Alright, "The Kingdom Parables" this is lesson number
four in the series. The title of this lesson "The Parable of the Bridesmaid" and also will be doing
The Parable of the Talents" in Matthew Chapter 25. So we're doing a series
studying the parables that Jesus gave, describing the kingdom of heaven. And I said that understanding the nature of the
kingdom of heaven is like putting a puzzle together. Each parable provides us with a new piece or pieces of the puzzle that helps us see a more complete picture. So you'll notice that in the
series that I'm doing we talk about the parable itself, what it means, we get a couple of
these pieces, I put them together and then I repeat what we've learned
so far so that we can continue to expand the image and our understanding.
So here are the pieces that our background study and review
of several parables have given us so far. First of all, we've understood that the Kingdom is a dimension where God rules with his servants. It is not a geopolitical type of Kingdom. We've also learned that the kingdom
exists in two dimensions at the moment, one kingdom- two dimensions.
It is in heaven, where God rules with his angels and the
martyred saints. And it exists here on Earth, where God rules with
the Saints in the church. Another piece of the puzzle, at the end of
the world, when Christ returns, these two dimensions will merge
and both parts will become one. So if you're wondering what's going to happen at the end of the world, we'll that's what's going to happen. The kingdom of heaven in heaven and the kingdom of heaven on earth will merge to become one. And then we also learned that the parables
describe the state of the kingdom here on Earth and its development until it is fully formed and ready to be integrated with the kingdom in heaven. So we need to remember that these parables are explaining how the kingdom is developing and the goal of its development. So far, we've learned that the kingdom on earth, here, affects the world by its presence. The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth also is
inhabited by all kinds of people both sincere and insincere. That's always a kind of a shocker when we learn that. The Bible says there are people... If you say wow, there are a lot of hypocrites
in the church. That's not something new. And that's not
something God didn't plan for. He talked about it in the parables. We learned that the kingdom will be
purified before being joined with the kingdom above. But we've also learned that the Kingdom is open to all but not all except the invitation to enter in. Many are called. And those who enter in, need to enter on
God's conditions not man's conditions. OK. So today we're going to add a few other pieces to the puzzle as we study other parables based on the Kingdom. So we start with a parable of the bridesmaids. Now the parable of the bridesmaids or foolish virgins, depends on your translation there, 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 of heaven in heaven, before that union, there will be a
reckoning, there will be a sorting out, a weeding out. Now this idea has
already been spoken of in the parable of the fish right, the dragnet. It's repeated again here in both of these parables. Each point to this time, but they have a different thing to teach us about life in the kingdom and the reckoning that will come at that time.
So we start with the parable of the bridesmaids and we will
simply read that parable. Matthew 25 beginning in verse 1, it says, "Then the
kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to
meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the
foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks
along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish
said to the prudent, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the prudent
answered, "No, that will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy
some for yourselves.' And while they were going away to make the purchase, the
bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord open up for us.' But
he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' Be on the alert then, for
you do not know the day nor the hour." So there is the parable
of the foolish virgins or the the bridesmaids. So let's look at the story
shall we? We always say we look at the story and then we'll look at the story behind the story. So
let's look at the story. There were three stages for a Jewish marriage or a Jewish wedding. First was the engagement stage, when the families
agreed on the marriage and a formal arrangement was arrived at by
the fathers of the couple. Next the betrothal stage, a ceremony was held in the house of the bride's parents
where mutual promises were made by each party and, very importantly, gifts were given by the groom to the future wife, a dowry, if you wish, was paid at this time.
Now betrothal was a serious commitment. If the
man died, for example, before the wedding could happen the
woman would be considered a widow even though they hadn't lived
together, even though they hadn't, as they say, consummated their relationship. Also breaking a betrothal was equal to divorce.
We know that because Joseph, right? Mary was betrothed to Joseph and
when he thought of divorcing her, I mean, of breaking their betrothal,
they used the term divorce, because he had to get a
certificate of divorce, if you wish, or a Bill of Divorcement to break off the betrothal.
