Preparing for the Lord's Return

Jesus connected His return to oil, talents, and charity.

In regards to oil, Jesus spoke of five virgins who are locked out of the kingdom of God because they had no oil in their lamps. They had time to get oil, but they chose to sleep instead. Jesus concluded this parable by saying, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” [1]

In regards to talents, Jesus spoke of three servants who received talents to invest from their master. A talent weighed between 57 to 80 pounds. A talent of silver was about 6,000 days’ wages of a common laborer and a talent of gold was about 180,000 day’s wages, Two of the master’s servants yielded a profit back to their master, while the third servant did not. The master said to the productive servants, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter the joy of your Lord.” But He called the third servant wicked and lazy and had him cast into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. [2]

In regards to charity, Jesus spoke of His return in glory. He will return with all His holy angels and then sit on a throne of glory. All nations will be gathered before Him. He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides sheep from goats. He will say to the sheep on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

The sheep on His right hand fed the hungry, quenched the thirst of the thirsty, welcomed foreigners, clothed the naked and visited prisoners. When they served the least of Jesus’ brothers, they served Him. [3] The goats on His left hand did not do charitable deeds. Jesus said to them, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” [4] The world praises the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) people. They do well for themselves, but the Lord sees nothing of Himself in them. Jesus concludes Matthew 25 by saying, “These will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” [5]

These three parables form a metaphor for healthy spirit growth. We begin with oil in our lamps. The oil represents the Holy Spirit. He is Christ in us. The Holy Spirit leads us to make good investments with our time and resources. Finally, with time and resources on hand, we are to be charitable towards others.

The Lord urges us in the Bible: “Do not receive the grace of God in vain.” [6] God gives us grace us to be more like Christ! When Jesus returns, it will be to gather Christians to Himself. The meaning of the word Christian is "little christ." This is what God’s grace does. His grace empowers us to be more like Jesus.

[1] Matthew 25:13
[2] Matthew 25:26, 30
[3] Matthew 25:35-40
[4] Matthew 25:41-45
[5] Matthew 25:46
[6] 2 Corinthians 6:1