DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Wed. 25/1/2017

We Are Not Created With Equal Ability But Have Equal Rewards

Matt. 25:15b

The most overlookedpart of this parable is the second half of verse fifteen: the master gives toeach servant talents, “…each according to his ability.” The master understoodthat the one-talent servant was not capable of producing as much as thefive-talent servant. We want to protest this as unfair. Yet we know this istrue from our own experience. Diversity is woven into the fabric of creation. Buteven though we’re not created equal in regard to the talents we’re given. Thereis equality found in the Parable of the Talents. It comes from the fact that ittakes just as much work for the five-talent servant to produce five moretalents as it does the two-talent servant to produce two more talents. This iswhy the reward given by the master is the same. The master measures success bydegrees of effort.

Point of Emphasis: The master understood that the one-talent servant wasnot capable of producing as much as the five-talent servant.

Prayer Point: Lord Jesus, don’t let me miss my reward in yourkingdom.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Thur. 26/1/2017

Your Wickedness And Slothfulness Will Be Punished

Matt. 25:18 & 26

“But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money… But his master answered him, ‘you wicked and slothful servant! … And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The kind of judgment that came upon this servant is a clear indication that there is no hiding place for the wicked and the slothful in the kingdom of God. But God will also judge men for sins of wickedness and slothfulness in the great and terrible day of his righteous judgment. Not only the wicked, but the slothful servant will be judged. The slothful will be judged wicked. Interesting thing is that the servant was not a waster. He did not waste the talent unlike what the prodigal son did to his inheritance. Here he will be judged wicked and slothful for refusing to improve his talent. His punishment was beside the loss of his talent, he was cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. He had not turned the grace of God into wantonness yet for being unprofitable he is sent to hell.

Point of Emphasis: He had not turned the grace of God into wantonness yet for being unprofitable he is sent to hell.

Prayer Point: My Lord and my God, give me the grace to change in any area of my life that I am slothful.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Fri. 27/1/2017

You Will Give Account Of Your Stewardship

Matt. 25:19; Jam. 4:14

The Parable of the Talents is not about salvation or works of righteousness, but about how we use our work to fulfil our earthly callings. It is about whole-life stewardship. It is about stewardship that spans throughout our life cycle. Now after a long time, the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. No matter how long the time you spent here on earth, one day, the master will come and settle account with you. James 4:14 says “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” Here Apostle James says no matter how long you spent here on earth is a little time. Why can’t you then make your life count? The unfaithful steward in this parable didn’t waste the master’s money so much – he wasted an opportunity. As a result, he was judged wicked and lazy. We are responsible for what we do for God with what we have been given, and one day we will be held responsible. What we hear from the Master on that Day of Judgment is up to us.

Point of Emphasis: No matter how long you spent here on earth one day, the master will come and settle account with you.

Prayer Point: Lord Jesus help me to make every moment of my life count for you in the name of Jesus.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Sat. 28/1/2017

You Are Working For God Not Yourself

Matt. 25:14 & 20

The money that is given to the servants is not their own. “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them”. The money they earn with the capital is not theirs to keep. ”The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. Master, he said, you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.” The servants are only stewards of the master’s investment, and it is the quality of their stewardship that the master seeks to measure. The servants knew that they were never working for themselves and you will not be an exemption. No matter your position in the church or how long you have been in the vineyard, the kingdom’s policy does not allow you to work for yourself as if you will not give an account. We should maximise the use of our talents not for our own selfish purposes, but to honour God. We know that we work in a fallen world. Because of the curse of sin, our work will be difficult. But we should feel satisfaction and joy from doing our best with what God has given us in the place where his providence puts us, seeking to succeed in order to honour him.

Point of Emphasis: No matter your position in the church or how long you have been in the vineyard, the kingdom’s policy does not allow you to work for yourself as if you will not give an account.

Prayer Point: Lord Jesus help me to maximise the use of my talents to honour you in Jesus’ name.

LESSON 9 29/1/2017

THE PARABLE OF TALENTS

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 68, 69

Devotional Reading: 1 Cor. 12:1-11

Topic for Adult: You Will Be Held Accountable.

Topic for Youth: Use Your Talents To Glorify God

Topic for Intermediates: Don’t Bury Your Talents

Scripture Lesson: Matt. 25:14-30; Ps. 8:3-6; Prov. 10:4-5

Memory Verse: For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them – Matt. 25:14 (NKJV)



DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Sun. 29/1/2017

Don’t Bury Your Talents

Matt. 25:14-20

Will the Lord say to you: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”? Or will he say: “You wicked and lazy servant”, and consign you to the place of torment? The men with five and two talents respectively didn’t consider the value of what they had to be too small to begin a particular kind of trading. They both look for businesses they could do with the money as soon as possible and began trading with their talents. As at the time of the return of their master, they have multiplied their talents. The man with one talent probably concluded in his mind that such amount was too small for any form of business, and was afraid of losing it, so he decided to bury it, knowing that whether he likes it or not, he must give account to his master when he returns. It is so unfortunate that his decision was a foolish one. We must know that there is no perfect time for anything, and no amount of money is too small to begin the journey. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” You don’t know what tomorrow will bring. By all means plan ahead, but don’t procrastinate. If you can get it done now, then get it done!

Point of Emphasis: We must know that there is no perfect time for anything, and no amount of money is too small to begin the journey.

Prayer Point: Lord Jesus help me to take meaningful risk for you and the Kingdom in the name of Jesus.

BACKGROUND
Now Jesus told many of His parables as a way to explain what the kingdom of God is like. The parable of the talents is another one of those. And so the characters in the story represent various types of people in the kingdom. Who is this rich master who went away to a far country? He is the Master —Our Lord Jesus Christ. When He told this parable, Jesus was well aware that within weeks He too would go on a long journey. He would depart from the crest of the Mount of Olives and ascend up, up and away to a far land—to the distant heavens—and there take up His due place at the right hand of the Father. And in the same way that verse 19 tells us that the rich man would be away for a long time, Jesus knew that His return would not be as soon as some people might imagine. Yet Jesus also knew that He, like the rich man, would return to receive back His property and obtain a careful accounting from each servant. Now who are these three servants in the parable? They represent you and me, and every other person who is called to serve Jesus. They symbolise every servant of God who is born into His house, bought with His blood, and employed for His praise and profit.

NOTES ON THE TEXT
PART 1: GOD HAS ENTRUSTED MUCH RESPONSIBILITY TO HIS SERVANTS (MATT. 25:14-15; PS. 8: 3-6)

Verse 14 says that the man “called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.” This is an indication that God has entrusted much responsibility to His servants. While the rich man called his servants to manage his financial empire, the Lord Jesus has called you and me to manage His earthly kingdom. We have been given an enormous responsibility. We manage the earthly affairs of the Master of masters, the Lord of lords. God has entrusted much to us. King David in Psalm 8:3-6 expressed his wonder at how much trust God has placed into the hands of human beings. The servants were commanded to manage their master’s goods, wealth or property. Servants in those days owned nothing themselves. Everything they had, even their spouses and their children, were the property of the master. And even when he would go off to a far country, they had no right to say, “The boss is gone now—let’s take our money and run.”
Likewise, everything we call ours is really His. Even our own bodies are not ours. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” As servants of Jesus we own nothing. We are managers of God’s property. Our knowledge of the “mysteries” or “secret things” (1 Corinthians 4:1) is still the knowledge of the mysteries of God. Our husbands and our wives, our sons and our daughters, our houses and our land, our spiritual gifts and our ministries, our time and our talents—they are all His property, entrusted into our care until He returns to receive them back.
Now if we would only realise that we are but tenants on His land, we would be less selfish and demanding; if we would only realize that we are not the king of the castle, but He is the King, then we would not be so quick to run away from our responsibilities. In fact, we would ask His permission before we did anything. We must not ignore the fact that not all of us have equal responsibility. Verse 15 of our text says, “‘and to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability….’ ” Not every servant was entrusted with the same number of talents. One was given five talents, another two, and the third servant was given only one. What we discover is that God makes us managers according to our “manage-ability.”