And then of course there was the marriage. After about a year,
the marriage took place at a feast held usually in the groom's house or a
place of choosing. Usually the bridegroom surrounded by his friends went after sunset to get the bride at her home. And then the
bride, of course, dressed in her best, would sometimes be carried in a basket,
a large basket with friends and family around. As a long
procession carrying lamps and
torches would light the way to the bridegroom's
home for the wedding feast. Once the feast was over the guests would leave
and then the couple would remain in their new home. And that was the
type of thing they did at that time and so far as marriage is concerned. Now Jesus describes some young girls who will be part of the procession and as part of it they're going to light the way and ultimately go into the grooms house to celebrate the wedding. It was a parade. It was a happy parade. Family, friends, they
lit up, they had torches, they had music, they played, they danced, they carried the
bride. That was a typical scene. Again, Jesus uses typical
imagery that would have been understood by the people of that time. So in the story there is a delay in the
bridegrooms coming. All of the girls fall asleep but then an advance person alerts them that the procession is heading their way. Some of the maids did not bring enough oil to
restart their lamps or torches for the final joyful procession. And as we see in the story,
they 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 are present the party the family the guests. Those who have
joined the procession. The door is closed. Why? They don't want anybody to crash the wedding. There were wedding crashers even in those days.
So the door is closed. Now the other maids arrive later. They're not
only denied entry but they're not even recognized by the groom.
So that's the story. Again, fairly straightforward. People of that time
would have understood a situation like this. Probably even some of them may have
an experience something like that. So now the story behind the
story. Before this parable, Jesus has prophesied about the end of
Jerusalem. Right? Matthew, we're in that section of Matthew. 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. Now remember that parables
were for those that were in the kingdom. So this is a warning and teaching
for those who are in the kingdom, not unbelievers. Basically he's saying to them that if they are in the kingdom there are
things that they need to watch out for. For example, there will be an end to the kingdom as it now exists on Earth. The Jewish nation's end was destruction
by Rome and persecution. The end of the kingdom on earth will be assimilation.
In other words, a marriage between the bride, which is the
church, and the groom, which is the Lord, when He comes. And so the
marriage feast, the wedding feast is imagery. Right?
That is reflecting the wedding feast, if you wish, or the union
that will take place at the end of the world when the Church on earth is
joined to the kingdom in heaven. Right? And the Lord, who is the Lord of the kingdom of heaven and the Lord of the kingdom on Earth, and these two will be joined together.
So this is what this parable is pointing to. Another point. The end will come suddenly. Right? It says a person comes suddenly and says, Oh! The
bridegroom has arrived. No time to waste, no time to go out. What is that signifying? Well, we know who we are waiting for and what will
happen when he returns. But we don't know when. That's the thing. And that process is not anything new. The prophets
were like that. They would talk about things that would happen in the future and they'd give
the order of the things that would happen in the future. But what didn't they
know or tell us? The time. Daniel talks about different
kingdoms that will arise and fall and rise and fall. And he gets them all in
the correct order doesn't he? What don't we know? The amount of time between
those kingdoms and when that final kingdom will come. He didn't know. And just reading
the prophecy by itself you couldn't tell. You only knew after it happened. When Jesus finally came to establish what? The Kingdom of God here on Earth. Another point about the story behind
the story, everyone in the kingdom will be responsible for themselves. That is a key idea of this parable.
We are in the kingdom because of God's grace but this
grace is not transferable. Just a simple example of this. I know people in the church who think that because their brother is a
faithful gospel preacher that they themselves, who never darken the
door of the building or serve the Lord in any way, are going to come
in on his coat tails. Right? Haven't you kind of heard that from people? My uncle's an elder, my grandfather was an elder
and my brother is an elder and so our
people are all church people. And what that person a lot of times
does not say, except me. Because our family probably paid their dues, I
probably can get in on their grace. Here's the interesting thing. That is a
phenomenon that takes place no matter what church group you're with. When I was a Catholic, when
I grew up in the Catholic Church, it was the same idea. If your uncle was a priest you're good. How could you not make it if
your uncle is a priest or if one of your sons becomes a priest or a
nun, are you kidding me? So that So that idea about the transfer of grace, the whole
idea of infant baptism is all about the transfer of grace. Parents transferring their belief to the baby. And for that reason that baby can then be baptized. I understand the sympathetic side of that. Very sympathetic. Very appealing, if you wish, but not biblical. No, absolutely no biblical support for that. So you cannot be saved or restored from
unfaithfulness by my grace. be You must saved and restored by God when
He calls on you. At the end there will be no time to make things right or
to restore one's self to faithfulness. Once the groom returns there'll be
no more opportunity or access to the grace. It will be too late
to say I'm sorry too late for excuses. I know that in the movies and sometimes
personal testimonies people like to talk about death bed conversions and perhaps... In my own
experience I've seen, not many. My experience, and perhaps some of you guys who've been preaching for a while, my experience has been, if you've been unfaithful and if you've been worldly your whole life, it's pretty much how you're going to die. You can't turn that stuff around on a dime.
