The Kingdom Parables #4
- Understanding the nature of the kingdom of heaven is like putting a puzzle together. Each parable provides a new piece that helps us see the complete picture.
- Here are the pieces that our background study and review of several parables have given us so far:
1. The kingdom is a dimension where God rules with His servants.
2. The kingdom exists in two dimensions at the moment. One kingdom - two dimensions:
· In heaven where God rules with His angels and martyred saints
· On earth where God rules with the saints in the church.
3. At the end of the world, when Christ returns, these two dimensions will merge and all will be integrated into one.
4. The parables describe the state of the kingdom on earth and its development until it is fully formed and ready to be integrated with the kingdom in heaven.
5. So far we've learned that the kingdom on earth:
- Affects the earth by its presence.
· Is inhabited by all kinds of people both sincere and insincere.
· Will be purified before being joined with the kingdom above.
· Is open to all but not all accept the invitation to enter it.
· Those who enter in need to enter on God's conditions not man's.
v Tonight we'll add a few other pieces to the puzzle as we study other parables based on the kingdom.
I. Parable of The Bridesmaids and Talents.
- The parable of the Bridesmaids or Foolish Virgins and the one that follows it, the parable of the talents are both looking forward to the time when the kingdom on earth will end and before joining the kingdom in heaven there will be a reckoning (a sorting out, a weeding out).
- Each point to this time but have different things to teach us about life in the kingdom and the reckoning that will come at that time.
1. Parable Of The Bridesmaids - Mt.25.
- Read 25: 1-12
A. The Story.
- There were three stages to Jewish weddings.
- The engagement - when the families agreed on the marriage and a formal arrangement was arrived at by the fathers of the couple.
- The betrothal - a ceremony held in the home of the bride's parents where mutual promises were made by each party and gifts were given by the groom to his future wife (Dowry Paid)
· Betrothal was a serious commitment in that if the man died before the wedding the woman would to considered a widow.
· Breaking a betrothal was equal to divorce. IE. - Joseph required a bill of divorcement to break off his betrothal to Mary.
- The marriage - after about a year the marriage took place at a feast held usually in the grooms home or place of his choosing.
· Usually the bridegroom, surrounded by his friends went after sunset to get the bride at her home.
· The bride, dressed in her best would sometimes be carried in a basket, with friends and family around as a long procession carrying lamps and torches would light the way to the bridegrooms' home for the wedding feast. Once the feast was over, the guest would leave and the couple would remain in their new home.
- Jesus describes some young girls who will be part of this procession and as part of it will light the way and ultimately go into the groom's home to celebrate the wedding.
- There is a delay in the bridegroom's coming and all fall asleep but then an advance person alerts them that the procession is coming.
- Some of the maids did not bring enough oil to restart their lamps or torches for the final joyful procession and try to borrow from the others but are refused so they go out and try to find some at the last minute.
- The other maids are brought along to the feast and when all who were present; the party, the family, the guests, those who joined the procession -- the door is closed (so no one can crash).
v The other maids arrive later and are not only denied entry they are not only denied entry they are not even recognized by the groom.
B. The Story Behind The Story.
- Before this parable Jesus has prophesied about the end of Jerusalem, now He goes ahead to speak a parable not only about the end of the Jewish nation and religion as it had existed.
- He also speaks to the believers about the end of the world when He will return.
- Remember that parables were for those in the kingdom so this is a warning and teaching for those in the kingdom.
- Basically He's saying to them that if they are in the kingdom there are things they have to watch out for:
1) There will be and end to the kingdom as it now exists on earth.
· The Jewish nations end was destruction by Rome and persecution.
· The end of the kingdom on earth will be assimilation (a marriage between the bride / church and the groom the Lord when He comes.
2) The end of it will come suddenly.
· We know who we're waiting for, and what will happen when He returns but we don't know when.
3) Everyone in the kingdom will be responsible for themselves. (Key idea in this parable).
· We are in the kingdom because of God's grace but this grace is not transferable
· You cannot be saved or restored from unfaithfulness by my grace; you must be saved and restored by God when He calls on you.
· At the end there will be no time to make things right or restore oneself to faithfulness.
· Once the groom returns there will be no more opportunity or access to grace.
· Too late to say you're sorry, too late for excuses.
4) Once the union is made, it is permanent.
· Judgement will not be a time for discussion and appeals because those who truly belong to Christ will be with Him and those who do not belong will be apart from Him and the line will not be crossed.
v The parable of the bridesmaids is an encouragement to those in the kingdom to be patient while they wait for the Lord: and for others who are in the kingdom but are running out of oil (running out of God's grace because of neglect, unfaithfulness, laziness, sin) to be careful that they not get caught dry when He comes.
