The Missing Piece - Waiting for the Lord's Coming [Sermon]

Liberty, Missouri, USA

January 2015

Matthew 25:1-30

A. General points

1. Look for the main point.

2. In general, don’t use allegories.

3. Cannot use details of parables to prove or disprove doctrine.

4. Word study vs concept study

5. Context

a. Historical Context

Matthew 19:24 - it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

b. Literary Context

1.0 The coming of Jesus Christ in relation to the Jews – 24: 4 –44

1.1 The Beginning of sorrows – 24: 4 –14

1.2 The Great Tribulation – 24:15-28

1.3 The Coming of the Lord – 24:29-31

1.4 Parables – 24: 32-44

1.4.1 The fig tree – 24: 32-35

1.4.2 The days of Noah – 24: 36-41

1.4.3 Thief in the night – 24: 42-44

2.0 The coming of Jesus Christ in relation to the church – 24:45- 25:30

2.1 Parable of the servants – 24: 45-51

2.2 Parable of the virgins – 25: 1-13

2.3 Parable of the talents – 25: 14 –30

3.0 The coming of Jesus Christ in relation to the Nations

3.1 Parable of the sheep and goats (the coming judgment) – 25:31-46

B. Parable of the Bridesmaids

1. The kingdom of God

Matt 10:7 – “As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near’”

Matt 24:14 – “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”

Rom. 14:17 “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”

2. The Eternal Perspective - Eagerness

3. Delay – Patience

Preparation

Eager Patience

Summary of the parable: While we are waiting in Eager patience for the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God, we need to be prepared.

C. Parable of the Servants

1. The Responsibility

2. The Response

Matt 25:16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more.

3. The Reward

Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 3

Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash