Matthew 26:1

 Matthew 26:1 says, And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,  Verse two adds, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.  After Jesus finished teaching the disciples the parables, He told them what was about to happen.  In two days, at the feast of the Passover, He would be betrayed to be crucified.  Verse three states, Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,  The chief priests, scribes and elders were all gathered at the palace of the high priest.  We might wonder why the high priest had a palace when Jesus didn't even have a house to call His own.  We should not serve God for material riches.  Verse four adds,  And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.  These religious leaders had gathered, not to worship Jesus but to conspire as to how to take Him with subtilty and kill Him.  These were not just some of God's chosen people but the religious leaders of His chosen people.  Verse five declares, But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.  The religious leaders were afraid to take Jesus on the feast day.  If the religious leaders today were to turn against God, we need to hope that the average Christian will not and that they would be afraid to do too much against Him.  Verse six says, Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,  While the religious leaders were in the palace of the high priest, Jesus was in the home of Simon the leper.  This is quite a contrast.  Verse seven adds, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.  While Jesus was there, a woman came to Him with an alabaster box of oil and poured it over His head while He was eating.  This was done as an act of honor or worship to Him.  Verse eight states, But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?  When the disciples saw this, they were indignant at the woman, asking what purpose this served.  Verse nine adds, For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.  The disciples said that this oil could have been sold for a lot and the money given to the poor.  Giving to the poor is a good thing, but not if we do it in place of worshipping God.  Verse ten declares, When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.  Jesus asked the disciples why they were bothering the woman, because she had done a good work upon Him.  It is not our responsibility to question the way others sincerely worship Jesus.  Verse eleven adds, For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.  This could be viewed as Jesus not being concerned with the poor, but it was instead another warning that He would soon be crucified.  For us today, as followers of Christ, we may not have Jesus with us physically, but we have the Holy Spirit with us always.  Verse twelve continues, For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.  Jesus said that the woman had anointed Him with the oil to prepare for His burial, though she may not have intended it for that purpose.  Then verse thirteen concludes, Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.  Jesus said that wherever the gospel was preached, what the woman had done would also be know.  We do not include it in the gospel message, but when a person accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord, then that person should study the Bible and they will know what the woman did for Jesus.

Matthew 25:31

 Matthew 25:31 says, When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  When Jesus returns, all His angels are coming with Him. The whole world will take note.  Verse thirty-two adds, And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:  At that time, all nations will appear before Christ, and He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  Verse thirty-three declares, And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.  The sheep will be on the right side and the goats on the left.  Verse thirty-four adds, Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  The sheep, those on the right side, will be told to come, since they are blessed by the Father, and inherit the kingdom prepared for them since the foundation of the world.  They will be blessed because of their relationship with Christ and not because of some inherent goodness.  Verse thirty-five states, For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  Verse thirty-six adds, Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  These things were all done after people accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord and not for reward.  We may do a lot of good things, but if we deny Jesus, then they will not be rewarded.  Verse thirty-seven declares, Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  Verse thirty-eight adds, When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  Verse thirty-nine continues, Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  The righteous, those who are made righteous by their relationship with Christ, will ask when they did all these things, indicating once again that they weren't done seeking reward, but simply because that would be what God expects of His people.  Verse forty proclaims, And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  The King will tell them that when they did it to the least of His brethren that they did it to Him.  God expects His people to be caring, sharing, and loving people.  Verse forty-one declares, Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  Those on the left, the goats, will have quite a different fate awaiting them.  They will inherit an everlasting fire, because they have not accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.  Verse forty-two says, For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  Verse forty-three adds, I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  Those on the left will be told that they did not take the actions that those on the right did, but again it is not just about the actions them self, but the actions done after accepting Christ and done for God's glory.  Verse forty-four asks, Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  Those on the left will likewise ask when they failed to do these things, implying that they may have thought that they did.  Again, it is about the relationship with Christ before the action that is important.  Verse forty-five declares, Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.  Jesus will state that when they failed to do it to the least of these that they failed to do it to Him.  Verse forty-six proclaims, And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.  Those who are not righteous by their relationship with Jesus will go away to everlasting punishment, but those who have accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, the only way that we can be made righteous, will go away to everlasting life.  We want to be one of the sheep and not one of the goats.

