“The Day and the Hour”
(Matthew 24:36 – 25:13)
Series: God’s Fulfilled Purpose [on screen]
Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD
First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida
September 13, 2020
The Passage
Matthew 24:36 – 25:13
24:36 “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son —except the Father alone. 37 As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. 39 They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. 44 This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and starts to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 that servant’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
25:1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them; 4 but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5 When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’
9 “The wise ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’
12 “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’
13 “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.”
Introductory Comments:
We are continuing Jesus’ discussion of judgment, last things, and His return. Today’s passage is part of Jesus’ discussion on the Mount of Olives, which has come to be known as the Olivet Discourse. Today, we will wrap up chapter 24 and get into chapter 25.
In this section of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus adds some more clarification to what His return will be like, and then He offers three parables to help us understand these truths. We’ll cover two of those parables this morning.
Before we go any further, let’s pray together and ask God to speak to us.
(prayer)
Jesus has already spoken a lot about last things, offering clarification at times about particulars. Now He speaks specifically about the time when it will happen.
It’s almost as if He’s anticipating the next question. We know how to anticipate questions sometimes, don’t we? We might say, “No, I don’t know what we’re having for dinner.” Or, “Yes, I finished my homework.” Or, “I’m still not sure what time your mother will be home from shopping.” Or, “No, we’re not there yet and I’m not sure when we will be there.”
Well, Jesus starts off this passage by anticipating the question of when the things will come to be that He has spent so long describing.
So, Jesus addresses that, and then He provides us with these two parables that we will study today to help better comprehend these divine truths that He is delivering.
Today, we will discover three attributes that we are to take on regarding the return of Jesus. First, we should . . .
I. Be alert (vv. 36-44) [on screen]
Let’s look at the passage. Look at verses 36-44 of chapter 24.
36 “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son —except the Father alone. 37 As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. 39 They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. 44 This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Jesus begins by addressing the issue head-on. He says only the Father knows the exact time of the coming of the Son of Man.
So, stop all of your calculations, stop all of your computations, stop all of your complications. We don’t know exactly when the Son of Man will return.
Jesus has told us what the signs are, He’s told us what will happen, and He’s told us to be alert. Let us be satisfied with that.
Now, in saying that only the Father knows the day and hour some have sensed a theological conundrum. However, there really is no conundrum.
The potential problem arises by the fact that Jesus said that the Son (or Jesus Himself) does not know the day or the hour when He will return.
There are two factors that are important to understanding this verse:
First, we must understand roles in the Trinity.
Each member of the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have unique roles. For instance, in salvation, the Father ordains salvation, Jesus accomplished the work, and the Spirit convicts us and calls us to salvation.
So, also, when it comes to the return of Jesus, the Father ordains the time when the Son will return, while Jesus, the Son, obediently returns and accomplishes His work of rescuing His own and judging sin.
Second, we must understand the dual nature of Jesus while He was on the earth.
During His time on the earth, Jesus was one-hundred percent God and one-hundred percent man. He was both human and divine. While this is true, in order to live the life of a human being, Jesus willingly submitted Himself to certain human limitations.
Consider, for instance, Philippians 2:5-8 – 5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. [on screen]
So, Jesus became a servant by becoming human and humbly living as such, even though He is God and is fully worthy of all glory, honor, power, and praise.
Therefore, in His humanity, Jesus willingly subjected Himself to human limitations. He had to eat, He had to sleep, He could feel physical pain, and in His humanity, He had limited knowledge.
The great Protestant reformer and theologian John Calvin explained it this way, “For we know that in Christ the two natures were united into one person in such a manner that each retained its own properties; and more especially the divine nature was in a state of repose [or rest], and did not at all exert itself, whenever it was necessary that the human nature should act separately . . . There would be no impropriety, therefore in saying that Christ, who knew all things was ignorant of something in respect of his perception as a man . . .”
To think of it in terms that I would use, we could say, Jesus was both human and God. Although when Jesus was on the earth, He never ceased to be man and never ceased to be God, at times, His Godness would come to the forefront, and at other times, His humanity would come to the forefront.
All this is to say that in His humanity Jesus willingly accepted this limitation of not knowing when He would return. At any moment, He could access His divine omniscience (or the ability to know all things), but in this moment and for these purposes, He yielded that knowledge to God the Father.
If you’re still with me, just realize that we are on the first part of point number one. However, things are much more straightforward from here on out.
Jesus goes on to say in verse 37, “As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.”
Well, how will the days of the return of Jesus be like the days of Noah? There are perhaps multiple ways but what seems to be most prominent and obvious through what Jesus says is that people will be living their ordinary lives and something drastic will happen suddenly.
People were eating and drinking, getting married, working in fields and such, when suddenly Jesus will return and everything will change, just like with the flood.
We learn that during this time some people will be left and some will remain. There’s dispute about whether those taken away will be those taken to judgment or whether those taken away will be taken to glory. We know that both will happen at some point, and it’s really not for us to know all the exact details. However, judgment will come to those who rejected Jesus and glory will come for those who followed Jesus.
As the flood suddenly came upon the earth during seemingly ordinary events, so also, Jesus will return suddenly during seemingly ordinary events.
Jesus then says in verse 42, “Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.”
