TEACHING THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON
THE PRODIGAL SON
Commentary of the Parable of the Prodigal Son by Wiersbe (a portion)
The WAITING and WELCOMING (Luke 15:11-24)
It is significant that the father did not go searching for his son, but waited at home for the boy to come back. When the boy did come back, the father ran to meet him.
Like sheep gone astray, some sinners are lost through their own STUPIDITY; and, like coins, some are lost by the CARELESSNESS of others. But the son was lost because of his own WILLFULNESS, and the father had to wait until that will was broken and submissive.
For the younger son to ask for an early inheritance was like asking his father to die! It must have broken the father’s heart, but he gave the boy his share of the wealth! God likewise has shared His wealth with a world of lost sinners, and they have wasted it (Acts 14:15-17; 17:24-28).
It was not the BADNESS of his life that brought the boy to his senses but the GOODNESS of his father (v. 17; Romans 2:4). In the East, it is unusual for older men to run; but the Father had to run because of his compassion for the boy. Also, the son had disgraced his family and his village and could have been stoned to death (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). If they threw any stones, they would have to hit the father! The best robe would be the father’s expensive festal robe; the shoes indicated that the son was not a servant (in spite of his request); and the ring was the proof of sonship [authority]. Again, there is joy, for the lost has been found!
— W WIERSBE
ROBE—APPROVAL
RING—AUTHORIY
SANDALS—SONSHIP
CALF — THE PARTY!
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TEACHING THE PARABLE OF THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT
THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT
Commentary of the Parable of the UNMERCIFUL SERVANT
The King’s Rebuke. — Why do some of God’s children have such a difficult time getting along with each other? — A poem: To live above, with saints we love Will certainly be glory. To live below, with saints we know— Well, that’s another story!
With so much division and dissension among professing Christians these days, we desperately need what Matthew 18 has to teach. Jesus rebuked His disciples for their pride and desire for worldly greatness, and He taught them the three essentials for unity and harmony among God’s people.
Forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35)
When we start living in an atmosphere of humility and honesty, we must take some risks and expect some dangers. Unless humility and honesty result in FORGIVENESS, relationships cannot be mended and strengthened. Peter recognized the risks involved and asked Jesus how he should handle them in the future. But Peter made some serious mistakes. To begin with, he lacked humility himself. He was sure his brother would sin against him, but not he against his brother! Peter’s second mistake was in asking for limits and measures. Where there is love, there can be no LIMITS or dimensions (Ephesians 3:17-19). Peter thought he was showing great faith and love when he offered to forgive at least seven times. After all, the rabbis taught that THREE times was sufficient. Our Lord’s reply, “Until seventy times seven” (490 times) must have startled Peter. Who could keep count for that many offenses? But that was exactly the point Jesus was making: Love “keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5, niv). By the time we have forgiven a brother that many times, we are in the habit of forgiving. But Jesus was not advising careless or shallow forgiveness. Christian love is not blind (Philippians 1:9-10). The forgiveness Christ requires is on the basis of the instructions He gave in Matthew 18:15-20. If a brother is guilty of a repeated sin, no doubt he would find strength and power to conquer that sin through the encouragement of his loving and forgiving brethren. If we condemn a brother, we bring out the worst in him. But if we create an atmosphere of love and forgiveness, we can help God bring out the best in him. The parable illustrates the power of forgiveness. It is important to note that this parable is not about salvation, for salvation is wholly of grace and is unconditionally given. To make God’s forgiveness a temporary thing is to violate the very truth of Scripture (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:3-7). The parable deals with forgiveness between BROTHERS, not between lost sinners and God.
The emphasis in this chapter is on brother forgiving brother (Matthew 18:15, 21). The main character in this parable went through three stages in his experience of forgiveness. — wiersbee
MAIN Idea: FORGIVENESS is a lifestyle in the HOUSE (household of God)!
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TEACHING THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN
THE GOOD SAMARITAN
COMMENTARY of the GOOD SAMARITAN by Wiersbe (a portion)
What in the World Does a Christian Do?
The Luke Chapter 10 context.
The three scenes in Luke 10 illustrate the threefold ministry of every Christian believer, and they answer the question, “What in the world does a Christian do?”
To begin with, we are the Lord’s ambassadors, sent to represent Him in this world (Luke 10:1-24).
We are also neighbors, looking for opportunities to show mercy in the name of Christ (Luke 10:25-37).
But at the heart of all our ministry is devotion to Christ, so we must be worshipers who take time to listen to His Word and commune with Him (Luke 10:38-42).
Whether we are in the harvest field, on the highway, or in the home, our highest privilege and our greatest joy is to do the will of God.
AS NEIGHBORS: Imitating the Lord (Luke 10:25-37)
It was expected that rabbis would discuss theological matters in public, and the question this scribe (lawyer) asked was one that was often debated by the Jews. It was a good question asked with a bad motive, because the lawyer hoped to trap our Lord. However, Jesus trapped the lawyer!
Our Lord sent the man back to the Law, not because the Law saves us (Gal. 2:16, 21; 3:21), but because the Law shows us that we need to be saved. There can be no real conversion without conviction, and the Law is what God uses to convict sinners (Rom. 3:20).
The scribe gave the right answer, but he would not apply it personally to himself and admit his own lack of love for both God and his neighbor. So, instead of being justified by throwing himself on the mercy of God (Luke 18:9-14), he tried to justify himself and wriggle out of his predicament. He used the old debating tactic, “Define your terms! What do you mean by ‘neighbor’? Who is my neighbor?” Jesus did not say that this story was a parable, so it could well be the report of an actual occurrence. For Jesus to tell a story that made the Jews look bad and the Samaritans look good would either be dangerous or self-defeating. “You just made that up!” they could say. “We all know that nothing like that would ever happen!” So it is possible that some of His listeners, including the lawyer, knew that such a thing had really happened. Either way, the account is realistic.
