Parable Of Faithful and Unfaithful Servant

1-30-11

The Faithful And The Unfaithful Servant

We don’t know when the Lord Jesus will come. No man, not even the angels in heaven, know the hour when the Son of man come, only the Father (Matthew24:36).
Jesus warns us in parables, so that we have no excuse on the day of judgment, to be watchful for the end. To not become slothful, thinking that Jesus won’t come for a long time. It is when we don’t expect Him to come, that He will. There are a lot of signs Jesus gives us that will let us know the end is near. Are we a faithful servant, awaiting His arrival or are we unfaithful to Him? Are we abiding in Him or being as a harlot with the world which He says will pass away?
There are good, faithful servants of His. They are watchful unto Him. They keep their focus and eyes on Him always. They are ready, in whatever hour He comes, using their talents He has given wisely. Doing as He commands in the life He has given him. The reward of this servant is great; He will make him ruler over all His goods, blessed is He. This is an Eternal Being, Jesus, saying that this man is blessed, this is Eternal Blessing.
There are also evil servants of His. They think in their heart, the Lord is not coming soon, He will delay His coming. They smote their fellow servants, ate and drank with the drunken. They are not sober, watching for the Lord, waiting upon Him, they count their servant hood to Him a common and unholy thing. The Lord will come in a day that he is not aware. And the Lord shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
He is counted the same as the hypocrites! Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites, and He woes them much in the Scriptures. That woe is an eternal woe just like the blessings of the Eternal Being are everlasting, so are the woes.
Notice that the evil servant fares sumptuously everyday just like in Luke 16:19. And this man spent eternity in hell. Just like this evil servant. They have the same fate. This evil servant was drinking with the drunkards and thought nothing of it. Mingling in with the world, very light hearted, having no sobriety, just loving the world, thinking he can have both the Lord and these things. He was greatly deceived and paid an eternal penalty.
One other thing to notice, that the evil servant IS a servant of the Lord. This evil servant, just like the faithful servant has the Lord that is capable of casting him into hell. It does not call this servant the servant of the devil, or an unsaved person. This servant is just the evil servant who does evil, then expects when the Lord comes He will not reward him according to his deeds done in the body. But He will. He is a just God. This is why Jesus warns so often to fear God, to abide in Him, giving us parables and straight up commands. This is for our own good, for our eternal good. Because some will be cast out who did not do His will. Who thought they knew Him but in actuality, according to the Lord, did not. This is fearful.
(Matthew 24:42-51)

Parable Of The Vineyard

1-28-11

PARABLE OF THE

LORD OF THE VINEYARD

Mat 20:1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”
-Jesus


The labor that the laborers had done in the vineyard was not supposed to be to the glory of themselves. For if it were, then these who were in the vineyard first would have been rewarded more than those who came last. The laborer gets angry with the Goodman, his lord, but the lord rebukes him, saying “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” That is a pretty strong rebuke from the Lord. The labor in the vineyard is not about the laborer but about the householder, their lord, the Goodman who does whatever he pleases. Just like God in heaven doing whatever He pleases. It is to his glory, so too with Christians, it is not about our labor we are doing for the Lord, as we should expect some great gift from God or something, it is about Him and His Kingdom, His glory!  

There is NO partiality with God. God gave to the men who have “borne the burden and the heat of the day” and those who worked for a short time all the same pay. This may seem unfair and even contradictory to other stories in the Scripture that speak of getting rewards and being given according to how much you labored. But I think God puts this in here for a very special purpose, I think the Lord is evening out the Scripture putting this in here. To bring in some humility where there may be much focus on rewards etc. God makes it impossible for the flesh to boast.