PART 2: MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT YOU HAVE GOT (MATT. 25:18-26; PROV. 10:4-5)

Jesus stressed that although God has entrusted something to each of us, some of us who have been entrusted with little don’t make the most of the little we have got. Servant number three was given only one talent to invest. We are told in verse 18 that upon receiving his talent, he “went and dug in the ground, and hid his master’s money.” Now at first glance, this doesn’t appear to be such a terrible thing to do. His master told him to look after one talent and so that’s what he did. He buried the talent for safekeeping. In those days, it was common to hide some of your money in case some invading army conquered the land and took over the banking system.
What did the master think of this servant’s logic when he returned? He was not impressed at all. We are told at the end of the parable that not only was he fired from his job, but the master ordered that he be thrown “into the outer darkness,” a place where there would be “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” It’s scary to admit this, but did you know that many of us are just like that poor one-talent servant? Many of us don’t make the most of what we’ve been given. And because we don’t make the most of what we’ve got, even the little we have will one day be taken away. Let’s take note of behaviour and attitude that characterised this third servant and caused him to displease his master so much.

• The Fear of Failure: Upon the master’s return to ask his servants for an accounting, the third servant tries to justify himself, saying in verse 24 of our text that he knew his master to be a “hard man.” And then in verse 25, he says that he was “afraid,” and therefore went and hid his master’s talent in the ground. So we see that the first thing that characterised this third servant and provoked his master’s displeasure was fear.
He buried his talent because he was afraid—afraid that if he took the talent and invested it, he might risk losing it all and then have nothing to return to his master. For fear of losing everything, he did nothing. Fear is probably the most powerful enemy of success. So many people miss opportunities to do something significant with their gifts or talents or possessions simply because they fear failure. You may have been blessed with a natural ability to sing, but much of this talent has gone to waste because you fear you would go to pieces once you stepped on the stage. What a tragic thing it will be if you bury your God-given talent. Some of you have been given a naturally warm and loving personality. Yet you’ve never allowed yourself to get close to anyone because of the fear of rejection. And so you’ve buried a treasure. It’s buried so deep that most people don’t even know that you have it. Instead of warmth and love, they see you as cold or shy. Only you know that deep down inside there is something in your possession of great worth. We leave the treasure lying buried in the dirt.

• Laziness: Servant number three had one more tragic flaw. When the master returned to settle accounts, he indicated what he thought of that servant’s decision to bury his talent. In verse 26, the master called him a “wicked and lazy servant!”
If fear of failure is a great enemy of success in the kingdom, laziness at least runs a close second. It probably took servant number three all of five minutes to dig a hole and bury the talent. He saved himself all the time and energy needed to think through all the investment options that were available to him. He couldn’t be bothered researching the possibility of buying a house or a piece of land at a bargain price and finding good tenants. Nor did he even have enough ambition to make a trip to the bank and take the time to decide on whether to invest the talent in a daily-interest shekel account, or a fixed-interest foreign-currency account, or whatever. This man was just plain lazy. The Bible says in Proverbs 10:4-5 “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.” Proverbs 20:13 advises, “Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.”

PART 3: CONSEQUENCES IN FAILING TO MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT YOU HAVE GOT (MATT. 25:20, 30; JN. 3:16-18; 2 COR. 5:10)

The consequences in failing to make the most of what you have got is enormous. The following were highlighted in the passage:

• Losing What You Have Been Given – The first consequence of fear and laziness for servant number three was the loss of even the one talent that had been entrusted to him. When his master returned and found that the servant had been negligent and had buried his talent, he was angry. He said in verse 28 that the talent should be taken from him and given to the servant who had 10 talents. Now in this parable, Jesus was not justifying taking from the poor and giving to the rich. What Jesus was doing was teaching a simple principle of life: If you don’t use it, you will lose it. The third servant not only didn’t achieve a profit on his master’s money; he even lost the one talent he was given to manage. This fearful and lazy manager had dug a hole, little realizing that he was digging it for himself! He didn’t realize that if he didn’t use it, he would lose it.

• Future Everlasting Darkness – If losing the only talent he had was not enough, then the third servant heard his master call him an “unprofitable servant” in verse 30, and order that he be cast “into the outer darkness,” where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Here was the second consequence of his failure to make the most of what he had.
What could Jesus possibly mean by these harsh words? In verse 19 that the master returned to settle accounts with his managers “after a long time.” This speaks to us of Jesus’ own return. Yes, it’s been almost two thousand years and He hasn’t returned yet. But this “long time” is coming to a close. The signs are clear. And one of the reasons He is returning is to settle accounts. Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” Jesus will look for a profit on his investment. Here Jesus is not talking about just our natural gifts or talents. Here He is talking about how we will deal with the greatest gift of all, the one gift that God has offered to everybody—the gift of salvation. The greatest gift that you have been offered is the gift of Jesus, God’s Son—the gift of the Saviour. We read in John 3:16-18 God has given us the one gift that, if accepted, will give us eternal life, a life in heaven full of reward and personal fulfilment. But if we reject it, because we’re afraid or too lazy to receive it and act upon it—then even the life we have now will be taken from us. In place of eternal life, we will be cast “into the outer darkness,” where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

CONCLUSION
In the parable in verse 16 that the one “who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.” In another Bible version, we read that this man “went at once.” One thing that set this servant apart from the third servant was his faith. And there were two things that showed that he had faith. First of all, he took a certain measure of risk. He could easily have taken the safe route and buried his talents too. But instead, he took his money and invested it. Another indication that this was a man of faith was the fact that he “went at once.” Alexander the Great, when asked how he had conquered the world, replied, “By not delaying.” This servant didn’t waste any time in investing his master’s money—he didn’t want to lose even a day’s interest on that money, so he “went at once.” You are encouraged to go at once, God helping you.

QUESTIONS
1. How many servants were given talents?

2. Who was the rich man who went on a long journey?

3. Mention how many talents each of them had at the return of their master

4. What were the two major reasons servant number three did not use his master’s talent?

5. What was the master’s judgment on servant number three?

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READINGS
Mon. 30/1/2017

All Things Are Possible For God

Matt. 19:23-30

Money, in itself, is not evil. There is a way in which it influences man that it takes over the owner’s life if permitted. Those who love to become rich at all cost eventually become slaves to money, thereby forfeiting their chance of getting into heaven. However, the person that has been fully conquered by God will not put money first in his life. His attitude will be of total dependence on God. He may have worldly riches, but God takes the first place in his life. It is this dependence on God that makes it possible for the person to get into heaven. The grace comes from God to maintain one’s proper relationship with God.