The worst thing we can do with any parable, especially this one, is turn it into an allegory and make everything stand for something. The victim becomes the lost sinner who is half dead (alive physically, dead spiritually), helplessly left on the road of life. The priest and Levite represent the Law and the sacrifices, neither of which can save the sinner. The Samaritan is Jesus Christ who saves the man, pays the bill, and promises to come again. The inn stands for the local church where believers are cared for, and the “two pence” are the two ordinances, baptism and Communion. If you take this approach to Scripture, you can make the Bible say almost anything you please, and you are sure to miss the messages God wants you to get.
The road from Jerusalem down to Jericho was indeed a dangerous one.
Since the temple workers used it so much, you would have thought the Jews or Romans would have taken steps to make it safe. It is much easier to maintain a religious system than it is to improve the neighborhood. Most of us can think up excuses for the priest and Levite as they ignored the victim. (Maybe we have used them ourselves!) The priest had been serving God at the temple all week and was anxious to get home. Perhaps the bandits were still lurking in the vicinity and using the victim as “bait.” Why take a chance? Anyway, it was not his fault that the man was attacked. The road was busy, so somebody else was bound to come along and help the man. The priest left it to the Levite, and then the Levite did what the priest did—nothing! Such is the power of the bad example of a religious man. By using a Samaritan as the hero, Jesus disarmed the Jews, for the Jews and Samaritans were enemies (John 4:9; 8:48). It was not a Jew helping a Samaritan but a Samaritan helping a Jew who had been ignored by his fellow Jews! The Samaritan loved those who hated him, risked his own life, spent his own money (two days’ wages for a laborer), and was never publicly rewarded or honored as far as we know. What the Samaritan did helps us better understand what it means to “show mercy” (Luke 10:37), and it also illustrates the ministry of Jesus Christ.
The Samaritan identified with the needs of the stranger and had compassion on him. There was no logical reason why he should rearrange his plans and spend his money just to help an “enemy” in need, but mercy does not need reasons. Being an expert in the Law, the scribe certainly knew that God required His people to show mercy, even to strangers and enemies (Ex. 23:4-5; Lev. 19:33-34; Micah 6:8). See how wisely Jesus “turned the tables” on the lawyer. Trying to evade responsibility, the man asked, “Who is my neighbor?” But Jesus asked, “Which of these three men was neighbor to the victim?” The big question is, “To whom can I be a neighbor?” and this has nothing to do with geography, citizenship, or race. Wherever people need us, there we can be neighbors and, like Jesus Christ, show mercy. The lawyer wanted to discuss “neighbor” in a general way, but Jesus forced him to consider a specific man in need. How easy it is for us to talk about abstract ideals and fail to help solve concrete problems. We can discuss things like “poverty” and “job opportunities” and yet never personally help feed a hungry family or help somebody find a job. Of course, the lawyer wanted to make the issue somewhat complex and philosophical, but Jesus made it simple and practical. He moved it from duty to love, from debating to doing. To be sure, our Lord was not condemning discussions or debates; He was only warning us not to use these things as excuses for doing nothing. Committees are not always committed! One of my favorite D.L. Moody stories illustrates this point. Attending a convention in Indianapolis, Mr. Moody asked singer Ira Sankey to meet him at 6 o’clock one evening at a certain street corner. When Sankey arrived, Mr. Moody put him on a box and asked him to sing, and it was not long before a crowd gathered. Moody spoke briefly, inviting the crowd to follow him to the nearby opera house. Before long, the auditorium was filled, and the evangelist preached the Gospel to the spiritually hungry people. When the delegates to the convention started to arrive, Moody stopped preaching and said, “Now we must close as the brethren of the convention wish to come and to discuss the question, ‘How to Reach the Masses.’” Touche! [tujet - superiority of an argument].
We may read this passage and think only of “the high cost of caring,” but it is far more costly not to care. The priest and the Levite lost far more by their neglect than the Samaritan did by his concern. They lost the opportunity to become better men and good stewards of what God had given them. They could have been a good influence in a bad world, but they chose to be a bad influence. The Samaritan’s one deed of mercy has inspired sacrificial ministry all over the world. Never say that such ministry is wasted! God sees to it that no act of loving service in Christ’s name is ever lost. It all depends on your outlook.
To the thieves, this traveling Jew was a victim to exploit, so they attacked him.
To the priest and Levite, he was a nuisance to avoid, so they ignored him.
But to the Samaritan, he was a neighbor to love and help, so he took care of him.
What Jesus said to the lawyer, He says to us: “Go and keep on doing it likewise” (literal translation).
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MAIN IDEA: "lack of love despite filled with knowledge"
PROPEL PEOPLE TO ACTION: fill a "GOD is GOOD" Bag for our OUTREACH PROGRAM!
FEATURE: A Ministry to the POOR (Medical Missions, ETC)
DO THIS: PROMOTE and RECRUIT to START the His Life CANOPY CHURCH PROGRAM:
"God is Good Outreach Ministry" to the NEEDY (the hungry, in prison, the sick, the troubled: legal
counseling, etc)
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PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL
THE RICH FOOL
COMMENTARY BY WIERSBE; and John Piper
Beware of Covetousness (Luke 12:13-21)
At this point, a man in the crowd interrupted Jesus and asked Him to solve a family problem.
Rabbis were expected to help settle legal matters, but Jesus refused to get involved.
Why?
Because He knew that no answer He gave would solve the real problem, which was covetousness in the hearts of the two brothers. (The “you” in Luke 12:14 is plural.) As long as both men were greedy, no settlement would be satisfactory. Their greatest need was to have their hearts changed. Like too many people today, they wanted Jesus to serve them but not to save them.
