The Parable of The wise and The Foolish Builders

                             The Parable of The Wise and Foolish Builders
Opening Prayer                                                                                                                                                Pg.1                      
God of our salvation, We come into your presence with the joy of being in your service, of spending time in Your word, learning in fellowship among like followers of Your Son Jesus. We are thankful for your word in our study of this important teaching from Jesus. We pray that our fellowship today will bless each one here and give each of us  joy and purpose that we may be useful vessels in your service.  Be with those of our group who cannot be here today, we pray you will share our blessing with them. Be with those of us who are suffering illness and those who care for them. Restore their health and bring them back into our midst.
In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen

Scripture:  Matthew 7:21-29 "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  22 On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works  in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'  24 "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;  25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  26 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; 27 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it." 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Jesus casts this parable just after his expression of disgust with those who do not do the will of his Father.
And from Mat 22:14  "For many are invited, but few are chosen." We studied this last week when we studied the parable of the unwilling guests. They were thrown into the outer darkness.  None shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of God. What a terrible thing to have happen, to be invited, and choose not to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And even some who call out to him shall be rejected, as their hearts were centered on themselves, and not God’s will. We must allow for the fact that they weigh heavily in this parable.
Then we have this parable which tells us that we will be buffeted by the storms of life. By "rain, floods, and winds," Jesus is expressing metaphorically the calamities and afflictions that come upon all mankind from birth to death, such things will come against us, as do they to all mankind, but they are not to shake our faith, they may test us yes, but we are to remain steadfast in our faith. It is our strong faith that will see us through to the end, and it starts with a good foundation. A Faith in God’s plan of Salvation, and a willingness to be doers as well as hearers of the word.
Jesus told this parable near the end of the Sermon on the Mount so as to inform his followers and his disciples so that they would understand that God has made for all men a pathway to our salvation, regardless of the storms we encounter in this life. Our strength is in him and comes from the knowledge that he will open Heavens Gate to all who repent and seek his will for their life, and call on His Son for their salvation. But he also warns of the times when their faith will be tested to the maximum.
                                                                                                                                         


                                                                                                                            Pg.2                  
"Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  22 On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works  in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'
The teachings of Jesus Christ are the literal word of God, There is wisdom and sound advice in every word from the Mouth of God. Everyone wants the best advice when building a home, and everyone knows that a good solid foundation is the very first thing a house must have to be sturdy and permanent. And likewise, every house built upon a bad foundation will not endure, for lacking a good foundation it will fail.  Mat 4:4  Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
There are many false prophets and teachers in our world today that will do the work of Satan and call it the work of God. Teaching false doctrine and even calling themselves Christians, preachers, apostles and teachers. They will seek to get into the affections and goodwill of the people; but have no heart for Christ, nor true faith in him. nor is it their concern to preach his Gospel, to advance his glory, and promote his kingdom and interest. Their chief view is to please men, and aggrandize themselves, up against the righteousness of Christ. It is their goal to promote self and self gratification by offering appealing words that tickle the ears of their listeners but offer no foundational advice to promote a Christian relationship with Jesus nor is their goal to save souls, except to sweeten their view of themselves, ant to revel in the glory and admiration of the moment.
They each one have another agenda, and that is to promote self and to swell with pride at their worldly successes. Success, as the world counts it, is not a criterion of one’s knowledge of Christ and these charlatans are encouragers of the foolish men who build their houses upon the sand.  None of those who spread a false doctrine, shall be called to the right, with the sheep, but all shall be sent to the left, with the goats and thrown into the eternal flame.
This is not to say that there are not Good honest and convincing preachers teachers and leaders in our world today that can help one come to know Jesus Christ and his goodness and love for those lost souls that turn to him for their salvation. It is important to note that Jesus calls on us as his servants to help those who seek to know him better. However the Christian must be wary of any who profess to have a special knowledge of God, or of his healing and soul saving powers. There is just one savior. It always was and always will be only Jesus that can see one through to salvation.

Q.1 What is it about these people we’re speaking of that raises a red flag to the true Christian?
Q.2 What is the best path the true believer is to seek to find a relationship with Jesus Christ?
Q.3 How is it possible for anyone to teach a Christian doctrine and not also live it?
Q.4 How do these comments compare with a good, or a bad foundation?
Q.5 Who are those people who knowingly reject Jesus today?
Q.6 What are Jesus’ words to those who preach a good religion but do not live it.?
Q.7 What is it about the strait gate and the narrow path of that is a distraction to some aspiring Christians?





                                                                                                                            Pg.3
24 "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;  25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
These verses are a vivid description of a wise builder and a terrible storm, It is describing the certain structural features of a good foundation, and the destructive features of a terrible storm. Jesus is telling us that any possibility of success as a Christian must include the foundational belief of John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. One’s life must be centered on Jesus Christ, and the principles of life that he teaches in order for the assurance of eternal life in His presence to be a certainty. That reward is a certainty, God will see to it.
Jesus is teaching through this parable that although success may come to one who does not have those Christ centered foundational beliefs, there will be no salvation forthcoming at the end of life on this earth. And God will see to that as well. Pro 10:25  When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
Becoming a Christian does not exempt one from the trials and tribulations of this world, but it does do this one thing. It assures one of eternal life in the presence of God. It is necessary to our happiness that we do as Jesus is teaching, which is indeed the will of his Father in heaven. Now this is his will, that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. That is Jesus Christ’s explanation of the greatest of the commandments.
Mat 22:37-39  Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Q.1 What was it about Jesus that convinced his disciples to become his followers?
Q.2 To what storms of life were the disciples subjected? And were they told of this by Jesus?
Q.3 What did it mean to his disciples that Jesus also would have to suffer and die?
Q.4 What was the foundational rock upon which the disciples were to build their faith ?
















                                                                                                                                          Pg.4
26 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; 27 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it." 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Here we have the antithesis of the builder who uses a firm foundation for his house. These verses describe what happens to the house that is built on an uncertain foundation. We all know the characteristics of sand, It is not a firm soil, and can be formed into a quagmire or quicksand simply by adding water. But it can be formed into magnificent structures also by adding a little water. ( see pictures) It also makes up one of the largest land masses in the world, The Sahara Desert. Sand can also be blown about by wind, and can be whipped up into some of the most devastating storms known to man. But what it cannot do is turn itself, in any way into a firm foundation.
The sand is a form of a false security, It does not appear to be unstable until there is a structure built on it. A faith built on anything other than God and his Son Jesus who is our Salvation, is going to be unstable. Lets consider for instance a faith that excludes God. At first it may look ok, it may even feel good, but they who pretend to make their peace with God by their own works; who hope for pardon at the foot of the mercy of God, and their own repentance; seek for justification by their own, and not the righteousness of Christ, look for acceptance with God, for the sake of their own worthiness; and who expect salvation in any other way than by Christ, and who leave out Christ, may be said to build without a foundation. indeed, and to build upon a false doctrine as they do, who build their hope of salvation upon anything that is merely external; as, their riches and grandeur, their wisdom and learning, their natural descent, and religious education, their civility, courteousness, and what is called good nature, their liberality and alms and good deeds, their morality, common justice and honesty, their legal righteousness, whether moral or ritual, and a round of religious duties; and such may be said to "build upon the sand", on that which will bear no weight, but gives way, and sinks. It appears good but it will not sustain them when the Day of Judgment comes.
The salvation of the soul is a weighty thing; and that which is like sand, as is everything of a man's own, can never support it: God has therefore laid the salvation of his people on his own Son; and he must be a "foolish man" that builds on anything short of him. The same is true for a faith that excludes Jesus as our savior. So too that faith that believes that good works will do it. Then of course we have the non believer, the atheist and the agnostic. These all may appear to some to be a substantial philosophy for living a full life, and indeed it may be that one who lives by any of those methods may succeed, and even come to appeal to some who are still searching. But we must then look at the definition of success.  Succeeding with a Godly faith will win one eternity in the presence of God, Succeeding without God will fail and great will be the fall of it to eternal damnation.
Q.1 What features of sand have changed over time?
Q.2 How do all of the features representing sand, fit into this study?
Q.3 What one omitted requirement is stressed in Jesus description of the foolish builder?
Q.4 What did Jesus mean when he used the phrase “and great was the fall of it”?
Q.5 When Jesus finished this parable, the people were astonished at what?
Q.6 How would you describe that which astonishes people in our world today?
Q.7 How is it that our world is so misled about what is really important?
Closing prayer                                                                                                                          Pg.5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
 Lord, you are the sure foundation upon which we can build our lives and live securely.  Give us wisdom and strength to live according to your truth and to reject every false and erroneous way.  May we be doers of your word and not a hearer only. Now we pray for those of our brothers and sisters who are sick or infirm who need your healing touch, _____________let  your strength and the comfort of your presence be with them, and give them peace and healing is our prayer. Be with us now as we go our separate ways and bring us safely back together next week. In Jesus name we pray AMEN
Meditation What's the significance of the story for us?  The kind of foundation we build our lives upon will determine whether we can survive the storms that are sure to come. No one is exempt from the calamities and afflictions of this life. Just as victory and success are the attributes of life that everyone seeks, So must everyone know that failure and defeat are also a part of the same life, and we must be prepared for either. The better our foundational principles are for this life then the better we will be able to cope when disaster strikes.
Neither success nor failure can determine the path our life will take. Jesus is teaching us that the storms will come, and we must be prepared for them with a proper foundational faith and belief. There are many who will tell us how to best manage our lives but are they faithful and true? Do not be deceived, 1Pe_5:8  tells us to Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Satan never relents, and will try to undermine our foundational beliefs in any way he can.
There are those who would have you believe that there is no God, or that Jesus is nothing special, just another prophet. Do not even listen to that, it is Satan’s lie.  Jesus prefaced his story with a warning: We may fool humans with our speech, but God cannot be deceived.  He sees the heart as it truly is — with its motives, intentions, desires, and choices (Psalm 139: 2-4 tells us this, “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely”.
There is only one way in which a person's sincerity can be proved, and that is by one's practice.  Fine words can never replace good deeds.  Our character is revealed in the choices we make, especially when we are tested.  One who aspires to be a follower of Jesus (a disciple) will always make their choice as one who is seeking to do the will of God. A true Christian is a person who is honest and reliable before God, self, and neighbor.  A Christians word can be counted on.  A Christian will exhibit the golden rule in all their life choices, and That person will truly love God with all their heart , mind and soul, and will love their neighbor as themselves.
Jesus is teaching us that those who hear and act on his teachings to obey God are wise. However, those who hear and continue to disobey are foolish people. His explanation for why is stated prior to this parable, that "only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven" "will enter into the kingdom of heaven." True disciples of Christ will be men and women cautious in their judgment of others; conscious of their own faults; confident and earnest in prayer; wary of false teachers and hypocritical profession; building all eternal hopes upon the firm Rock, faith in the Word of God and Christ Jesus. What foundation is your life built upon?"