Point of Emphasis: Don’t let the love of money send you to hell. Be careful.

Prayer Point: Oh Lord, give me the grace to maintain proper relationship with you.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READINGS

Tue. 31/1/2017

Be Committed To The End

Jn. 21:15-16

Peter followed Jesus Christ for almost three and a half years. During this period, Peter had given up his fishing business for the work of the Gospel. After Jesus had been crucified, buried and resurrected, Peter got disillusioned; because Jesus was no longer physically around to direct the affairs. He abandoned his first commitment to the gospel and went back to the fishing business. Jesus had to come back to re-commission him for the job. What are the things happening in your life that is making it difficult for you to carry on with the work for which you have been called? Note, no one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Please, hold on.

Point of Emphasis: The proof that you love Jesus is your commitment to the Gospel.

Prayer Point: Lord Jesus, help me to always focus on you.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READINGS

Thur. 2/2/2017

You Can’t Save Yourself

Eph. 2: 8 (NKJV)

The salvation of one is basically the gift of God! When one is drowning and a life guard is trying to save you, it’s a mistake to try and assist him. At first, this might not seem like a problem; after all we usually encourage people to help themselves. But when you are failing around in deep water, you get tired easily, and sink faster (could you also drag others with you). That’s why a life guard will tell you to stop struggling and trust him. Similarly, God doesn’t need your help to save you! The Bible says, “He took our sin…” God is not impressed with our good works. “Filthy rags” for that matter! (Isaiah 64:6)

Point of Emphasis: Your works are worthless as far as salvation is concerned.

Prayer Point: Oh Lord, have mercy on me, I’m not fit.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READINGS

Fri. 3/2/2017

God Is Fair To All

Jam. 2:23

Many people enjoy throwing a pity party when troubles come. Raising an angry fist, they shout to heaven, ‘that’s not fair, God’. Well, thanks to God’s goodness and mercy that He isn’t fair. If He were, we’d all be sunk. Think about it. We all sinned – every one of us. God’s word says sinners deserve condemnation and death. The fair thing is for God to give us eternal punishment starting now. We are all destined for eternal separation from God if He is fair. But for all our sakes, He isn’t. God actually operates on the other end of the continuum. God says, “You deserve punishment, but I’m going to bless you instead. I’m going to pay the penalty for your disobedience – the debt you cannot pay. As a result, you’ll win a prize you didn’t earn – SALVATION” Rom. 3: 23.



Point of Emphasis: For our disobedience, Jesus paid the debt we cannot pay.

Prayer Point: The work of salvation shall not be in vain in my life.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READINGS

Sat. 4/2/2017

Eleventh Hour Grace

Matt. 20: 14 (NKJV)

Jesus told of a farmer who hired daylabourers; some at 6am, some at 9am, some at 12 noon, some at 3pm and some at 5pm, an hour before quitting time. Amazingly, he paid them all the same wage. When the complaints started flying, the farmer said, ‘I wish to give this last man the same as to you’. You say, ‘Nobody pays a day’s wage to an hour worker’. God does. Deathbed converts and lifelong saints enter heaven by the same gate. A last minute confessor receives the same grace as a lifetime servant. It doesn’t seem fair. The workers in Jesus’ story complained too. So the farmer explained the prerogative of ownership (vs. 15). The thief on the cross proves that when you request grace with dying breath, God answers his prayer. Eleventh hour grace means that if you are able to read these words and respond, it’s not too late.



Point of Emphasis: God is not a man that He could be partial.

Prayer Point: God of mercy don’t let me miss opportunity with you.

LESSON 10 5/2/2017

THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD WORKERS

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 27, 150, 237
Devotional Reading: Matt. 19:23-30
Topic for Adults: Complaints and Craving
Topic for Youths: No Preferential Treatments
Topic for Intermediates: At my level i am ready to work for God
Scripture Lesson: Matt. 20:11-16

Memory Verse: For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Eph. 2:8-9) NKJV

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READINGS

Sun. 5/2/2017

God’s Grace Is For All

Matt. 20: 8-16

The parable in our text illustrated all categories of people that are called to work in the vineyard of God. Some people joined Christian service early in lives and served all their life till the end. Some start to serve in their mid-life while some others start only in the twilight of their lives. Each one should consider it a privilege and glory to be a co-worker with God. Our calling is by His grace and mercy. No one should consider that he merits the reward (by works no man shall boast) which God will give. He gives His gifts as He chooses.

Point of Emphasis: God has the right to give His gifts as He chooses.

Prayer Point: Thank you for counting me worthy in serving you.

BACKGROUND

Peter asked from Jesus, ‘We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?’ (Matt. 19: 27). Jesus dealt kindly with Peter’s stated question that all who had forsaken all would have a special reward. Shortly after this, Jesus made another wonderful statement; ‘Many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first’ (vs. 30). He went further to tell a parable that puts this principle in story form. He affirmed that both latecomers and old-timers in the faith come into the kingdom the same way, not by works but by grace.



NOTES ON THE TEXT

PART 1: THE MASTER’S CALL (MATT. 20: 1-7)

Jesus began His story by comparing the kingdom of heaven to a householder that went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. The first group of workers agreed to work all day for one denarius. This was the Roman standard wage for day labourers (Lev. 19: 13, Deut. 24: 14 – 15).

The householder went out in the third hour (9am); sixth hour (12noon); ninth hour (3pm) and eleventh hour (5pm) and he saw others idle in the market-place. He ordered them to go into the vineyard and work. He promised to pay them “whatever is right”, not of a specific wage unlike the first group.

Of course in His kingdom, God keeps on calling people to His work all the time. This story tells us that some people serve God all through their life time, while others engage in God’s kingdom at midlife or later on. All are paid the same wage – the salvation of life.

These are what the parable illustrated :

The parable seems to take account of the entire scope or history of salvation
The vineyard – the world or the church
The labourers – different classes of Christians
The hours – different ages
The penny (a denarius) – salvation
The householder – God

PART 2: A FAIR REWARD (MATT. 20: 8-10)

If the householder is God, the steward must stand for His son, Jesus, who came to the ‘vineyard’ (the earth) in His father’s authority. The steward is told by the householder what ‘hire’ or ‘wages’ to pay – just as Jesus came not to do His own will “but the will of Him that sent me” (John 6: 38). Notice the order in which the labourers are paid (vs. is the same as (19: 30) – the last are first and the first last. Ordinarily, those who had been hired first would have been paid first.

We can now ask what the wage of a penny or a denarius stands for. What God, the owner of the vineyard gives His workers is ETERNAL LIFE – SALVATION. This gift is what is ‘right’ (vs. 7) not because we earn it by working in the vineyard, but because it is the reward graciously decided on by the righteous householder, God. All are called to salvation (Matt. 11: 28, Jn. 3: 16, Rev. 22: 17).



PART 3: WORKER IS ANSWERED (MATT. 20:11-16)

‘Goodman’ (vs. 11) is the same Greek word translated ‘householder’ (vs. 1), so we are to understand that he stands for God, not the steward (Christ).