This is also in complete opposition to how the world works here, the Kingdom is very contrary to our world we live in. Think about how it works at your job. Those who have been “laboring” or working there the longest get the biggest pay check. Those who have only been there for a short while get paid little, and as they progress, as they work over time the pay goes up. The people who have been there the longest also seem to have the greatest favor with the “householder” or boss. Well, this is not how God works J. With God there is no partiality. Someone who has just begun working for Him, and someone who has been working for Him for years are both precious in His eyes and neither is glorified above the other if they are both obeying and walking with Him.

God keeps us humble. Believers that have been walking with the Lord for years gain a new brother. They are able to receive him with meekness and humility knowing they are no better than he is. God even says that “the last shall be first and the first last.“ So knowing this in itself can keep us from being puffed up about the time we have spent laboring for the Kingdom. It is all about the Kingdom and love for the brethren.

I think of the thief on the cross next to Jesus, how Jesus said Today you will be with Me in paradise. This thief got saved! He repented, (he agreed with how wretched his sin was, how deserving of the cross he was and how undeserving Jesus was of such a death turning from his wicked thoughts that got him there to begin with), and he reproved the works of darkness even. But he didn’t have any time to labor for the Kingdom. But He got the only thing he could ever want, that anyone could ever want whether laboring for a short or long time, to be in paradise with Jesus. The penny was Jesus, in a sense, as well. We who are born again will all get the Penny, no more, no less, He is all we want, all we need. This creates a desire to labor all the more!

I find it interesting the householder agreed with the first laborers on how much they would make, a penny. The next laborers to come in though, at all hours, being added, did not even agree to a certain payment! They were thankful, glad to be hired! They didn’t care what the payment was, it was something! They knew they had nothing. I think these were desperate lost people, they were called and they just came. It reminds me of the people in the parable of the wedding feast in chapter 22. Since the original ones invited didn’t come, the servants went to the highways, and as many as they could find they were told to take with them to the wedding feast. Jesus came for the lost sheep, not the ones who have stipulations, expectations, and pride. These people were glad to have been called, since no other man had hired these laborers. They were desperate and humble, trusted the Goodman that he would give them what was right and received the same as those who were laboring before them.

Since this parable is likened to the Kingdom of heaven, it is interesting to note, the lord of the vineyard went out to find all who were idle, and put them to work. This ruins any false belief of what heaven will be like. We won’t be sitting there on a cloud with harps doing nothing all day. We will be at rest, with the Lord, yes, singing to Him probably all the time, yet He will give us labor, yet there it won’t be laboring. It won’t be strenuous, it won’t come with thorns and thistles from the fall. It will be beautiful, and He will give us lots to do, and we will love every ounce of it if it could be measured!

The Two Blind Men

1-29-11

The Two Blind Men

Mat 20:29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
Mat 20:30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

This brings to mind the hymn, “Pass me not, O Gentle Savior, hear my humble cry; while on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by. Let me at Thy throne of mercy find a sweet relief; kneeling there in deep contrition, help my unbelief. Trusting only in Thy merit, would I seek Thy face, heal my wounded broken spirit, save me by Thy grace. Thou the spring of all my comfort, more than life to me, whom have I on earth besides Thee? Whom in heaven but Thee?”
As Jesus was passing them by, they heart that He was passing them, and CRIED OUT!! They didn’t care what the crowd would think, they needed the Savior! The healer! They were blind. They were blind just like anyone is without Jesus. They didn’t know Him, but they had faith to cry out to Him.

Mat 20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

The multitude rebuked them, hold your peace! Why do you cry out? Stop crying out, be at peace, you are fine! When you cry out to the Lord, save me! And He has not yet come, don’t let the multitude quiet you, don’t let anyone quiet you until He has stood still and come to you Himself! They were not quieted or given a peace from people, they needed to see Jesus! They wouldn’t settle! They cried all the more!! Confessing Him before all men, not even thinking or caring of the cost!

Mat 20:32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

Jesus heard them! He STOOD STILL for them, these blind and beggarly men He called to them! Jesus Himself called to them! I am sure the multitude, all others, would tell them, Jesus is not going to listen to you, He will not stoop down to you, get over it. But HE DID stand and call to them and ask them what they wanted Him to do!

