Exodus 26:1-27:21, Matthew 25:1-30, Psalms 31:1-8, Proverbs 8:1-11
Today is the 7th day of the month of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and every day we come together like this and every day it’s a pleasure to be in your presence and have this time to take the next step forward in our adventure through the Scriptures. And our current adventure leads us back into the book of Exodus where an entire culture is being built up from scratch. We’re reading from the Amplified Bible this week. Exodus chapter 26 and 27.
Commentary:
Okay. So, in the gospel of Matthew for the last couple days we’ve been talking about the end times because that’s what Jesus is talking about. And, so, we’ve been kind of moving our way through that. We touched on apocalyptic worldview and the fact that Jesus tells us that when these things do begin to happen the way that we are supposed to look at them is to understand that this is birthing pains and it will give birth to all things being made new again. And we were also counsel not to basically live in panic mode. Actually, we’re supposed to live opposite of panic mode. We’re supposed to be aware and vigilant and perceptive and see what’s going on. And as for dating the end of the world, as we’re like trying to figure that out, is it is a going to be 2019, is going to be 2029, will be 2129? As for that, Jesus basically puts an end to it by saying, “nobody knows, nobody but the Father.” So, that’s some of the territory that we’ve navigated through and Jesus is continuing that conversation in today’s reading by using a couple of stories, parables, that are designed to illustrate what he’s talking about and also what the kingdom of God is like. And these parables they basically seal the deal in showing us that our posture for the kingdom of heaven should be no different than the posture toward the end of days. So, in the first story Jesus told the parable of the 10 bridesmaids who went to a wedding feast and the bridegroom hadn’t arrived yet, so the women had to wait. And as they waited the differences between them were revealed. Half of them were ready. Half of them had been vigilant. Half of them had been aware and they brought extra oil for their lamps while the other half didn’t. And when the oil ran out the unprepared bridesmaids had to go in search of more but while they were gone the bridegroom arrived. So, those who were prepared, who had been vigilant, who understood what was going on were allowed into the celebration and those who were not missed out on it. And then in the second story Jesus told of a master who was planning to go away for a while and he provided resources to three of his servants with an understanding that they would steward those resources while he was gone. And, so, he went and then he came back and when he returned he asked for an accounting and two of the servants had doubled what they’d been given, right? So, they were vigilant and they were aware and astute and wise and they received very encouraging words from the master, “well done my good and faithful servant”, because those servants had taken a risk and they put the resources to good and profitable use. And, so, he invited them. “You’ve been faithful in handling small things and now I’m gonna give you…I’m gonna let you handle larger things. Come in and let’s celebrate.” Oh…but there was the third…the third of the three. And that servant was fearful. And, so, he took what he’d been given, and he hid it in the ground. So, he didn’t lose anything, but he didn’t gain anything, and he didn’t risk anything. Like, even if he had risked and lost that would be an attempt but he buried in the ground and the master didn’t respond as favorably to him. He says, “to those who use well what they’re given then even more will be given and they’ll have an abundance but for those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.” So, as we’re kind of rounding the bend on this discourse about the end times, from the lips of the master we’re reminded that we really don’t have another choice but to stay prepared and aware. And we don’t really have another choice but to be vigilant because everything that we have has been given to us to steward on behalf of the master. And it doesn’t matter how much or how little we have, we’re to use whatever we have. And this isn’t just about dollars, right, or Euro’s or whatever the currency is in your country. This isn’t about money. This is about everything. We’ve got to get our minds around this. As we move forward into the message of Jesus, we are going to come face-to-face with the stark reality that this is all or nothing. So, it doesn’t matter what we have, and it doesn’t matter if we don’t feel prepared or that we don’t have enough. We’re to use what we have whether it’s our time or our talent or our money in the service of the master. He will provide more if we steward what we are given well, which is summed up pretty nicely in our reading from Proverbs today. “Take my instruction rather than seeking silver and take knowledge rather than choicest gold for wisdom is better than rubies, and all desirable things cannot compare with her.” And we talked about wisdom on a number of occasions already this year and it won’t be the last time because we’re not going to get anywhere if we don’t make it the goal to achieve wisdom over anything else and understand that if we are wise there’s not much we cannot achieve. And one of the things we must achieve through wisdom is this preparedness, this vigilance, this awareness of what is going on that Jesus is speaking about in the gospel of Matthew today.
Prayer:
Father, we acknowledge that we have a role to play in this, that we must seek wisdom, and actually that it must be something that we seek and try to attain more than any other thing that we’re trying to achieve or obtain. So, we realize we have to do our part by opening our eyes and seeking out wisdom; however, we also understand that we won’t know how to implement wisdom into our lives without Your Holy Spirit. And, so, we’ll do our part because You have commanded that we do our part, You’ve told us that getting wisdom is going to alter the trajectory of our lives in a good way. And, so, we heed that and we seek it and we invite Your Holy Spirit to lead us to it. Come Holy Spirit we pray. In Jesus’ name we ask. Amen.
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