The murmuring is because the late-comers have been made ‘equal’ to the first-hour servant even though they worked only one hour and in the cool of the day.

Since the wages stand for salvation, we can understand the justice of the vineyard owner (vs. 13). God does not give a great deal of salvation to those called to the kingdom early in life, a little less to those called at noon and only an hour’s worth to heaven to His eleventh-hour servants.

Salvation is God’s gift. Shall we quibble about who receives it? If so, we must be prepared for others to quibble about our having received it – for all workers in the vineyard are given salvation out of the free and sovereign grace of God, NOT out of hours worked or honours won. Human pride and self-seeking go unrewarded. God’s generosity knows no bounds. Trusting God to be fair, workers in the kingdom can be rest assured that their labours are not in vain.

CONCLUSION

God offers His gift of salvation to all people. A way to picture this in our minds is to think of God calling men, women, boys and girls on the phone. If someone is calling you or me on the phone, we have a choice to pick up the phone and answer it, don’t we? We can stand there and look at the phone while it rings and never pick it up to find out who is calling and hear what they have to say. It is the same with God’s call. When a person answers God’s call to be saved, He gives him a job to do Matt. 28: 19 – 20. Each person is created with abilities to do the work. No one knows how long they will be on this earth before God calls them home to be with Him. Believers will be rewarded by God not by work they do for Him. The greatest reward is to hear the words ‘Well done, good and faithful servant’.

QUESTIONS

What is the meaning of the statement, “The last shall be first and the first last”?

What was the usual daily wage for a labourer working in the vineyard during this historical period?

What examples do you have of God calling people to work in His kingdom vineyard?

What kind of things keeps people from going to work for God?

In what situations have you been forced to grow spiritually by being treated in a way that seemed unfair?

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Mon. 6/2/2017

The Kingdom Lifestyle

Eph. 5: 1-11

In teaching about the kingdom of God, the scriptures clearly set forth the conditions for admittance into the kingdom since it is the will of God that everyone accepts His offer of salvation and enters the kingdom. So God did not hesitate to reveal to humanity the kingdom lifestyle. As seen in today’s passage, every heaven bound Christian needs to stare clear of all forms of sins such as uncleanness, covetousness, idolatry, foolish talk and jesting, etc. A covetous man makes a god of his money; places hope, confidence, and delight, in worldly good, which should be in God only. Christians should carefully consider the content of their talk. We have no reason to use obscene language and jokes. Sins must be dreaded and detested. Rather the kingdom lifestyle is love, righteousness, goodness, etc., as listed in Gal. 5: 22, 23.



Point of Emphasis: If you cannot practise the kingdom lifestyle on earth, you won’t fit into heaven

Prayer Point: Oh Lord, help me not partake in unfruitful works of darkness but to expose them by the light of God in me.

keep them coming.

emmanuel1990:
keep them coming.

No problem boss

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Tue. 7/2/2017

Live Circumspectfully Each Day
Eph. 5:15-17

God expects His children to walk each day as wise people, not as fools. But the question is “How do fools walk”? The fools walk as if they’ve got all the time in the world to themselves; they procrastinate on the time to answer the call of God to salvation and to the ministry; and they are thoughtless, careless, and opportunity wasters. On the other hand, the wise understand that their time on earth is a leased asset, so they make judicious use of every opportunity that comes their ways – opportunities to serve God, be kind and assist those in need, encourage someone, preach the gospel, climb higher on career ladder, get richer, etc. In fact, the only independent variable on earth is time and that is why everyone who is wise must continue to redeem the time, i.e., make the best use of it. In addition, the wise are those who try to understand and fulfil the plan and purpose of God for their lives daily, particularly as used in the context of our passage today, as the early Christians were earnestly awaiting the second coming of the Lord. Of utmost relevance to believers today is the need to be more circumspectful as the second coming of Christ becomes more imminent.

Point of Emphasis: Walk as wise, not as fools.

Prayer Point: Oh Lord, help me to make the best use of every opportunity that comes my way.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING



Wed. 8/2/2017

God Is Not Slack Concerning His Promises

2 Pet. 3:1-10

A lot of Christians grow remiss concerning their souls as they age in the church. In this passage, the Bible focuses on those who scoff at the idea of Christ triumphant return and the final judgment. Such scoffing may be out of ignorance of God’s word, or it may be deliberate disdain. In either case, believers should know that the antidote to heresy is the sincere teaching and application of God’s word. The Bible made allusion to the destruction of the first world with water; so then in similar fashion, the present is reserved for fire. God is not slow in fulfilling His promises of bringing final destruction upon this present world, but He doesn’t want you and me, your family members, your friends and colleagues, and your neighbours to miss out in His eternal purpose of redeeming the whole world. The scriptures have told us that Christ’s return will be sudden; perhaps, when the world least expect Him. Now the bottom line is this, since you have all these information, what new leaf are you supposed to turn in your life in order to prepare for His return?

Point of Emphasis: The long suffering of our Lord is salvation

Prayer Point: Oh God, don’t let me fall into apostasy

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Thur. 9/2/2017

How Long Can The Oil (Strength) You Have Carry You?

1 Kgs. 19:1-8

The story of Elisha here, who peradventure was taking the last lap in the purpose of God for his life, reminds us of our journeying to our eternal home as Christians. Elisha was apparently overwhelmed by his misconstrued understanding of God’s faithfulness to those who serve Him. He therefore demanded for death after God had wrought unparalleled miracles by him, and while waiting, maybe to be killed by an angel, he was to receive the final strength that will enable him to carry out his last assignment in God’s service. Elisha was encouraged to take in enough food (strength) because of the daunting task ahead of him. Beloved, it’s cataclysmic wadding our ways through the world that crucified our Lord! You need God’s strength too. Interestingly, God still serves meals up till today. What determines the quantity you take in, among others, are your obedience and patience to wait at the table. As you call at the meal table of His Word and meditate prayerfully on daily basis, you will experience the sublime strength and power that will enable you to live a successful and victorious life in Jesus’ name (Amen).

Point of Emphasis: Yesterday’s meal is not sufficient for today

Prayer Point: Oh God, help me to always depend on Your strength

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Fri. 10/2/2017

Continue To Grow In Grace

2 Pet. 3:17-18

Two days ago we shared from this same passage of the scriptures. Verse 17 begins by saying since we know all these things; “What are those things?” These things are mentioned between verses 1 and 15. Since we know that there will be scoffers at the last days, that a thousand year with men is like a day with God, that Christ’s return will be sudden, that God has not forgotten His promise of destroying the present world with fire, and that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation, how should these information or knowledge sharpen or prepare us for His kingdom? It’s often said that wisdom is the application of knowledge. Therefore, any knowledge or body of knowledge that doesn’t culminate into wisdom is not profitable to whoever lays claim to such knowledge. Since we know all these things, we need to live as wise people, as we discussed earlier this week. In addition, a profound warning is given in this passage. You need to be steadfast as you lay hold on the word of God tenaciously, while you continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ Jesus.