The Unwilling Guests & The Marriage Feast

The Unwilling Guests & The Marriage Feast                                       Pg.1

Opening Prayer.  Father God ,  We pray that You will allow your Holy Spirit to work in and thru us, in this study tonight, that we may come to know more about Your Son our Lord Jesus and Your Heavenly Kingdom. We pray that this study will help us to make faithful servants in proclaiming the good news of our salvation, and by so doing we might draw others to You through our efforts. Bless us now as we study Your word. AMEN

Mat 22:1  Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2  "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3  He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4  "Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' 5  "But they paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another to his business. 6  The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7  The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8  "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9  So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10  So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11  "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12  He asked, 'How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?' The man was speechless. 13  "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14  "For many are invited, but few are chosen.
Why study this scripture?  This Parable’s Primary Focus is about what the cares of this world can do to interrupt our true worship of God. There seems to be an attitude that the worship of God is somewhat secondary to our real world issues and desires. This parable speaks to those matters.
These first three verses represent the banquet invitation. We should take note of  four facts about this banquet. (1)Who is preparing the banquet, (2)for whom it is being prepared, (3)what type of banquet it is, and (4)who is sent out to call those who are invited. And we should also note that those who were invited refused to come.
To draw an analogy, God threw a party for Jesus’ wedding to the Church, and the Jews were the primary guests, and chose not to come. We can only imagine how God must have felt about that.
A Jewish wedding was a big deal, lots of time involved from the time of betrothal to the wedding day, sometimes a year or more. And as to the guests, they would be invited by as much as a year in advance, and then when the time came, the wedding banquet was prepared, the invited guests would be notified of the time and the banquet would then begin.

Q.1 Why did Jesus feel the need to speak this parable?
Q.2 Who are the characters in this parable?
Q.3 Many important matters are covered in marriages what are some of them?
Q.4 When a marriage happens people get emotional. Why is that?
Q.4 What do you think the reason was that no one came to this banquet?
                                                                                                                                             Pg.2
Vs 4-6"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' 5  "But they paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another to his business. 6  The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them.

Verses 4 thru 6 are descriptive of how God even sent more servants forth. The seventy disciples, and other ministers of the Gospel, as Barnabas and Saul, and others that were joined to, and were helpers of the apostles, who were sent, and preached to the Jews, before the destruction of Jerusalem: And how the king has offered the best of his gifts for the Jews, and what preparations God has made to persuade them to come to him. The dinner is prepared, and all things are ready.
The Father is ready to accept us, the Son to intercede for us, the Spirit to sanctify us; pardon is ready; peace is ready, comfort is ready; the promises are ready, as wells of living water for supply; ordinances are ready,  angels are ready to attend us, creatures are ready to be in league with us, providences are ready to work for our good, and heaven, at last, is ready to receive us; it is a kingdom prepared, ready to be revealed in the last time. But the Jews in Jesus’ time weren’t convinced of God’s offer, and were busy with their own affairs, and treated God’s servants badly, even killing some of them. It is a perfect description of the reception that the Jews gave to Jesus. And how they killed some of the apostles including, Peter and John.

Q.1 Who were the servants in Jesus’ day that God sent out?
Q.2 And today who are those servants?
Q.3 What are the preparations that God has made for us?
Q.4 And what was necessary for those preparations to be afforded to the King’s guests?

The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8  "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9  So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10  So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests

Verses 7 thru 10 are descriptive of how the King reacted to the refusal of those who were invited. He was angry at the murderers of his servants. His anger was such as would be the destruction of them and having destroyed them, He then burned their city. So finding that the Jews were not willing to accept his banquet invitation he then speaks against those he first invited, and is now sending his servants out to invite anyone they find, the bad as well as the good.
There are four points to be made in verses 7 thru 10. (1) The king has been offended by those he first invited.  (2) he destroys them and their city, (3) He sends his servants out again to invite anyone willing to come. And (4) the wedding hall is filled with those “other” guests.

