relationships (Matthew 26:31-56) Being There vs Betrayal

(Matthew 26:31-56)

31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 33 But Peter replied to Him, “Even if they all fall away because of You, I will never fall away!” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” All the disciples said the same thing as well.

36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and told His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 And He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”

39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? 41 Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done.” 43 Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let’s go; behold, the one who is betraying Me is near!”

47 And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign previously, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; arrest Him.” 49 And immediately Judas went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 50 But Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested Him.

51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”

55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a man inciting a revolt? Every day I used to sit within the temple grounds teaching, and you did not arrest Me. 56 But all this has taken place so that the Scriptures of the prophets will be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

When we love someone, the last thing we want to do is betray them, but then, how can we not see that it is a betrayal for simply not being there for someone in their hour of need?  "Oh, I would NEVER!!!" they all said.  Yet Jesus knew they would.  All of them.  They could not even stay awake for just a little while to pray, even after seeing their Teacher, their Friend, their Lord, grieving and distressed, asking that they remain present in spirit.  And still, Jesus kept warning them, not so much for His sake, but for theirs.  Jesus doesn't need our help, but He appreciates our willingness to help.  

Just because the Lord knows already that His children will still struggle with sin, doesn't mean that we should go ahead and sin.  Because our faith is all about having a personal relationship with the Lord, it all comes down to us having a willing heart, with sincere intentions, and being available.  That way, when we do sin, we will quickly recognize our mistakes, and ask the Lord to help us sort it all out appropriately, in His will.

Even in this stressful moment, as Jesus knew full well what was all about to happen, He healed the ear of the man who was there to arrest Him.  What Jesus was being led to, was what needed to happen.  If there had been any other way!  But there wasn't.  And the Lord Jesus was willing, because of His great love for all people!  Where there is sin, there is death.  And to give anyone eternal life, required a ransom payment... Jesus' death in exchange for ours.  Even though we are not worthy.  Even though many will still reject Him.  Even though the ones who choose to love Him back, will periodically betray Him, stray away, and disobey Him.

How dysfunctional we are!  How undeserving we are!  Therefore, how blessed are we to be able to accept such a merciful, gracious and precious gift!

relationships (Matthew 26:26-30) Significant Memory Aids!

(Matthew 26:26-30)

26 Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Father’s kingdom.”

30 And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

The main point of these verses, in regards to the topic of relationships, is that Jesus sits at the table with His disciples, and gives them symbolic reminders of all that He has done, is doing, and will do.  I'm pretty sure that most of us have received gifts or experiences of some sort in order to fondly remember our loved ones.

The traditions above were part of the Passover, but here, Jesus amps up the significance, since He was about to go to the cross and usher in a new age (the Church Age), with a very clear invitation to all people, in that He invites everyone to the table.  Establishing the new covenant, does not mean that Jesus has forgotten about His covenants with Israel.  Jesus merely interrupted the Jewish Age, with seven years remaining.

Read on for details of the symbolisms.  A few of these I did not know, like about the cup/s, and the vow/s, which I found very interesting.

• the Abrahamic covenant promised: 
• land
• seed (descendants)
• blessings (fruitfulness)
• and through Israel's seed, all nations would be blessed
• the new covenant:  Jesus, being the seed of blessing, the descendant of king David, came to earth in flesh, to be fully man while being fully God.  He will physically fulfill the Abrahamic covenant completely in the Millennial kingdom, which takes place after the Tribulation (the last seven years of the Jewish Age).  But at this point, Jesus came to fulfill this covenant spiritually, giving the entire world the free gift of salvation, which promises to all believers:
• land (the promised land of heaven)
• seed (the good news of salvation to share with others in order to increase the family of the Lord) 
• blessings (all the blessings of the Lord's salvation, including obedience through the Holy Spirit, producing fruitfulness in service)

• a lamb (spotless, free of blemishes) was offered as a sacrifice throughout the year, and especially during Passover celebrations, just like the Jews had done in the first Passover in Egypt, to be accompanied with confession, which forgave sins temporarily.
• Jesus (the sinless, holy Lamb of God) offered Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice which paid for all sins eternally, for all those who repent and put their faith in Him.

• the bread (and wine) received thanks and special blessings during the Passover meal by the head of the household.  The bread was supposed to remind them of the manna from heaven which nourished and sustained them in the wilderness.  Their standard blessing became, “This is the bread of affliction our ancestors ate when they came from Egypt” wasn't taken literally.  Rather, Jewish people were in a sense reenacting Passover so as to participate in the experience.
• Jesus is the bread of life, who nourishes and sustains us spiritually.  And with Jesus saying, "This is My body...", the disciples would have known not to take that literally.  So it is for us right now, when we take communion, it is a symbol and a reminder of what Jesus did for us.

• sacrificed blood back then was used to ratify covenants (contracts).  And thus, for the Passover in Egypt, God directed the Jews to take the sacrificed sheep's blood and paint it on the door posts and lintel, so that their lives would be temporarily spared from death.  
• Jesus' righteous blood that was shed, ratified His new covenant with all people, promising that anyone who believes in Him, their sins are forgiven and His righteousness covers us and saves us from eternal death.
• the cup (the wine) was a tradition that the Jews had started around this time.  They had adapted Greek banquet customs involving five cups of red wine which was implemented into the annual Passover celebrations.
• using the cup symbolically, the Lord Jesus often used what people understood from their daily lives, just like how people made covenants (contracts) back then, the Lord used the same method for when He made the Abrahamic covenant

• The five cups of red wine were:

1. The Cup of Sanctification celebrates the promise, "I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians".
2. The Cup of Plagues/Deliverance celebrates the promise, "I will deliver you out of their bondage".  A drop of wine is removed for each of the ten plagues, symbolizing that their liberation came at the cost of Egyptian suffering.
3. The Cup of Redemption drunk after the meal, celebrates the promise, "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm". 
4. The Cup of Praise/Acceptance celebrates the promise, "I will take you to be My people". It is consumed while reciting psalms of praise.
5. The Cup of Elijah is poured, but left untouched, in anticipation of the prophet Elijah who will return to announce the arrival of the Messiah.

• The cup that Jesus blessed was probably the third one.  By likening the cup to His blood, the disciples would probably have been shocked, since the idea of drinking any blood from a creature, let alone from a human, was revolting and not allowed according to Jewish law and custom, even though this was just symbolic.
• With the symbols of each cup, it is only because of Jesus' shed blood and work on the cross that we can be saved from our slavery to sin, and be delivered and redeemed, in order to become God's children. 
• With the fourth cup being the cup of praise, Jesus most likely did not drink this cup, since His work on the cross had not yet been accomplished.  Later that night, as He was praying, He said, "My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done."  In Luke 22:44, while Jesus was in agony and praying so fervently, His sweat became like drops of blood.  This cup was inevitable, and Jesus knew it!
• If the fifth cup had been poured, the significance of that promise had already happened!  John the Baptist had already been there and announced the arrival of the Messiah, that being Jesus Christ!

• Vows of abstinence were often offered, such as: “I will not eat any of that until this happens,” or “I vow that I will not use this until that happens.” 
• Jesus vows not to drink wine again until the kingdom comes, therefore abstaining from drinking the fourth cup.  The Millennial kingdom is also called the Wedding Feast, and therefore, it is a time of celebration here on earth for a thousand years.  Isaiah 25:6 says, "Now the Lord of armies will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; a banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, and refined, aged wine." You can also check out Amos 9:13-14.

• Singing hymns after the Passover meal was customary, which consisted of psalms of praise and thanksgiving (in particular Psalms 113–118).
• Jesus "wrote" the songs!  Since the Bible is God's infallible word, and the entire Bible is God-breathed, this is God's love letter to the world!  And it should be our most cherished "memory aid"!

relationships (Matthew 26:17-75) There is Confidence in Knowing

(Matthew 26:17-75)

17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 18 And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near; I am keeping the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’” 19 The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

20 Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” 22 Being deeply grieved, they began saying to Him, each one: “Surely it is not I, Lord?” 23 And He answered, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man is going away just as it is written about Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” 25 And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

The Lord is sovereign!  And that includes knowing exactly who already knows Him, who is going to want to know Him, and who will reject Him.  Therefore, Jesus had always known that Judas Iscariot was going to betray Him.  And Judas Iscariot knew full well that Jesus was talking about him.  He had already struck up a deal with the Pharisees and established how much they would pay him to betray Jesus.  It's hard to imagine how a person could be working and traveling along with Jesus, seeing amazing miracles each and every day, and still not choose to love Jesus and believe in Him.  It really takes an insane amount of arrogance and pride to stand firm in one's selfish and self-centered ways.  

We can see that all the other disciples deeply loved the Lord, because they were deeply concerned that they would be the ones to betray Him.  When we really love someone, the last thing we want to do is hurt them.  Yet, we still do.  If we are honest with ourselves, we know full well that we are absolutely capable of falling into any sin.  I learned long ago to stop saying, "Well, I would NEVER do that..."  This in itself is prideful.  

While it is not a sin to be tempted, it is a sin to succumb to the temptation.  And it would also be a sin to start obsessing about it, which is to lust and covet.  So for us to think that we could never be tempted in various areas is a little naive, because while on earth in flesh, even Jesus experienced every temptation.  The only difference is that Jesus never sinned... 

(Hebrews 4:15-16)  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.

Because of God's grace and His indwelling Holy Spirit who seals us for all eternity, as believers, we cannot ever lose our salvation.  Although, we also know that because God loves us, He will discipline His children (while on earth).  Therefore, when we do sin, it is all about what we do after that... do we continue sinning so that we burden ourselves with our own consequences, or do we run back to God, confessing our sins, so that He will help us with our burdens, and so that we can continue on in the blessings of having a close relationship with Him.  

In our secure relationship with the Lord, we can be confident that God will never leave or forsake us.  Just know that He does not want us to be living in worry or fear that we will let Him down somehow, because, He already knows we will!  Instead, He wants us to look to Him, and keep looking to Him, to continue growing closer in our relationship, with greater and greater trust.

We can also be confident in our obedience, because we know the Lord, and we understand that He is all-knowing!  Notice in verse 18, that when Jesus sent the disciples out on the errand to secure the place for the Passover, He already knew which person was going to be willing to offer the room.  Therefore, the disciples could, with confidence, carry out what Jesus asked them to do.  

In this very same way, we can be confident in trusting that when God directs us and calls us to do something, we can with confidence be willing and obedient.  And this is not just because the Lord is omniscient, He is also omnipresent and omnipotent, which means, as we are willing and obedient, the Lord will always be helping us, all along the way!  There isn't any relationship greater and more secure than this!

relationships (Matthew 26:1-16) There is Always Sacrifice

(Matthew 26:1-16)

1 When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.”

3 At that time the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the courtyard of the high priest named Caiaphas; 4 and they plotted together to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him. 5 But they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people.”

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table. 8 But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? 9 For this perfume could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you bothering the woman? For she has done a good deed for Me. 11 For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. 12 For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. 13 Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

14 Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from then on he looked for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

At this very moment, the disciples seemed caught up in a relationship with money.  Some of them might have expected that for the rest of their lives, they would be "missionaries", at the mercy of other people's generosity.  It is always possible that one forgets to keep our trust in the Lord, when we start focusing on the works and efforts of ourselves and others.  In those situations, even a well-seasoned missionary can become worried and fearful about not receiving their full support.  And in that, one can become hyper-vigilant about not squandering or being in any way generous to others.  