Point of Emphasis: Don’t allow anyone to make you fall from your steadfastness

Prayer Point: Oh Lord, continue to uphold me with your mighty power

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Sat. 11/2/2017

Keep Your Lamp Burning

Lk. 12: 35-40

In Christ’s teaching on the level of preparation and alertness that is required of believers, another dimension is added to it in today’s passage. Jesus said believers are to get ready, like a solder on guard, with their lamps burning so that they can welcome the bridegroom whenever he comes. Lamps often give direction and clarity which is why David referred to God’s word as his lamp. Indeed the word of God is a lamp and a light that shows the path, exposes the works of darkness, and darkness cannot overcome it (Ps. 119:105; Jn. 1:5). Also, lamp is used as a symbolism of the Holy Spirit who searches the heart of believers and acts as a witness in their lives as well. Any life whose lamp has been put off or a church whose candle stick has been removed, like some scholars believed happened to the church at Ephesus when they refused to hid Christ’s warning, is a church that has lost the witness of the Holy Spirit. Such a church will only become a mere social gathering over which the Holy Spirit had written the word ‘Ichabod’. Don’t allow anything or anyone to stuff out your lamp; you must keep it burning. If you do, you won’t grope in darkness.

Point of Emphasis: The word of God is a lamp which you must treasure, memorize and keep aglow in your heart.

Prayer Point: Give me oil in my lamp and keep me burning o Lord!

LESSON 11 12/2/2017

THE PARABLE OF THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 33, 35

Devotional Reading: Lk 12:35-40

Topic for Adults: Be Ready At All Times

Topic for Youths: Never Run Out Of God’s Grace

Topic for Intermediates: Will You Be Ready?

Scripture Reading: Matt. 25: 1-13

Memory Verse: Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of man is coming. Matt. 25:13 [KJV]

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Sun. 12/7/2017

Be Watchful

1 Thess. 5:1-9

Apostle Paul wrote to the brethren at Thessalonica about Christ’s imminent return and to address the misconception on the eternal loss of those who have lost their loved ones. Believers are warned to be sober and watchful, not to allow themselves to be carried away by the excitement and merriment of the moment. Believers admonished to be watchful for the day of the Lord will be unannounced. Also, because there is tendency to relapse and become careless, we need to be sober and vigilant in the spirit, knowing that God has appointed us to obtain salvation by faith in Christ Jesus.

Point of Emphasis: Be watchful so that the arrival of the Bridegroom will not meet you unawares

Prayer Point: Oh Lord, help me to be watchful.

BACKGROUND

In the lesson of today, Jesus used a parable to teach a profound reality about the kingdom of God – the reason why some will be shout out and others will be granted admittance. The Master vividly describes a typical group of ten adolescents. Some were wise while others were referred to as fools. The reason for this classification formed the backdrop of the lesson.



NOTES ON TEXT

PART 1 VIRGINITY – A SYMBOLISM OF HOLINESS AND PURITY (MATT. 25: 1-2)

The relationship between a bride and her bridegroom or between husband and wife is often used to illustrate that between Christ and His church [Matt. 22:2; 9:15; Jn 3:29; Eph. 5:23; Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9]. In parables, physical phenomena are used to illustrate spiritual or heavenly realities. Hence parables are meant to reveal hidden knowledge or dark sayings, and the essence is for clarity and understanding [Ps. 49:4; 78:2]. A lot of Christ’s teachings about the kingdom of God were presented by parables.

God is holy and righteous. He cannot behold sins in the life of His people and likewise in His kingdom. This is a prerequisite for those who will reign with Him [Isa. 61:10, Rev. 19:6-8]. The lamp represents God’s word and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The bridegroom is our Lord Jesus Christ – the Messiah. The virgins are members of the church waiting for the return of Christ. While the oil connotes the presence of the Holy Spirit, His anointing and His grace [Exo. 29:7, 21; 1 Sam. 10:1; 16:1,13; Isa. 61:3; Heb. 1:9].

Christ used this parable to show the preparedness of the church or individual Christian for His return. Virginity is often used as a symbolism for purity, righteousness and holiness [2 Cor. 11:2]. Little wonder many cultures in the world use white garment as a test of virginity to show that the bride has kept herself pure for her bridegroom. After our conversion, God begins to see us with the righteousness of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which is sometimes viewed as a white garment covering the believers [Dan. 7:9; Mk. 16:5]. This garment is expected to be kept clean and unspotted till we lay our trophies at the feet our Lord. Hence, the virgins in the text refer to those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, who are living the life of holiness and righteousness. These virgins were prepared to meet their bridegroom, but because they did not know the day and at what time he would arrive, they needed to take lamps in case he came at night. Five of the ten virgins took their lamps with extra oil while the other five took only their lamps. The former virgins were described as being wise, while the latter were referred to as fools. Why should a virgin [a redeemed, committed, and service-bound Christian who is living a holy life and eagerly waiting for Christ’s return] be described as being foolish? The foolish virgins were foolish because they did not plan ahead; they did not consider the possibility that the bridegroom might not come at the time they expected.

However, some have interpreted this passage to mean that Christians are the wise virgins, while the foolish ones are the hypocrites in the church who are more concerned about the party than longing for the return of the bridegroom. Whatever interpretation that is given to the details of this parable, one thing that is sure is that it points at our preparedness for the Lord’s return. What really shows whether we’re wise or foolish as Christians is our disposition to the affairs of our souls [Luke 12: 19-21]. Many have a lamp of profession in their hands, but have not in their hearts.

PART 2: KEEP YOUR LAMP BURNING (MATT. 25: 3-5)

While the bridegroom delayed in his coming, the virgins all slumbered and slept. The period of this delay represents the space between our conversion as Christians to the coming of Christ, to take us away by death or to judge the world. Hence, this delay presents opportunity for us to reciprocate the love that saved us from sin by rendering service to God in sincerity and purity.

The wise virgins kept their lamps burning, but they did not keep themselves awake. Christians are admonished to be sober and watchful as they await the Lord’s return. Those that allow themselves to slumber, will scarcely keep from sleeping; therefore, dread the beginning of spiritual decays. A lot of Christians grow remiss, and one degree of carelessness leads to another. Believers should constantly examine themselves to ascertain their spiritual state [2 Cor. 13:5; Rom. 8:9,10; 1 Cor. 9:27]. We need to allow the leading of the Holy Spirit and be obedient to His promptings because He is the seal of God upon our spirits to guide us till eternity [Eph. 1:13].



PART 3: THE ARRIVAL OF THE BRIDEGROOM (MATT. 25: 6-13)

The Bible has taught that the coming of the Lord will be sudden, like a thief in the night. The waiting of the virgins in this text came to an end when, suddenly, there was a cry of the arrival of the long awaited bridegroom. The virgins all got up from their slumber and trimmed their lamps. Unfortunately, the foolish virgins’ lamps were gone out because the oil in their lamps got exhausted. The day of the Lord will be a day of search and inquiry; and it concerns us to think how we shall then be found. Failure to be ready when the Lord comes is to be shut out from His presence and kingdom. Those unprepared cannot borrow from those who are. Someone else’s salvation, purity and preparedness cannot be shared. Preparedness must be personal. In our world, a mischievous person can use someone else’s certificate to secure an employment or a job or even start a business but such will not happen in God’s kingdom. There will be no chance for impersonation.

