Scripture: Matthew 25: 1-13
Goal: exploring mysteries of God’s earthly kingdom
Title: Ready or not... here I come!
Issue
Today’s Foolish Virgins parable is possibly the basis for the scout motto... be prepared! And before advancing even one rank, each scout must memorize the scout oath, law, and motto. I was a Boy Scout Chaplain for 8 years... and I can’t imagine how many times I heard the troop repeat the scout oath and law. The oath accepts one’s... duty to God and Country, duty to others, and duty to self. I loved it when, in unison, the scouts pledged their Duty to God.
The oft repeated scout law ingrains in young minds... specific criteria for everyday living. Each scout pledges to be: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Kind, Friendly, Courteous, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. Can you imagine... if all Republicans and all Democrats lived by more than duty to self and their political party.
The parable of Talents begins to inform you, me and everyone... about every person’s to others and to God. While each of Jesus’ parables reveals something about God’s kingdom, no individual parable reveals everything. Revealing the divine tapestry of God’s kingdom... requires weaving together these parables that Jesus still shares with you and me.
Scripture
The context for today’s parables is Jesus’ promised return... “...the powers of heaven will be shaken. ... all the tribes of the earth will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds... with great power and glory. And He will send His angels with the sound of a great trumpet, and the angels will gather together His elect...
And when every soul is assembled... Jesus will separate one from another.... as described in His parable of the Wheat and Tares. Christ will send the Tares or those who are unfruitful in God’s kingdom... to the everlasting fire. Then Christ will receive into God’s heavenly kingdom... the Wheat or those who accept Jesus as Savior and bear good fruit in God’s earthly kingdom.
In today’s Foolish Virgins parable... Jesus reveals what it means to be ready for His promised return. Jesus plays the bridegroom... arriving late for today’s wedding procession. The 10 virgins are bridesmaids invited to participate in the wedding procession... and still hoping for an invitation to the wedding feast. The foolish virgins, needing to complete their preparation... missed everything, the wedding and banquet.
The wise virgins reveal every person is responsible for working out their own salvation.
Their unwillingness to share...shows that spiritual preparation cannot be shared.
These Talents or bags of gold represent every kind of blessing each of us are given...
e.g. time... skills... knowledge... money... leading or doing. Jesus reveals that God wants us to use well... each blessing entrusted to us. We all know people who have more blessings or fewer blessings... than we have. What’s important to us... is how much we have; but what’s important to God is how we use each blessing.
The unprofitable servant either imagined he could not live up to the Master’s expectations... OR simply did not care how the Master might react. In either case the unprofitable servant did not use the blessing of money entrusted specifically to him. In the Rich Fool parable two weeks ago, Jesus revealed a parallel point, saying: the rich farmer was a fool... for storing up blessings for his personal use... while neglecting his duty to others, like widows and orphans, or the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.
The kingdom mystery in today’s Talents parable... reveals that God’s blessings are not distributed randomly, but according to each person’s ability. No person receives more or less than they can manage. If any of us fail our task, the excuse cannot be that we were overwhelmed. One’s failure must be attributed to laziness or selfishness.
Applying Today’s Scripture
These parables describe the consequences of two attitudes toward Christ’s return. The person who diligently prepares for His return by investing his or her time and talents to serve God... will be rewarded. The person who bears no fruit in God’s earthly kingdom cannot expect to be treated the same as those who are faithful. God rewards faithfulness.
So, these two parables reveal both... what it means to be ready for Christ’s return... and how we should live our 21st CE Munsonville lives... until He comes. Being prepared for the Great Banquet in the heavenly kingdom, as Jesus points out today... every person is responsible for their own spiritual condition. Working out our own salvation... is how John Wesley referred to one’s spiritual goal.
On that grand and glorious day when Christ returns... No barn filled with goods... nor personal retirement account... can purchase one’s salvation. These foolish virgins illustrate that one’s banquet invitation depends on being prepared! There will be no opportunity to borrow... or time to buy... our spiritual preparation.
Ready or not...at an hour we do not expect... the Son of Man is coming. Until then, Jesus urges us, his sisters and brothers, to use God’s blessings of time, talents and resources... in our duty to others and our duty to God.
Either we stand ready for Christ... or, like the foolish virgins, we are locked out of God’s heavenly banquet. Trying to save every soul, Jesus lovingly implores each of us... to be prepared?
As the heirs of God’s kingdom... please stand and sing Jesus Loves Me UMH 191
Chapel by the Lake
Rev. Bill Taylor
Goal: exploring mysteries of God’s earthly kingdom
Title: Ready or not... here I come!
