We're going to read Matthew chapter number 24, verse 32 through 44. Matthew chapter 24, verse number 32. And you keep your Bibles open. We're going to read on more in Matthew 24 and some in Matthew 25 tonight. as we see what's known as the Olivet Discourse, as Jesus was on the Mount of Olives and four apostles there ask him, when's all these things coming to pass? And that's what we want to deal with. And of course, the last days is what he was talking about, the last days of the last days. Well, Matthew 24, 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree. When its branches yet tender and put a forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels in heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. There shall be two in the field, the one shall be taken, the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore, for you know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, but know this, that the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would have not suffered or allowed his house to be broken up. Therefore be you also ready, for in such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh. Now last week we dealt with instructions for the last days, more or less giving the introduction, talking about the times we live in and it's almost as one man said, you can almost hear the stirrups on the white horse rider as Antichrist is putting his foot on the stirrups just about to mount up. We're getting close to that time. And yet people say, well, we've heard that all of our life, and the preachers have preached it all their life about the imminent return of our Lord. And Paul lived in such that he thought the Lord was coming in his time. Peter did that. All down through the ages they've done that, and that's the way the Lord wants us to be. We don't know exactly when it's going to be, but we do know one thing. If you've been saved by the grace of God, you're of the day. You're not of the night. It means you've got some light. It means you're gonna have some understanding. Even you who have not yet saved as God's wakened and stirred as a seeker has some understanding, and you're not totally of the night in that sense. You may not understand all you need to, and none of us do, but you're not completely in the dark. Now, the unsaved, or at least the people who've not yet been awakened and on the broad way, just going their own way, they don't have a clue what's going on. All they talk about it, and they say they've got this, and they say they've got that, but they don't have a clue. You're so blessed if you have just a little ray of light, just a little ray of light, and you may not, we hadn't had a lot. in one way. We hadn't had enough, but God wants to give us more, but you're so blessed. And so as a result, Jesus had these disciples that pulled him aside as Peter, James, and John, and Andrew. Andrew was with them this time. Most of the time, it's just Peter, James, and John was kind of the ones closest. But Andrew joined in on this, and they drew him up in the Mount of Olives. There he pulled him aside and said, when's all these things coming to pass? And so the Lord began to unfold some things. Now to get the synoptic gospel, synoptic means similar, okay? And that's Matthew, Mark, and Luke. You have to have all three of the writings to put it all together. Matthew 24 is where really this is what we read in tonight. That's where the apostles ask him that question. Luke chapter number 21 and Mark chapter number 13 is where all those are the same setting recorded three different people. You see, even though God wrote down the scripture, he let human personality be reflected in what they wrote. So they wrote down, and you've got to put them all together to get the understanding that you need for the instructions. But basically, I know I'll not go back over all the introduction that basically I give last week, but basically Jesus gave them four warnings for instructions of the last day. Four warnings. I mentioned them last week and I said it's to be watchful, it's to be faithful, it's to be prepared and to be fruitful. Those are the four things. But I want us to break those four things down tonight and look and see just what the Lord wants us to do as far as the instructions for the last day. Now we need hope. and we've got hope, amen? I don't care who you are here tonight, there's hope because there's still an open door, there's a striving spirit, and there's a preacher of righteousness, amen? And the devil tried to tell you there is no hope, but there is hope tonight, and you need to know that. If you'll just obey the light God's give you, he'll give you more. But he said, first of all, be watchful. Look at verse 42 in our text verse, Matthew 24. He said here, watch. Now he's telling these four apostles here Peter, James, and John and Andrew. So in context, it's clear that believers will know the general time of the Lord's coming. You're going to know the general time. Now, you're not going to know the exact time. In fact, he said in verse 32 and 33 of Matthew, Now, learn a parable of the fig tree. When its branches yet tender and put forth leaves, you know that summer's nigh. So likewise, ye, when ye see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door. Now last week my math was off in case any of you knew about it, amen. I said 42 years was generation and I had it figured from 48 and I didn't have it written down and I hope you caught it, amen. But at any rate, that was over 1990 instead of 2000. Then they changed it to 52, and that's gone too. So you don't hear anything about the fig tree being Israel anymore. I mean, I don't hear a thing about it anymore. Well, some of them