slave who got five talents. So, he won’t be held accountable for the use of five talents, but he has the ability to deal with the one talent. “Each according to his ability. And he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them and gained five more talents.” He got right on his master’s business. I am a slave of my master, my responsibility is to do what will bring good to him, benefit to him. He immediately goes out and goes to work and puts the money to work and it doubles. “In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. The one who had received the one talent went away and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.” He’s a lazy and wicked servant, as Jesus will call him. Why didn’t he do something? He’s lazy, he’s wicked. Perhaps he buried it in case the master doesn’t come back, I’ll just keep it. If he does come back at least I can give him what is his. Either way I’m okay, and I just don’t want to be bothered. You know, my master is gone, I just don’t feel like doing much. I’ll bury it, leave it there. Verse 19, “Now after a long time.” Again, you see the point that is stressed in these passages. A long time takes place and the master returns. You know what happens with the passing of time, it is easy to forget the Lord is coming. We have a hard time as the church of Jesus Christ, don’t we? People begin to lose their perspective. I know the Lord is coming, but you know I’m concerned about what will help me live today and the reason why. It just seems so long, for 2000 years the church has been saying, the Lord is coming, the Lord is coming, the Lord is coming, the Lord is coming. I know. Just like Israel. In the days of Abraham been promised a coming Messiah and a coming kingdom and it didn’t happen. When He finally came it had been so long that most of Israel wasn’t ready. So here, after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts. It’s time to give an account, to stand before their master and give an account for how they have used the money, his money that he entrusted to them. The picture is now, and this is the Messiah has returned, that is what is being illustrated here.

The one who had received five talents came up, brought five more talents saying, “master you entrusted me with five talents. See I have gained five more talents. His master said well done good and faithful slave. You are faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.” Good and faithful slave, well done. “The one who had received the two talents came and said master you entrusted two talents to me. See I have gained two more. His master said to him, well done good and faithful servant. You are faithful in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.” Tremendously encouraging portion for our application, and that is the Lord entrusts what He does according to our ability. I’m glad I won’t give an account for the abilities of someone else. But I will not be excused from being accountable. I will not be able to say well Lord, you didn’t give me what you gave so-and-so. No, and I’m not holding you accountable for what I gave so-and-so, but I am holding you accountable completely for what I entrusted to you, and what a blessing. Here the man who according to his ability received two talents, he’s ready and he’s blessed.

Verse 24, “And the man who had received the one talent said master I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, gathering where you scattered no seed. I was afraid, I went away and hid your talent in the ground but see here is what is yours. I know you’re a harsh, unbending master, so I was afraid.” So, I’ve just preserved what is yours. Here it is, you mean, unfair master. Take back what you gave me. We’re even. Doesn’t work that way. There is one master, there is one slave here. There are not two equal masters. The slave doesn’t tell the master what the outcome of this will be. Some people want to talk about God and what God would do and wouldn’t do, and what’s fair and what’s not fair. His master said to him, “You wicked, lazy slave.” Here’s what you really are. The problem is not me, the master, the problem is you. He entrusted him with a significant amount of money. “You knew that I reap where I did not sow, gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to put my money in the bank and on my arrival, I would have received my money back with interest.” All right, this is the way you think I am. If you really believed that why didn’t you do something with my money? You see these are all empty excuses. He’s willing to attack the character of his master to defend his own wicked laziness. Jesus does not debate the characterization given; He just turns it back on the man. If that’s what you really thought I am you would have been afraid to bury my money and do nothing. This is just an excuse for laziness and sin. Tried to cover his own sin by attacking his master, as sinners do. Try to cover up their own sinfulness by attacking the character of God. It won’t work. God will demand an accounting.

What does he say? Verse 28, “Therefore take away the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. To everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out that worthless slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Interesting end. What this wicked and lazy slave had now is taken and given to the slave who had the most. What is said is, “to everyone who has,” in verse 29,” more shall be given, and he will have abundance. But from the one who does not have, even what he has shall be taken away.”