Those that take up short of true grace, will certainly find the want of it one time or another. The foolish went out to get some oil for their lamps and before they return the bridegroom had gone in with the prepared. The truth is, there is a time to buy oil, and there is a time to trim your lamp and burn the oil. Those that have most grace, have none to spare; in fact, the best need more from Christ. Don’t delay in seeking God’s face for His grace and anointing upon your life; this will not suffice when you should actually appropriate it.

The infilling of the Holy Spirit in our lives should be daily and continuous – you need to pray and study God’s word daily, and allow Him to fill you for the day, knowing that yesterday’s strength will not suffice for today’s battle [Isa. 40:31]. Finding salvation requires more concentrated efforts than most people are willing to put forth. Obviously we cannot save ourselves no matter our good works. The efforts we must put out to enter through the narrow gate is earnest desire to know Jesus and diligently striving to follow him wholeheartedly whatever the cost [Luke 13:24, 25]. In order to prepare for Christ’s return, you need to 1] give your life to Jesus if you haven’t done so, 2] start fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit daily by studying God’s words and prayer, 3] begin to practise strict obedience to God’s instruction, and 4] be sober and watchful as you continue in God’s service, eagerly expecting His return.

The parable concludes by giving a stern warning to believers to keep watch because no one knows the day or the hour in which Christ will return. We cannot decide for God since the door will not be open forever. Because of carelessness, many will not be prepared when the Son of man comes. Consequently, they will miss out on the blessings they had hoped for all through their years in God’s service.



CONCLUSION

The lesson of today warns against thoughtlessness, carelessness and indifference. In the parable, some of the girls were thoughtful, hence they prepared for the future by taking extra oil. However, others were foolish, because they did not consider the possibility that the bridegroom might not come at the time they expected. The bridegroom delayed in his arrival, but in due course he came, and then there was no time to make preparations. The foolish girls were locked outside the house and had no further chance of going in to the wedding feast. Because your soul is of inestimable value to God, Christ’s return may have been delayed so that you will not miss out in His kingdom. Therefore surrender your life to the Lord and get ready for His return. Remember that the door will not open forever!

QUESTIONS

What is the significance of the items mentioned in the parable?

Why were the five virgins described as wise, while the others were referred to as fools?

How will you contrast the preparation of the virgins for their bridegroom with the preparation of the church for Christ’s second coming?

How can Christians make sure they don’t run out of God’s grace?

How can we prepare ourselves for Christ’s return?

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Mon. 13/2/2017

The Gates Of The Kingdom Are Open Wide

Matt. 22:9-10; Col. 3:12

When the specially invited guest continually refused to honour the invitation of the King to the wedding banquet, the gates to the wedding banquet were opened wide to all and sundry. It becomes clear here that salvation is not based on ethnicity, education, income bracket, popularity, ministry position, personality type, cultural savy, athletic ability, or attractiveness. For this reason, we should be very careful not to assume that the people most fit for the kingdom are those who look most like us. Though the gates of the kingdom are open wide, the kingdom still has gates and we must enter through them. The kingdom imposes conditions of righteousness on us. We must bear its fruits. We have a particular kind of clothing to wear to the feast. In the words of Apostle Paul, we must put on, “as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility,” and the like. We mustn’t miss this important point — the kingdom of God is a feast. God means to be enjoyed. He is the God of laughter, great provider, and the very help in the time of trouble. In his presence, says David, there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). God is calling everybody to His Kingdom because there is a seat with your name on it.

Point of Emphasis: God is calling everybody to His Kingdom because there is a seat with your name on it.

Prayer Point: Oh Lord my father do not let me miss my seat in your kingdom.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Tue. 14/2/2017

Willful Defiance And Eternal Separation

Matt. 22:11-13

The king finds a man at the feast not wearing a wedding garment. This gesture was offensive, a sign that the guest is oblivious to the significance of his invitation. Jesus had said that the kingdom would be taken away from the Jewish leaders and given to a people producing its fruits. The wedding feast is an open invitation, but there is a dress code. Everyone is welcome at the table, but the table changes us. Or, to keep with the imagery of the parable, it changes our clothes. If it does not, then we are not truly guests. It is only to be expected that the king will order the man to be thrown out of the banqueting hall. The way the king puts it brings in another dimension to the parable. “Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This is not what would literally happen in the world of the story. It is the language of God’s judgment on those excluded from the kingdom of God. It is eternal separation from God.

Point of Emphasis: Everyone is welcome at the table, but the table changes us. Or, to keep with the imagery of the parable, it changes our clothes.

Prayer Point: Oh Lord help me and all my family members to make it to your kingdom in the name of Jesus.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Wed. 15/2/2017

Dead To Sin But Alive To Christ

Rom. 6:10-11

How would you describe the persistence of sin in your life? Many Christians, even though they are sincerely committed to following Christ, continue to live with besetting sins. They continue to feel as if they are powerless to overcome the impulse to act against God’s commands. Nobody is perfect, Apostle Paul says “The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” Here it is clear that the sinful habits we find so hard to shake off are not an integral part of us. We are not condemned to sin forever. Instead, Paul insists that Christians can be “dead to sin.” As John Wesley explained it, this means being “freed both from the guilt and from the power of it.” Believers should rely on God’s daily provision of grace to be dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.



Point of Emphasis: Here it is clear that the sinful habits we find so hard to shake off are not an integral part of us.

Prayer Point: Oh God, my father, I receive your grace to be dead to sin but alive to you in everyday of my life in Jesus’ Name.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Thur. 16/2/2017

The Danger of Exclusion from God’s Kingdom

Matt. 21:43

Jesus said to them, “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing the fruit of it.” Some of us are on the verge of becoming modern day Pharisees. Because the Pharisees were caught up in religion, and if we are not careful we can get caught up in religion. Religion is all talk, it’s all about saying the right things and looking like you have got your act together. It is about sounding smart and looking sharp. But being a Christian is about serving God with your heart, your soul and your mind, it’s about having fruits in your life. It is about the saving Power of God reversing every negative in your life and forming you into the best advertisement for God’s love that the world has ever seen. Many of us are gradually turning to the modern day Pharisees. We are getting too familiar with the doctrine and probably have spent quite a long time in the ministry and we have started settling on our dregs. Jesus warned the Pharisees and the teachers of the law of the possible exclusion from the kingdom if they did not bear fruits right for the kingdom of God. They only conform physically but their states of mind are at variance to the faith they profess. We need to check ourselves daily if we are still right with God so that we will not assume too much based on the years we have spent and activity level in church. Thereby neglecting the great salvation made available by the shedding of Jesus’ precious blood.

Point of Emphasis: Religion is all talk, it’s all about saying the right things and looking like you have got your act together.

Prayer Point: Lord Jesus, help me to retrace my steps everywhere I have gone wrong in Jesus’ Name.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Fri. 17/2/2017

The Garments of Salvation

Isa. 61:10; Gen. 3:6-7

Adam and Eve were both created in the image of God. When they became sinful, the perfect image was shattered. The first thing they did, was try to fix it. They made clothes for themselves with leaves. It might have made them feel a little better, but it did not really fix the broken image they just had. For the inadequacy they felt did not come as a result of their outward appearance, but from the sin that laid heavily upon their souls. Before we accepted Christ, we all felt the same emptiness and the broken image we inherited and we longed to address this until we accepted the salvation provided by God through our Lord, Jesus Christ. That is exactly what Isaiah is talking about. He says “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness…” Prophet Isaiah was pretty excited about these clothes.

