Matthew 25

Bible Passage:  Matthew 25

After we read Chapter 24 about the prophecies of the end times, we follow with the famous 3 parables that serve as warnings to teach us how we ought to conduct ourselves in the last day.

Warning 1: verses 12-13

‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

The Bible mentions in different places the different kinds of foolishness in the eyes of God.

The parable of the ten virgins tells us one aspect of spiritual foolishness, which is the equivalent of not taking oil in our vessel with our lamp.

It is worrisome to find RE students not really knowing how to thirst for the Holy Spirit. It is equally worrisome to find some who have received the Holy Spirit but do not seem to feel grateful for the grace that Jesus has bestowed on them at a young age.

What about adults? Do we all treasure the Holy Spirit that has been granted to us so that we may have a Helper on our walk of faith?

Let us not sit back and relax just because we have this “passport” to heaven, but rather, actively watch and work for the Lord while we have the grace to do work for Him.

The parable reminds us that the time will be short at the end, after what seems like a long wait for the bridegroom, when the cry comes in the midnight, while everyone has fallen into slumber, we only have time to wake up, trim our lamps and go out to meet Him. There is no more time to go and buy more oil. The price of failing to be ready – too high…

Warning 2: verse 29

‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

In the warning above, “what one has” does not refer to what one was given by the Master, but rather what he had within him – the willingness and faithfulness to use whatever the Master has given him to carry out profitable work.

The third servant gave excuses for not doing anything with the talent he was given. He not only did nothing for his master, he did not feel bad. He thinks he has so little to offer that his Master probably does not care whether he does something or nothing. But here Jesus reminds us that He minds every little contribution we attempt to make.

We may have several views about what the talents or abilities given by God could mean, but whenever I think about this servant who dug and buried the talent his master gave him into the ground, I would think of a person who has received the gospel grace but chose to keep it to himself, albeit going to church regularly, he does not share the gospel nor does the people around him knows anything about Christ through him.

Would it not be sad that our friends or relatives see us in judgment day and asked us why we never spoke to them about the gospel truth? I am still very much fearful of that day when it arrives. I am trying but I feel that still a lot of people who knows me who are not yet aware of the message entrusted to me… May God be gracious to me and those around me.

Warning 3: verses 45-46

‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Jesus minds very much how we treat our brethren, and not just those we choose to attend to, but the least among our brethren.

Who are considered the “least of these” in God’s terms? One thing that struck me about this parable is that neither those on the left or the right knew that they have done love or have not unto the Lord when they cared or cared not for the “least of these” in God’s terms. So we may have our own interpretations of who are these “least of these”, but I shall share based on my personal feeling.

Even it may not be intentional, there are always people treated better and others are being neglected, be it overseas brethren, truth-seekers, or members who do not mix easily into existing cliques.

There are actually visitors who feel much love when they visit the church, while there are other visitors who felt that nobody seems to care about their presence. Sometimes I think it depends on the visitor, sometimes it depends on the person who brings the visitor, and sometimes just the luck of who they meet on that day of visit.

Let us not be content just because we felt we have reached out to some friends of friends or some overseas brethren. We may give different reasons, excuses… why there are people are naturally left behind because of their own nature or the circumstances, but God may be looking at just how hard we try to reach out to these less significant ones.

May love & faithfulness be a natural part of us as we appreciate the love of Jesus for us in our lives, and may we be found as one of the wise virgin, one of the good and faithful servant, and on the side of the sheep of the Lord.