Back to Matthew chapter 13. Jesus has been teaching in parables, and the disciples ask in verse 10, “why do you speak to them in parables?” Parables weren’t beautiful stories and illustrations given to clarify truth. Parables are beautiful stories and accounts given to hide truth. Not even the disciples understood the parables until Christ gave an explanation. Why do you speak to them in parables? Note what Jesus says in verse 11, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. Now note, “for whoever has, to him more shall be given and he will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” That is exactly what has happened, is it not, in the parable of the talents? What Jesus is talking about in Matthew 13, even the truth that Israel had is now being withdrawn from them. Israel, according to Romans 9, had been given the covenants, prophets brought their message to Israel and so on. They were in possession of the Word of God, but now they are being closed and even what they had is being withdrawn. Israel has descended into greater spiritual darkness than ever. “To him who has, more will be given; to him who has not, even the little bit he has will be removed.” The picture of the blessings given to Israel, the opportunities given to Israel, now they’re gone. There was a time when this wicked servant was entrusted with the talent which gave him opportunity to do what he should before his lord. That opportunity is now gone. On this occasion the opportunity is gone, there is no opportunity for redemption here. Instead of saying that he is shut out of the wedding feast, you have what happens to those who are shut out of the wedding feast in verse 30. “And cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness, in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” He’s closed out of the kingdom. When you are closed out of the kingdom that does not mean you just go on with your life but it’s not as good as those in the kingdom. There are only two places now for people. You are either in the kingdom or you are in outer darkness, you are either in the fullness of the blessing of the kingdom, celebrating in the marriage feast, or you are in the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Those are the only two places of existence now for people.

This place of outer darkness, back up to chapter 8 of Matthew verse 12. Again, we’re talking about the context of the kingdom. Verse 11, “I say to you many will come from the east and west and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” There are going to be all kinds of people and all kinds of nationalities in the kingdom, we’re going to get to that in a moment. “But the sons of the kingdom, the Jews, those to whom the kingdom belonged will be cast into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” In chapter 22 of Matthew, verse 13. Again, it’s in the context of talking about being able to be part of the wedding feast, and one not properly clothed for the wedding feast. Verse 12, “Friend how did you come in here without wedding clothes. The man was speechless. The king said to the servants, bind him hand and foot and throw him into outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called but few are chosen.” It’s used in the gospels as the call has gone out broadly. Only those few chosen respond to it because the rest refuse in their sinfulness. You hear that repeated emphasis, outer darkness. You know that job will be about hell, you know, all my friends will be there and…It will be outer darkness, be a place of fiery torment. I don’t know if it’s true, I think I saw it on a television program I’ve shared with you. Firemen, when they were testing these asbestos suits says the thing that struck him when he got into the center of the flame where the flames were burning hottest, he said the thing that amazed me, it wasn’t brilliant light. It was darkness. That’s what hell will be, the fires of hell will be a place of darkness, unspeakable torment, weeping, gnashing of teeth, in isolation, darkness. Not light. God is light, in Him there is no darkness. But these are people removed from the presence of God and even His common grace. They drink of the cup of His wrath in full strength, no mercy mixed in, according to Revelation chapter 14, for these people.

It’s not just well I’ve failed to get to the kingdom, what is the consolation prize. There is no consolation prize, there is no second place, so to speak. There are those who have won by the grace of God and there are those who have lost, those who have believed, and those who have not. We say, are people saved by their works? Is that what this parable illustrates? No, that’s not what the parable illustrates, the parable illustrates faithfulness, to be ready. A person who has responded to the grace of God and placed their faith in Him and the Savior He has provided, so now is living in anticipation of His coming, about His master’s business. This idea that oh yes, I’m a child of God and I’m looking forward to when Christ comes, but I’m not about my master’s business, you are a wicked and lazy slave. We delude ourselves. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious. God’s children practice righteousness, the devil’s children practice sin, I John 3. On it goes. James 2 states faith without works is dead, true saving faith produces in the life. That’s what He is talking about. These have manifested by their conduct their true character. As Jesus talks about in Matthew 7 where we’ve already been a couple of times. You know the tree by its fruit; a good tree produces good fruit. It doesn’t become a good tree by producing good fruit. You can’t reverse the process. You don’t change the character of the tree by putting fruit on it. You have good fruit out of the fruit tree. That’s the point here, so there’s no confusion.

