Gathering Growing Going
In Matthew 26:1-35, Matthew transitions us from Jesus’s final sermon on the Mount of Olives to the events leading up to his crucifixion. As he has done since being revealed as the Messiah (Matt 16:16-21), Jesus prepares his disciples for his crucifixion. He does this by teaching them that his crucifixion fulfills the covenant promises of God captured both in the Jewish scriptures and festivals instituted by God, especially the Passover. How different people respond to Jesus shows whether they truly understand who he is or the significance of his crucifixion.
I think many of us struggle in the face of Jesus’ teaching in this, his last sermon to his disciples. It is urgent, it is blunt, it is confronting… and there is immense comfort. In this last moment, he turns from metaphor and parable to clear statement—this is what it will be like on judgement day. And there are some very significant, and deep, theological truths revealed here (the identity of Jesus, the reality of judgement, the nature of Jesus’ relationship with his people, the foundation for judgement). But there is also immense comfort—the entry into the kingdom remains the forgiveness of sins by Jesus (Matthew 1:21); the practice of the kingdom is so simple and obvious (caring for those in the kingdom); and there will be a day of judgement!
The logic of Jesus’ last teaching time with His disciples is clear: the end is coming; no-one knows that day; be alert, working… and now, in two clear parables, He teaches what that looks like. In the parable of the virgins (vs.1-13), to be alert is to be prepared. And what does that look like? Well, I suspect it is to know Jesus and His words deeply, it is to know Jesus and His mob consistently, and I suspect it is to live Jesus and His truth daily. In the parable of the talents (vs.14-30), to be alert is to wholeheartedly work with everything God has given you, for Jesus. And what does that look like? Well, I suspect it is not pew-warming, but pew-working – it is not just wafting through life as one of Jesus’ disciples; it is to be actively using whatever gifts, resources, and faculties (and opportunities) for the sake of Jesus, and the proclamation of His good news.
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