COVETOUSNESS is an unquenchable thirst for getting more and more of something we think we need in order to be truly satisfied. It may be a thirst for money or the things that money can buy, or even a thirst for position and power. Jesus made it clear that true life does not depend on an abundance of possessions. He did not deny that we have certain basic needs (Matthew 6:32; 1 Timothy 6:17). He only affirmed that we will not make life richer by acquiring more of these things.
Mark Twain once defined “civilization” as “a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities,” and he was right. In fact, many Christians are infected with covetousness and do not know it. They think that Paul’s admonition in 1 Timothy 6 applies only to the “rich and famous.”
Jesus told this parable to reveal the dangers that lurk in a covetous heart. As you read it, test your own responses to this farmer’s various experiences. How do you respond to the wealthy farmer’s dilemma? Here was a man who had a problem with too much wealth! If we say, “I certainly wish I had that problem!” we may be revealing covetousness in our hearts. If suddenly you inherited a great deal of wealth, would it create a problem for you? Or would you simply praise God and ask Him what He wanted you to do with it?
THE PURPOSE OF MONEY: “LOVE PEOPLE and TRUST GOD”. If you do not DO THIS, you will be in a perilous path [The PERILS of PROSPERITY: Proverbs 30:7-9; The CHOKING of the Word of God: Matthew 13::22; The CREATION of SNARES and more TEMPTATIONS: 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19, giving you a false sense of security.]
Today, in our country, we see transformation happening as we see new Godly leaders emerging. In our currency we declare our dependence on God! "Faith in our people and Faith in God" "Pinagpala ang bayan na ang diyos ay Panginoon." — Pastor Ray del Rosario
MAIN IDEA: "God has no problem with us being RICH,
but He is greatly concerned with us becoming FOOLS”
What does it mean to be “rich toward God”?
OR I want it NOW; I want MORE; I want it all for MYSELF?
The phrase “rich toward God” is unusual. What does it mean to be “rich toward God”? The meaning is plain from the contrast: it is the opposite of laying up earthly treasure for yourself. Being rich toward God is the opposite of treating the self as though it were made for things and not for God. Being rich toward God therefore is the heart being drawn toward God as our riches. “Rich toward God” means counting God greater riches than anything on the earth.
“Rich toward God” means using earthly riches to show how much you value God. This is what the prosperous farmer failed to do. And the result was that he was a fool and lost his soul. DOES MONEY LURE US AWAY FROM TREASURING GOD? [John Piper]. Your TITHING; GIVING; SHARING; WORSHIPPING addresses this!
Again the issue isn’t that the man’s fields prospered. The issue is that God ceased to be his supreme treasure. If God had been his treasure what would he have done differently? Instead of saying, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry,” he would have said something like,
God, this is all yours. You have made my fields prosper. Show me how to express with my riches that you are my treasure, and the riches are not.
WHAT DO YOU CATCH YOURSELF SPEAKING when SUDDENLY you will HAVE ABUNDANCE?
“There is a danger in SUDDEN WEALTH” - Gel Gallespen.
UNLESS, you know Deuteronomy 8:18— “it is God who gives us the ability to produce wealth”.
You have to know where it (THE SUDDEN WEALTH) came from!
A. Who or what is my wallet worshiping lately? B. Where is my money going? C. How is my heart towards tithing? D. How is my heart towards giving to others?
Money is always a FAITH Issue. This should not be a taboo in church. If Jesus talked about it, we should too.
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MAIN IDEA:
"GOD has no problem with us being RICH, but He is greatly concerned with us becoming FOOLS"
FEATURE: Testimony Regarding Money
SONG: More Thank Anything
APPLICATION:
1) THE CALL to be RICH, LONG TERM: I will be a TITHER (click here for STARTING a 60 DAY TITHE Habit) . As PEOPLE RESPOND TO BE A TITHER by Standing or Raising their Hands during the ALTAR CALL (have your CONSOLIDATORS give them a 60 Day TITHE Brochure; or share the LINK above, to FOLLOW on line)
2) THE CALL to be RICH, SHORT TERM: Our Annex Chapel will be "rich toward God"
-- an INTENTIONAL GIVING DECISION. YOU MAY ALSO have a local project in your SITE, that you want FUNDED. TAKE A SECOND Offering (using a different envelope) to make this as an APPLICATION TODAY for the PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL..
FEATURE: Testimony Regarding Money (THE TITHE)
VIDEO: The Chinkee Tan Event October 2013 Promotions [KING'SMEN EXECUTIVES]
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PARABLE OF THE GREAT BANQUET
LUKE 14:15
Title: The invitation (Luke 14:15-24)
Author of Transcript: Humberto C. Maldonado
(Please open your bibles to Luke chap. 14)
Introduction:
Good morning! It’s good to be here. It is good to have been invited to share some time with you.
Thanks, Pastor Joebert. I love invitations, especially to eat, don’t you?
After the service, we shall all have lunch, some with family, others with friends.
The best lunches are those to which we are invited.
Invitations to lunch always make me feel special.
God also loves invitations. When we invite Jesus into our hearts, He comes. That’s right! He also loves to invite us to eat. Why? Because we are special to Him.
Proposition:
God has invited us to have a personal relationship with Him.
Transition:
We can see God’s invitation to a personal relationship with Him in Luke chap. 14.
In Luke chap. 14:1-14 we read that Jesus had been invited to eat at the home of a Jewish leader, a Pharisee. Keep in mind that religious Jews do not eat with non-Jews because they are considered ceremonially unclean. We also read that Jesus healed a sick man and gave some examples of humility while there.
Our lesson, today, shall cover verses 15-24:
“The parable of the great banquet.”
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18 “But they, all alike, began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ (my wife and I…you know?)
21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”
The situation was that the Jewish nation had been waiting for its Messiah for over 400 years since the close of the Old Testament time, and did not recognize Jesus as their Messiah as He sat and ate with them. The Jewish nation (mostly its religious leaders) had rejected their Messiah and His message, and now, Jesus was simply expressing His frustration and anger through this parable.
