Grumbling (Mt. 20:11)

Read Matthew 20:11.

The grumbling was against the landowner, not the other workers.  Grumbling, then, is your suggesting that your perspective is better than God's, that your sense of fairness is superior to God's sense of generosity.  Grumbling is a verbal cue that there is a severe heart problem due to ignorance, pride or selfishness.

The Parable Of The Talents (Mt. 25:14-30)

Read Matthew 25:14-30.

1.  The master chose the servants to whom he entrusted His goods.

2.  The Master gave to each servant according to ability.  Though a servant might feel overwhelmed at first, he couldn't say that it was impossible.  The master knew that the servants could, or else he wouldn't have chosen them.

3.  The master didn't tell the servants how to get increase or how much increase to get.  Those matters were left to the mind and heart of each servant.

4.  The master expected an increase from each servant.  If not, why did he reprimand severely the last servant?

Observations:

• The opposite of "good and faithful" is not "bad and unfaithful" but "wicked and slothful."
• Character ("good") and competence ("faithful") both go into becoming successful.
• What you end with is just as important as what you start with.
• Beware, lest "good and faithful" be focused only on maintenance and not on growth or increase.
• If you don't know how, ask those who do.  How come the third servant didn't ask for help from the other two?
• What distinguished the third servant from the first two was fear.  (Of whom or what are you afraid?)
• There is always a way to increase, small of an increase as it might be (v. 26).  Creativity should never be sought as a magic replacement for common sense.

Thoughts on Readiness (Mt. 25:1-13)

Read Matthew 25:1-13.

1.  There is a difference between "get ready" and "be ready."  The process (get ready) leads to a product (be ready).  Some would say they've been getting ready for years.  Okay, but are they ready?

2.  The time for adjustments is right now.  Delay kills readiness.  Seize the opportunity.  Change now.  Repent now.  Search your heart now.  Get serious now.

3.  Remember what you're getting ready for.  The Bridegroom is coming!  You can't afford to squander that moment by indulging laziness and unpreparedness in this one.

4.  One of two things will drive you during a discussion about readiness - assumption or discipline.  The horror because of the false assumption of the foolish.  The joy because of the discipline of the wise.

The Unprofitable Servant (Mt. 25:30)

Read Matthew 25:30.

In context (Mt. 25:24-27), "unprofitable" (Mt. 25:30) is not defined by lack of results but by lack of effort.  The Master did not give this servant a trust he couldn't manage (Mt. 25:15).  What's behind the lack of effort?

• Comparison with others.  Remember, you don't have another man's assignment, gifts, perspective, history, education, etc.  Faithfulness is about implementation before it is about increase.
• A skewed perspective of the Master.  Yes, He is exacting, but He is also fair and loving. Remember, He didn't have to entrust you with anything!
• Self-pity.  Your assignment isn't as glamorous as someone else's.  You get easily discouraged and believe subconsciously that you don't deserve success.  All you can talk about are failure and hardship.
• Laziness.  The assignment becomes about preservation rather than expansion.  You get easily overwhelmed, so you pull back and keep things safe and manageable.  You enjoy talking about hard work but that's all you do -- talk.
• Suspicion of the "successful."  You think that, somehow, others are in an ideal environment or have an unfair advantage.  It is actually envy that is at work here.  Because you are envious, you won't reach out for help.

The Return of The Unclean Spirit (Luke 11:24-26)

Read Luke 11:24-26.

• The impossibility of spiritual neutrality.
• The vacuum of a human spirit.  
• It is made for occupation.  
• Jesus doesn't want to be a visitor or a renter but an occupying Landlord (heart Lord).
• The insufficiency of mere morality.
• Morality, self-improvement and self-discipline, without Christ's occupying your heart, fall short.
• The question isn't whether or not your heart passes room inspection.  The question is whether or not Jesus lives and reigns in your heart.
• All that is required for demon-possession is for Jesus to be not living in your heart.
• You must do more than get the demon out and get the dirt out.
• You must get Jesus in.

Forgiveness (Mt. 18:21-35)

Read Matthew 18:21-35.

• This is a parable that illustrates Matthew 6:14-15.  
• In our cases, we can never repay our debts.  
• The "catch" of forgiveness is that, to be forgiven, you must forgive.  Who doesn't want to enjoy life in a forgiven state?  
• Many maintain a "I've forgiven but I won't forget" posture.  So, you claim to have forgiven yet you retain the right to rehearse the offense?  How is that forgiveness? 
• Should a memory of an offense arise out of nowhere, one for which you extended forgiveness, then along with that memory you must also remember you chose to forgive.  Don't go back and forth about your intent concerning forgiveness.  Forgiveness should always be granted permanently.
• Forgive from your heart, not your head.  Beware "professional" forgiveness.

