MATTHEW 25
4 Outlines
Matthew 25:1-13
WISE OR FOOLISH?
1 BRIDEGROOM, 2 COMPANIES – Vss. 1-5
Wise Virgins
Foolish Virgins
1 ANNOUNCEMENT, 2 CONDITIONS – Vss. 6-9
The Bridegroom’s arrival was announced.
The Wise Virgins were ready.
The Foolish Virgins were not ready.
1 WEDDING, 2 CONCLUSIONS – Vss. 10-13
The Wise Virgins were received.
The Foolish Virgins were rejected.
***************************************************************************
Matthew 25:1-13
PARABLE OF THE VIRGINS
INTRODUCTION - Vss. 1-2
THE WISE VIRGINS
1. They were prepared -
Vss. 4-7
2. They were prudent -
Vs. 9 - Sharing would have meant that there would have been no light.
3. They were participants
- Vs. 10 - welcomed into the marriage
THE FOOLISH VIRGINS
1. They were unwise -
Vs. 3
2. They were unprepared
- Vs. 8
3. They were
unacceptable - Vs. 10
***************************************************************************
Matthew 25:14-30
INVESTMENTS
About a year ago I
submitted my resignation from a church in
In fact, after our
announcement, and in the coming weeks, several people really impressed me. There was Willis, a man in his mid eighties
who came over and helped me pack the contents of the garage. There were Jeff
and Mike, relatively new believers who came over to help me paint. There was Dick, who helped me pack up my
books. There was Rose Marie, Dick's
wife, who helped pack box after box, and kept my wife Dottie motivated. Finally there was Peggy, a lady who came to
know the Lord about a year before, who for the 8-9 years before didn't seem to
like me. Peggy was everywhere, giving us things to take with
us, helping us paint, packing boxes, and feeding us as well. The loving
support of these people and others was really appreciated.
The example of our
church family in
God wants willing people
who are ready to invest the gifts that God has given them.
The theme of this
parable that Jesus told is investments.
When we invest we put
something into something else.
When we invest money, we
place it in a business, or a bank or the stock market.
When we invest time, we
place it in a project, or work or some form of pleasure or responsibility.
When we invest energy we
work on something, such as the nice closets which one of our men in this church
has built in one of our classrooms.
Jesus told this story
about a rich man who went on a journey, but before leaving, turned over his
money to three of his servants, or slaves.
Two of the servants
willingly invested the money on behalf of the master. One servant, who was unwilling, hid the money
instead of investing it.
This particular story
reminds us that God has turned over particular "riches" to us, and
wants us to be willing investors of what He has given us to use. From this parable, we want to see three
things:
WE ARE ASSIGNED. Vss.
14-15
A "talent" was
a large sum of money equivalent to 20 years worth of salary for a common
working man. This "talent" was
worth thousands of today's dollars.
Just as the rich man in
this story assigned responsibilities according to ability, our Lord has
assigned us responsibilities according to our ability and his plan for our
lives. He has assigned us various amounts of:
Treasure - Finances at
our disposal to be used according to His will.
Talent - Here I'm using
the word to refer to Spiritual gifts and natural abilities.
Testimony - An area of influence for Christ
Time - We each have an
allotted number of years in which to serve the Lord.
WE TAKE ACTION Vss.
16-18
Each one of us, like the
men in this story, will take action with the things God has given us.
We will invest them in
some way. If we like the first two
servants, we will be productive. If we
are like the last servant, we will bury our gifts. Consider how we can wisely invest those
things God has given us.
Treasure - Luke 16:9-13,
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Talent - Romans 12:3-8
Testimony - Matthew
5:14-16, Psalm 107:2, 1 Peter 3:15
Time - Ephesians
5:15-17, Psalm 90:12
WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE Vss. 19-30
Just as the men in the
story answered to their master, we will answer to ours.
We must remember that there
will be a time when we will be evaluated for what we have done for our
Lord. See 2 Corinthians 5:10.
***************************************************************************
Matthew 25:14-30
SERVING IN THE KINGDOM
Our Lord told a parable about 3 men who received
"talents".
A talent was a large sum of money. According to Warren
Wiersbe, it was the equivalent of twenty years worth of wages.
Each servant of the Lord Jesus has received
"talents". We are given natural abilities, spiritual gifts, and the
opportunities to use them. How we use
them is important.
RESPONSIBILITIES VARY Vss. 14-15
The man gave to his servants the talents based on
their ability.
God has not made each one of His servants identical.
Our abilities vary, and so our responsibilities
vary. God only expects us to perform
based on the ability He has given us.
REACTIONS VARY Vss. 16-18
Two servants used their ability to multiply the
master's wealth.
One servant buried the money he was given.
As Christians, we will either trust God
and use the abilities which He has given them, or we will bury them so
that they are not used.
REWARDS VARY Vss. 19-30
God will reward us based on what we have done with the
abilities he has given us.