Because what happens is you allow your heart to become so
stone hard because it's never practiced it's faith, it's never open
to God for grace, it never humbles itself throughout life, that
it's as hard as stone at the end. It can't repent.
Because it doesn't know how to repent anymore. So this foolish idea that yeah I'll
turn it all around at the end... If you never learned how to skate on ice when you're a kid you're not going to learn when you're 75. Believe me on that one. Another lesson, once the
union is made, its permanent. Judgment will not be a time for discussion or
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. I mean
obviously that's a harsh teaching and it's hard to try to absorb,
that idea of the finality of it all. But the other side of it, it's
comforting if you're in Christ and with Christ nothing will separate you from
him either. You don't have to be afraid. So 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 also but are running
out of oil and what are they? What's that running out of oil thing? Well running
out of faithfulness, running out of grace, running out of the desire to serve the Lord,
running out of self-control, running out of the spiritual gifts and
graces that we receive from God. Running out of that, it's a warning to them to be careful not to lose these things because of neglect or
unfaithfulness, laziness, sin, whatever, to be careful that they not be
caught dry when he comes. And anyone who reads the Bible, especially the parables, can't miss that particular lesson. There are things that are hard to understand in the
Bible. Who is the man of lawlessness? Well a lot of opinions about that. You know what I'm saying? And some of the imagery in the book of Revelation. Anyone who says Oh the Bible is easy
you just have to read it, nah, it's not that easy. There are some parts that are difficult but not this. This is not difficult to understand. Pretty straightforward. OK. So that's the first parable. The second parable is The
Parable of the Talents. And it just continues Matthew 25,
beginning in verse 14 this time. Jesus continues, he says, "For it is just
like a man"... When he says, "For it is," meaning the kingdom. "For it is
just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 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. Immediately the one who had received the five
talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who
had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and dug
a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those
slaves came and settled accounts with them. 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 gained five more talents.' 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 into the joy of your master.' Also the one who had received the two talents
came up and said, 'Master you intrusted two talents to me. See I have gained two
more talents.' His master said to him, '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.'
And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you
to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you
scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground.
See, you have what is yours.' But his master answered and said to him, 'You
wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not so and gather where I
scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would
have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and
give it to the one who has the ten talents.' 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. Throw out the worthless slave into the
outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." So the story, again, very straightforward. Easily understood, actually by any culture,
doesn't have to be the Jewish culture, any culture, any generation. A wealthy
master entrust a sizable fortune to his slaves to trade and manage while he goes
away for a long time on some undiscovered journey, undisclosed journey.
Now a talent was not a specific thing. It wasn't like a coin or... it was more
like a measure or a weight of money. All right? Sometimes the
talent consisted of minted coins or bars of gold or bars of silver. So we find out that each receives a
different amount based on the perceived skills that the master believes that they have. The one that gets ten, he gets ten because the master considers well, this guy's pretty sharp, he's got experience, I can trust him with a larger amount. The one with 5 and the one with one the same idea. The point here is that each has enough to do something to make a profit with. After a long absence the master returns to
settle accounts and the first two servants double the master's money.
Different sums but same success. As a result they're each rewarded with a larger scope of
responsibility. Isn't that interesting? They get more responsibility, they get a promotion. That's their reward. And a closer relationship with their master, which is also a reward. They're more trusted and because they're more trusted they have a more intimate relationship with the Master, another reward. For a slave this was a great privilege. Now the third
servant who had received the one talent hid it in the ground. This
was the least amount of risk. He wouldn't lose it in the market. Nobody would steal it. There'd be no depreciation. It was, as we say, the path of least resistance. When confronted by the master to explain why
he did this, note the other two. The other two, when they came up they
just showed results. They didn't explain. They had results not excuses. But this
fellow here he blames the master. He did what he did because the master was
hard and unfair, so he didn't want to risk losing the talent or getting the master angry. So the master denounces him as wicked. Why?
Because he blames his evil on the good master. That's why he's weak, not because he didn't make any money. That's not why he's wicked. He's wicked because he blames the master for his own evil. And he calls him lazy. Why? Because this
is why he didn't do anything, too lazy. He also tells him that if it was true that he was
hard and unfair than what he should have done was put it in a place that was both safe and
slightly profitable like a bank. I wonder if they were paying point zero five interest like they do today. But even
that would have been better than what he did right? This, of course, would have
required thought and effort. That's something lazy people hate to do. Right? So
the surprise comes when he gives the talent, the lazy guy's talent, to the one who is the most successful to use and the lazy
slave is cast out to be punished severely. So that's the story. Now the story behind the story. This parable, like the
one of the bridesmaids, refers to people who are in the kingdom. And it also talks about the return of Jesus. However, this
is where the similarity between the two parables changes or ends rather.
