My Final Words About the Kingdom - Part 1:

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

January 30, 2020

My Final Words About the Kingdom - Part 1:

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

Page 250

Matthew 25: 1-13

In our reading yesterday, Jesus told us God will fulfill his promises to make all things right at the end of this present age. Jesus said our mission is to be prepared for the return of the Messiah. To emphasize this, Jesus brings his teaching about the coming Kingdom of God to a climax in a series of four parables: the parable of The Wise and Faithful Servant, the parable of The Bridesmaids, the parable of The Talents, and the parable of The Sheep and Goats. Our reading for today is the parable of The Bridesmaids.

I have a friend who grew up in a very strict church. The church took just about everything in the Bible literally, and they had a long list of things not to do, such as no movies, dancing, drinking, etc.  He said every time he left the house, he could remember his mother saying, “Be careful what you do. If Jesus comes tonight, you don’t want him to catch you at the movie theater.”

Whatever Jesus had in mind when he gave these end-times parables, I believe my friend’s church missed the point; that is not what Jesus had in mind for us. However, Jesus’ final words to the foolish bridesmaids echo his words in the Sermon on the Mount: “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven… But I will reply, ‘I never knew you” (Matthew 7: 21-23). Obviously, Jesus wants us to take him seriously. What then is his point in this parable?

I believe Jesus is making the point in this parable that every day is Game Day, and I must stay prepared. This is not a parable about whether I can lose my right- standing with God. This parable is a reminder that Jesus’ invitation to come into the Kingdom of God is an invitation to willingly submit to the rule of God in my life, each and every day.

My Takeaway: I would do well to model my life after the Apostle Paul, so I too can say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful” (2 Timothy 4: 6-8).

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.