What's your "bucket list" ?

Matthew 25:1-30

Parable of Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. ⁵ Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. ⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. ¹¹ Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ ¹² But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. ¹⁶ Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. ¹⁷ In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸ But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

²² “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

²⁴ “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. ²⁷ Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ²⁸ Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

²⁹ “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. ³⁰ Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In today's text we read two more kingdom principles which Jesus teaches through parables. The first parable of the  Ten Virgins speaks of being prepared for the return of Christ. The disciples asked Jesus how they would know the time when He would come back and He had told them of some signs, things they would see as the end of the age approaches. Jesus was very clear though in saying, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."(Matthew 24:36).   This parable teaches that while we know that God's desire is for all to come to repentance as it says in 2 Peter 3:9.    The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. We can not presume on God's grace by putting off our decision to follow Him. In the parable all ten were expecting and waiting for the bridegroom to come. They all knew who he was and what he was coming for. Only half of them, were prepared the others presumed that some way or another things would work our okay.

We are to live our lives in expectation of Christ's return. It is not enough that we know Him and expect that He will come. We need to live as though we expect that time to be today. Several years ago there was a movie called "The Bucket List" about two men who found out they had a limited time left to live and they made a list of things they wanted to do before they died. Since that time much has been written and said, many people make their own "bucket lists" of things they want to do and experience before they die. Unfortunately in our self centered culture, most of these lists include self indulgent carnal experiences. If we are truly followers of Christ, then we are His bride that He is returning for. Our primary focus should be to be prepared for His return. The parable says five were ready and five were not. I don't know if that speaks to the ratio of the number of those who will have lived their lives unprepared, satisfying their own desires and presuming on God's grace. The parable does end this way:

 Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ ¹² But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.  No farther comment is needed.

The second parable, the parable of the talents, teaches another kingdom principle. It is interesting that while the term talent used in the parable is a reference to an amount of money or a coin used in Jesus day, the message or principle of the parable translates well to our use of the gifts or talents God has given us. This scriptural use of the word talent is actually the origin of our english word talent meaning skill or gifting. The basic message or kingdom principle of the parable is fairly simple. God is not concerned with what we have or what we end up with. After all He is the one who created each of us uniquely. He is the one who gave us our gifts and talents. In the kingdom of God all that He asks is that we use what we have well, putting our gifts and talents to work for the kingdom. Contrary to what the world would like us to believe, God did not create us equal, all the same. He loves us equally, but He created us each individually for a purpose. Paul speaks to this in Romans 12.

 God has allotted to each a measure of faith. ⁴ For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶ Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; ⁷ if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸ or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.  We are to use what He has given us.

In the parable there was no expectation that the ones who were given two or one talent would accomplish as much as the one who was given five. God only asks that we use what He has given us to the best of our ability.(more about that later) There is also a promise that as we do use our gifts and talents well for the kingdom He will increase what we have. The parable says:  “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance... , that after saying,  'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'  

I want to look for just a moment at the response of the one who had been given the one talent. What was his reason for doing nothing?   And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’   Fear of failure is one of the greatest hindrances to our using what God has given us.  We can not allow fear to keep us from using what God has gifted and blessed us with. How often do we believe we are not good enough, that we can't do as well as some one else? Fear caused the man in the parable to hide what God had given him and in the end he lost even that. What do you think the master's response would have been if he had just used the little that he had been entrusted with? Would the master not have responded to him with the words  'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' ? 

God knows what He has given us. We are responsible and accountable for no more than that. We are however responsible and accountable for what we have been given.

If we combine the message and the principles of these two parables we see that we ned to live with an expectation of Christ's return, always ready and  waiting for Him. As we wait we we are to use the gifts and talents God has given us not to the best of our abilities but rather to the best of His. Paul says this about our inability and Christ's ability: 2 Corithians 12:

 9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.  

Philippians 4:13 says:  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

This then is my "bucket list":

To live my life for Christ eagerly waiting for and expecting His return.

To use what He has given me, to the best of His ability, gifts of both resources and  talents, for His glory and the kingdom.

In the end, to hear these words:  'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things...Come and share your master's happiness!'  

What's your bucket list?