For some of the other disciples, they might have hoped that this career path with Jesus would progress towards promotions and prestigious incomes (much like the Pharisees enjoyed).  But so that others didn't see them as selfish or worried, they inserted "the plight of the poor" to justify their self-centered, indignant feelings.

While the disciples, in their preoccupation with money, seemed to have forgotten about all the times Jesus told them that He would soon be crucified, this woman apparently had heard Jesus' words and took Him seriously.  While it was customary to anoint the heads of important guests, not only was Jesus right there as a guest, her precious Lord God and Savior was about to suffer a horrible death.  So, she saw Him as more than worthy to be anointed with this very costly perfume.

 

This perfume would have been worth an entire year's salary, while the money Judas Iscariot received for betraying Jesus was only one to two months' worth.  Think about it... in life, there will always be sacrifices that we will have to make, no matter what we put in first place.  If one loves themselves and money, and puts personal happiness and the pursuit of wealth in first place, then one will sacrifice all other relationships, and often their own health.  And if we put relationships with people first, then there will be all sorts of sacrifices, including money, time, energy, emotions, and even our own spiritual well-being. 

Life has an interesting relationship dynamic between people and money.  Understand that having money is not wrong, it is the LOVE of money that is wrong.  We need money in order to survive, support our loved ones, and help the needy.  And we need people in our lives who love us and care for us.  Also understand that we are to love others, but, in order to love others the way we should, and in order to keep all of these things in proper perspective, we need the Lord in our lives, as our number one relationship!  

The Lord God both loves and cares for us, as well as sustains and provides for us.  After all, Jesus sacrificed His own life for us, to pay for our sins!  Jesus did not die so that we could be married.  Nor did He die that we could be rich.  He died so that we could be freed from sin, and enjoy a personal relationship with Him for all eternity!  Therefore, in our worship, and from our thankfulness, we will want to give of ourselves (our income, resources, time and energy) to serve our Lord God, because He alone is worthy!

relationships (Matthew 25:31-46) Meeting What is Needed

(Matthew 25:31-46)

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left.

34 “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. 35 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; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for Me, either.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

This particular event, "the judgement of nations", will take place after the Tribulation, when Jesus returns to set up the Millennial kingdom.  

Before the Tribulation, Jesus (doesn't come to earth, but) descends from heaven to catch up all believers of all time (1 Thessalonians 4:9-18), leaving only unbelievers on the earth to go through the seven remaining years of the Jewish Age.  This is when the Jews will see their signs of Jesus' second coming.  This is when they as a nation will finally believe that Jesus was and is their Messiah, King and Savior... each one deciding to become a believer.

At Jesus' return, He will sit on His throne.  First thing that He will do is have all unbelievers removed from the earth.  Keep in mind that the Lord is just and fair.  Also being sovereign, He knows exactly when and who will accept Him, and who will reject Him no matter how much time and opportunities they have.  And being love, God will never force anyone to love Him back, so why would He force anyone to live for eternity with Him and His children.  Besides, because He is holy, He cannot have a relationship with sin.  This is why Jesus' forgiveness is necessary.

While we need to be forgiven by the Lord in order to have all sins removed from our account, Christianity is all about having a personal relationship with the Lord!  Notice that in His judgments, it is very relational, demonstrating that true believers demonstrate true compassion, based on God's love, which is selfless, sacrificial and unconditional.  It is not performative or manipulative.  Especially given the fact that because the world hates the Lord Jesus, they will hate believers, as well as Jews (these all being "the least of these").  

Just a bit of investigating into the conditions of a communist country (for example), one will get an idea of just how many Christians are persecuted, tortured, imprisoned and executed.  In tyrannically-run countries, when anyone is a hostage or put into prison, they are only fed the minimal amount of bread and water required to just barely sustain life.  This is an added method of punishment.  Therefore, in Bible times, if that country allowed, people could bring prisoners extra food, water, clothing, etc.  Many prisons have people in solitary conditions, which will make a person go mad, so having anyone visit them would be very much appreciated.

