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The Parables #104

The sheep and the goats, Pt1.

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left,” 31-33.

This is the final parable told by the Saviour and its is fitting that we look at it for I feel that it will occupy us until the end of this school year.

The time indicated. “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him.” This is the end of this age.

The event that takes place. “Before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.”

“All nations”: this is an example of a general term which has a very specific and limited meaning. We commonly used a general, all embracing term when we actually means something much more limited. Consider how we see in the Bible general expressions which actually meant something much smaller or less than what it appears to be saying.

• “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me,” John 12:32. Only ALL of God’s elect come to Christ in response to the gospel.

• “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed,” Luke 2:1. It was only a small part of the world that heard this decree!

• “Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth,” Col 1:6. Likewise, only a small part of the world had heard the gospel.

Here are general terms with a limited meaning as we have in this parable.

Who then are ‘all the nations? It is a reference to ALL those who profess in some form the Christian religion. The professing church is made up of either ‘sheep’ or goats. Some are sheep and others only look like sheep, they are in truth, ‘goats’ false professors!!

The Parables #103

The Pharisee and the Publican, # 11.

Scripture: Luke 18:10-14.

Stream or download The Parables #103

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.”

How important prayer is boys and girls! There is no hope of heaven for someone who does not pray. We can obtain salvation ONLY by asking God! Matthew 7:7-11.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” Romans 10:13.

Let us go a little further in this matter.

How a person prays tell us much about them!

In the case of the Pharisee . . . .
The Pharisee thought little of God. See how he addresses God! “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God . . . . ” There is not much reverence in such a beginning! No expression of fear, or of love or any awareness of the majesty of the person he addressed!
The Pharisee thought much of himself! “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican,” verse 11.

How blind he was to God’s glory when he speaks thus of himself so!

How different was Paul’s view of himself, 1 Corinthians 15:10.

The Publican had a very different attitude.

He thought much of God but little of himself! “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner,” verse 13.

Note his attitude toward the Lord. “ . . standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven.”

Note his view of himself. “ . . . smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” Greek ‘THE sinner.’

The Saviour says that God heard his prayer and saved him. “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other,” verse 14. He was set free from from his guilt and counted righteous by God. He was seen by God as ‘just if he had never sinned!’

The Parables #102

The Pharisee and the Publican, Pt 10.

Scripture: Luke 18:10-14.

Stream or download The Parables #102

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.”

Today, we are going to begin considering the praying of the Pharisee and Publican. Please remember that the chief purpose of the temple was prayer. Sacrifices were offered there in abundance but prayer was the chief function in the temple! Hear the Saviour’s own words on this matter. “It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves,” Luke 19:46.

It must be said that the chief part of the worship of God is prayer. While we gather in God’s house we ought to do so in a spirit of prayer. We ought to pray as we sing, as the minister prays, as we listen to the preaching of the God’s Word!

When a person prays it tells us that they believe that God exists.

If a person prays he indicates an awareness of his obligation to honour God and acknowledge Him. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,” Hebrews 11:6.

Again, if a person prays, it indicates that he hopes to obtain from God that which he asks for. “ . . . . . and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him,” Hebrews 11:6.
If, on the other hand, a person does not pray
it may be for a number of reasons.

It is because that person does not believe there is a God! “The fool (person without any sense) hath said in his heart, There is no God,” Psalm 14:1.

Many who might not go so far as to deny the existence of God but they do not believe that there is any benefit in praying; it is a waste of time because God does not hear and will not answer. God is not worth speaking to!! That person has believed the devil’s lie! “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever,” 1 Chron 28:9.