I think those first two parables deal with Israel. The virgins, Israel being prepared and not prepared for the coming of their Messiah. The slaves, Israel was as a nation the slave of the Lord, the servant of the Lord. That’s what they were called to be. But when Christ returns there will not only be Jews to be dealt with, but there will also be Gentiles. Not every Jew is going to be saved, turned to the Messiah and be saved. There will be a national turning to Christ and all Israel will be saved, Matthew 11 says in connection with the coming of Christ. But that doesn’t mean every single Jew will be saved. Ezekiel wrote about the coming judgment of Israel, when God would cause them to pass under the rod and He’ll sift out the rebellious, so they don’t go into His kingdom.

But what about the Gentiles? In Matthew chapter 25 verses 31 and following in what we know as the judgment of the Gentiles or the sheep and goat judgment. This is not really a parable, it’s a straightforward account with a couple of analogies in it. “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory.” You see that’s what we’re talking about, that was talked about back in chapter 24 verse 30, “the Son of Man will appear, coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” Verse 31 of chapter 25, “now when the Son of Man comes in His glory then all the angels come with Him and He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations,” word that is sometimes translated Gentiles, “all the Gentiles will be gathered before Him.” There is the nation and there are the nations, plural. The nation is Israel, the nations, the Gentiles are gathered before Him. This is the judgment of the Gentles. The Son of Man, refers to Him as His Messianic title, sitting on His throne and it’s to exercise judgment. All the nations, all the Gentiles. This is not judging nations as national entities. We will bring this nation before the Lord, then this nation. We’re talking about the Gentiles and it’s individual just like it was for the 10 virgins and the slaves. Here now you have the Gentiles. Might be clear to you if you think all the Gentiles will be gathered before Him.

“He’ll separate them from one another as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He’ll put the sheep on His right, the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, come you who are blessed of my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Verse 41, “then He’ll say to those on His left, depart from Me cursed ones into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.” Note again, we’re dealing with two groups, two kinds of people. Just like you had with Israel, two kinds, prepared virgins and unprepared: two kinds of slaves, faithful and unfaithful. Now you deal with the Gentiles. Still have only two kinds, two groups to deal with, righteous and unrighteous. Verse 34, “He says to those on His right,” and He has four things He says to them as He invites them to come. He addresses them, “you who are blessed of My Father, blessed of my Father.” They are here not by their own merit, they have this honored position because the blessing of God has been bestowed upon them, you who have been the recipients of my Father’s blessing, His goodness, His grace. Secondly, He says not only are they the blessed of the Father, “He tells them inherit the kingdom.” They are those Gentiles prepared and now invited to enter into the kingdom that Christ will establish on this earth. “Inherit the kingdom.” It’s not something they earn, it’s something God has prepared for them as an inheritance. Again, the kingdom is in view, and it’s the kingdom prophesied in the Old Testament, the kingdom that Israel was promised in Old Testament prophecies that we don’t have time to go into. Promised Gentiles a part in that kingdom. This is not new material, that the Gentiles are going to be in the kingdom as well as Israel. The kingdom is Jewish in character, and as far as earthly nations are concerned it is dominated by Israel. In that kingdom Israel will be the nation and Jerusalem will be the capital and all other peoples will come to Jerusalem. Jews will be honored. But Gentiles will be in the kingdom. Now note here, each of these judgments are dealing with people who are alive on the earth at the Second Coming of Christ to establish His kingdom. We’re not dealing here with people who have to be resurrected from the dead, we’re not dealing here with the church who was raptured to heaven. But the 10 virgins, they are alive, they represent the people alive at the return of the Messiah to earth. The faithful and unfaithful slaves represent those who are alive at the return of the Messiah to earth. Now here the Gentiles of the earth are gathered before the glorious throne that the Messiah has established here on the earth; and the righteous are invited to enter into their inheritance of the kingdom.