Can you imagine if God came to town and went to Jollibee for Halo-halo and no one recognized Him?
What if a famous actor knocked at your door and asked for a drink of water. Would you tell him to go away? Oh, no! You would want a picture; Right?
Let us recognize that God is calling us to a personal relationship with Him and answer that call.
Transition:
There are three main parts in this parable; the invitation, the excuses, and the final invitation.
1. The invitation
In verse 16 we read:
16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
This “certain man” is, clearly, God who sent His servants, prophet after prophet, throughout history, to call His chosen people, the Jews, to live godly lives, which is the banquet. God wanted to eat, to have communion--a personal relationship with them. “Repent! Repent!” is what John the Baptist and then Jesus preached, but they would NOT listen. Their hearts were hard.
We also know that the parable refers firstly to the Jews because Matt 15:24 says that Jesus was sent only to the people of Israel (at that time).
God is calling. Are we listening?
Don’t wait until you are dying of cancer to come. The time in now! Open your heart today and answer God’s invitation.
Transition:
We have spoken about the invitation, now let’s see…
2. The excuses
18 “But they all, alike, began to make excuses.
Can you believe that? They all made excuses not to come! The King of Kings and Lord of Lords invited them to life abundant and they rather not come?
The first got a job with Mascobado to cultivate sugar. The second purchased oxen and had to try them. And the third had a party at the Sibeeria club. What?
Matt. 1:8-9 says that people worship God with their lips, but their heart is far from Him.
God knows what is in our heart at all times. He knows exactly who we are and still loves us enough to forgive our sins and call us to true life.
What is your excuse today? Does God not wear designer jeans?
Is your intellect too advanced for God? Is He not educated enough for you?
What will you give in exchange for your soul?
Let us stop making excuses and come to Jesus today.
Transition:
We have spoken of the invitation and the excuses. Now let us see…
3. The final invitation
21 “…Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”
God became angry, frustrated and discarded the original invitations. “Bring the poor, the crippled, blind and lame!” This refers to those originally outside of Judaism: you and me.
Paul the apostle was the servant to reach outside of Judaism and call you and me into the kingdom. He is calling you. Today is the day. Will you come?
In the economy of the kingdom, virtue equals wealth. VIRTUE EQUALS WEALTH! In a world where money, position, and looks seem to rule, they are all poor, wretched, and blind without Jesus.
Conclusion:
Dear brothers and sisters: God has invited to have a personal relationship with Him.
Stop the excuses. You can have a new life and it can begin today. Let’s pray.
The BIG DAY CELEBRATION 8-28
1) get your tickets and tickets for your friends - invite invite invite
2) join the Choir, the Dance team, the Set UP, the Ministry Team CONSOLIDATORS
SHORT TERM FEATURE:
The BIG DAY CELEBRATION 8-28 [get your tickets and tickets for your friends] and Recruitment for Dancers and Singers / Choir for September 28 BIG PARTY at the HLM PARK!
The BIG DAY CELEBRATION 8-28 [get your tickets and tickets for your friends] and Recruitment for Dancers and Singers / Choir for September 28 BIG PARTY at the HLM PARK!
LONG TERM FEATURE: The LAUNCH of YEAR 3 "Church Launching School"
The 2013-2014 movement FEATURE:
Luke 14:23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full”
a) TRAINING SCHOOL for LAUNCH TEAMS of the 20 NEW Weekend Sites 2013-2014.
b) TRAINING SCHOOL for the 200 to 2000 House Churches; Campus Groups; LifeGroups.===================================
PARABLE OF THE BUILDER AND KING
LUKE 14:25
COMMENTARY FROM WIERSBE
The Multitudes: False Expectancy (Luke 14:25-35)
When Jesus left the Pharisee’s house, great crowds followed Him, but He was not impressed by their enthusiasm. He knew that most of those in the crowd were not the least bit interested in spiritual things. Some wanted only to see miracles, others heard that He fed the hungry, and a few hoped He would overthrow Rome and establish David’s promised kingdom.
They were expecting the wrong things. Jesus turned to the multitude and preached a sermon that deliberately thinned out the ranks. He made it clear that, when it comes to personal discipleship, He is more interested in quality than quantity [JUST THE CROWD].
In the matter of saving lost souls, He wants His house to be filled (Luke 14:23); but in the matter of personal discipleship, He wants only those who are willing to pay the price. A “disciple” is a learner, one who attaches himself or herself to a teacher in order to learn a trade or a subject.
Perhaps our nearest modern equivalent is “apprentice,” one who learns by watching and by doing.
The word disciple was the most common name for the followers of Jesus Christ and is used 264 times in the Gospels and the Book of Acts. Jesus seems to make a distinction between salvation and discipleship.
Salvation is open to all who will come by faith, while discipleship is for believers willing to pay a price.
