Pastor Steve

We must be rigorous with ourselves. We must not imagine that our poor or nonexistent performance will be excused. In Matthew 24-25 we see the failure of all excuses before God. The man who was given one talent and hid it in the ground explained that he had not done more because he knew his…

In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25),  judgment is based on the use or misuse of the talents (money). Jesus is one with the apostle James, who said: “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or…

The first clear lesson from the three parables in Matthew 25 is that there will be a future day of reckoning for all people. That is obvious. Yet it must be stressed, if only because people usually think the opposite. Jesus spoke of judgment being obvious. It was not even open to debate. But the…

The difference between the wise women and foolish women (Matthew 25) was revealed by the coming of the bridegroom. That is, it was revealed in the crisis moment. During the days before the wedding or the night leading up to the start of the feast, few would have noticed that five women had adequately prepared…

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, ‘Tell us,’ they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ …Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you… then the end will come’ ” (Matthew…

The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 is a masterpiece. It is realistic in its details and poignant in application, and the deeper a person explores it, the more profound its lessons become. Jesus tells about ten young women who are invited to a marriage feast. Five are wise and five are foolish.…