Issue
Today’s Foolish Virgins parable is possibly the basis for the scout motto... be prepared! And before advancing even one rank, each scout must memorize the scout oath, law, and motto. I was a Boy Scout Chaplain for 8 years... and I can’t imagine how many times I heard the troop repeat the scout oath and law. The oath accepts one’s... duty to God and Country, duty to others, and duty to self. I loved it when, in unison, the scouts pledged their Duty to God.
The oft repeated scout law ingrains in young minds... specific criteria for everyday living. Each scout pledges to be: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Kind, Friendly, Courteous, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. Can you imagine... if all Republicans and all Democrats lived by more than duty to self and their political party.
The parable of Talents begins to inform you, me and everyone... about every person’s to others and to God. While each of Jesus’ parables reveals something about God’s kingdom, no individual parable reveals everything. Revealing the divine tapestry of God’s kingdom... requires weaving together these parables that Jesus still shares with you and me.
Scripture
The context for today’s parables is Jesus’ promised return... “...the powers of heaven will be shaken. ... all the tribes of the earth will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds... with great power and glory. And He will send His angels with the sound of a great trumpet, and the angels will gather together His elect...
And when every soul is assembled... Jesus will separate one from another.... as described in His parable of the Wheat and Tares. Christ will send the Tares or those who are unfruitful in God’s kingdom... to the everlasting fire. Then Christ will receive into God’s heavenly kingdom... the Wheat or those who accept Jesus as Savior and bear good fruit in God’s earthly kingdom.
In today’s Foolish Virgins parable... Jesus reveals what it means to be ready for His promised return. Jesus plays the bridegroom... arriving late for today’s wedding procession. The 10 virgins are bridesmaids invited to participate in the wedding procession... and still hoping for an invitation to the wedding feast. The foolish virgins, needing to complete their preparation... missed everything, the wedding and banquet.
The wise virgins reveal every person is responsible for working out their own salvation.
Their unwillingness to share...shows that spiritual preparation cannot be shared.
These Talents or bags of gold represent every kind of blessing each of us are given...
e.g. time... skills... knowledge... money... leading or doing. Jesus reveals that God wants us to use well... each blessing entrusted to us. We all know people who have more blessings or fewer blessings... than we have. What’s important to us... is how much we have; but what’s important to God is how we use each blessing.
The unprofitable servant either imagined he could not live up to the Master’s expectations... OR simply did not care how the Master might react. In either case the unprofitable servant did not use the blessing of money entrusted specifically to him. In the Rich Fool parable two weeks ago, Jesus revealed a parallel point, saying: the rich farmer was a fool... for storing up blessings for his personal use... while neglecting his duty to others, like widows and orphans, or the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.
The kingdom mystery in today’s Talents parable... reveals that God’s blessings are not distributed randomly, but according to each person’s ability. No person receives more or less than they can manage. If any of us fail our task, the excuse cannot be that we were overwhelmed. One’s failure must be attributed to laziness or selfishness.
Applying Today’s Scripture
These parables describe the consequences of two attitudes toward Christ’s return. The person who diligently prepares for His return by investing his or her time and talents to serve God... will be rewarded. The person who bears no fruit in God’s earthly kingdom cannot expect to be treated the same as those who are faithful. God rewards faithfulness.
So, these two parables reveal both... what it means to be ready for Christ’s return... and how we should live our 21st CE Munsonville lives... until He comes. Being prepared for the Great Banquet in the heavenly kingdom, as Jesus points out today... every person is responsible for their own spiritual condition. Working out our own salvation... is how John Wesley referred to one’s spiritual goal.
On that grand and glorious day when Christ returns... No barn filled with goods... nor personal retirement account... can purchase one’s salvation. These foolish virgins illustrate that one’s banquet invitation depends on being prepared! There will be no opportunity to borrow... or time to buy... our spiritual preparation.
Ready or not...at an hour we do not expect... the Son of Man is coming. Until then, Jesus urges us, his sisters and brothers, to use God’s blessings of time, talents and resources... in our duty to others and our duty to God.
Either we stand ready for Christ... or, like the foolish virgins, we are locked out of God’s heavenly banquet. Trying to save every soul, Jesus lovingly implores each of us... to be prepared?
As the heirs of God’s kingdom... please stand and sing Jesus Loves Me UMH 191
Chapel by the Lake
Rev. Bill Taylor