Believers are also told to help the poor, the weak, the vulnerable... and most especially their brothers and sisters in Christ!  Just like the Bible tells us we should not neglect our own family members, we should not neglect our spiritual family members.  Churches who have food drives and outreach programs for other communities and countries, should also make sure that all of their members have what they need.  This requires us to develop relationships with one another, so that when one of us is hurting, we can be there for them.  

Perhaps it is important to think of things this way:  if we neglect our loved ones, it is the same as neglecting the Lord;  and whenever we serve others, it is the same as serving the Lord, Himself.  And our ability to serve and develop God-centered relationships, is only possible if we have a relationship with the Lord God, Himself.

relationships (Matthew 25:14-30) Having the Deepest Adoration

(Matthew 25:14-46)

14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16 The one who had received the five talents immediately went and did business with them, and earned five more talents. 17 In the same way the one who had received the two talents earned two more. 18 But he who received the one talent went away and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have earned five more talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’

22 “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have earned two more talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’

24 “Now the one who had received the one talent also came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. 25 And I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you still have what is yours.’

26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You worthless, lazy slave! Did you know that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed? 27 Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 28 Therefore: take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

29 “For 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. 30 And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Studying this passage closely, and putting it into context of the entire chapter, as well as the entire Bible, helps to correctly understand God's truths.  The necessary truths to reference here are:

• we are all born as slaves to sin
• God desires that we all come to know Him so that He may save us and bless us, but it is our choice
• once we become believers, WE CANNOT LOSE OUR SALVATION (this is a critical truth to keep in mind!  John 6:37, 10:28–29;  Romans 8:30, 38–39;  Ephesians 1:13–14, 4:30, Philippians 1:6)
• as believers, even we ourselves cannot undo our salvation (Romans 11:29 says "for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable")
• as believers, we have been set free from the forced slavery of sin
• as believers, we become "bondslaves" (voluntary servants who are permanently devoted and dedicated to serving) the Lord
• the Lord is our loving, benevolent, generous, helpful and absolutely fair Master
• as believers, the Lord gives us suitable gifts and equips and strengthens us for the things He instructs us to do, as well as for the specific things that He calls us to do
• the Lord will give different gifts to different believers, and some believers will get several gifts, but all gifts and all believers are important in God's kingdom!
• the Lord has a purpose and plan for everyone, and all that we need is to have a willing heart, and our obedience will be the outpouring of our love for Him
• we are never to serve out of fear, selfishness or pride, our only motive in serving God should be with agape love, in His righteousness and strength, all to His glory
• for those believers who are unwilling to use their gifts to serve, will miss out on the Lord's blessings here on earth
• as we serve the Lord here on earth, He will bless us and see to our needs, even and especially as we may suffer persecution in His name
• as our treasures should be stored up in heaven, when we see Him face to face, the Lord will judge and reward us for our good deeds done with righteous motives

There are two ways one can interpret this passage, but I believe the latter is the correct interpretation.  The first way is to consider that all of the slaves are believers.  The third slave is the believer who is unwilling to serve the Lord.  The first believer who is most zealous in serving the Lord, will typically be the one to pick up the slack, and they will be blessed and rewarded for doing so.  

The third slave (if we consider them to be a believer) would not lose their salvation, but God will discipline His children.  We should know that when we stray away from the Lord, our relationship with Him will suffer.  Even though a believer cannot lose the Holy Spirit, we can definitely quench the Holy Spirit.  And when God's Spirit mourns within us, we will experience unrest and sadness in our souls!  So while this way to interpret these verses is still true...

The very last verse says that the third slave is thrown into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  This is typically the description of hell, which is a place that is completely void of God and all of His blessings.  This would indicate that the third slave never became a believer.  So in this interpretation, this is the person who has rejected and refused God's love and salvation.  

