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LORD, LORD

Text: Matthew 25
11 October 2009

(I) VITAL PARABLES ABOUT PRACTISING LORDSHIP FAITHFULLY

1. The parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)

2. The parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)

3. The parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

(II) THE PLEA OF “LORD, LORD”

1. The plea of the five foolish virgins

“Lord, lord, open to us!” Matthew 25:11

a) The word “Lord” was appropriately employed

b) But this plea availed nothing

c) Lessons learned:-

i) Lordship is never just a matter of “words”

ii) Lordship must be matched by appropriate deeds

2. The plea of the unprofitable servant who hid his talent in the ground

“…’Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ ” Matthew 25:24-25

a) Knowledge of the lord as “a hard man”

b) Fear of the Lord

c) Hiding of the talent

3. The reply of the lord

“…’You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.’ ” Matthew 25:26-27

a) Wickedness

i) Unfaithfulness

ii) Lying

iii) Attempt to deceive the master with excuses

b) Laziness

i) This was the deeper problem

ii) It was a problem that was unresolved to the very end

(III) THE PARABLE OF SHEEP AND GOATS

1. Sheep and goats will be separated (Matthew 25:32-33)

2. Judgment and reward of the sheep

a) The reward of the sheep

“…’Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’ ” Matthew 25:34

b) The reason for this reward

“For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in. I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” Matthew 25:35-36

c) The query of the righteous

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?” Matthew 25:37

d) The reply of the Lord

“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the last of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:40

3. The judgment and punishment of the goats

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” Matthew 25:41

a) The right address… calling Jesus “Lord”

“…’Lord, when did we see You hungry and thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?’ ” Matthew 25:44

b) Lordship is not merely having the right verbal response!