Mat 20:33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

They cried to Him, calling Him Lord, that they might see Him! That our eyes be opened! They knew they were undeserving, they also knew that they needed Him! They wanted to see Jesus!

Mat 20:34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

The Lord is compassionate, His compassions fail not, He touched them. No one would touch them, they were lowly and beggarly, disabled, not any man would have had compassion on them in that day they lived. But Jesus was not a respecter of persons, He was humble and meek and loving. He had mercy upon them that cried out to Him. Anyone who cries out to Him, calling on His name, seeking Him He will in no wise cast out. Anyone who is persistent like these blind men, zealous to reach the Lord though they could not see! Jesus gave them sight!! With these blind men His timing was immediately. Not with everyone does He give immediately to, yet they were broken and desperate, this was good soil. He came to them and gave them their petition. Who else has the words of eternal life? Where else would they go? They followed their Savior.

Matthew 15:1-11 What Defiles A Man

Mat 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

Mat 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

The Pharisees were so concerned with looking at other people's "faults", when they should remove the plank in their own eye, that they might see clearly.  They did not realize that Jesus is the God of the Sabbath, not the law.  They miss the point: For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.(Matthew 12:8) And that: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.  These Pharisees were men that everyone looked on as "holy" and if anyone were going to heaven, it was them (by appearance to most men).  But God sees their heart, and Jesus who is God come in the flesh sees their hearts, they are white washed tombs, the outside looks great and right but their insides are like dead mans bones.  They condemn the guiltless to uphold their form of righteousness and to make all others subject to this righteousness that they establish themselves which is not righteousness.  For righteousness can only come from God, and is through God, in Him.   

Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

The Pharisees were seen as living out the law perfectly, but in actuality by their self righteousness and by establishing their own righteousness by their "good works" they are transgressing the commandments of God, not upholding them!!  Traditions can squash the work of the Spirit, grieve the Spirit, though He is sovereign and will ultimately have His way, the work of the Spirit can still be hindered.  Traditions of men, things that were taught by the church all your life can be hindrances to the work of God just like the Pharisees were a hindrance to Jesus.  Notice though how Jesus does not shy away from being complete bold, blunt and honest no matter what men thought, He called them out in their sin, He reproves the works of darkness!  Only He has power to do this, and for true believers with Him in them, they are able to do this as well for truth to reign and God to be glorified.  

Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Jesus simply states the commandment of God, to honour father and mother, then compares the Pharisees who claim to do this, but in actuality this is what they were doing...which is not pleasing to God at all...

Mat 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, [It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me];

It is a gift?  Who do they think they are?  The Pharisees are saying that anything they do for their father or mother is a gift, it is not a command of God that is expected of me, to take care of my parents when they can't, etc, it is just a gift that they might profit by me.  How prideful of them!  Are we like this?  Is this our heart?  We are not expected to take care of father and mother, we are not expected to take care of them because it is pleasing to God, no, any time I honor them it is just simply a gift from me and they should cherish it, because of what a good person I am.  That is Pharisaical, prideful, ridiculous.  God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Mat 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Their tradition just made the commandment completely ineffective!  

Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

These men who do not draw near God, they do not honor God, these are the men in the high place of teaching people the commandments, and how to worship God.  When God says that they worship Him in vain, they aren't worshiping God, not with their heart, not in Spirit and in truth as God is pleased.  

Mat 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

Mat 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Out of the mouth the heart speaks.  It is what comes out that defiles him.  

I need to meditate further on this, but wow, this is a heavy passage, think about these things.

 

Were You Saved? Were You Born Again?