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 or to be used for God's
glory or to expand the kingdom, any way you want to say that.
Now there are a variety of blessings. This not just the blessing of...
When they talk about you can be a teacher or a deacon, those are
blessings of course. But people receive all kinds of blessings don't they?
Good health. You ask anybody that has had to struggle with poor
health their whole life. What a burden that can be and not just a burden for personal energy. I mean a burden on their career, a burden on their family. Now what about a mom who has three beautiful lovely children but she herself
suffers from excruciating migraines, that nothing can take care of? She just has to... Well whatever joy there
is of having and raising children is gone. When you can't function because you've got a headache. So having good health. You know an interesting
side note, I read some biographies about famous people, great people, presidents,
and other type of people. And one of the things I noticed about these
people both men and women, somehow they have been given the ability to
get by on like 4 hours of sleep. Winston Churchill, they just mentioned this about
Mr. Trump, forget about politics. I don't... Good or bad here. The point that they made about him is this
this person he's 70 years old doesn't get he gets four or five hours of sleep per night period.
He's ready to go. And I noticed that a lot of people who have achieved
great things have this tremendous energy and ability, physical energy to be up 18 to 20 hours a day doing their
thing, while the rest of us need our eight hours, some nine, anyways. We won't go there. So my point is that you have good health.
That's a gift, that you have tremendous energy or
physical strength, intelligence, charisma, leadership ability.
You're born into a rich household where you have advantages of Education. That's a great gift from God. You've got money or certain talents. Not everybody can
throw a ball at 105 miles an hour. And some people have taken that skill and what
they've done is made a lot of money and then wasted their life on drugs and all kinds of
foolish living. And others have taken that simple skill. I'm able to throw a ball at
105 miles an hour and have built a great life for themselves and their
family. You know what I'm saying? Everybody gets some kind of gift,
spiritual gifts, of course, opportunity, beauty, I mean let's face it. How many surveys and research papers have said
that people who are quote handsome, women are beautiful, men are
handsome, get more opportunities. It's not fair. Right? It's not fair. It's not your fault. You're a
grown man and you're five foot five foot. You know what I'm saying? You go for a job. You
have the same skills as the guy who's six foot.
But somehow statistically, that six foot guy usually gets the
job, gets advances. It's not fair. It is what it is, it's a gift. So everybody gets a variety of
blessings. The parable teaches that when Jesus returns each one will be
held accountable for what they have done with their gifts. Beethoven, Mozart. Two geniuses, two gifted people. The gift they had with music you couldn't learn. As a child Mozart was writing
classical music, as a child. The difference, yeah Mozart
dissipated life, Beethoven, the beginning of every sheet of
music he would write in the margin, "To God Be The Glory". See what I'm saying? Different people,
different gifts, different results. Different results. And everyone will be accountable for those. Unlike the parable of the bridesmaids, this story focuses in on the reckoning that will come for those who are within the kingdom. The first one, the first parable says you've got to be ready you don't know what's going to happen. There's going to be a reckoning. The second one says you better be ready for the reckoning because you're going to be held accountable for what you've received. Now we know that those who reject
Christ, never confessed his name are condemned right? Mark 16:16, those who
believe and are baptized will be saved. Those who disbelieve will be condemned.
But in these parables Jesus wants to show how he will weed out those who have confessed his name
and associated with the kingdom but are not going to be allowed to
remain in it when he returns. That's the difference. So concerning his return and the
reckoning with the kingdom itself, this parable teaches us several
other things. Number one. God will look for results not excuses. We've been saved to serve.
We've been saved to bear fruit. We've been saved to confess and follow
Christ. And when he returns it'll be obvious to him who has and who has not been profitable. The parables, they sound quaint.