Point of Emphasis: For the inadequacy they felt did not come as a result of their outward appearance, but from the sin that laid heavily upon their souls.

Prayer Point: O Lord wash me with Your blood and clothe me with Your garment of righteousness in Jesus’ name.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Sat. 18/2/2017

A Sinner Before The Judge?

Zech. 3:1-5; Heb. 9:27

In this passage of Zechariah, we find a sinner facing physical death, and as Hebrews 9:27 states, “…and after this the judgment.” The sinner has come to a place to which we will all come; he has kept his appointment with the Almighty. Here the sinner stands in the True Supreme Court of the universe, the court from which there is no appeal. This court is different from any other court the world has ever known, for there is no guarantee of an attorney, and there is no jury. There is no case and there is no debate. There is simply a judge, a prosecutor and a defendant. If you do qualify for a defense attorney, it must be the judge himself! From this passage God is the Judge. Joshua, the high Priest, is the defendant and Satan is the prosecutor. Satan is bringing his case against Joshua before God. Satan is standing at Joshua’s right hand opposing him. Satan will oppose anything you do except sin. The only time Satan is on your side is when you are against God. Satan has no mercy and he does not fight fair. He doesn’t play by the rules. There is a wonderful lesson to be learned here. God will never defend the sins of His children, but He will always defend His children!

Point of Emphasis: God will never defend the sins of His children, but He will always defend His children!

Prayer Point: O Lord my Father rescue me from all the accusations of the devil in the name of Jesus.

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Amen and thanks

LESSON 12 19/2/2017

THE PARABLE OF THE WEDDING CLOTHES

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 148, 150

Devotional Reading: Lk. 14:15-24

Topic for Adults: Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen.

Topic for Youths: Don’t Refuse God’s Invitation

Topic for Intermediates: Enter Through The Narrow Gate

Scripture Lesson: Matt. 22:1-3; Rev. 21:2,9; Matt. 22:4-8; 23:37; 22:8-13

Memory Verse: “But when the king came to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment’. And he was speechless (Matt. 22:11-12) NKJV

BACKGROUND

In this parable, the King’s son is to be married and the king is planning the wedding celebration. He had invited the obvious people, the great men of his kingdom, the people one would expect to be at such an occasion, but they had treated his invitation with contempt. They have proved unworthy of it. But the King cannot cancel the banquet. This is his son’s wedding; it must be celebrated; there must be guests to fill the banqueting hall. Where can worthy guests be found, guests who will not spurn but be glad to be there and really share the joy of the occasion with the King? Who will prove worthy to be a guest at the wedding banquet?



NOTE ON THE TEXT

PART 1: THE SPECIAL INVITED GUEST REFUSE TO COME (MATT. 22:1-3; REV. 21:2, 9)

The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a wedding banquet. The parable says that the King gave a wedding banquet for his Son. In the claims of Jesus, God the Father would be this King, and Jesus, of course, was the Son. The presentation of the King’s Son, the Messiah, as a bridegroom is not uncommon (Jn. 3:29). This is the New Testament counterpart of the Old Testament usage of marriage as a symbol of the covenant, i.e., that Israel was the wife of Yahweh, and in the end, an unfaithful wife - Hosea 3 - who followed after other lovers (gods). The imagery in the New Testament does not focus on God’s relation to a nation in general, but on the special relationship between Christ and true believers. The anticipated union with Christ in glory is portrayed by John as a marriage supper (Rev. 19). Here, Jesus uses the same idea to warn people not to refuse the invitation, and not to be found unprepared for the coming of the Bridegroom.

The guest list was drawn up ahead of time, and when the time came for the feast, they were notified that it was ready. But these guests refused to come - they persistently refused to come. These special guests would be the Israelites who were expecting the Messiah; they claimed to be closely related to the King, God. But when the King prepared the banquet for his Son, they would not come. In the New Testament, Christ is often portrayed as the stumbling stone--people might have embraced an offer of the kingdom, but they had to determine what to do about Jesus? In Matthew 23:37 to get the point: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who killed the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing". For many reasons, but one primarily, the Jewish people did not accept Jesus as their Messiah when He came and extended to them the invitation to come to Him (Matt. 11:28). They could explain it in so many ways, but it simply was that they did not believe in Him.

This parable, then, portrays the expected guests as refusing the gracious invitation to attend the banquet. By refusing the offer of grace they refused a share in the banquet, and in the world to come-if they continued to refuse.

PART 2: THE SECOND INVITATION VIOLENTLY OPPOSED (MATT 22:4-8; MATT.23:37)

The King extends his gracious invitation again, although this time he made it even more appealing. He sent other messengers out to invite them again. This is so true of the way that the Lord calls people to himself, repeatedly and with all the incentives to appeal to people. In this parable the incentives are portrayed in the description of the banquet. And here there would be plenty to eat--the King said that his oxen and fattened cattle had been butchered and everything was ready for the feast. What could be more appealing?--the King himself extends the invitation, it is for a joyful time of celebration, and they would enjoy. One is amazed that the invitation needed to be repeated at all! The invitation of the King was both a great honour--and a sovereign command -one does not refuse the King.

The response to this second invitation is rather surprising, to say the least. The people paid no attention to the messengers, but went off on their own business. But others seized the messengers and mistreated them and killed them! The King was so outraged by their treatment of his messengers that he sent his army to destroy the murderers and burn their city. In this context the opposition to Jesus had grown violently; and Jesus warned His enemies of the coming judgment they would receive. So the focus of the parable, although severe, is true to history. The Hebrews had often harmed and killed the prophets that God sent to them; and they were about to do the same with Jesus. But to refuse the offer of the King and murder his messengers was the same as committing suicide. That would even have been true in their days. But in the story, this was not any king, but the King of Glory.

A survey of the Gospels as a whole is necessary to draw together the reasons for the Jews’ rejection and hatred of Jesus. Again and again Jesus called them to come and follow Him and He would give them eternal rest. Their unbelief in Him lay behind their refusal. But perhaps as the repeated appeals of Jesus made the call clearer to them--that Jesus was the divine Son of God, that they would have to submit to Him, and that they could only enter the Kingdom of Heaven through repentance of their sins and faith in His provision--they became more aware of what He was saying about Himself and therefore what He was saying about them. Their violent response in killing the messengers the LORD sent anticipated their desire to kill Jesus--they did not want to hear any more of their guilt and His grace. And so, just as Jesus explained in the last section, the kingdom would be taken from them and given to a people bearing fruit. Those who angrily refused the gracious invitation to the wedding feast would be insulting and minimizing the King, and so his wrath would fall on them.

PART 3: THE INVITATION GIVEN TO ANYONE WHO WOULD COME (MATT. 22:8-13)

The king now turned to all and sundry because the special ones who were invited refused to come. He sent his servants out into the streets to invite all that they could find, whether good or bad. The banquet hall was soon filled with people wanting to have a share in the King’s wedding feast for his Son. The call is not for the wise and the learned, certainly not for the smug and self-righteous, but for all who would come. He came into the world to seek and save that which was lost, not those who had rigorously kept the Law (or who said they did) and could claim to have the righteousness to enter the Messianic banquet. What was drawn into the hall were both good and bad people--but all in need of God’s invitation to escape the sin and bondage of this world.