Q.1 Why was God angered over the Jews refusing his invitation?
Q.2 Why did he not just let them alone and then go about inviting others to the banquet?
Q.3 In your opinion, Is this parable a true representation of how God really is?
Q.4 Who are the “other” guests that God sent his servants to invite
                                                                                                                                               Pg.3
Vs 11-14 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12  He asked, 'How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?' The man was speechless. 13  "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14  "For many are invited, but few are chosen.

The king came in to see the guests, to bid those welcome who came prepared, and to turn those out who came otherwise. Note, The God of heaven takes particular notice of those who profess religion, and have a place and name in the visible church. Our Lord Jesus walks among the golden candlesticks and therefore knows their works. See Rev_2:1 & 2:2.

But there was a man there who represents one of our recent studies, The wickedness of the goats.  This man had not on this garment, this robe of righteousness; it was not imputed to him; he had no knowledge of it; or if he had any, it was only a speculative one; he had no true faith in it; he had never put on Christ, as the Lord and his righteousness. He came in his common and ordinary dress, as he was taken from the highway. And though he had not a garment of his own suitable for the occasion, yet one had been provided for him, if he had applied for it. His not doing it was expressive of the highest disrespect for the king. He had gotten into a church state without it, though there is no entrance into the kingdom of heaven but by it, as our study of the sheep and the goats showed. Only the righteousness of Christ gets one into Heaven.
Of the many that are called to the wedding feast, if you set aside all those as unchosen that make light of it, and avowedly prefer other things before it; if then you set aside all that make a profession of religion, but the temper of whose spirits and the tenure of whose conversation are a constant contradiction to it; if you set aside all the profane, and all the hypocritical, you will find that they are few, very few, that are chosen; many called to the wedding feast, but few chosen to the wedding garment, that is, to salvation, by sanctification of the Spirit. This is the strait gate, and narrow way, which few find.

Q.1 What is represented by vs.11 When does God come in to see his guests?
Q.2 When Questioned by God regarding our righteousness how will our answer be couched?
Q.3 For the man described in vs 11&12 there seemed to be no hope, do you have an answer?
Q.4 What is the meaning of the Phrase “ many are called but few are chosen?


Closing Prayer
Father God , We pray your blessing on us now as we leave this place. We pray that we will be among those who are invited to Your banquet, and that we will be worthy of it. We pray now for those who are sick or bereaved _______________ we pray that you will grant the your peace and comfort. Be with us now as we go our separate ways, and bring us back together next week. We pray this in Jesus’ name AMEN




                                                                                                                                Pg.4
"Meditation: What can a royal wedding party tell us about God's kingdom?  One of the most beautiful images of heaven in the scriptures is the banquet and wedding celebration given by the King for his son.  We, in fact, have been invited to the most important banquet of all.  Jesus' parable contains two stories.  The first has to do with the original guests invited to the feast.  The king had sent out invitations well in advance to his subjects, so they would have plenty of time to prepare for coming to the feast.  How insulting for the invited guests to then refuse when the time for celebrating came! They made light of the King's request because they put their own interests above his.  They not only insulted the King but the heir to the throne as well. The king's anger is justified because they openly refused to give the king the honor he was due.  Jesus directed this warning to the Jews of his day, both to convey how much God wanted them to share in the joy of his kingdom, but also to give a warning about the consequences of refusing his Son, their Messiah and Savior.  The second part of the story focuses on those who had no claim on the king and who would never have considered getting such an invitation.  The "good and the bad" along the highways certainly referred to the Gentiles and to sinners.  This is certainly an invitation of grace -- undeserved, unmerited favor and kindness!  But this invitation also contains a warning for those who refuse it or who approach the wedding feast unworthily.  Grace is a free gift, but it is also an awesome responsibility.  Dieterich Bonhoeffer contrasts "cheap grace" and "costly grace".  "Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves ..the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance ..grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. ..Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.  Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.  It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."  God invites each of us to his banquet that we may share in his joy.  Are you ready to feast at the Lord's banquet table                      
Questions:
1. Who was it that Jesus describes that didn’t want to be there? Who do you suppose in our world today are the ones too busy to show up?
2. Is there something more important that keeps them away? How about us today, are there people that you cannot drag to church? Who show no respect for God?
3. Was he a sovereign king with power over many? So what did the king do?
4. After his vengeance was abated, Did he cancel the feast?
5. This was to be a great feast, he would then invite other people to the feast, Who did he invite?
6. His orders were to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature, Jew or Gentile, high or low, rich or poor, outwardly righteous, or openly profane, greater or lesser sinners, and exhort them to attend the Gospel ministry, and ordinances. Is that a good or a bad thing?
7. Are these other people accepted in that day and time? Who are they in our day and time?
8. He knows them that are his, and gives them marks of respect; and he spies out such as are not, and will in his own time discover them, to their utter confusion and ruin. Did he see one at this event?
9. How was that person treated?
10. ' 14 For many are called, but few are chosen. You have heard this before? What is your interpretation of it?