Nine Insights From Matthew 25:1-13

Read Matthew 25:1-13.

1. The lamp is the Word of God (Psa. 119:105).
2. The oil represents the Holy Spirit.
3. The purpose of having oil in one's lamp was to burn and consume, thus demonstrating readiness. Words such as "burn" and "consume" speak about passion.  Things we used to be passionate about we've reduced to logical correctness.  We say that we still believe them, only they no longer pierce us, drive us or control us.  Has tolerance extinguished your passion? When things are "burning" within you, you are more than interested.  You are obsessed!
4. The wick (the piece between the oil and the flame) must be trimmed.  You can't just burn. You'll burn out of control and damage yourself, your cause and those around you.  Burn brightly yet appropriately.
5. The five foolish virgins weren't condemned because they were resting or sleeping.  They missed out because they weren't ready.  Readiness is something you have and something you are.  It is not something you guess at.  Either you are ready or you are not ready.
6. You can't burn or borrow someone else's oil.  You have to get your own oil, your own resolve, your own testimony.  There is fresh oil available in God's presence!  The time to gather the oil is before you need it, not when you need it.
7. It's too late once you realize how late you are.  If you're not ready, you're left behind and shut out.  It's one thing to say you're ready on Sunday morning.  What about Thursday midnight? Readiness is a lifestyle, not an event or a moment.
8. Those who know (not just know about) the Bridegroom are the ready ones.  They know Him and He knows them.  They understand He wants them ready, not just available.  (Everyone is "available" for Christ's return!  What "believers" wouldn't want a part in that?)
9. Ready people watch.  They watch themselves.  They watch the times.  They keep watch over one another.  They watch with expectancy, desire and vigilance.  They're not looking for an event but for a Person.  

The Beggar At Your Gate (Lu. 16:19-1)

Read Luke 16:19-31.

Certainly the rich man had sufficient resources to at least make sure that Lazarus had more than occasional crumbs.  Certainly the rich man had abundant resources to guarantee that Lazarus had more than two pennies now and them. No, the rich man couldn't alleviate all the suffering of all the beggars, but he surely could've done more fore this one beggar.

Ignorance was no excuse.  Lazarus was placed at the rich man's gate.  Each time the rich man came in or went out, there was Lazarus.  Were there times the rich man walked across Lazarus in order to get to the market?

What is the situation at your "gate"?  Perhaps it isn't a beggar.  It could be another situation.  What keeps you aloof from it or hesitant about helping?

Here are three action points from today's Bible verses:

1. Let us be cognizant of and grateful for the overall blessed lives we live.  (How fitting, since Thanksgiving Day is only five days away.)
2. Let us be sensitive to the pain, shortage, injustice and humiliation that surrounds us.  I guarantee you that there is no shortage of need.
3. Let us give more than the minimum.  Most of us can do a whole lot more than what we say we're comfortable doing.

Insights From The Parable of The Rich Man And Lazarus (Lu. 16:19-31)

Read Luke 16:19-31.

1. Every person is going to die. 
2. Every person, regardless of his lot in life, continues existence after physical death.  There is no truth to the false teaching called annihilationism.
3. Today matters.  Choices made today, especially concerning salvation and holiness, affect your destination.  No one avoids Hell by convincing himself and others that he is a good person.  No one avoids Hell unless he walks the path of holiness!  There is no truth to the false teaching called universalism.
4. What a hindrance money can be.  Beware self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, etc.  A rich person in Hell suffers as much as a poor person!
5. God's Word, not your opinion or experience, is the ultimate witness.  Will that witness be for you or against you on Judgment Day?
6. There are at least fifteen things you will not find in Hell:  grace, mercy, second chance, erasure of memory, relief, adequate excuse, joy, peace, a party, satisfaction, inability to feel pain, loss of awareness, bargaining, silence, change of venue (moving from Hell to Heaven because the sentence has been altered).

If you are a pastor, you could develop a powerful evangelistic sermon from point #6.

Questions from Matthew 13:15

Read Matthew 13:15.