To sum up His point, Jesus gives an illustration of a thief coming in the night to someone’s house. He says, “If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into.” Well, you better believe if you know what time a thief is coming to your house, you’re going to do something about it, right? However, we don’t know exactly when Jesus is coming back, so we are to be ready. Jesus says as much in verse 44. He says, “This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
So, number one, be ready!
Attribute number two is . . .
II. Be faithful (vv. 45-51) [on screen]
In this section, Jesus presents a parable with servants and a master.
Let’s look at verses 45-51.
45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and starts to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 that servant’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This parable is pretty straightforward and we can gather what Jesus is trying to teach us quite simply.
The master represents God. The servants represent followers of God, with the faithful servants representing genuine followers of God and the wicked servant representing those who follow God in name only.
We hear Jesus pose this question in verse 45, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant . . .” So the point of the parable is to help us understand who is faithful and wise when it comes to following God. Jesus says very clearly who this is in verse 46: “Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes.” The faithful servant is rewarded when His master returns because of his faithfulness.
Conversely, there is punishment for the wicked unfaithful servant. Because the wicked servant didn’t consider that he needed to be faithful to the master all of the time, he decided to do his own thing and he was completely unprepared for the master’s return. As a result, he was punished with extreme punishment. Jesus offers harsh language saying that he will be cut to pieces and will experience weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Here’s what we must gather, church: we must be faithful followers of Jesus all of the time because He can return at any time.
Let us not get distracted, let us not get distressed, let us not get down. Let us keep our eyes on the prize to which we have been called. Let us follow Jesus and glorify God in all things.
If we are faithful, there is a reward beyond our wildest imagination. Likewise, if we are followers in name only, if we are pretenders, there is punishment reserved for us. As Jesus has made clear time and again, you cannot fake your way into the kingdom of God. You’re either a follower of Jesus, or you’re not. So, be faithful!
Finally, Jesus teaches us to . . .
III. Be prepared (vv. 1-13) [on screen]
This next parable, the famous parable of the ten virgins, teaches us the necessity of being prepared for the return of Jesus.
Look with me, if you will, at chapter 25, verses 1-13.
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them; 4 but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5 When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’
9 “The wise ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’
12 “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’
13 “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.”
In order to understand what is happening here we have to understand a few elements of the parable.
First, the word virgin here refers to young ladies. These would have been young ladies who were friends of the bride. These would have been the equivalent of bridesmaids.
Second, their role was to help create a celebratory procession between the homes of the bride and groom. There would then be a feast to celebrate the marriage. This would be like a procession going from the wedding ceremony to the wedding reception. Now, usually today at a wedding reception the guests go to the reception and wait about six hours for the wedding party to finish taking pictures. This seems to have been the case in the parable as well. The bride and groom were taking pictures or something for a long time.
Third, we have to understand that they needed to use lamps or torches with oil to light the way for the procession. The Greek word used could be interpreted as either lamp which would probably look something like this [show picture on screen], or torch, which would have looked something like this [show picture on screen].
So, understanding these elements, we can now better understand Jesus’ meaning through this parable.
It was an honor to be considered to be part of the bridal party. So, to not be prepared to fulfill the honor of being a part of the wedding procession would have been offensive to the bride and the groom.
Some of these bridesmaids did not take their responsibility very seriously. You see, both a lamp and a torch would have required oil for it to operate. They didn’t know how long they needed to wait, so they should have brought extra oil. This would be like going camping and not bringing extra batteries for your flashlight. They were not prepared.
When it became apparent that they were unprepared, they asked the other virgins who were prepared to provide some oil for them, which would have jeopardized the supply of oil for the young ladies who were prepared.
When the unprepared bridesmaids went away to get oil they missed the processional. They approached the door to be let in, but the groom replied, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!” You see, it was terribly offensive to not be prepared for the wedding procession. The groom was obviously upset by this and the bridesmaids themselves were probably horrified once they had realized what they had done.
This reminds us of the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’” [on screen]
Jesus concludes this parable by warning us in verse 13. He says, “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.”
Church, we must be alert. We must be prepared for the return of Jesus. At some point, there are no more chances. We can’t borrow faith from anyone else. We can’t get in on what our friends or family members have done. You can’t get in because you have a Christian heritage. It’s only by the blood and work of Jesus and you faithfully following after Jesus!
Concluding Thoughts:
Let the words of Jesus encourage you to be alert, faithful, and prepared. Jesus will return. Let us, His church, be looking for him and be ready for Him.
We can sum it up with this bottom line:
Bottom Line: The anticipation of the Lord’s return should radically change our lives. [on screen]
(repeat)
I love what Pastor David Platt says on this passage: he says, “Christ’s second coming should be on our minds and in our hearts, not in such a way that we stop everything we’re doing and sit still, but in such a way that it affects everything we’re doing.” Church, His return should constantly be on our minds!
Challenge yourself to live out these words in the following way this week. By the way, these are the same weekly challenges as last week, and that’s on purpose.
Weekly Challenge: [on screen]
1. Wake up! [on screen]
We must be open to the reality that Jesus is coming. We must wake up to this reality!
2. Get ready! [on screen]
Are you prepared like the wise virgins in the parable, or are you like the foolish ones? Get ready! Be prepared!
3. Get to work! [on screen]
Are you like the faithful servant or are you like the wicked servant? Are you doing the work that God has called you to, or are you living as if He’s not actually coming back?
Closing:
Are you ready for Jesus? Live that way!
If you’re not ready for Jesus, you can start to get ready today!
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
(Sing Doxology)
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