Salvation means coming to the cross and trusting Jesus Christ, while discipleship means carrying the cross and following Jesus Christ. Jesus wants as many sinners saved as possible (“that My house may be filled”), but He cautions us not to take discipleship lightly; and in the three parables He gave, He made it clear that there is a price to pay. To begin with, we must love Christ supremely, even more than we love our own flesh and blood (Luke 14:26-27). The word hate does not suggest positive antagonism but rather “to love less” (see Gen. 29:30-31; Mal. 1:2-3; and Matt. 10:37). Our love for Christ must be so strong that all other love is like hatred in comparison. In fact, we must hate our own lives and be willing to bear the cross after Him. What does it mean to “carry the cross”? It means daily identification with Christ in shame, suffering, and surrender to God’s will. It means death to self, to our own plans and ambitions, and a willingness to serve Him as He directs (John 12:23-28). A “cross” is something we willingly accept from God as part of His will for our lives. The Christian who called his noisy neighbors the “cross” he had to bear certainly did not understand the meaning of dying to self. Jesus gave three parables to explain why He makes such costly demands on His followers: the man building a tower, the king fighting a war, and the salt losing its flavor. The usual interpretation is that believers are represented by the man building the tower and the king fighting the war, and we had better “count the cost” before we start, lest we start and not be able to finish. But I agree with Campbell Morgan that the builder and the king represent not the believer but Jesus Christ. He is the One who must “count the cost” to see whether we are the kind of material He can use to build the church and battle the enemy. He cannot get the job done with halfhearted followers who will not pay the price. As I write this chapter, I can look up and see on my library shelves hundreds of volumes of Christian biographies and autobiographies, the stories of godly men and women who made great contributions to the building of the church and the battle against the enemy. They were willing to pay the price, and God blessed them and used them. They were people with “salt” in their character. Jesus had already told His disciples that they were “the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). When the sinner trusts Jesus Christ as Saviour, a miracle takes place and “clay” is turned into “salt.” Salt was a valued item in that day; in fact, part of a soldier’s pay was given in salt. (The words salt and salary are related; hence, the saying, “He’s not worth his salt.”) Salt is a preservative, and God’s people in this world are helping to retard the growth of evil and decay. Salt is also a purifying agent, an antiseptic that makes things cleaner. It may sting when it touches the wound, but it helps to kill infection. Salt gives flavor to things and, most of all, makes people thirsty. By our character and conduct, we ought to make others thirsty for the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that He alone can give. Our modern salt is pure and does not lose its flavor, but the salt in Jesus’ day was impure and could lose its flavor, especially if it came in contact with earth. Once the saltiness was gone, there was no way to restore it, and the salt was thrown out into the street to be walked on. When a disciple loses his Christian character, he is “good for nothing” and will eventually be “walked on” by others and bring disgrace to Christ. Discipleship is serious business. If we are not true disciples, then Jesus cannot build the tower and fight the war. “There is always an if in connection with discipleship,” wrote Oswald Chambers, “and it implies that we need not [be disciples] unless we like. There is never any compulsion; Jesus does not coerce us. There is only one way of being a disciple, and that is by being devoted to Jesus.” If we tell Jesus that we want to take up our cross and follow Him as His disciples, then He wants us to know exactly what we are getting into. He wants no false expectancy, no illusions, no bargains. He wants to use us as stones for building His church, soldiers for battling His enemies, and salt for bettering His world; and He is looking for quality. After all, He was on His way to Jerusalem when He spoke these words, and look what happened to Him there! He does not ask us to do anything for Him that He has not already done for us. To some, Jesus says, “You cannot be My disciples!” Why? Because they will not forsake all for Him, bear shame and reproach for Him, and let their love for Him control them. And they are the losers. Will you be His disciple?
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SUPPLEMENT THOUGHTS:
LORDSHIP SALVATION
There is a theological teaching going around Christendom that says it is possible for one to accept Jesus as Savior without also recognizing Him and accepting Him as Lord; that it is possible to believe in Jesus without repenting of sin and yielding to His authority. To be sure, many of those who teach such a message do so out of a passion to keep the grace of God free of human effort and human works. But in reacting to one false teaching, I believe they have ridden the pendulum from one extreme to embrace another. As a result, they have abandoned such concepts of repentance and obedience and submission from the message of the gospel.
1. The Nature of Saving Faith.
Faith involves more than just mere assent to certain historical facts. Even the devil has that kind of faith.
You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? (James 2:19-20). Faith that saves is a faith that works. If it doesn’t work in your life, then it doesn’t work in your salvation, either.
Does that mean you work your way into God’s good graces or that you someone earn or merit salvation? Not at all. It is God who saves.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Your salvation comes through faith. It does not come as a result of your works. No one will ever be able to boast about their contribution to the work of their salvation. But that verse goes on to point out that your salvation is not an end unto itself. You were not saved BY good works, but you were saved FOR good works.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
You are God’s workmanship. He has does the work of creating in you a new life. The result of being saved is that you will walk in those good works for which you were created.
2. The Nature of Discipleship.
It has become customary in certain Christian circles to speak of discipleship as something that, while good and desirable, is not necessary to Christianity. This teaching is one that says sanctification is optional to the Christian life and that there are some who live their entire lives as "carnal Christians" and who never exhibit any of the fruit of the Spirit or any growth in Christ, yet nevertheless are saved.
The teaching of the Scriptures is completely antithetical to this view. The Scriptures use the term "disciple" as an exact equivalent of the term "Christian." This is seen in Act 11:26 where the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
What is a disciple? The term is translated from the Greek word mathetes, a "learner" and comes from the word manthano, "to learn." But the idea here is not merely rote learning of fact. As we shall see in this passage, the discipleship to which Jesus calls men and women involves a life commitment.
Discipleship involves more than a mere academic knowledge of certain facts. It involves a commitment to following Jesus.
Now great multitudes were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26 "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:25-27).
This is a hard passage. If you read this and it does not bother you, you haven’t read it. For Jesus to say these words would be blasphemy if He were not God. He demands to be the center of attention and the object of complete loyalty.
Does Jesus really and truly call us to hate our family? No. To the contrary, the Scriptures are quite explicit when they tell husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25); mothers to love their children (Titus 2:4); and for children to honor father and mother (Ephesians 6:2). Indeed, we are even taught to love our enemies and those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44).
So then what does Jesus mean when he says that those who wish to be He disciple must hate father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters?
This is a figure of speech. Jesus is calling for a commitment that is so great that anything by comparison will be deemed as hatred. This is in contrast to the parable in the previous verses where one of the invited guests declined the invitation because he had recently married a wife (14:20).
The story is told of a kamikaze pilot who wished a commendation for having flown 17 missions. The truth was that he lost his focus. We do the same thing when we let other things become more important to us than Jesus.
