Day Twenty-Five – Tuesday, February 4, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Matthew 25

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

Parable of the Ten Virgins

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.⁶ “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.¹¹ “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹² But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’¹³ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 25:1–13.

Points to Ponder:

• This classic parable about the ten virgins (maidens) tells of the need for preparation.
• Ten girls were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive for a wedding, maybe even a feast. They were in two categories of preparation. Five had oil in their lamps, but nothing extra. The other five had their lamps full, and carried an extra small bottle of oil.
• Lamps were the only only convenient mode of lighting available that was portable and practical.
• The girls waited patiently, but most fell asleep while they waited. The call came very late, about midnight, that he was arriving and they were encouraged to go out and meet him.
• The five with extra oil filled their lamps from their bottles and started out to meet the bridegroom. The rest were stumbling around in the darkness because their lamps were empty. They asked to borrow from the other five, but there was not enough to share. The five wise (prepared) virgins went into the wedding, and the other five foolish (unprepared) were left outside.
• Be prepared. Be watching for the bridegroom. He could come at any time.

Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. ¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.²⁰ “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ ²¹ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ²² He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ ²³ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’²⁴ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’²⁶ “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. ²⁷ So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.²⁹ ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 25:14–30.

Points to Ponder:

• The parable of the talents is another classic. Jesus describes a man who went on a long trip and left his servants in charge of his estate.
• He assigned amounts of money to each, and told them to do business in his absence.
• When he returned, they gave an account to the master.
• Two servants bought and sold and doubled their money. One servant simply buried his money in the ground.
• What will we do with the talents or goods God has given us? Will we hear the words of affirmation from the Lord, or will we be told that we are wicked and lazy?
• I want to be the servant with whom God can be pleased.
• Don’t be sent into the outer darkness. Get invited in to the wedding feast!

Judgement of the Gentiles

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you 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 food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; ³⁶ I was 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, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ³⁸ When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ³⁹ Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’⁴¹ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ⁴² for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’⁴⁴ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 25:31–46.

Points to Ponder:

• The separation of the sheep from the goats helps us understand the final separation between those who are saved and those who are lost. What a sad commentary on the future status of those who do not know Christ!
• The criteria is given for each designation. This is not proposing works-based salvation, but does show what actions typify those who are to be given an eternal reward in heaven.
• Feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, taking in and housing strangers, clothing those without proper clothing, visiting the sick, ministering to those in prison are all actions of those who are saved and who have given their hearts and hands to the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Serve others because you serve Him!

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page.