The Parable of The Patch And The Wine Skins

                                     The Patch and the Wineskins                                                  Pg.1
Opening Prayer
Father God, we gather again so that we might study the words of Jesus as he defends his disciples. Teach us now and give us a proper understanding of our Saviors words, such that we might apply Jesus’ ways in our day to day living. In His Name we pray, AMEN

The Pharisees fasted often, regularly twice a week, besides the great national days of fasting. They also fasted while in mourning. This was the established custom of the land. As a result, John the Baptist's disciples—who fasted frequently like the Pharisees—wanted to know why Jesus, in contrast, did not require His disciples to fast.

Scripture:  Matthew 9:14-17  Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" 15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is  taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 And no one puts a piece of new cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.  17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is  put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.
The story is told of a man who invented a clock and for the first time showed it to a friend of his, asking his opinion and what he thought of something that could always tell the time of day. He opened the back of it and asked the man what he thought of it. The man saw some wheels, and other smaller ones, some going one way and others another way, some wheels slow and other wheels fast. Seeing this seeming confusion, he answered, "I think this is too confusing and complicated to ever catch on."
Then the maker showed his friend the front side of the clock and asked what he now thought of it. The man looked at the two hands of the clock moving smoothly and regularly, each one in its appointed circle, and both of them telling perfectly the time of day, and replied, "I think You have conceived of and put together one of the most important marvels since the creation.."
This story helps us to understand a great truth concerning life. We are here on earth, and we see only the "earthly side" of God's doings, and thus we fail to see His perfect design and plan. The "wheels" are going every which way, and they sometimes seem to have no purpose or design. But one day we will see the "heavenly side" of God's doings. We will see His perfect design and plan for our life, and we will say, "Lord, I praise You and thank You. Your way is indeed perfect."
We know but little, and we experience Gods ways as they come to us while we are here on this earth. But a day is coming, when all questions will be answered, all mysteries made known, and all understanding given to us. But for now, we know only that which God reveals to us through our study of His word and our faith to which Jesus Christ leads us. Were we not called to it, there would be no need for the revealing of it.

 Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.
 We as disciples, are those chosen ones.


                                                                                                                                 Pg.2
Jesus' first illustration comes from marriage customs of the time.

Why did Christ's disciples not fast like the Pharisees? The bridegroom's friends would not think of fasting while he was with them. For them, it was a time of festivity and rejoicing—mourning was not appropriate.  At a traditional Jewish wedding, there are the Children of the Bride Chamber as they were called, the friends of the bride, and the friends of the bridegroom, who amid singing and playing of instruments conducted the bride, accompanied by her companions, to the house of her parents-in-law and to the bride-chamber, and remained to take part in the wedding feast, which usually lasted seven days. There they would celebrate the coming union, and at such times there was no time for fasting. The matter of traditional fasting would resume once the celebration was over and the marriage consummated.

Q.1 Do Christians differ in this comparison, from the Pharisees, and from John’s disciples?
Q.2 If our answer to question 1 is yes, is there a proper explanation?
Q.3 Jesus’ explanation was enough to satisfy the Pharisees, How was that done?
Q.4 What relationship comparison can be derived from this (vs15)?

Jesus is saying, though not openly, just as you don't fast while the bridegroom's hosts the wedding celebration, neither should my disciples fast while I am ushering in the Kingdom of God. It is a time for celebration, not for mourning. Then he adds, darkly, "But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast" (5:35). Jesus knew that his crucifixion and death lay ahead and refers to it here.
We are to be a joy filled congregation of Christians, a Happy group of Disciples.
Jesus’ teaching is that we are to celebrate our new found freedom from sin. We are no longer condemned under the old law. We are to be willing to accept Jesus, and his offer of our salvation. And Our fasting will take place in the remembrance of what he has done for us.
Suppose you are sitting in a house with a window which opens toward a beautiful mountain scene. There are two things you can do. You can look toward the window and let your gaze stop on the window glass itself with all its flaws and imperfections. Or you can let your gaze pass through the glass to behold the beauty of God's creation beyond.
In our situation, when we choose to "walk by sight," we see only our circumstances. But, when we choose to "walk by faith," we look beyond our circumstances and discover God at work. Faith is not some kind of feeling or emotion. Faith is the choice of my will to believe what God says in His Word. By faith you can believe that God is in every circumstance that comes to you. And there is no need to perceive any more than the Joy of the creation which God has made and the salvation of the new life that he has made for us through Jesus Christ. Who is the Bridegroom, The new wine, The new patch in our faith and belief.








                                                                                                                                Pg.3
Jesus' second illustration derives from the custom of that day of repairing clothing

What do the cloth and old garment represent?
No one with a reasonable amount of experience in mending clothes would waste a piece of new cloth to repair an old garment. If new cloth is used to patch an old garment, and the patch becomes wet, it shrinks as it dries and puts strain on the old garment. The tear becomes worse than it was.
Jesus is showing that His "new" doctrines do not match the old rites of the Pharisees, which required a lot of fasting. If His "new" doctrines were attached to their old ones, it would distort the truth. Christ is preaching against syncretism, the mixing of beliefs. We must completely replace the old human way of life with the new godly way of life. Because God's "new" way is righteous and spiritually strong, it cannot be combined with the "old" wicked and weak human way of life. They are incompatible.
We read in Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty in which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Represented by the old cloth, we give Satan a foothold, You see, Satan would certainly like to have you back under the Law of Commandments because he could then accuse you before God, and separate you from your salvation. But if you trust in the perfect law of liberty, and in righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ’s new covenant you will never come under Satan’s accusation again.

