When Jesus told the ‘parable of the talents’ in Matthew 25:14-30, He did so in the context of urging His disciples to be ready for His return, and not to be found unprepared, like the five bridesmaids in the previous parable. So, in this ‘parable of the talents’, Jesus took this one whole step further by not only encouraging preparedness for His return but also fruitfulness in His absence. The themes of reward for fruitfulness and judgement for unfruifulness are evident in the story. All of us have been given something by the Lord Jesus. What He expects to find when He comes again and what we will bring to Him need to match up!

Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Rejoice the Lord Is King
00:19 Introduction
00:40 Prayer
03:43 Bible reading: Matthew 25:14-30
Song: O Great God
06:17 Kids’ Talk
Song: Let Your Light Shine
10:34 Bible reading: 1 Corinthians 3:5-17
Song: My Hope Rests Firm
Sermon: Matthew 25:14-30
Song: Take My Life
12:18 Closing

Outline

• Where we are in Matthew 25…
• Last week’s parable
• The need to ‘be ready’ underlined again… but also to ‘be busy’
• See how Jesus calls us to.…

1. Remember the riches of gospel privilege (v.14-15)
2. Embrace the promise of generous reward (v.16-23)
3. Avoid the certainty of coming judgement (v.24-30)

Not saved by good works but called to them…
Taking small steps to be busy with the gospel…

Although we move on in the text and now come to Matthew 25:1-13, the first of three parables Jesus told in this chapter, the topoic is still the same. Jesus has been emphasising the need to be be prapared for his coming and he does this again in this parable concerning the wise and foolish bridesmaids. All were give the same opportunity and no doubt inctrustions, but only 5 of the 10 were prepared for the bridegrrom’s delay. The others were not and so suffered the consequences. As God’s people we have to give attention to those things that make us ‘sleepy’ as we wait for our Bridegroom to come and ensure that we don’t fall into the category of ‘foolish’.

Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: All Creatures of Our God and King
00:18 Introduction
00:44 Prayer
04:36 Bible reading: Matthew 7:7-23
Song: 10,000 Reasons
06:51 Kids’ Talk
Song: Everybody Get Ready
10:43 Bible reading: Matthew 25:1-13
Song: Grace Unmeasured
Sermon: Matthew 25:1-13
Song: Rejoice, Rejoice Believers
12:19 Closing

Outline

• Where we are in Matthew 25…
• A chapter of parables
• The need for preparation underlined…
• See how Jesus speaks about…

1. The task of these bridesmaids (v.1-4)
2. The care and carelessness of these bridesmaids (v.5-10)
3. The consequences for these bridesmaids (v.11-13)

Two things that could make you sleepy…
How to be ‘wise’ as you wait…

There’s a line in the heading that you might recognise from the children’s game ‘hide and seek’. The plain facts are that Jesus hasn’t told us the exact date of His return, which means that all of us need to be ready at any time. To illustrate what is required to make one ‘ready’, Jesus told a mini-parable in Matthew 24:45-51 about two servants set over a household under the charge of their master. In the master’s absence, both servants displayed something that would either commend or condemn them uin their master’s eyes. The question comes down to faithfulness and doing what you have been told. In our case, our Master!

Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: O Worship the King
00:16 Introduction
00:40 Prayer
04:14 Bible reading: Luke 12:22-40
Song: Behold Our God
07:21 Kids’ Talk
Song: Global Warning
11:01 Bible reading: Luke 17:1-10
Song: O the Mercy of God
Sermon: Matthew 24:45-51
Song: O Jesus I Have Promised
13:08 Closing

Outline

• Where we are in Matthew 24…
• He is coming…but we are not told when.
• A mini-parable that makes a point!
• See how Jesus spoke about…

1. A faithful (and so, prepared) servant (v.45-47)
2. An unfaithful (and so, unprepared) servant (v.48-51)

Make a sober assessment…
Make some necessary changes…
Make some needed preparation!

When Jesus spoke further about his expected return in Matthew 24:36-44, he gave us some information about it, while keeping some other aspects hidden. While all would like to know the day and the hour of His return, clearly, this is notsomething we are told. But what we are told is that the day of His return will be like the days before the flood of Noah’s time when Noah was building the ark. Jesus said of those days that people were busy doing ordinary, good things such as ‘eating, drinking and being married’, but were oblivious to the coming of the flood that would bring God’s judgement upon them. By telling us these things, Jesus urges us not to be found unprepared and therefore, not ready, for Him.

Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: What a Friend We Have in Jesus
00:19 Introduction
00:44 Prayer
05:22 Bible reading: Genesis 7:1-16
Song: We Are His People
07:53 Kids’ Talk
Song: Everybody Get Ready
12:32 Bible reading: 2 Peter 3:1-13
Song: Jesus Strong and Kind
Sermon: Matthew 24:36-44
Song: See Him Coming
14:37 Closing

Outline

• Where we are in Matthew 24…
• Some wrong approaches we have missed
• Another mistake to avoid – being unprepared!
• See how Jesus taught…

1. The timing of His coming was uncertain (v.36)
2. The indifference to His coming was nothing new (v.37-39)
3. The separation caused by His coming will be eternal (v.40-41)
4. The preparation needed for his coming must be
   watchfulness (v.42-44)

What not to do with what He said!

In trying to work out the timing of Jesus’ return, many people turn to Old Testament prophecy, the book of Revelation or even world events. Perhaps an easier approach would be to refer to the things that Jesus said about the topic. However, in Matthew 24:29-35, it has to be said that a wide variety of views abound. Some of what Jesus said requires careful thought. He was not one to contradict Himself! Even more than that, it’s good to remember that just as Jesus has proved right with the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., so His words can be taken as being rock-solid. Through the confusion of various interpretations and theories, it is good to know that the guarantee of His return is His own promise!

Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Crown Him With Many Crowns
00:18 Introduction
00:44 Prayer
04:46 Bible reading: Daniel 7:9-14
Song: Be Unto Your Name
06:10 Kids’ Talk
Song: Hooley Dooley Wap Bam Boom!
11:19 Bible reading: Matthew 24:29-35
Song: How Deep the Father’s Love
Sermon: Matthew 24:29-35
Song: Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending
12:32 Closing

Outline

• Where we are in Matthew 24…
• Nothing (so far) about millennial views
• Those two questions of the disciples!
• See here…

1. The signs Jesus spoke of that would precede His coming (v.29-31)
2. The illustration Jesus spoke of that would identify His coming (v.32-33)
3. The certainty Jesus spoke of that would guarantee His coming (v.34-35)

Uncertainty ahead… except for Him and His promise!

One of the keys to understanding all that Jesus said in Matthew 24 and 25, is to carefully locate the time reference that Jesus is referring to. In Matthew 24:15-28, it’s faily clear that the bulk of what Jesus said relates to the fall of Jerusalem in 70A.D. – something that the disciples of Jesus would need to be prepared for. But, it’s not all just in the past. The scenes that Jesus describes around those events, can be understood as being predictive of the events that will also usher in the end of the age and Jesus’ return!

Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: I Will Sing the Wondrous Story
00:17 Introduction
00:43 Prayer
04:41 Bible reading: Daniel 11:20-35
Song: Worthy of All Praise
07:48 Kids’ Talk
Song: Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled (John 14:1-4)
11:28 Bible reading: Matthew 24:29-35
Song: Yet Not I
Sermon: Matthew 24:29-35
Song: At the Name of Jesus
13:17 Closing

Outline

• Where we are in Matthew 24…
• Thinking about eschatology – study of the end (times)
• Learn to submit your thinking to Jesus
• Note how Jesus warned His disciples…

1. To be prepared for an overwhelming time of trial (v.15-22)
2. Not to be deceived by a continual parade of false Christs (v.23-28)

What does all this mean for you?
Forewarned is forearmed… be ready by praying, remembering, watching…

When the disciples of Jesus once asked Him some questions as they stood near the Temple, they could never have known that the answers Jesus gave them were answers that would echo down the corridors of time for thousands of years. But this is the case with the ‘Olivet Discourse’ recorded for us in Matthew’s gospel chapters 24 and 25. And so, in Matthew 24:1-14, the scene is set. The disciples are there. Jesus is there. And the questions focus upon the end of the age and the signs of His coming. But the answers are a little more complex, reminding us that the Lord Jesus is also our great Prophet who declares to us the truth that we might not fear but be busy with His gospel.

Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: And Can It Be
00:16 Introduction
00:40 Prayer
05:34 Bible reading: Matthew 24:1-14
Song: See Him Coming
07:41 Kids’ Talk
Song: Hooley Dooley Wap Bam Boom!
11:23 Bible reading: 2 Timothy 3:1-17
Song: By Faith We See the Hand of God
Sermon: Matthew 24:1-14
Song: We’ve a Story to Tell
14:55 Closing

Outline

• A new series!
• Matthew’s fifth ‘discourse’ from the mouth of Jesus
• Eschatology – study of the end (times)
• Note these things in relation to the end…

1. How mistaken the disciples were in their thinking (v.1-3)
2. How certain Jesus was about a delay in His coming (v.4-12)
3. How urgent Jesus was about a challenge for the believing (v.13-14)

History proved Him right (of course!)
Some ‘don’ts’ and ‘do’s’ for His people…!