Matthew 25:14

 Matthew 25:14 says, For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.  Verse fifteen add, And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.  Jesus told the disciples of an man going away and giving to his servants talents according to their ability to deal with them.  He did not see all with the same ability and did not entrust them all with the same amount of goods.  God does not see us as all having the same abilities, but He entrusts us with as much as He knows we are capable of handling.  Verse sixteen states, Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. Verse eighteen adds, And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.  Verse eighteen concludes, But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.  Two of the servants, though they did not receive the same amount of talents, put what they had to use.  The one who recieved the least amount buried his.   Even if we have very little ability to do things for God, we should never refuse to use what talents we have.  Verse nineteen declares, After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.  Eventually, the lord of the servants returned, just as Jesus will one day return for those who are His.  He called his servants for an accounting. Verse twenty adds, And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  The servant who had been given the most, five talents, came and told his lord that he had gained another five to go with it.  Verse twenty-one continues, His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. The lord called the man a good servant and said that since he had been faithful over a few things that he would make him the ruler over many and for him to enter into the joy of the lord.  Verse twenty-two states, He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.  The man who had received the two talents also doubled his.  Verse twenty-three adds, His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  This servant was treated the same as the servant who had received the five talents.  It wasn't the amount of talent nor the return but the making of the most of what the person had that mattered.  Verse twenty-four declares, Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:  Verse twenty-five adds, And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.  The man with the one talent said he was afraid he would lose it, so he buried it and only returned the one talent.  Even if we feel that we have very little talent in working for God, we need to make the most of it and never bury it.  Verse twenty-six declares, His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:  Verse twenty-seven adds, Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.  The lord told the servant that as he had just stated that the master reaped where he didn't sow, so the servant should have at least loaned the talent at interest so he could return some more.  We should never allow fear from totally stopping us from doing at least the minimum for God.  Verse twenty-eight continues, Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.  The lord told his servants to take the talent and give it to the one who now had ten.  Those who seem to be doing the most for God many times receive even more responsibility because they have proven worthy of handling it,  Verse twenty-nine declares, For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.  I believe this refers to working for God with what we have, and if we are true servants of God we will.  If we are servants of God through faith in Christ, we should be at work for Him, not for material rewards for our self, but for God's glory.  Verse thirty adds, And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  The unfaithful servant was cast into outer darkness.  I believe that he never was a true servant but was a servant in name only.  I don't believer that anyone who is a true follower of God will ever be cast out into outer darkness, but we may not have much reward in heaven if we do not do our best for God. 

Matthew 25:1

 Matthew 25:1 says, Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  Jesus told them the parable of the bridegroom and the ten virgins.  Verse two adds, And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  Half of the virgins were called wise and half foolish.  Again, when referring to lost and saved people,  I don't believe that this means there is a fifty-fifty split.  Verse three declares, They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:  The foolish virgins took their lamps, but no oil.  A person may appear to have everything required to be a Christian, but if they do not have a personal relationship with Christ, they are like the virgins with no oil.  Verse four adds, But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  The wise virgins came prepared, and the only way we can be prepared is through accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse five says, While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. . While awaiting the coming of the bridegroom, all ten slumbered and slept.  Verse six adds, And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  It was midnight before the bridegroom came, and the virgins were told to be ready to meet him.  Verse seven continues, Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  All ten reacted the same way, trimming their lamps.  Verse eight declares, And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  The five foolish virgins had their lamps go out and looked to the five wise for help.  Verse nine adds, But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  The wise told the foolish that they did not have enough oil for both, just as followers of Christ cannot save anyone else.  We only have salvation for our self,, but if course no one can go and buy salvation.   Verse ten declares, And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  While the five foolish were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and they went in and shut the door.  When Jesus, the Bridegroom of the saved returns, those who have accepted Him will go with Him, and the door will be shut.  Verse eleven adds, Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  The other five virgins came asking for entrance.  Verse twelve continues, But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  The bridegroom say he did not know the five foolish virgins, just as Jesus the Bridegroom will not know those who have not accepted Him as Savior and Lord, and there will be no admission to heaven for those who are not prepared by accepting Him.  Verse thirteen concludes, Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.  We are warned to be ready whenever Christ returns because we cannot know the day nor the hour that He will come.

Matthew 24:40

 Matthew 24:40 says, Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Jesus said people would be going about their normal lives and one would be taken and one left, and you do not want to be the one left.  Verse forty-one adds, Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  This is just another example of people going about everyday life, but I don't  believe that this means that half of the people will be saved and half left behind.  Verse forty-two states, Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  We will never know when Jesus is returning, but we know that we are to continue to work and be ready when He does.  Verse forty-three adds, But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.  Jesus tells us that even though we do not know when He will return that we should always be ready.  Verse forty -four declares, Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.  Jesus tells us that we are not to try to pinpoint His return, but to be ready, because when we least expect it, He will return.  Verse forty-five adds, Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?  Jesus said a faithful servant will do his or her job responsibly because he or she has faith in their lord meeting his or her needs.  Verse forty-six says, Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.  Those servants who are doing what they should be doing will be rewarded when their lord returns.  I don't believe this means that we work for rewards from God, but that He rewards us for our faithfulness to Him.   Verse forty-seven declares, Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.  If we are faithful in doing what we should for God,  He will give us a great reward, and there is no greater reward than everlasting life with God.  Verse forty-eight warns, But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;  Verse forty-nine continues, And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;  Jesus then spoke of the evil servant, who when his lord did not return quickly, started to do whatever he wanted to do.  Some people, who claim to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord, when time passes and things haven't gone as they wanted, will begin to question God and if Jesus really is going to return.  Then, too often, they revert to life as it was before.  Verse fifty declares, The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,  Verse fifty-one adds,  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Basically,  Jesus tells us that He is going to return when we least expect it, so we are to not concern ourselves with when, but are simply to be ready whenever He returns.