Q.1 What was the main objection the Pharisees had with Jesus’ “new religion”?
Q.2 How does one describe what Jesus was doing as the Pharisees understood it?
Q.3 How does one describe what Jesus was doing as his Disciples understood it?
Q.4 And the same question applies as to how it is understood today.
Q.5 There are those today who still do not agree with His teaching, who are they?

The bottom line is that following various religious rules and rituals rather than following the still small voice of the Holy Spirit will just ensure that Satan will be able to accuse you before God. And if Satan can successfully accuse you, then you will be condemned. But we should remember the exhortation of the Apostle Paul in Colossians 2:20-21, which says, “Wherefore if you are dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances, 21 Such as, Touch not; taste not; handle not;?” And, Galatians 4:9-11, says, “But now, after you have known God, or rather are known of God, how can you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.”









Jesus' third illustration derives from wine making and storing it in vessels.                   Pg.4
What do the new wine and old wineskins represent?
In those days, Wine began it fermenting in open vessels then in closed jars or "bottles" which were made of animal skins—sheep, goat, or ox—and, after being properly prepared, filled with wine or water. After a time, an animal skin became brittle and ruptured easily. New wine which would be fermenting when put into an old skin would expand, and burst them open. New skins, however, were strong enough to stretch without bursting.
Christ's illustration suggests that there is a wise and proper way to do things. It was not fitting to mix His doctrines with the old and corrupt doctrines of the Pharisees. To take God's truth and try to press it into some other form would change it into a lie, as Satan would have it.
The New Testament that Jesus taught is not contrary to the Old Testament, for both the Old and New Testaments are the word of God, just as New and Old wine are both wine. But the very term implies a new word of God, the New Testament, in regards to the old word of God, the Old Testament. The people who were represented by the new wine skins, those fit to receive the New Testament were only those people who were receptive enough to receive the New Testimony of the Word of God and expand with its knowledge. But the people who were represented by the old wine skins were the people who had become so hardened that they could not expand with the new knowledge. In Jesus' day there were many people who's hearts were hardened. As it says in Zechariah 7:12, they had set their hearts to be like an adamant stone.   An adamant stone was an especially hard stone, and represented people who's hearts are hard and are unable to have their hearts penetrated by the word of God. In Romans 2:5 it reads: But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Q.1 What was the importance of wine in Jesus’ day?
Q.2 What skill is necessary to repair clothing?
Q.3 In relation to a matter of lifestyle, how did these things matter?
Q.5 How would you rate your faith and beliefs about your religion, as a lifestyle?
Q.6 What is most significant about what you believe?

So, what does this all mean for us Christians today? It means that Jesus was trying to tell us, and is still trying to tell us, that the New Testament of Grace is not just like the Old Testament of the Law of Commandments. And the people who are the body of Christ are not just like the old people of Israel. For God created a new people when he gave his New Testament. Israel was the chosen people of God in the Old Testament. But in the New Testament, God's people are no longer one nation, but all people from all nations who are able to comprehend the new testimony of Jesus Christ, and are able to receive it and grow with it. Most of the actual nation of Israel had become so hardened in heart, that they could not see how the Old Testament could include Jesus Christ, for they viewed Jesus as an interruption to their lifestyle rather than a savior of their souls, even though the Old Testament had clearly prophesied that there would be a deliverer for Israel who would save the nation.
Heb 8:10  This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11  No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12  For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Closing Prayer                                                                                                               Pg.5
Lord, fill us full again with your New Wine. This time help us to contain it and grow with it, rather than lose it through our stubbornness and inflexibility. We pray for our sick and bereaved tonight ___________deliver your healing and comfort to sustain them through these difficult times, and help us, Lord, to recognize the powerful new ways you want to work in our lives that we may be a proper witness to Your saving grace. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.