Do you want to be a disciple of Jesus? You must give Him preeminence. You must recognize His sovereignty and His Lordship. You must give Him your devotion and your love.
There is an old saying that goes: "Anything that is free is worth what was paid for it." This even applies to our salvation. While it is freely given to us, it was the most expensive gift ever given. It cost God the death of His Son. In a similar vein, there is a cost to discipleship.
The Cost of a Cross: "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple" (14:27).
When we hear the reference to a cross, we are perhaps inclined to think in stained glass terms. There was no religious significance as yet attached to the cross when Jesus spoke these words. Any reference to a cross would point to death. Putting these words into today’s language would contain references to seating yourself in your own electric chair or tying your own hangman’s noose. Here is the point. When Jesus calls a man, He calls Him to give his entire life.
The issue is one of loyalty and commitment. Jesus is really saying the same thing that He introduced back in verse 26.
Follow Jesus
¯
¯
Over family members (14:26)
Over your own life (14:26)
Jesus calls for a level of commitment and loyalty that surpasses any you have for your family and even that which you have for your own life.
Counting the Cost: "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks terms of peace" (14:28-32).
First Illustration
Second Illustration
A man building a tower
A King going to war
Before he lays the foundation, he considers whether he has the resources to complete the project
Before he encounters the enemy, he considers whether his forces will be able to outnumber the enemy
Jesus has just made a very strong statement that discipleship involves a willingness to come and die. This is a great cost. Jesus goes on to picture this willingness with two illustrations.
Both the building and the king are in danger of committing themselves to a course of action without having first counting the cost.
The question they both face is whether or not they have the resources to complete what they have started. If they fail to finish what they have started, the result will be humiliation and shame.
The point of these two illustrations is the same. It is that you are called to count the cost of discipleship and to make a determination as to whether you will see it through to the end.
This is quite different than the easy-believism invitation that suggests that you "give Jesus a try" in much the same way that you test-drive a sports car. Jesus says, "Only come if you are going to come for keeps."
Evangelists often come across as a used car salesman: "Don’t read the fine print; we’ll get to that later."
But Jesus tells unbelievers to count the cost before coming to Him.
Jesus calls you to recognize Him as the Lord of your life. He wants it all. He refuses to be sectored off to a small portion of your life. He refuses to be a weekend God. And so, He calls for you to count the cost. If you are going to be a Christian, be a real one.
There is a familiar story told of Alexander the Great. After each battle, there would be a tribunal where he would sit in judgment to reward those who had done well and to punish those who had done poorly. One day a young man was brought before him who had shown fear in the face of the enemy.
For the first time that anyone could remember, Alexander’s face softened and he appeared to show compassion for the youth. Perhaps he thought of his own infant son as he looked upon the young man. In a gentle voice, he asked him, "What is your name?"
"Alexander," came the reply.
"What did you say?"
"Alexander."
With a roar, the king jumped from his throne, took the shaken youth by his cloak and hurled him to the floor. "Either change your actions or change your name!"
When we come as disciples, we come to take the name of the King. We are called to count the cost of bearing that name.
There is an old hymn that says, "Jesus paid it all." There is a great truth to that. The debt of your sin was paid by Christ on the cross. The payment for that redemption price cost Him His very life. He gave up all for you. And He calls you to do the same thing. He calls you to give up everything you have and everything you are and to commit your very being to Him.
At this point, you might be thinking to yourself, "I want to follow Jesus but I’ve asked myself if I have the resources to see this through to the end and I don’t know that I have what it takes." There is hope for you. The point is not that you are rich in spiritual resources. The point is that you give up what you have and He provides what you need. You give up that which is producing death in your life and He gives that which is life eternal. You give up that which wars against your soul and in its place He gives that which saves your soul.
Jesus wants you to know in advance that the price of discipleship is high.
He calls you to choose purposefully to follow Him.
He is not looking for those to follow Him who have the resources to do so, but rather those who after reflection realize that they do not and who are ready to give up their inadequate self-reliance to trust in Him.
The issue is not how spiritually strong you are. Rather the issue is whether you will realize and accept your spiritual bankruptcy and will determine to receive and rest solely upon the riches of Christ.
3. The Evidence of Salvation.
In their zeal to deny that good works are a requirement for salvation, some have gone to the extreme of also denying that good works are even a valid evidence for salvation. Some even maintain that a person can turn away from God, reject Christ and become an atheist and still be saved as long as they once believed.
1 John 2:19 speaks to this issue of those who turn away from the faith by indicating that "they went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us." One of the signs of a true believer is that he continues to believe and he continues in fellowship with God and His people.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:6-7).
The evidence of regeneration seen, not only in what you SAY, but also in how you LIVE. When you say one thing and do another, the obvious conclusion is that you are lying in what you are saying.
Jesus said that the test of truth is in its fruit. The test of a true believer is found in how he lives.
"You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:16-21).
If you look at your life and see rotten fruit, then the natural conclusion is that it must stem from the corrupt tree. You cannot continue to see the fruit of an unsaved life and thereby assume that you are saved. The proof is in the fruit. By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples (John 15:8).
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-- unless indeed you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Martin Luther once said that "faith alone justifies, but not the faith that is alone. Works are not taken into consideration when the question respects justification. But true faith will no more fail to produce them than the sun can cease to give light."
The difference between the Roman Catholic view of Faith and Works in Justification can be pictured like this:
Roman View of Justification
Faith + Works = Justification
Protestant View of Justification
Faith = Justification + Works
This is not to say that a Christian never struggles with sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). But the same author who wrote that verse also said that those who have been born of God do not continually sin, because God's seed abides in them; they cannot continually sin, because they have been born of God (1 John 3:9).
4. The Nature of our Relationship with Christ.
The Scriptures liken our new relationship in Christ to that which takes place in a marriage. The church is described as the bride of Christ.