The parable tells how the King arrived to see the guests who were at the wedding feast for the Son. But he found a man who was not wearing the proper wedding clothes. In our story the King wanted to know how the man got in without the proper attire, but the man was speechless, a sign of his guilt. The man did not prepare properly to act on the invitation he received. So there was an invitation to the banquet, but not all who responded to the invitation were allowed to remain. The King had the man tied and cast out into the darkness, where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The outcome of this man’s situation informs us of the true meaning of the symbolism. We have to say that the proper attire would correspond to all that Jesus said was required for entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven--true repentance for sin and faith in Christ, and then a commitment to love and obey the Lord as evidence of saving faith. In Jesus’ day many people certainly wanted to enter the kingdom, but when Jesus started telling them to come to Him and take His yoke upon them and learn of him, they went away. And in the day of judgment many will claim to have done good deeds, but Jesus will turn them away because they will not have dealt properly with the basic issue of salvation--they will not be prepared properly and spiritually to be received by the King at the wedding of the Son.

CONCLUSION

The parable closes with an explanation "For" Many are "called," but few are chosen. The word "many" is not intended to be a restricted number; it is used in Isaiah 53 to speak of those for whom Christ poured out His blood. The invitation has gone out to all who care to listen, but some just refused, and some wanted to come but refused to submit to the requirements of entrance into the kingdom. So none of these will be present in the kingdom. Those Jesus refers to as "chosen" are the people who respond to the invitation to come, and respond in the proper manner so that they are prepared to enter the kingdom. Because the Bible refers to the recipients of grace as "chosen," we may conclude that it intends to say that God is not surprised by the acceptance of some and the rejection of many. In other words, sovereign grace is still at work, even though on the human level, we see how some refuse and some accept and prepare.

QUESTIONS

What was the kingdom of heaven compared to in our lesson today?

What were some of the excuses of the invited guests who refused to come?

What was the king’s verdict against them?

What was the significance of wedding garment in our lesson today and what is its significance to us today?

Explain briefly, the woeful end of any Christian without the wedding garment in heaven.

REVISION DAY 1

MONDAY 20/2/2017



LESSON 1

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM



Suggested Hymn: G.H.B. 147, 148

Devotional Reading: Ps. 19:7-14

Topic For Adults: The Gospel Of The Kingdom Is Perfect

Topic For Youths: Embrace The Gospel Of The Kingdom

Topic For Intermediates: Be Equipped Thoroughly

Scripture Lesson: Matt. 5:20; 18:3; 3:7; Rom. 3:23; 1 Jn. 1:10; Matt. 3:1-8; 4:17; 5:19



Memory Verse: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17) NKJV

SUMMARY

God’s intention for all mankind is seen in His kindness which he had shown through the gospel. Let’s endeavour to be faithful to the requirement of the gospel and allow our external confessing of Christ be accompanied by inner transformation of our hearts. (Matt. 5:21-28)

LESSON 2

ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS INTO THE KINGDOM



Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 109, 154

Devotional Reading: Matt. 6:19-33

Topic For Adults: Don’t Be Found Wanting

Topic For Youths: Make Efforts To Be Qualified

Topic For Intermediates: Enter Through The Door

Scripture Lesson: Matt. 5:3,10,20; 25:31-35; Jn. 3:3; 6:53-63



Memory Verse: “Jesus answered and said to Him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born-again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:3) NKJV



SUMMARY

The kingdom is a reality which has its rules and regulations that must be kept before one can be allowed to enter there. We must therefore, abide by the required standard to enter there so that we may not run our Christian race in vain.

Daily Reading


REVISION DAY 2

TUESDAY 21/2/2017



LESSON 3

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE KINGDOM (BASED ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT)



Suggested Hymns: 155, 158

Devotional Reading: Matt. 5:17-20

Topic For Adults: Be Kingdom Compliant

Topic For Youths: You Are A Peculiar People

Topic For Intermediates: Jesus Meant Well

Scripture Lesson: Matt. 5:1-20; 4:48; 11:28-29



Memory Verse: “Do not think that I come to destroy the Law and the Prophets, I did not come to destroy but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17) NKJV



SUMMARY

The blessed in the context of today’s teaching involves an attitude of gratitude where life is filled with thanksgiving and joy. Though the blessed life is not problem free but it is different because it possesses the resources to handle them. Only those that are truly committed to God’s will rejoice and be exceedingly glad because he or she has got opportunity to know the will of God and be committed to it.



LESSON 4

THE KING OF THE KINGDOM



Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 133, 143

Devotional Reading: Isaiah 11:1-9

Topic For Adults: Behold The King Of The Kingdom Is Born

Topic For Youths: The King’s Birth Is Good News

Topic For Intermediates: The Good News Of Jesus’ Birth

Scripture Lesson: Isa. 9:1-7; Matt. 1:18-25; 9:35-38; 10:1, 5-8



Memory Verse: “For unto us a child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end (Isa. 9:6-7a) NKJV



SUMMARY

Jesus fulfilled the qualities of the king of the kingdom. He laid the foundation and gave authority to advance the kingdom. We can show appreciation to His Kingship having been part of the kingdom by inviting others to His rulership

Daily Reading


REVISION DAY 3

WEDNESDAY 22/2/2017



LESSON 5

THE KINGDOM OF GOD: ITS BEGINNING



Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 129, 133

Devotional Reading: Exo. 15:16-18

Topic For Adults: Have Deeper Understanding Of The Kingdom Of God

Topic For Youths: The Kingdom Of God Is Not Eating And Drinking

Topic For Intermediates: Are You A Kingdom Child?

Scripture Lesson: Dan. 4:3; Ps. 103:19; 83:19; Lk. 17:20-21; Dan. 7:13-14; Lk. 17:22



Memory Verse: For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17) NKJV



SUMMARY

The internal and external kingdom is real. As a member of the kingdom, we have divine agenda and purpose. John the Baptist preached and prepared the people for the imminent coming of the Messiah at His first advent. After Jesus, he laid the foundation of the kingdom and commanded His immediate disciples to carry on the task till He returned. With the disciples’ commitment and effort, they extended the task for the next generation which is ours. It is now our turn to carry on the word with all seriousness needed to prepare the world for the coming of the kingdom.





LESSON 6

PARABLE OF THE SOWER



Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 15, 99

Devotional Reading: Matt. 11:25-26

Topic For Adults: What Is The Condition Of Your Heart?

Topic For Youths: Worldliness Chokes God’s Word

Topic For Intermediates: Allow God’s Word In you

Scripture Lesson: Matt. 13:3-11, 18-23



Memory Verse: He answered and said to them, Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given (Matt. 13:11) NKJV



SUMMARY

It is insufficient to hear the word of God. The heart that receives the word needs to be well prepared. Some people scream, shout and jump up while listening to God’s word. All these have no indication that the word penetrates into good ground in them. We should receive the word of God with a soft and contrite heart so it can pierce our hearts and impact our lives.