Meditation: Which comes first, fasting or feasting?  The disciples of John the Baptist were upset with Jesus' disciples because they did not fast.  Fasting was one of the three most important religious duties, along with prayer and almsgiving.  Jesus gave a simple explanation.  There's a time for fasting and a time for feasting (or celebrating). To walk as a disciple with Jesus is to experience a whole new joy of relationship akin to the joy of the wedding party in celebrating with the groom and bride their wedding bliss.  But there also comes a time when the Lord's disciples must bear the cross of affliction and purification.  For the disciple there is both a time for rejoicing in the Lord's presence and celebrating his goodness and a time for seeking the Lord with humility and fasting and for mourning over sin.  Do you take joy in the Lord's presence with you and do you express sorrow and contrition for your sins?  Jesus goes on to warn his disciples about the problem of the "closed mind" that refuses to learn new things.  Jesus used an image familiar to his audience — new and old wineskins.  In Jesus' times, wine was stored in wineskins.  New wine poured into skins was still fermenting.  The fermenting gases exerted pressure.  New wine skins were elastic enough to take the pressure, but old wine skins easily burst because they had already been stretched to capacity, and any further pressure on an old wineskin would burst it.  What did Jesus mean by this comparison?  Are we to reject the old in place of the new?  Just as there is a right place and a right time for fasting and for feasting, so there is a right place for the old as well as the new.  Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (Matthew 13:52).  How impoverished we would be if we only had the Old Testament or the New Testament, rather than both.  The Lord gives us wisdom so we can make the best use of both the old and the new. He doesn't want us to hold rigidly to the past and to be resistant to the new work of his Holy Spirit in our lives.  He wants our minds and hearts to be like the new wine skins — open and ready to receive the new wine of the Holy Spirit.  Are you eager to grow in the knowledge and understanding of God's word and plan for your life? We pray that God will open our hearts and minds and reveal to us those things in our life that will help us become better and more effective disciples.

The Parable Of The Sheep And The Goats

Opening Prayer                                                                                                                     Pg.1
Father God ,  lead us now as we study this parable that Your Son, Jesus Spoke. We pray that no word be spoken that is contrary to your will, and that our efforts will bring us to the knowledge that you have purposed for our lives from this study. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN
Mat 24:3  As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
Mat 24:4  Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. Jesus’ words are the beginning of his Olivet discourse on the end times.
This Parable, our study tonight is near the end of Jesus’Olivet discourse. He is speaking privately, directly to his disciples, who had asked him about the end times. Many believe this discourse is spoken for the benefit of Christians, as it was only perceived to be given to his disciples.

                      The parable of the sheep and the goats
Mat 25:31  "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
Mat 25:32  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Mat 25:33  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Mat 25:34  "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
Mat 25:35  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
Mat 25:36  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Mat 25:37  "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
Mat 25:38  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
Mat 25:39  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
Mat 25:40  "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'
Mat 25:41  "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Mat 25:42  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
Mat 25:43  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
Mat 25:44  "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
Mat 25:45  "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
Mat 25:46  "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."



                                                                                                                                                Pg.2

Why study this parable? ….The Lord will separate the righteous and the wicked.
By examining this parable one will begin to understand that calling oneself a Christian is not enough, there has to be some effort on our part which can be considered righteousness.  There will be an accounting of the thoughts, words, actions, and deeds of our lives, and all have consequences. The choice of where we spend eternity is ours, and it comes down to whether or not we choose to serve the Lord or serve ourselves. Our Prayer is that we will choose Jesus and his saving grace, for none of us wants to hear 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

Q.1 What does this parable convey to you?
Q.2 Where might one find a person who has no respect for righteousness?
Q.3 Why would Jesus feel the need to speak this parable?
Q.4 When is it most clear to someone when a wrong has been committed?


                                               A day of Judgment
Mat 25:31  "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
Mat 25:32  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Mat 25:33  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Mat 25:34  "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

This parable makes it clear that it is actions that determine who are the sheep and who are goats. Jesus teaches this subject frequently, in his discourses "You will know them by their fruits...every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." (Matthew 7:16-19) We are taught, and as Christians we believe our salvation cannot be obtained through 'works' and good deeds. However, works and good deeds are the fruit of those who have been saved by God's grace.
Jesus calls the righteous sheep, because they hearken unto the voice of the shepherd, while the goats go their own way, do not care to listen to reason or justice, but do as they wish paying no attention to the shepherd The sheep are those who follow the shepherd and serve as his disciples, caring for his other sheep.  Any service we give to our fellow men in the name of Christ, is as if we did it unto the Savior.

Q.1 What is the significance of the phrase a “Glorious Throne”?
Q.2 Which nations will be gathered before him?
Q.3 Why is there the reference to sheep and goats?
Q.4 “The Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” means what?
Q.5 When is the proper time to conside the final accounting of your deeds?




                                   The truth spoken to the sheep                                                      Pg.3

Mat 25:35  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
Mat 25:36  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Mat 25:37  "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
Mat 25:38  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
Mat 25:39  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
Mat 25:40  "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

These verses are descriptive of such righteous acts as to make one a member of that chosen few for whom the kingdom was prepared. It is there for them, not because they earned it because one cannot enter into that glory on one’s merit or actions or good deeds. For if good deeds could make it so, there would have been no need for Jesus’ sacrificing his life for our salvation.
Ones acceptance of salvation through Jesus Christ is seen through our actions. It is ours because God made it thus and offered his Son, now the King who reigns there, as a ransom to be paid for our salvation. Salvation which is freely given to those for whom it was prepared. There is no earning of it, as it is a gift. But the desire to have it so must come from the heart of those who seek it. Salvation is a gift from God but it is not given without there being a sincere desire to have it, and with the acknowledgement that Jesus, the Son of God is the Lord of our life
Those who accept God's gift of salvation will repent and will serve God with their actions. It is what Christian disciples do because salvation has made them such as do good works. Without Christ being the reason, there would be no possibility of our rehabilitation. It would be like a snowflake falling into a volcano with the intention of putting out the fire. Our imperfections far outweigh our good intentions.
The “least of these” refers to those in a variety of needy situations. They include the hungry, thirsty, impoverished, sick, and imprisoned. In this context, Jesus is speaking to those on His right, that is, the righteous. The needy are called Christ’s “brothers”; thus, the reference is to the righteous helping fellow disciples. Jesus said that those who cared for such individuals were not merely serving other people. They were serving Him.
Q.1 Who are those in our world today that these verses refer to as having been served?
Q.2 Why is this such an important part of what Christian disciples do?
Q.3 In what tangible ways can those needing our help receive the aid they need?
Q.4 Are there those in our world today that do not justifiably need our aid?
Q.5 What are the determining factors that must be considered when attempting to help others?