It is clear that this slave never knew God personally, because this person saw Him as someone who was "a hard man" who selfishly benefitted off the backs of others.  As well, this slave was "afraid" of the Lord.  And by not becoming a believer, not wanting God to be part of their life, that person is sent to a place that is void of God.

Those who love and know the Lord Jesus personally, "fear" Him.  This fear is a deep respect, so much so that we cannot help but be in awe of the Lord.  And in this grateful adoration and respectful zeal, we will want to serve Him, not because we have to, but because we want to!!!

relationships (Matthew 25:1-46) It's Very Personal

(Matthew 25:1-46)

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take extra oil with them; 4 but the prudent ones took oil in flasks with their lamps. 5 Now while the groom was delaying, they all became drowsy and began to sleep. 6 But at midnight there finally was a shout: ‘Behold, the groom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 But the foolish virgins said to the prudent ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 However, the prudent ones answered, ‘No, there most certainly would not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the groom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 Yet later, the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Be on the alert then, because you do not know the day nor the hour.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

For the simple fact that Jesus has used this theme of a wedding celebration quite a few times, shows just how personal it is for Him, and He wants us to understand just how personal it is, that He desires all to come to know Him.  The Lord extends His proposal - His gift of salvation - so that we can enter into a personal relationship with Him.  And all of these particular parables are in line with the Jewish wedding ceremonies that would have taken place back then.  The groom represents Jesus, and the bride represents the Church.  

At this point, in this particular parable, the bride and groom were already engaged (those becoming believers, receiving the Lord's indwelling Holy Spirit of promise).  The groom has already gone away to prepare his home for her (Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven).  When everything is ready, the groom comes to collect His bride (representing the rapture, when all believers of all time up until that point will be caught up into the air to be with Jesus).  The bride and groom consummate their marriage (the Church will be in heaven with Jesus for the seven years).  Meanwhile...

This is where this parable picks up.  The virgins represent all of those unbelievers left on earth for the Tribulation (the last seven years of the Jewish Age).  Once the honeymoon stage of the ceremony is complete, the groom will lead his bride to where the wedding feast is going to take place.  The virgins who are ready will follow the groom (with his bride) to the wedding feast to celebrate (Jesus will return, and lead all those who have become believers during those seven years into the Millennial kingdom). 

If you have ever been part of a wedding ceremony as bridesmaids or groomsmen... while there is extreme joy and excitement, you know just how serious this is.  Generally speaking, the bride or groom has chosen you to be part of the wedding ceremony because you are especially close, either a relative or a very good friend.  You understand how important your role is, and how important all of the details are to the couple.  For those who really love the couple, you are not going to be late!  You are not going to drop the ball by not being ready!

Just so, for anyone who thinks they will just be able to sneak into the Millennium (and crash the wedding feast), is sorely mistaken.  Just like it will be impossible to sneak into heaven, or sweet-talk their way in because they think they are "good enough", even though they are not a child of God.  While in fact, unbelievers even hate the heavenly Father and His children, yet still they think they deserve to live in His home and take a share of the legitimate children's heritance?

For those who would be turned away, no one should be insulted or indignant.  Understand that the proposal - the invitation - has been sent out to everyone!  Either one accepts it, or rejects it, which is to either accept the Lord Jesus into our heart, soul and life, or one rejects the Lord Jesus and all that He has done for us.  

Being omniscient, the Lord knows exactly when and who is going to accept Him.  So when the time is right... will be at the exact point in time when everyone who is going to accept the Lord's salvation has already done so.  And all of those who have rejected Him, even if they were given a thousand more years of opportunities, will still only reject Him.

If we feel sad about this, this should compel us to be sharing the gospel message whenever God gives us an opportunity.  Not to try to force anyone into making a decision, because God does not even do that.  That is not out of love, but out of our wanting to control things.  If someone rejects the gospel message, we should still continue praying for and loving that person.  We never know if and when they will get to a point of repentance, but God does!  And if we think we care so much, just understand that God cares exceedingly more!