Paula and I were married in 1973. When we stood before the minister and gave vows to one another, that ceremony culminated with his pronouncement that declared us to be husband and wife. At that point, we were legally husband and wife. We hadn’t had to do anything to merit that relationship or earn it. We both said, "I do" and it was done.
But the implications of that relationship did not stop there. They only begun. That was only the first step in a life-long relationship. By the same token, we enter into a relationship with Christ through faith and that is the process of justification. It is analogous to being declared husband and wife -- we are declared to be righteous on the merits of the righteousness of Christ that has been imputed to us. But that relationship is only a part of the story of our salvation. The other part is known as sanctification.
Justification
Sanctification
Analogous to the proclamation that one is "husband and wife."
Analogous to living as husband and wife and growing together.
Here is the point. God does not justify whom He does not also sanctify. When God does one work, it is a guarantee that He shall also do the other.
Repentance is a foundational part of the Gospel.
Luke's account of the Great Commission records Jesus telling the apostles that "repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations" (Luke 24:47). Peter followed this advice when he preached repentance at Pentecost (Acts 2:38). And Paul summarized his ministry by explaining that he declared to all people "that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance" (Acts 26:19-20).
Repentance is more than a changed mind about who Christ is. It includes a change in life-style, a turning from sin to God. John the Baptist made this clear when he said, "Bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance... every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matthew 3:8-10). Repentance should not be confused with the fruit that it produces. The fruit is on the outside; repentance is on the inside. But what is on the inside will manifest itself on the outside. Where there is real repentance, there will eventually be real fruit.
The issue is not how much you do, but rather how much GOD does in salvation.
The topic of salvation includes more than merely your justification. It includes more than just your right standing before God. It also includes your sanctification. It is a salvation that changes your life.
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TEACHING THE PARABLE OF THE PARABLE OF THE TENANTS
THE TENANTS
Mark 12:1-12
Commentary of the Parable of the Tenants by Warren Wiersbe
A question of authority (11:27-12:12).
[THE CONTEXT begins with Chapter 11]
As the official guardians of the Law, the members of the Sanhedrin had both the right and the responsibility to investigate anyone who claimed to be sent by God; and that included Jesus (see Deuteronomy 18:15-22).
However, these men did not have open minds or sincere motives. They were not seeking truth; they were looking for evidence to use to destroy Him (Mark 11:18). Jesus knew what they were doing, so He countered their question with another question and exposed their hypocrisy. Why take them all the way back to John the Baptist? For a very good reason: God does not teach us new truth if we have rejected the truth He has already revealed. This basic principle is expressed in John 7:17: “If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself” (nasb). “Obedience is the organ of spiritual knowledge,” said the British preacher F.W. Robertson. The Jewish religious leaders had not accepted what John had taught, so why should God say anything more to them? Had they obeyed John’s message, they would have gladly submitted to Christ’s authority, for John came to present the Messiah to the nation. The Jewish leaders were caught in a dilemma of their own making. They were not asking “What is true?” or “What is right?” but “What is safe?” This is always the approach of the hypocrite and the crowd-pleaser. It certainly was not the approach of either Jesus (Mark 12:14) or John the Baptist (Matt. 11:7-10). Jesus did not refuse to answer their question; He only refused to accept and endorse their hypocrisy. He was not being evasive; He was being honest. Before they had opportunity to escape, He told them a parable that revealed where their sins were leading them. They had already permitted John the Baptist to be killed, but soon they would ask for the crucifixion of God’s Son!
The vineyard was a familiar image of Israel (Psalm 80:8-16; Isaiah 5:1-7).
According to Leviticus 19:23-25, a farmer would not use the fruit until the fifth year, though we are not sure the Jews were obeying this regulation at that time. In order to retain his legal rights to the property, the owner had to receive produce from the tenants, even if it was only some of the vegetables that grew between the rows of trees or vines. This explains why the tenants refused to give him anything: they wanted to claim the vineyard for themselves. It also explains why the owner continued to send agents to them; it was purely a question of authority and ownership.
If Mark 12:2-5 covers the three years when the fruit was not used, then it was in the fourth year that the beloved Son was sent. This is the year when the fruit was devoted to the Lord (Leviticus 19:24), and it makes the sending of the Son even more meaningful. If the tenants could do away with the heir, they would have a clear claim to the property; so they cast him out (see Hebrews 13:12-13) and killed him. They wanted to preserve their own position and were willing even to kill to accomplish their evil purpose (John 11:47-53). Jesus then asked, “What shall, therefore, the lord of the vineyard do?” The leaders answered the question first and thereby condemned themselves (Matthew 21:41), and then Jesus repeated their answer as a solemn verdict from the Judge. But before they could appeal the case, He quoted what they knew was a messianic prophecy, Psalm 118:22-23. We met this same psalm at His triumphal entry (Mark 11:9-10). “The Stone” was a well-known symbol for the Messiah (Exodus 17:6; Daniel 2:34; Zechariah 4:7; Romans 9:32-33; 1 Corinthians 10:4; and 1 Peter 2:6-8). The Servant-Judge announced a double verdict: they had not only rejected the Son, but they had also refused the Stone! There could be only one consequence—judgment (Matthew 22:1-14).
IDEA: "reject Him, expect ruin"
ENCOUNTER HIM, you will EXPERIENCE A CROSSOVER!
PROMOTE THE "CROSSOVER" HIS LIFE ENCOUNTER
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TEACHING THE PARABLE OF THE PARABLE OF
THE PHARISEE and the TAX COLLECTOR
THE PHARISEE and THE PUBLICAN
Luke 18:9-14
Commentary of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
A Deluded* Pharisee (Luke 18:9-17) BORROWED FROM WIERSBE
Throughout His public ministry, Jesus EXPOSED the self-righteousness and unbelief of the Pharisees (see Luke 11:39-54). He pictured them as debtors too bankrupt to pay what they owed God (Luke 7:40-50), guests fighting for the best seats (Luke 14:7-14), and sons proud of their obedience but unconcerned about the needs of others (Luke 15:25-32).
