April 26, 2024 - Reading Matthew Chapter 4
My gleanings... for current & future lessons and studies.
A Strong Faith v4
Delayed Gratification v1-11
Jesus is open to EVERYONE v12-16
Temptations of Jesus v1-11
The Calling of the First Four Disciples v18-22
Satan is a Relentless Foe (v3)
Satan's "IF's" v1-11
John's Imprisonment v12
News Spread v23-25
April 26, 2024 - Reading Matthew Chapter 3
My gleanings... for current & future lessons and studies.
John the Baptist - Message of Urgency! v1-2
Confidence in God's Love v16-17
John the Baptist- The Forerunner of Christ - Study All Chapter 3
Genuine Repentance v8
Study of Baptism
Take a Stand with "Right"
April 13, 2024 - Reading Matthew Chapter 2
My gleanings... for current & future lessons and studies.
An Edict of Death
King Herod was a Tyrant
Being Warned of God
Herod's Motives
The Wise Men: Giving Passionate Praise v1-12
Joseph Receives Divine Instructions
Study the Wise Men
God's Protective Nature
Lesson: Parable of the Talents
Matthew
25:14-30
The parable of the talents further emphasizes the need for
personal preparation and faithful service to the Master.
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man
travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and
delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and
to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway
took his journey.
The talents represent large units of money, some translations
call them bags of silver. They are distributed according to ability.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and
traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also
gained other two.
The first two doubled what they had been given. This required
some effort. The application to us is that whatever God has given us, we are to
use for Him, even when it requires effort on our part.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the
earth, and hid his lord's money.
All were given a certain sum of money and told to use it
profitably. But one buried the talent he had been given. He was not faithful to
his Master.
All three were given different amounts and different outcomes
were to be expected. The servants could use their talents to produce results
for the Master, or they could hide their talents,
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saving them for later. Maybe keeping them safe to give back to
the Master.
19 After a long time the lord of those
servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
After a long time – We can compare this to... The time Christ is
in Heaven, and we are awaiting His return.
20
And so he that had received five talents came and
brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five
talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good
and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make
thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said,
Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other
talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful
servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over
many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Well done, good and faithful servant. The words we all hope to
hear. These first two servants had put forth an effort for their Master and now
they would be rewarded.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said,
Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou
hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
The great mistake of the unfaithful servant was
his misjudging the character of his Master. “that thou art an hard man”
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25
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in
the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
“I was afraid, but I kept it safe for you, here is your talent
back.”
The whole meaning of the parable is missed by just keeping
the talent safe and giving it back when the Master returns. This parable is
meant to stress the importance of faithful service until Christ returns.
26
His lord answered and said unto
him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where
I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the
exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own
with usury.
Usury = Interest
28
Take therefore the talent from him, and
give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he
shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that
which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer
darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
There is a great principle in this parable for us. And it was
given in the light of the fact that all of us are going to have to stand in the
presence of God and give an account of how we have used what He has given to
us. The Lord is not going to ask us how much we have done for Him but how
faithful we have been to that which He wanted us to do.
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