1.  Is my heart (place of decision and will) understanding and repentant or dull and rebellious?

2.  Is my hearing (of God's voice, will and Word) open and sensitive or closed and resistant?

3.  Is my seeing (spiritual sight) blind or focused?

4.  Why did I answer each question the way I did?

The Parable of The Dragnet (Mt. 13:47-50) (Part 7)

CONCLUSION

• In the church you will find righteous and unrighteous, good and bad.
• If you are righteous – that is, if you have been made right with God by the perfect sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, and have asked Him to forgive your sins and have surrendered your will to Him – then rejoice, because you have a bright future.
• If you are unrighteous – if you have not experienced those things, then your future should concern you.
• Illustration:  Santa has a list that he checks twice.  Perhaps one of the children changed.  If her status has changed, then her reward should change.  This is too important for Santa to guess or assume.  Jesus gives 100% sure judgment on someone’s status.  He doesn’t have to check twice.  His books are totally reliable (Rev 20:11-15).

• To the pre-Christian
• How long will you avoid getting caught in the net of God’s love?
•  Today is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2).

• To the Christian
• Be careful how you live!
• Don’t become another seeker’s stumbling block.
• Set aside time to pray for those who don’t know Christ.
• Ask God to give you an opportunity to speak.

The Parable of The Dragnet (Mt. 13:47-50) (Part 6)

OBSERVATIONS (cont'd)  

• Don’t stop "fishing".
• Keep on casting the net and keep on pulling it in.
•  The more you cast, the more you’ll catch.
• Caution:  You might not like some of the stuff the net brings you!
• People’s “stuff” can be complicated.
• People can be mean.
• People are the reason Jesus died.

• You must warn the wicked (Ezek 33:1-9).
• They do not have to be separated from God and His people.
• They do not have to experience God’s wrath.
• Lyrics:  “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it…”
• Really?
• You who have been rescued from the sea of recklessness should be concerned about those who haven’t been.
• Some of them are your family!

The Parable of The Dragnet (Mt. 13:47-50) (Part 5)

OBSERVATIONS (cont'd)  

• There is no truth in purgatory.
• Purgatory suggests a kind of second chance after death.
• The angels separated the wicked from the righteous.
•  There was no one left “in process.”
• The angels separated the wicked into the fire.
•  Fire, no fire.  Those are the two options (Lu 16:22-23).
• There are only two locations:  Heaven (a.k.a. Abraham’s bosom) and Hell (a.k.a. Hades).

• There is no perfect church.
• It consists of a mixture:  the good and bad exist together.
•  If only Anne Rice, Gandhi and other disillusioned people had understood this.
• Quote:  “If you find the perfect church, stay away so you don’t ruin it.”

The Parable of The Dragnet (Mt. 13:47-50) (Part 4)

OBSERVATIONS (cont'd)

• There is no such thing as Porky Pig theology.
• Porky Pig was famous for what line?
• “That’s all folks!”
•  There is a belief called annihilationism.
• It simply means that when you die, “that’s all folks."
• That’s all she wrote.
• There is no hereafter.
• To believe in annihilationism is to make Jesus a liar.
•  I’m sure you don’t intend to do that!
•  Jesus said there would be a separation.
• The wicked will be separated from the righteous.

• There is no truth in universalism.
• Universalism teaches that everyone goes to heaven no matter what.
• Universalism suggests that a loving God wouldn’t send people to hell.
• What do you do, then, with this separation of bad fish from good fish?
• Do you do a Jefferson and cut it out because you’re not comfortable with it?
• The sad reality is that everyone does not go to heaven.
• I didn’t say everyone can’t go to heaven (2 Pet 3:9).
• God has scripted in man's response called repentance.

The Parable of The Dragnet (Mt. 13:47-50) (Part 3)

OBSERVATIONS

• The time of separation is not now.
• Now is the time for casting the net.
• Now is the time for preaching the gospel.
• Now is the time for sharing your witness.
• If you live separately now, then you won’t have to be separated later.
• What do I mean by living separately?
• Living separately is more than showing a mild interest in God.
• Living separately means you’re…
• Set apart.
• Holiness > You are different from the world.
• Consecration > You are dedicated to the Lord.
•  Sold out.
• You have surrendered your will to God.
• You are submitted your life to God.
• You have given your heart to God.

The Parable of The Dragnet (Mt. 13:47-50) (Part 2)

JESUS TELLS A BRIEF STORY AND THEN EXPLAINS IT.

JESUS TELLS A BRIEF STORY (13:47-48).

• The net was cast (13:47).
• The net was filled (13:47).
• The net gathered “fish of every kind." 
• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
• Good fish, bad fish
• Mild fish, strong fish
• Suckers, bottom feeders
• The catch was sorted (13:48).
• The good fish were kept aside.
• They were marketable and profitable.
• The bad fish were thrown away.
• They were useless:  “…but the bad they threw away”.
• It doesn’t say they threw them back.
•  If they weren’t acceptable to one fisherman, why would they be okay for another?