are trying to come up with a longer generation, you know, about 80-something years or something. I don't know. You hear anything, but basically they've left that aside. All the Lord was saying was, you look out at the trees, and Luke says, look at all the trees. You know when summer's nigh, just by observing the trees. You don't have to be very smart to know when summer's night. Look at the trees bud, or bloom, or blossom, or leave out, whatever they might be. Now, Fig Tree worked, was a little bit different, but he said, you know that. In other words, but he said, so likewise, Likewise, in like manner, you know you shall see all these things, and these things that he told was basically recorded in the book of Luke chapter 21, and he told these things, when you see these things come to pass, lift up your head for your redemption draweth nigh. So just like you see the fig tree, or all the trees, bloom, blossom, bud, whatever. You know summer's around the corner. When you see these things begin to come to pass, then you know right around the corner the Lord's coming back. That's what he's saying there. But he said, be watchful, be watchful. In other words, we don't know the specific time. We know the general time, but we don't know the specific time. Verse 36 said, but of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. Now, as things begin to unfold, those who have insight in it can say, man, it's close. It's within the next seven years. It's within the next three and a half years. It's in the next two and a half years. But you don't know the day and the hour. You can't set a time for the Lord to come. And somebody said, well, if he set a time, if they set a time just to forget about it, he won't come on that time because nobody knows about that time. We don't know that. But during that time, while we're waiting, while we're hoping, he said, watch. Watch, therefore, be watchful. The word watch means to keep awake. It means to be alert. It means to be vigilant. It denotes caution and readiness. It refers to spiritual alertness is what it's saying. Spiritually being alert. Now the logic of his command is verse number 43. He said, but know this. that if the good men of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would have not suffered his house to be broken up. And of course, that applies to what it says the Lord's going to come as a thief in the night, as a thief. It means that you don't know what time, but if you knew what watch he's coming, you're going to, what watch of the night he's coming, you're going to be, and it is going to be night because this world's getting darker by the day, amen. I'm telling you it really is. So it's like a watch he uses the night time like him coming at night. Now it's going to be daytime in some places of the world. But he said if you knew, and as far as the thief, he operates under cover of darkness. If he knew, you'd stay up, you'd be alert. So he said in like manner, you need the watch. You need to be careful. You need to be spiritually alert so that your house not be broken up. In other words, it's what he's dealing with here in that sense. And so, therefore, he speaks about these things. Now, the Jewish watches had four watches of a night. They're three hours long. In other words, approximately three hours long, and they're called 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, but it also got a name for it, the Evening Watch, the Midnight Watch, the Cockcrow Watch, and the Morning Watch. In other words, the Cockcrow Watch. Before the cock crows twice, Jesus said, you'll deny me twice, but the Cockcrow Watch, and then the Morning Watch. Mark 13, 35, he said, watch ye therefore, This is in the same Synoptic Gospel, the same Olivet Discourse. And so if a homeowner did not know the specific time, in other words, but he knew a general time of the watch, in other words, that it was coming, he'd be keenly alert and watching for the thief so he wouldn't break up his house. And he's saying that's the way we need to be watchful in these last days. Now, believers living during the time of our Lord's coming will know the watch of his return through the fulfillment of specific events. As I said in Luke 21, 28, Luke recorded it this way, when these things began to come to pass, Lift up your head for your redemption drawth. Now, why do you lift up your head? You're looking. You're watching, in other words. Therefore, he said in Matthew 24, 44, therefore be ye also ready. Therefore, it means as the master of the house would be ready, if he knew what his house would be robbed, he said, you need to be ready. awaiting and watching, watching, in essence, for the Lord to come. Now, watching is more than being a spectator or being passive, just looking with the eyes. It means to, it's a motive for holy living. John, I John chapter three, verse number three, he said, and every man that hath this hope, and that's the hope of the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, but every man that hath this hope in him does what? Purifies himself even as he's pure. So it's a motive for pure living. It's a motive for patience, and patience doesn't mean to be a doormat for everybody to run over, but it's the quality of the individual who's got a goal in mind, and he's fixed on that goal, and he doesn't let the circumstances waver him. He doesn't let them succumb. He doesn't succumb to them. They don't get him down. He just keeps on keeping on, keeps on keeping on, amen? Patience. All right, we'll start again. But he keeps on keeping on. It also, it's a motive for moderation. It's a motive for spiritual madness. It's a motive to use your time wisely. I'm talking about watching. Use your