Matthew 24:29

Matthew 24:29 says. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:  Jesus said that immediately after the tribulation that the sun would become dark, the moon would not give light and the stars would fall from heaven.  It will be a very dark time both physically and spiritually.  Verse thirty declares, And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  Jesus said that then the sign of the Son of man shall appear in the clouds, the people of the earth will mourn because they have not accepted Him while there was time I believe, and then the Son of man, Christ Himself, will appear with power and great glory.  Unlike His birth, when few people knew of it, this time the whole world will know of Jesus' return.  Verse thirty-one adds, And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.  Jesus tells us that He will send His angels to gather the elect, those who have accepted Him as Savior and Lord, from all over the world.  Verse thirty-two states, Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:  Jesus said that we are to learn from the fig tree that when we see the branch start to bud that we know summer is close.  Verse thirty-three adds, So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.  Jesus said that when we see all the signs that He had mentioned that we should know that the second coming of Christ is near.  I believe the main message that we can get from this is to be ready at any time.  Verse thirty-four declares, Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  Jesus said that this generation would not pass away until all these things were fulfilled.  I don't believe that Jesus was saying that He was going to return before that generation passed away, and we know He didn't, but that He could come at anytime after that He ascended.  I am sure that many believed Jesus would return during their lifetime then, just as many have believed at all times since.  Verse thirty-five adds, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  Just as God created heaven and earth, He can destroy them, but nothing can ever cause the word of God to pass away.  Even if the whole world stops believing the word of God, it will still be true.  Verse thirty-six proclaims,  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  Since Jesus said no one would know, but just like in the the day of Noah those who didn't believe Noah were washed away, so will those of the world at the second coming be doomed without hope if they have not put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Matthew 24:15

 Matthew 24:15 says, When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)  Jesus is still speaking about the Second Coming, and refers to the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel standing in the holy place, and then He adds let anyone who reads this understand it.  I believe this means that there can be different interpretations of what this means, but that Christians should recognize it when it happens.  Verse sixteen adds, Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:  Jesus warns those who are in Judea to flee to the mountains when this occurs.  Verse seventeen continues, Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:  Jesus warned people that they should not take the time to attempt to pack anything, but that they should flee immediately.  Verse twenty-eight adds, Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.  As just stated, Jesus said that there would be no time to return to the house and take anything.  Verse nineteen declares, And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!  Jesus stated that it would be an especially hard time for women who were pregnant or who had babies.  Verse twenty adds, But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:  Jesus said that they should pray that this didn't occur on the sabbath or in winter, when time to travel would be limited.  Verse twenty-one continues, For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  Jesus said that during this time there would be tribulation like the world had never seen nor ever would see again.  Verse twenty-two declares, And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.  Jesus said that unless these days were shortened that no one would be saved, physically I believe, but that for the sake of the elect, or those who put their faith in Christ, that this time of persecution would be shortened.  Verse twenty-three declares, Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.  Jesus warned that there would be those claiming to be Christ during this time, but that Christians, nor anyone else for that matter, were to believe him.  There have been people in our time who claim to be Christ, or Jesus returned to the earth physically, and there have been people who believe them, but there is but One Christ, and that is Jesus.  Verse twenty-four adds, For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  Jesus warned that these false Christs and prophets would show great signs and wonders, and if possible that they would deceive even those who had already put their faith in Him.  Not all things that seem to be a miracle come from God.  Verse twenty-five continues, Behold, I have told you before.  Jesus said this was not the first time that He had told them this.  It should certainly not be the first time that we as followers of Christ have heard it, and we should take heed that we do not allow ourselves to be deceived by anyone claiming to have some greater connection to God than anyone else does.  Verse twenty-six says, Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.  Jesus warned that wherever someone claimed to be this false Christ that we were to not go after him.  Verse twenty-seven declares, For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  Jesus said that like the lightning spread across the entire sky, so would the His return be seen by all people at once.  No one will have to go looking for Him in any specific place.  Verse twenty-eight concludes, For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.  When Jesus returns, He will come to all people wherever they are whether they have accepted Him as Savior and Lord or not.