2. Parable Of The Talents - Mt.25:
- Read Mt.25: 14 - 30
A. The Story.
- The story here is fairly straightforward and easily understood by any culture or generation.
- A wealthy master entrusts a sizable fortune to his slaves to trade with and manage while he goes away for a long time on some undisclosed journey.
· A talent was not a specific aptitude or a coin but rather a measure or a weight of money.
· Sometimes the talent consisted of minted coins or bars of gold or silver.
- Each receives a different amount based on the perceived skills that the master believes they have.
· The point however is the each has enough to do something, to make a profit with.
- After a long absence the master returns to settle accounts and the 1st two servants double the master's money (different sums, same success).
· As a result they are each rewarded with a larger scope of responsibility as well as a closer relationship (more trusted, intimate) with their master.
- For a slave this was a great privilege.
- The third servant who had received the one talent hid it in the ground.
· This was the least risk (wouldn't lose it in the market, nobody could steal it, no depreciation) and the path of least resistance.
- When confronted by the master to explain why he did this (note the other two just showed results, didn't bother to explain - results not excuses) he blamed the master.
· He did what he did because the master was hard and unfair so he didn't want to risk losing the talent.
- The master denounces him as wicked (because he blames his evil on the good master) and lazy (because this is why he did nothing, he was lazy).
· He also tells him that if it was true that he was hard and unfair then what he should have done was put it in a place that was both safe and slightly profitable like a bank
· This of course would have required thought and effort; something lazy people hate to do.
- The surprise comes when he gives the talent to the most successful servant to now use, and the lazy slave is cast out to be punished severely.
B. The Story Behind The Story.
- this parable, like the one for the Bridesmaids refers to the people in the kingdom and the return of Jesus, however this is where the similarity ends.
- In the parable of the talents the Lord is teaching that everyone in the kingdom has received a measure of blessing of some kind that is to be used for God's profit (glory, expand kingdom etc.). Variety of blessings:
- Health - Position - Spiritual gifts
- Intelligence - Money - Opportunity
- Charisma - Talent - Beauty etc.
- Leadership - Wisdom
- The parable teaches that when Jesus returns each one will be held accountable for what they have done with these.
- Unlike the parable of the bridesmaids, this story focuses in on the reckoning that will come for those within the kingdom.
· We know that those who reject Christ, never confess His name are condemned (Mk.16: 16); but in these parables Jesus wants to show how He will weed out those whom confessed His name and associate with the kingdom but are not going to be allowed to remain when He returns.
- Concerning His return and the reckoning with the kingdom itself, this parable teaches us that:
1) God will look for results, not excuses.
- We've been saved to serve, to bear fruit, to confess and follow Christ and when He returns it will be obvious to Him, who has and who hasn't been profitable.
2) Everyone has different talents but we all have the same responsibility.
- When He returns it will be obvious who has invested it in the world, who has invested it in themselves and who has buried it through neglect and who has made a Spiritual profit.
- And we each have this responsibility, we won' be able to blame someone else for our failure to bear fruit in the kingdom -- all the resources to do so are there (the Holy Spirit; the word; the Church).
3) Some will rejoice and some will weep.
- Like the parable of the bridesmaids, the prepared ones went into the feast and the unprepared ones were left out.
- In this parable the fruitful ones are allowed to stay with the master and rejoice in his presence and are given more responsibility? (Paul says that when Jesus comes the church will judge angels and sit at the right hand of God ruling with Him - 1Cor.6: 13; IITim.2: 11) - this is a pretty big responsibility and joy, bigger than what we have now.
- On the other hand those who are unfruitful will no longer be able to remain in the presence of their Lord.
· The unbelievers are never in the presence of the Lord.
· However, disobedient, lazy, sinful Christians are, for a while in the presence of the Lord.
- Jesus says that this will end when He returns and the alternative will be suffering (gnashing of teeth) and regret (I should have…) etc.
v And so Jesus reinforces the warning to disciples in the kingdom that before the kingdom on earth is brought up to be with the kingdom in heaven there will be a reckoning and Christians need to be - 1) ready and 2) fruitful.
Invitation.
- Some worry that they are not ready, others that they are not fruitful enough. The idea is that if you are fruitful in the name of the Lord, you are ready. Continue to use your "talents" as you have opportunity for the Lord and you will always be ready.
- I worry more about those who think they are ready because they used to be fruitful or they plan to be fruitful or they think being fruitful consists merely of listening to sermons about being fruitful.→ You're the ones with the buried talent.
v If you need to become part of the kingdom through repentance and baptism; or if you need to become ready by being fruitful again and need some prayer and encouragement we ask that you come now.