time wisely. Why, it is coming. Well, you say, but preacher, what about if he came? Let me ask you a question. If the Lord was to come back during the week sometime, would you want to, if yours is, would you want him to find you? visiting? If you, would you want Him to find you reading what you're reading and watching what you're watching and doing what you're doing? Listen, he's watching anyway. He knows those things, amen? 1 John 2, 28, he says, In other words, we ought to be ready. And I'm sure when the time comes and we get closer to it, things are going to change. for those who are of the day. In other words, watching. And yet, while you're watching, there's a working involved. Luke 19, 13, He called His ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them, Occupy till I come. You know what the word occupy comes from, or another word we get from that word? Occupation. In other words, it means there's a work to be done. Now, somebody said, well, the Lord's going to come. I'll just sit down and do nothing. No, no, you need to be working until He comes because you could say it this way, get your bags packed, be ready to meet Him, but keep your tool chest open. There's a job to be done. In other words, it's what it's talking about. Occupation, in other words, means we're to work on earth as we're watching for His return. Hebrews 9, 28, listen to what Paul said this to the Hebrew saints. He said, So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. If you're not looking for him, he's not going to appear, it seems to what he said. Now, there's two things is the reason people are not looking today that call themselves saints. One is they're not saved. Another is some things is going to have to happen to cause us to be glued to the eastern sky, and that both of them are correct. Many people that say they're saved are not, and there will be some things we'll face, and yet that's not doing away with the imminent return of our Lord. I mean, I'm not saying exactly when He can come, but I do know the Scripture's got to be fulfilled. We may not have all the true understanding about some of the things, but as it begins to unfold and there'll be eyes glued to the eastern sky for our Lord to come back. Look means to expect fully. If one expects his boss to return, what's he going to do? Be working. Well, if you're the right kind of worker, you ought to be working while your boss is gone. Ought not to be a change just because the boss comes up. Amen. Isn't that right? That's the way it ought to be. But sometimes people, you let somebody do nothing and you let the boss come up and they'll act like they're doing more than you are. And you've been working all the time when the boss would just keep the same thing. Y'all agree that some of you are because you know how that is. Well, anyway, listen, if one expects your boss to return, it will keep you busy, and you don't want to get caught sitting down on the job. And that's the same way with our Lord coming back. Be watchful. The second warning and instruction for the last days is to be faithful. Look at verse 45 through 47 of Matthew 24. He says this, Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. Now, as he's talking here, he's saying, Be faithful is what it amounts to. He's saying in this discourse, be faithful. Folks, the word faith, as far as the fruit of the Spirit is concerned, is the word for faithful. It's not just having saving faith, but every saint has got that faith, which is being faithful. That means to be trustworthy. Listen, sometimes we want to be a success by the world's standards, and we think we're not a success if we're not a success by the world's standards, but what does it mean to be a success? What does it mean to be faithful? Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 4.2. He said in 1 Corinthians 4.2, he said, Moreover, it is required in Stuart's that a man be found faithful, trustworthy, Just sticking by the stuff. Just being what they need to be. Just having, as we dealt with the parable of the two sons the other night, just being, meeting your responsibility. Doing what you say. Having character. Trustworthy, amen? Trustworthy. If you, I mean, would you, some people, I wouldn't entrust them with my pocketbook if I didn't have nothing in it. Amen? Y'all know what I'm talking about. And there's some you can trust them with anything. You say, I trust him with anything. You don't need to put temptation in their way, but the thing about it is they're trustworthy, and that's what you need, you see? Be faithful. You see, as he gave this illustration here, it's kind of I guess we could call it a parable in one sense, a window through which to see truth. You see, he gave it to his servant. He was to manage the house and care for the house during the absence of his master, or his Lord, with a little help. In other words, in the parable that he gave there. At his return, the servant would receive a blessing. Look what he said in verse 46. He said, Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. And then also, what will happen, he will be promoted. and his responsibilities expanded. Verse 47, when he said, Verily I say unto you, that ye shall make him ruler over all his goods. In other words, so you contrast the evil servant now in verse 48 through 51. He said, But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming. and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and to drink with the drunken. 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, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites, There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Now this fellow, the wicked servant, and it's contrasting the good servant with the wicked servant, the wicked servant decides the Lord, or the master of the house, is delaying his coming. He's not coming back. He said, my Lord, verse 48, delayeth his coming, therefore he's not going to have to give an account of his stewardship. Well, I want to tell you what, there's a lot of people in this work world, they don't think they're going to have to give an account, I reckon, the way they act and the way they do. But they are. There's a payday coming. An account is coming. But this wicked servant thinks he has the opportunity to go his own way. It reveals really what was in his heart. Look at verse 49. He said he begins to smite his fellow servants to eat and drink with the drunken. In other words, he persecutes the fellow servants who are seeking to remain true in the absence of their Lord. In other words, you try to do what's right in some places, that other crowd will make fun of you for trying to, they'll call you a brown noser, amen? You don't know the truth about it. They'll do that just because you're just simply trying to meet your responsibility. and to do what's right. But you see, this fellow also participates in the activity of the wicked. He lulls himself into false security, in other words, but when he did not expect it, the Lord of the house returned, verse 50, and he said, the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and an hour that he's not aware of. The accountability came for both the evil servant and the good servant, if you please. The faithful servant is blessed, And his responsibility was expanded. But the evil servant is identified in verse 51 as a hypocrite. Now a hypocrite conveys the idea of someone acting out a part of a character in a play. One who makes his real self, or a mascot by playing a part for his audience. Do you remember when we was in school, they had what was called the thespians? Do you remember what the logo of the thespians was? False face, mask. That's what the hypocrites got a mask on. In other words, at Christ's coming, those masks will be torn off and they'll receive their portion. In other words, where there'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In other words, they'll go to hell is what he's saying because he called them a hypocrite. They'll not lose salvation. They never had it. They was a hypocrite. Now Luke 6, 46 says, And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? So we need to be watchful, we need to be faithful, but we also, Jesus said, we need to be prepared. Now look at Matthew chapter 25, verse number 1 through 13. And this is like a liken unto, which would be a symbol of, it's like a parable, it is a parable. A window through which to see truth. He said, Then shall the kingdom of heaven, verse 1 of 25, be likened unto ten virgins which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps, while the bridegroom carried them. They all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all these virgins, those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil. For our lamps are gone out. 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. 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. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh. So be prepared, is what he's saying. Be prepared. Now the Lord uses a familiar account of a Jewish wedding in Israel in the first century. A wedding would normally begin in the evening and would last from one to seven days. A Jewish wedding, I'm talking about, depending on the wealth of the family. And they had a spousal period, which would have been entered in many days before the wedding time actually came there. And that was so legal, that was legal binding that in the beginning they wasn't even able to break that. Moms arranged and dad arranged that with a boy and a girl together, espoused them, we call it engagement today. But that was more binding than what our engagements are today. So binding they couldn't put another away, Joseph. was espoused to Mary, the Bible said in Matthew chapter 1, and he found out she was expecting a child. He thought she had been unfaithful, and he wanted to put her away privately. He didn't really want to ridicule her, but God spoke to him and said, that which is in her is the Holy Child, is the Lord Jesus, in other words. And so, therefore, that's the way the espousal was done. But once the details was worked out, During the espousal, the groom would busy himself with building a house for the bride, possibly on the existing home or the property of his father. The bride would spend her time in preparing her true soul, and she would know the general time he was coming. They didn't set a date like people do today, but she would know the general time her spouse would come for her, but she didn't know the precise time, but she and her attendants were watching and ready for his coming. And her preparedness would be an indication of her love and eagerness to consummate their union as husband and wife. As the groom approached the bride's house, someone from his group would shout, and another would blow a trumpet. In other words, behold, the bridegroom cometh. The bride, being alerted, would instantly rush out to meet her bridegroom in the way before he reached her home. And then the entire bridal party would return to the bridegroom's father's home for the wedding supper. Now that was a picture our Lord had in view here in this parable. When he encouraged his disciples, even in John 14, 2 and 3, when he was in the upper room, headed to the Garden of Gethsemane, headed to the cross, when he said, Verse 2 of John 14 said, In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also. In other words, carrying the