I know the Lord quickens verses and you are moved at times, God bringing you to Himself, but was it salvation?  Were you changed?  Were you born again at that moment?  Were you born again at any moment that you can remember?  The moment you were granted faith to believe that Jesus shed His blood for YOU?  That every Word of God is living and it was all written specifically for YOU?  When did He become REAL to you?  Did you ever seek for Him with all your heart and keep seeking, seeking, knocking until He came?  Did you seek for Him to confirm you?  Were you given true faith to believe?  Does your spirit testify with His Spirit you are His?  (Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6)  

There is a growing belief in our churches today that says if you say a prayer, have a spiritual experience, or feel a "peace" then you are saved.  Why does the gate seem so wide, not narrow, not difficult as the bible says it will be?  (Matthew 7:13-14)  Many say a prayer, go to church, do ministry, but it's more of a social club.  Their lives remain unchanged though they claim Christ now. (Matthew 7:21-23)

There are many who have said a prayer and taken the assurance from a pastor, teacher, friend, or family member that they are saved, all the while never receiving the assurance from God.  If you are saved you will be able to assure your heart before Him.  (1 John 3:19)  And if you cannot, if your heart condemns you He is greater than your heart, how much more will He condemn you?  If God has saved you, isn't He capable of confirming you as well?  But instead when anyone doubts their salvation they go to men instead of humbling their hearts and life before God and seeking Him for assurance they are His.  (Hebrews 10:22)  Seek Him with your whole heart.  (2 Chronicles 15:4; Deuteronomy 4:28-31) This will mean asking Him to show you sins.  It is inevitable when you seek Him in truth He will show you sin, because He is holy and this is what separates us from Him, our sin.  (Isaiah 59:2)  There may be many you didn't even see, but His Spirit will show you if you ask.  If you step into the Light, because He is light, He exposes all sin, the heart.  If He shows you the sins then you have the chance to agree with Him about your sin, to be broken over sin and humble yourself before Him.  (James 4:6)  If He shows you this then you can be free.  Does your heart condemn you before God? (1 John 3:20-21)

If you think He does not condemn you, if you say "I am saved", do you have fruit?  (Matthew 7:16-19)  You shall know by the fruit.   Every tree that does not bear good fruit, that being bad fruit or no fruit he will be cast into the fire.  Examine yourself, ask God to examine you, see if your heart or He condemns or assures you, this is biblical and God honors this.  He will either confirm you and you can rejoice or He will convict you of the truth and then you can seek Him for faith and grace and granting of repentance, this is honorable to Him as well.  (Psalm 26:2; 2 Corinthians 13:5, Psalm 25:5)Have you ever been lost?  (Matthew 18:11; 1 Timothy 1:15; Romans 3:12; Matthew 19:17) or have you "always" been saved?  Have you been granted repentance? (Matthew 9:13; Luke 3:3; Luke 5:32)  Do you love the brethren?  (1 John 3:4)  Do you love the lost? (Matthew 5:44, Romans 10:1)  Do you love reproof?  (Proverbs 15:31, Proverbs 10:8)  Do you keep His commandments that He gives to you specifically in your walk with Him? (1 John 5:2)  Has He quickened His Word to you and does He do this most days, giving you your manna for the day as He says He will?  (Psalm 119:107, Romans 8:11)  Do you delight in and love the Word of God?  (Psalm 1:2)  Have you and are you convicted of sin?  (John 16:8)  Have you seen the wickedness of your sin or is it not that bad to you?  (2 Chronicles 7:14; Jeremiah 17:9; Psalm 32:5; 1 John 1:9; James 5:16)  Have you suffered persecution? (2 Timothy 3:12)  Do you hate your life?  (Luke 14:26,33)  Have you denied yourself?  Do you deny yourself?  (Matthew 16:24; Luke 14:27)  Have you died?  (Colossians 3:3)

This is difficult to swallow, but search the verses, search the Scriptures.  I believe this to be the true Gospel, not the "gospel" in the churches today but biblical Christianity, when one is born again, truly.  Why would I ask all of this?  How do I know?  From experience and from reading the Scriptures plainly, humbly and honestly.  In the next post I will post my testimony, this will shed more light I think.