It’s the kingdom that was prepared for you. This was God’s intention, that Gentiles would be part of the kingdom. They are not an afterthought. The kingdom was prepared for the Gentiles as well as the Jews, even though the Jews are the dominant people. But it’s a kingdom prepared for them as well. They won’t be second class citizens. They are the people of God redeemed, they are not the people of God chosen as a nation, they are the people of God who have entered into His salvation and are enjoying the blessings that God has prepared for all those who love Him; and it’s prepared for them from the foundation of the world. This has always been God’s plan. From the beginning of creation God intended to call out a people for Himself who would ultimately be part of a redeemed creation. Redeemed from the effects of the fallen creation over which His Son would rule and reign in righteousness.

That’s the kingdom we anticipate. You’ll note, it’s not in existence yet. They are going to enter into it. This is a future time; you don’t enter into that kingdom until the king comes and establishes the kingdom. Somewhere along the line many Christians have lost their way and somehow, they’ve translated the kingdom now is the church and we live in a spiritual kingdom and we’re all in the kingdom now. You hear preachers say about we’re building the kingdom. Well, you might say we’re adding to the kingdom asense those people come to know the Lord they’re being prepared to be part of that kingdom in a special way. We’ll talk about them in a moment if I don’t run out of time. But we’re not in the kingdom, we’re anticipating the coming kingdom. We say in a sense doesn’t God rule over all? He does, in that general universal sense of the general reign of God. But we talk about this in the prophesied kingdom, we’re talking about one kingdom. That’s the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world; the kingdom that has not been entered into yet. He doesn’t come and tell them you’re in the kingdom, aren’t you glad. No, now you can enter the kingdom, this is your inheritance. When you get saved you will have assured yourself a part in the kingdom. Now as the church, we’re not in view here. We’re going to be part of a resurrected group. I’ll say something about that. Let me finish this, or I’ll say that, and I won’t get this.

Walk through this with me. Verse 35, He tells them to come, and he says for, explaining it, “For I was hungry you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger you invited me in, naked you clothed me. I was sick you visited me. I was in prison you came to me. Then the righteous will answer 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? When did we see you sick and in prison and come to you?” Now this is a little bit striking. These people don’t come and say I knew all my good works would not go unrewarded. I knew, Lord, that you saw all and you saw me when I did it. The righteous are taken back. They weren’t aware that what they had done was really done to Christ Himself. Lord, when could we have done this? His answer, verse 40, “The king will answer and say to them truly I say to you, to the extent you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me.” What are we talking about here? Again, this passage is used and abused so much today and it’s a favorite of liberal theologians because we ought to be doing good works. Is that going to mean if you feed the poor and clothe the needy, that’s what pleases God. That’s not what this passage is talking about, and the poor aren’t the brethren of Christ. Verse 40, “you did it to one of these brothers of mine,” see it’s the poor, who are really the brothers of Christ. It’s the rich who are the oppressors and the poor belong to Christ. That’s never the way brothers is used in the New Testament here. You’ll note you have some different groups of people here. You have righteous and unrighteous, and you have the brothers of Christ. Who are these brethren? Well, they can’t be Christians because then who are the Gentiles that treated His brothers right? You have to be careful that we sort through this. It’s a judgment of the Gentiles, verse 32, “And all the Gentiles will be gathered before Him.” The brethren are a different group. Now we’ve had the judgment of the Jews, the sorting out of the righteous and unrighteous Jews. Now the Gentiles are brought before Him, and you have the righteous Jews who are there who have come through the 7-year tribulation. The 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7 and Revelation 14, 12,000 from each tribe are included in this. Jews that have experienced terrible persecution like the world has never seen, the greatest persecution of Israel that will ever occur. During this time true believing Gentiles will be helping, feeding Jews, giving drink to Jew, clothes to these believing Jew, taking them in when no one else will have anything to do because their life is on the line. You are really doing it to me, Christ being identified with His people.

