Matthew 25: Wise and Foolish (7)
Pray Psalm 96.11-13.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice
before the LORD.
For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.
He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with His truth.
Sing Psalm 96.11-13.
Mit Freuden Zart: All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above
Let heaven sing with lusty voice; let earth and sea sing sweetly!
Let fields and trees in Him rejoice, for He is coming swiftly
to judge the world in righteousness, the peoples in His faithfulness.
He comes; exalt Him greatly!
Read and meditate on Matthew 25.1-46.
Who is wise? Who is foolish?
Prepare.
1. How would you summarize the main theme of this chapter?
2. From this chapter, what happens when Jesus returns?
Meditate.
Jesus was very shortly to finish His earthly sojourn, but He wanted His followers to know that His death on the cross was not the end of things. He was going away to inherit a Kingdom and prepare a feast for His bride. But He would return, and when He did, those who had believed His Word and prepared for His coming would not be disappointed.
The wise person listens to the Word of Jesus and follows His teaching and instructions carefully. Jesus calls us to let our light shine, and to keep it shining as long as we are in this world. He has given us time, gifts, and opportunities to serve, and He expects a return from His investment in us, so that He might be glorified in the good works of loving service which we do. Every day we have opportunities to shine our light, spend the grace and truth of God on others, and reach out to those around us with the love of Jesus. As we do, Jesus said we are ministering to Him, that is, we are carrying on His ministry, just as He has taught us in His Word.
A final day is coming. There will be a reckoning involving judgment in which the wise will be gathered to Jesus and the foolish will be condemned. This will be followed by a marriage feast that will last forever.
Trim your lights. Roll up your sleeves. Look around for someone to serve. Be wise. Get ready. Jesus is coming again. And He is coming soon.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Jesus is coming soon.
And in the meantime, we are to be well-prepared for His return
and use the talents He has given us, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to serve Him and others.
All of this, though, must be done because of our love for Him (Jn. 14.15). In purity.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 6.8).
At a dinner party a Pharisee named Simon gave for Jesus, a woman of the city who was a sinner, came into his house with an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and she stood at Jesus’ feet behind Him, weeping; and she washed His feet with her tears, and wiped them dry with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
Of course, everyone there was losing their minds over this act, as surely Jesus, the prophet, should know what kind of a woman this was. A sinner. And we don’t countenance sinners, opined the Pharisees.
“And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ So he said, ‘Teacher, say it.’
‘There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered and said, ‘I suppose the one whom he forgave more.’
And He said to him, ‘You have rightly judged.’”
“Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.’ Then He said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven’” (Lk. 7.36-48).
All God’s children have been forgiven much. For we have all sinned much (Rom. 3.23).
“Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight…” (Ps. 51.4).
We behave as His sheep because we long to please Him, love Him, and thank Him for making a way for us to “inherit the kingdom prepared for [us] from the foundation of the world…” (Matt. 25.34).
As we wait for His glorious return, let us gladly and carefully tend to His body, as this woman did; and then tend to others’ needs as those who received the “Well done” from our loving Savior (Matt. 25.14-23).
“Trim your lights.
Roll up your sleeves.
Look around for someone to serve.
Be wise.
Get ready.
Jesus is coming again.
And He is coming soon.”
Reflect.
1. What are you doing to increase your readiness for Jesus’ return?
2. If Jesus came today, how would it be obvious to Him that you are one of His wise sheep?
3. Looking at the week ahead, whom will you encourage in their walk with and work for the Lord?
Again, in order to persuade believers to holiness of life, He assures them that the good and the bad will not share alike; because He will bring with Him the reward which is laid up for both. In short, He declares that His Kingdom will be fully established, when the righteous shall have obtained a crown of glory, and when the wicked shall have received the reward which they deserved. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Matthew 35.32
Pray Psalm 96.1-10.
Jesus is coming again! Meditate on what will happen at His coming, and give Him thanks for every opportunity to serve Him today.
Sing Psalm 96.1-10.
Mit Freuden Zart: All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above
Sing to the LORD! O, bless His Name! All nations tell His glory!
Salvation’s tidings loud proclaim; let earth rehearse His story!
For God is greatly to be praised; His throne above all gods is raised!
Fear Him, and sing His glory!
All other gods are idols vain; the LORD created heaven.
Splendor and strength with Him obtain; to Him be glory given!
All fam’lies, praise this mighty LORD! Give strength and glory to His Word;
exalt the LORD of heaven!
Bring off’rings sweet to Him, our LORD, in holy garments praise Him!
Tremble before Him, all the earth; among the nations raise Him!
The earth is fixed, it will not move; the peoples will His justice prove.
Exalt the LORD and praise Him!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: Our Read Moore podcast features excerpts from the book, Patrick: A Devotional History. Our Crosfigell teaching letter is pursuing a series on the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column continues our study of “Everyday Christianity”. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
