The Kingdom of Heaven

Monday, November 2, 2009: Matthew 25:14

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
Who does this parable refer to? This parable speaks about the Lord Himself who would ascend into heaven and entrust believers with the gospel.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009: Matthew 25:19

After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
As the end of the same parable, what does this verse speak about? This verse speaks about the return of Jesus Christ for believers, His servants, to settle accounts.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009: Matthew 9:15

And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Background: John the Baptist’s disciples wanted to know why the disciples of Jesus Christ did not fast.
What did the answer that Christ gave tell us today? The Church, as the Bride of Christ, awaits His return and is not in the state of joy that will exist when the Bridegroom returns.

Thursday, November 5, 2009: Matthew 9:16

No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.
Background: this parable immediately follows the previous verse.
What does this parable mean? This parable refers to the change coming when the Bridegroom is removed from the earth: a big change was coming and Christ informed His disciples about it in this way. There would be a tearing away, patched up with the same faith that would keep the disciples going after the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord. He would then go away in the Ascension.

Friday, November 6, 2009: Matthew 9:17

Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
This parable is a continuation from the previous verse. Christ is still telling His disciples that a big change is coming. He will not be with them. They will do the work without Him. They will make new disciples with the wine of the gospel.