Back up to Matthew chapter 12 verse 48, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers? Stretching out his hand toward his disciples, behold my mother, my brother. Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother, my brother and sister and mother.” He’s talking about I take it believers here, but in the context then of Matthew 25 in this judgment these that belong to Him are the Jews, Jewish believers. That’s why Paul could talk about bearing the sufferings of Christ in his body. Why? What was being done to him was being done to Christ, his identification with Christ is what brings this; and so it is that the Gentiles are evidencing their saving faith in Christ by the way they treat the Jews during the tribulation. They are not saved by treating Jews right, salvation is always by grace through faith. But saving faith changes a life and these saved Gentiles are responding to these Jews and helping them and preserving them because they have a Biblical perspective on what is taking place. They have come to understand the scripture. The brethren are Jewish believers. They’ll faithfully represent Christ who is going to help preserve the 144,000. It is supernaturally done by God and He’ll use human instruments as well.

The point of the judgment is saving faith always manifests itself in the works. All the judgments of scripture are on the basis of works. All the judgments of scripture are based on works and works manifest our true condition. You’re not saved by works, but works are a revelation of your character. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and so we reveal our character in our deeds.

Awesome picture here. Matthew 25:41, “He’ll say to those on the left, depart from me cursed ones into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry, you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, you gave me nothing to drink. A stranger, you didn’t take me in. And then they’ll say Lord when did we do these things? And He’ll say truly I say to you to the extent you did not do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me. These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Same word for eternal used with punishment is used with life. The punishment is eternal, the life is eternal. The punishment is not called life because it is punishment. The life is the fullness of God’s blessing and joy for all eternity. The punishment, well we saw that in verse 41, eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels, unending torment and suffering forever and ever. I cannot imagine it; I can’t grasp the concept of endless eternity with my finite mind. I know I’ll be overwhelmed with the life that we have in Christ for all eternity. I think that there will be people that will endure eternity I wouldn’t want to believe that, I wouldn’t want a God like that. We need to go back and read about the wicked and lazy slave who wanted to tell the master what he was like. He can be fiercely severe, but He is gracious and merciful. But there comes a time when the line is drawn. That’s what Jesus is driving home. The Jews must be ready for the coming of their Messiah, the Gentiles will be judged on the basis of their preparedness as well for this coming day.

We don’t have time to go into the resurrection, I’ll do that with you next time, and things associated with that. The point of this, while we’re talking about the Second Coming of Christ to earth, the preparation of Jews and Gentiles who will go through the 7-year tribulation, we look at passages and the same challenge is made to us to be ready, to be watching. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed, having our hope fixed on Him and so having a pure life and a purified life because we expect the coming of our Lord. The point is the same, whether you’re talking about the church anticipating the rapture, or Israel and Gentiles anticipating the Second Coming for the establishment of the kingdom at the end of the tribulation. Those who aren’t prepared will suffer the consequences of judgment and being cast from the presence of God. We ought not to think when these events start, I’m going to get ready. People say if the rapture occurs then I’ll get saved, I’ll believe it. You’re a fool. I don’t think so. We are to prepare now. This is the day of opportunity, today is the day of salvation, and so God in grace calls us to believe, calls all everywhere to repent. Why? He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.

Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, for Your plan, a plan established, prepared before the foundation of the world, a glorious kingdom where you people will enjoy your presence for all eternity. Thank you for your plan for Israel, your plan for the church, your plan for Gentiles. Lord, thank you for the wonder of your salvation. It is sufficient to save every man, woman and child who will turn from their sin and place their faith in your Son. Lord, may we be living with a ready expectation. May we be diligent about your business, faithfully about your work, prepared for the life of faith for the coming of our Lord and Savior. We pray in His name. Amen.