Even people, when they see the title of this, oh the parables, those are fun, except when you really begin to look at them you
realize, man, they're pretty sobering. They kind of bring you up short. Secondly. Everyone has different
talents but we all have the same responsibility. When he returns it'll be obvious who
has invested it in the world, who has invested it in themselves, who
has buried it through neglect, and who has made a spiritual profit. In the Bible, it's very rare
that the writers of the Bible describe the appearance of people very rare. They mention Esther, for example,
that she was a beautiful woman. But it's very rare that they, the Bible writers describe if a man or a
woman is beautiful or not but they describe that she was a beautiful woman. The idea being,
that was her gift. It didn't say she was a very intelligent woman or she was very skilled or strong, it just says she was beautiful. And because of her beauty what
happened to her? Well, that gift that she receive enabled her to be in a
position where she could actually save her people. And yet, we see sometimes, people
men, women, who have received the gift of beauty. Right? And
what do they do with it? They trade it in for money or fame
or worldliness or other things like that. I'm saddened when I see actresses or movie stars, whatever, who have been given talents and gifts by God, throw them away
and waste them and actually use them in such a way as to insult God. Terrible. Terrible thing. And we each have this responsibility.
We're not going to be able to blame somebody else for our failure to bear fruit in the
kingdom. All the resources to do what we have to do are
there and all of us here, all of us, we have the Holy Spirit within us.
We have the word before us. We have the church around us, so we have the spiritual resources, all of
us, equally, whether we're younger or older, whether we're experienced
or less experienced. All of us have the spirit, all of us have the word, all of us have the church. All of us are responsible for doing something, with those gifts that God has given us. Another point at Jesus' return. 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. Isn't it interesting to note that the bridesmaids that didn't go in, it
didn't say they were bad people. They didn't get drunk or something
and pass out or they they weren't cavorting, they wanted to go to the feast. And they would have gone to the feast they
wouldn't have been locked out for any reason. But they weren't prepared. They
didn't think it through. And so, it's not just people like Hitler and Castro. We shouldn't judge but, let's put it this way, their deeds have gone before to the Lord. When the Bible said some people their deeds go
before them and others they come after them. Mr. Castro and. Mr. Hitler their deeds are quite obvious in front of all of us and
they have gone before them to the Lord for judgment. So it's fairly
safe to say that what they have done is not what God has wanted them to do. But these characters here they're not bad people. And so it's not all bad people, it's
not all monsters that will lose the opportunity to be in the kingdom.
Sometimes people do it just because of carelessness, foolishness. So some will rejoice and some will weap. In this
parable the fruitful ones are allowed to stay with the master and rejoice in his presence
and are given the responsibility. Paul says that when Jesus comes the church will
judge angels and sit at the right hand of God, ruling with him. Wow, I wonder
what that's going to be like? 1 Corinthians 6:3 and 2 Timothy 2:11. This is a pretty big responsibility. Enjoy. Bigger
than what we have now. I'm intrigued by the idea that we will
have quote, responsibility in heaven. That it isn't... The Bible doesn't
describe it as a passive thing, that you'll do nothing. You'll be doing something, just, we're not
sure what, exactly. On the other hand those who are unfruitful will no longer be able to remain in the presence of the Lord. The unbelievers, of course, they're never in the presence
of the Lord. However, disobedient, lazy, sinful Christians, they are, for a
while, in the presence of the Lord, by virtue of the fact that they are in the
church. Jesus says that this will end when he returns. And the alternative will be
suffering and regret, that idea gnashing of teeth. 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 two things, they
need to be ready and they need to be faithful. I make one argument for
the the idea of... Some people say, why do we have Wednesday church?
Are you gonna go to heaven if you don't go to a Wednesday church? How about it? You're not going to make it if you don't go to Sunday night church? And right
away with just that question alone says, OK, your issue is not about going to church. Your issue is about maturity. But do we, quote,
have to? Of course not. Nothing written in the Bible about that. We know that. But those things are there to help us what? To stay ready. To help us keep sharp, to stay sharp. I remember and I think, a
long time ago, I wrote an article about icebergs. Or excuse me. What
do they call those, the ships that go in the...?
Icebreaker. That's it. Ice breakers. Up in Canada, along the St.
Lawrence Seaway, where all the ships come in. There they have ice breakers going up and down breaking up that ice all the time to keep the ships flowing. And I compared the idea of coming to church on Wednesday and Sunday night and the various activities we have, icebreakers.
Because what happens? We spend most of our time in the world, because we have to, we
have to work and do that. And somehow that builds a kind of a coating of
worldliness on us, like ice. And Wednesday church, Sunday night church, regular attendance, those type of things tends to break that up and not allow
it to coalesce over us, so that we start to be hard and
insensitive to spiritual things. And so continually hearing the word being
preached to us and continually facing other believers and sharing with
them, helps us to stay malleable and to keep our spirit able to receive spiritual ideas and spiritual messages from God's word and from God's Spirit. So, we have to be ready and have to be fruitful. So that's our class for today. We'll continue this series, next time. Thank you very much.