The sad thing is that the Pharisees were COMPLETELY DELUDED and thought they were right and Jesus was wrong. This is illustrated in this parable. The Pharisee was deluded about prayer, for he prayed with himself and told God (and anybody else listening) how good he was.
The Pharisees used prayer as a means of getting public recognition and not as a spiritual exercise to glorify God (Matthew 6:5; 23:14). He was deluded about himself, for he thought he was accepted by God because of what he did or what he did not do. The Jews were required to fast only once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29), but he fasted twice a week. He tithed everything that came into his possession, even the tiny herbs from his garden (Matthew 23:23). He was deluded about the publican who was also in the temple praying. The Pharisee thought that the publican was a great sinner, but the publican went home justified by God while the proud Pharisee went home only self-satisfied.
To be “justified” means to be DECLARED righteous by God on the
basis of the SACRIFICE of Jesus Christ on the cross (Romans 3:19-4:25).
The publican repeatedly smote his breast, for he knew where his greatest problem was, and he called to God for mercy. The publican knew the enormity of his sins, but the Pharisee was blissfully ignorant of his own heart. The Pharisee’s pride condemned him, but the publican’s humble faith saved him (see Luke 14:11 and Isaiah 57:15). It is the prodigal son and elder brother over again (Luke 15:11ff). In contrast to the proud
Pharisee are the children who were brought to Jesus (Luke 18:15-17).
It was customary for the Jews to bring little children to the rabbis to receive their special blessing, so it is strange that the disciples would stand in the way. Perhaps they thought Jesus was weary and needed rest, or they may have decided that He was not really interested in children. How wrong they were! However, this was not the first time the disciples had attempted to “get rid of” people. They wanted to send the crowd away hungry, but Jesus fed them (Matt. 14:15ff); and they tried to stop the Canaanite woman from asking Jesus to heal her daughter (Matt. 15:21ff), but Jesus answered her prayer. The Twelve did not yet have the compassion of their Master, but it would come in due time. Jesus wants us to be childlike but not childish. An unspoiled child illustrates humility, faith, and dependence. A child has a sense of wonder that makes life exciting. The only way to enter God’s kingdom is to become like a child and be born again (John 3). If the proud Pharisee had become like a child, he too would have gone home justified.
MAIN IDEA: "PRAYER must be in humility”
*DEDULED: mistaken; decieved
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TEACHING THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS OR GOLD BAGS
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS
Matthew 25:14-30
COMMENTARY OF WARREN WIERSBE
These three parables (PARABLES IN THE CONTEXT OF MATTHEW 25) encourage us to love His appearing, look for His appearing, and labor faithfully until He comes. We should be watching, witnessing, and working. We may not be successful in the eyes of men, or even popular with others. But if we are faithful and profitable, we shall receive our reward.
additional thoughts:
Jesus was hitting the IDEA of INCREASE!
OF PROFIT.
OF DOUBLING the INVESTMENT of God in you!
OF GAIN.
OF MULTIPLICATION.
do not just SERVE .... but to SWERVE high!!!
MAKE IT DOUBLE ...
must have an increase, profit, or interest!
DO NOT JUST USE WHAT YOU HAVE ...
BUT USE WHAT YOU HAVE TO GAIN MORE ...
LOSSES are BAWAL in the KINGDOM ...
it should be REVENUE -- GAIN -- INCREASE!
THIS IS A LESSON ON HAVING A MIND OF INVESTING ALWAYS ...
TO HAVE NO INVESTMENT MIND-SET is lazyness, dullness, wickedness :-)
Well Done Good and Faithful servant -- MEANS THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASE DUE TO USAGE AND RISK TAKING!
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TEACHING THE PARABLE OF THE 10 VIRGINS
THE PARABLE OF THE 10 VIRGINS
Matthew 25:1-13
COMMENTARY OF WARREN WIERSBE
Wise and foolish witnesses (vv. 1-13).A wedding in that day had two parts.
First, the bridegroom and his friends would go from his house to claim the bride from her parents.
Then the bride and groom would return to the groom’s house for the marriage feast.
The suggestion here is that the groom has already claimed his bride and is now on his way back home. However, we must not press the image of the church as a bride too far, because much of this truth was not revealed until the ministry of Paul (Eph. 5:22ff). The church has known for 2,000 years that Jesus is coming again, and yet many believers have become lethargic and drowsy. They are no longer excited about the soon-coming of the Lord. As a result, there is little effective witness given that the Lord is returning.
The oil for burning reminds us of the special oil used in the tabernacle services (Ex. 27:20-21).
Oil is usually a symbol of the Spirit of God, but I wonder if this particular oil is not also a symbol of the Word of God. The church should be “holding forth the word of life” in this dark and wicked world (Phil. 2:12-16). We need to keep the word of His patience (Rev. 3:10) and keep witnessing of the return of Jesus Christ. When the bridegroom and bride appeared, half of the bridesmaids were unable to light their lamps because they had no oil. “Our lamps are going out!” they cried. The bridesmaids who had oil were able to light their lamps and keep them shining bright. It was they who entered into the wedding feast and not the foolish girls who had no oil. This suggests that not every professing Christian will enter heaven, for some really have not trusted Jesus Christ sincerely.
Without the Spirit of God and the Word of God, there can be no true salvation.
Jesus ended this parable with the warning He had uttered before: “Watch” (Matt. 24:42; 25:13).
This does not mean standing on a mountaintop gazing at the heavens (Acts 1:9-11).
It means “to stay awake and be alert” (Matt. 26:38-41).
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