Jesus is within a few days of a death he has faced for months, perhaps years. He knows when and how he will die. He has a sense of the soon-to-come event as he shares two parables and an allegory with his disciples. Speaking privately (see Matthew 24:3) and urgently, He wants his closest followers to know it matters how they live their lives. The three stories all concern believers and what they do with their lives, and how God responds to their behavior. As Jesus’ disciples, He also speaks to us.
It matters how we tend our faith. The ten bridesmaids had to maintain the oil in their lamps, an analogy of their faith. Those who did so were rewarded with inclusion in the wedding banquet, a reference to the wedding celebration in heaven when Christ is wed to his bride, the church (see Revelation 19:6-9). Those who did not tend them well found their lamps cold, and they were excluded from the wedding, out in the dark!
It matters how we use our resources. The “talents” referred to in the second parable are literally sums of money, but they clearly represent more. If we invest our talents – material wealth, skills, and spiritual gifts – diligently, and reap a return for the kingdom of God on the Lord’s investment in our lives, our reward will be great, no matter how meager our resources to start. If we do not invest diligently in the Kingdom of God, no matter where else we invest, we will find our eternal home in “outer darkness.”
It matters what we do. The third story is an allegory of what will actually happen in the future. In this story, the only difference between the sheep and the goats is what they did and didn’t do! Feeding, visiting, tending – these are all actions by which our faith is measured. Words alone are not enough. Emotional engagement is insufficient. Religious activities will not cover the void. And the consequences are eternal.
As we walk through the season of Lent, I am sharing some of what was on Jesus’ mind as he approached his death, and these stories show how seriously he considered his final days.
He asks his disciples some solemn questions via these three stories. How is your faith? How do you use your resources? What are you doing for the Kingdom of God? As we think about the answers, we should consider what Jesus faced for us as he asked them!
This might be a good time for us to take a few moments to consider, and if necessary, plan and begin to implement changes in our lives that will keep our faith strong, use our resources in Godly ways, and set our priorities on God’s kingdom. Because it matters.