JESUS EXPLAINS HIS BRIEF STORY (13:49-50).

• Jesus’ explanation deleted two things.
• He did not mention the net.
• He did not mention the catch.
• Jesus’ explanation highlighted one thing.
• Jesus emphasized the separation.
•  The separation would be done at a certain time:  “So it will be at the end of the age…” (13:49).
• The separating would be done by a certain group:  “…the angels will come…” (13:49).
•  The separated would be damned to a certain place.
• It is a place of fire:  “… throw them into the furnace of fire…” (13:49).
•  It is a place of torment:  “… there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (13:50).

The Parable of the Dragnet (Mt. 13:47-50) (Part 1)

Introduction:  

• How many of you have heard of the author Anne Rice?
• Years before her conversion to Christ, Anne Rice authored a successful series of books called “The Vampire Chronicles."
• Later, Anne described her conversion to Christ in a book titled Called Out of Darkness.
• She went on to write several books on the life of Christ.
• More than five years ago, on her Facebook page, Anne wrote:  “Today I quit being a Christian!"
• She didn’t say she quit following Christ.
• She said she quit being a Christian.
• Evidently, her experience was that some Christians acted like Christ but too many did not.
• The Christians who did not act like Christ she labeled as “quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious and a deservedly infamous group."
• In her mind Anne separated “Christians” from Christ-followers.

• Gandhi had said something similar:  “I do not like your Christians.  Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
• Gandhi realized, as Anne Rice did, that there is a separation between the term “Christian” and the term “Christ-follower."
• One is a title, the other is a lifestyle.
• One is cultural, the other is spiritual.

• In our Bible verses for this week, Jesus Himself spoke about separation.
• In His story, Jesus used the imagery of bad fish and good fish.

Enemies of The Seed (Mk. 4:13-20) (Part 7)

CONCLUSION: 

• If we want God’s Word to have number one priority, we shouldn’t think it will be automatic.
• We must combat the four enemies of the seed.
• Popularity > hardness of the wide path
• Immaturity > shallowness of a joyless existence
• Competition > "rights" of the many squatters
• Pride
• Let's invest some time waiting on God.
• He has something to say to each one of us.
• In these days it is more important than ever to hear, understand, and act upon God’s words.

Enemies of The Seed (Mk. 4:13-20) (Part 6)

THE SEED ON GOOD SOIL (4:20)

• There is no enemy here, right?
•  Think again.
• What makes this soil different from the other soils?
•  All four groups had the Word, so the difference isn’t there.
• At one point, the seed was on top of all the soils.
• All four groups heard the Word, so the difference isn’t there.
•  Only this fourth group accepted the Word.
•  They received it.
• To “receive” means to admit access, to give permission.
• This group let what they heard impact their innermost being.
•  It is not the seed’s job to push its way into the soil.
•  It is the soil’s job to receive the seed.
• If you are to properly hear, understand, and respond to God’s Word, the fourth enemy you must conquer is pride.
•  How does pride behave?
•  It rationalizes current, sinful behavior.
•  It makes excuses for the status quo.
• Pride says, “That’s good, but it’s not me.”
• Pride says, “That just doesn’t apply to me.”
• It minimizes my own sin and maximizes the sins of others.
• The problem is that other people aren’t the standard; Jesus is the standard.
• If there is no acceptance of the seed, there will be no production of fruit.
• We are called to bear fruit (Jn 15:2, 5, 16).
•  If we don’t deal with pride, our crop will be limited.

Enemies of The Seed (Mk. 4:13-20) (Part 5)

THE SEED ON THE THORNS (4:18-19)

• What’s the big picture here?
• This group of hearers is trying to fit too much stuff into too small a space.
•  Life gets choked when too many things compete for number one priority.
• When weeds are choking your plants, how do you know?
• You are looking for intertwining.
• The weed becomes a vine that grows all over and around the plant.
• The weeds can live with the plants, but the plants have difficulty coexisting with the weeds.
• What’s the enemy here?
• Competition.
• Jesus isn’t the only One who wants to occupy your heart.
• Specifically, what competition is mentioned? (1 Jn. 2:15-16; Jam. 4:4-5)
• Cares of the world
• Deceitfulness of riches
• Desire for other things
• Your heart – the internal, invisible place where you house your priorities – is not a mansion; it is a studio apartment.
•  It is designed to house one – one person (Jesus), one priority, one tenant.
•  Maybe something needs to be evicted!
• Prov 4:23
• If you are to properly hear, understand, and respond to God’s Word, the third enemy you must conquer is competition.