                                The truth spoken to the goats                                                        Pg.4

Mat 25:41  "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Mat 25:42  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
Mat 25:43  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
Mat 25:44  "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
Mat 25:45  "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
Mat 25:46  "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

On that day there will be no pardon offered, no time extension made. No back room deals, and no mercy shown. The die is cast, the matter has been resolved. The results of the work of Jesus Christ are made known.  The Lord will separate the righteous from the wicked, the righteous will be exalted, and the wicked shall suffer punishment as was prepared for the Devil and his angels.
The devil and his angels sinned before the creation of the world, and the place of torment was then prepared for them: it never was designed for human souls; but as the wicked are partakers with the devil and his angels in their iniquities, in their rebellion against God, so it is right that they should be sharers with them in their punishment. We see here, plainly, why sinners are destroyed, not because there was no salvation for them, but because they either refused or neglected to receive good, and do good. As they received not the Christ who was offered to them, so they could not do the work of righteousness which was required of them. They are cursed, because they refused to be blessed; and they are damned, because they refused to be saved

Q.1 To whom are the words of this parable directed ?
Q.2 What are the most significant lessons we learn from this parable
Q.3 Where was Jesus when he spoke these words?
Q.4 How would you describe this parable in today's terms?
Q.5 In terms of things about our salvation that we should know where do you rate this parable?
Q. Is there any question that good works and faith are directly connected?

Closing Prayer
Father God, be with us now as we make our way from this place. Help us to recall day by day minute by minute that we are Christians, disciples of Jesus, and that we are examples to those who are looking to us for our compassion and help. Be with those of our concern Who are in need of your healing touch. ___________Strengthen and comfort these mentioned and all who seek your presence in their lives. Lead us now as we depart, and bring us together again next week as we continue in our study of the words of  our Savior, Your Son Jesus, AMEN



Meditation

The realities in life, as we well know, are not all well and good, with everybody receiving his fair share.  If we must have differences in our trials and our blessings, then the fact is that most of us find we are sometimes among the sheep and sometimes among the goats. We are unsure, also, about this God who separates sheep from goats, according to those criteria, and consigns the goats to perdition. But what we do know is that God is... the final authority, and he hates sin, and there will be a Judgment Day.
But the parable does give us a very timely urgency about social justice, and it links this directly with God’s purposes.  I may not be feeding the hungry or visiting the prisoner right now, but I will be some way involved in healing a broken world and bringing relief where it is needed.  I may be in a position where I can influence decision-makers.
What is also true as well, is that all these works of mercy are equally well done by social groups of men and women who belong to organizations such as The Lions Clubs, The Masonic Brotherhood, Action Against Hunger, Bread for the World, Children in Need, Free the Children, and many more charitable organizations.  People helping people in need is not a uniquely Christian act, even atheists do that.
Jesus in this parable expected his disciples in any age, to do what is simply good and necessary. It may be in our own neighborhood, family or churches, or it may be on a much larger even world wide scale.  But we must do it, we must see it done, we must feel it and we must yearn for it, more and more as our world suffers more poverty, wars, famine, and disease. Helping those in need, is not a new thing, and it is something that Jesus expects His followers to be involved in.
So if you are relying on your faith in Jesus to save you on judgment day, but you are carrying on living the same kind of selfish life as the people around you who don't believe in him, watch out. The Bible doesn't give you any reassurance at all that you will really be saved.
Good works aren't the reason we're saved, for without faith good works are not redemptive; but they are the evidence that we're saved. Someone once asked, 'If you were put on trial for being a follower of Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict you?' Jesus is saying here that on judgment day, he will look for evidence that we belong to him – evidence in how we've treated his brothers and sisters. Who is he talking about, specifically? At one level, as we've seen, he's talking about all Christian believers – all his brothers and sisters. We who profess to be his disciples. We are to help those in need.
Jesus identifies himself with his followers so closely that he takes what we do for them as something we've done for him. And he says that our destiny will be measured out by how we respond to his family. The good things we do for them show where we stand in relation to him. So it's a picture of judgment: Jesus is going to come back, and we are all going to face him. His verdict on us will depend on how we have treated him, how we have responded to him. The evidence on which he will base his verdict on us is how we have treated our Christian brothers and sisters.
 It is my prayer that we will not hear God say, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”.