bride home is what he's saying. He's going to carry the bride home. It's the same thing, a picture that Paul used in 1 Thessalonians 4, 16-17, In other words, the wedding he's talking about. Coming for his bride, the bridegroom cometh. Now, what did the Lord teach in using this Jewish ceremony as a type? First of all, He's coming for the saved, the bride. I don't know how in the world we got to guess that these others are guests when He said down there, I never knew you. The Lord says, I never knew you. I never knew you. But see, people are trying to develop a doctrine that includes everybody, and it's not so, amen? The bride is only those that are saved, and all the saved are gonna be in the bride. They'll be ready. Now, the 10 virgins carrying lamps represents the whole body of professing Christians, if you please, the saved and the lost, but the bridegroom represents the Lord Jesus Christ coming for his bride. The five wise virgins here represent the true believers, and the five foolish represents the unsaved professors. They may go to church, they may tithe, they may get baptized, they may use Christian terminology and know all the right answers, but they never have been saved, and the Lord said, I never knew you. The lamp, both of them carry a lamp, which represents the profession. Both outwardly acknowledged that they came to the Lord Jesus, but remember in John 8, they said they believed on Jesus, and he said, if you'll continue in my work, then shall you be my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free. And they wouldn't continue. And Jesus later in verse 44 said, you're father of the devil. They wouldn't say it. So here he realized something. The coming, though, of the bridegroom represents the personal, premillennial, pre-wrath return of our Lord Jesus Christ to rapture his bride. And then he'll begin to judge the wicked. The wise virgin's entrance into the wedding feast shows the believer's entrance into full reward in connection with Christ's return and the establishment of His kingdom. And then the shutting out of the foolish virgin indicates their exclusion from the rapture. How tragic will be their crime. Verse 11, he said, Afterward came also the other virgin, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But how fixed and unchanging his righteous response will be in verse 12. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. That's pretty plain, isn't it? If you don't know you, he don't know you. Amen? He lost. Now, we're talking about need to be prepared. That's what the picture, all of it, this court, be watchful, be faithful, be prepared, because you don't know when the Lord's coming. Be prepared, be ready, in other words, but then also be fruitful. be fruitful. That's the fourth thing, the warning that He gave them, instruction. Look at Matthew chapter 25 verse 14 through 28 as He again speaks something here, really it's another, a parable in a sense, a parabolic in a sense, a windows through which to see the truth when He said verse 14, For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods. And in the one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to every man according to his several ability, and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them five other talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, And it is the Lord's money. After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliverest unto me five talents. Behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I'll make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliverest unto me two talents. Behold, I have gained two other talents. His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I'll make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Then he which receiveth the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed. And I was afraid. and when, and hid thy talent in the earth. Lo, thou hast that in thine. His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gatherest where I have not straw. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and did it my coming, I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath ten talents. Be fruitful is what he's saying. This parable tells the story of a wealthy man who took a journey into a far country. Our Lord's a wealthy man. He took a journey into a far country. Before leaving, he entrusted his property to three of his servants that he's using in this story. In other words, this was a customary thing to do in the ancient world when somebody would go off. Now, to one he gave five talents, to one he gave two talents, and to one he gave one talent. Now, talent, how much is a talent? We say, boy, that means I can sing or whatever. No, it's talking about monetary value. A talent is said to be about 6,000 Daenerys or 18 cents. A Daenerys is 18 cents, approximately. But it represents typically, a Daenerys does, a day's wages for a workman, a day's wages. 6,000 days wages he gave for one talent. In other words, there's possibly as much as 20 years of work to the one man, but he gave five times that to the one that he gave five to, and two times that to the other. So five times would be 100 years of work represented by that. So therefore, these three were left considerable sums of money over which they had responsibility for and which they would have to give an account one day. Then one day, without notice, all at once, the master or the lord of the house, Lillel, came back. And that's the story now. It's talking about the lord's coming back. Need to be fruitful, because you're going to have to give an account. The servant with five invested wisely, and now he's got ten. The one who had been given two talents invested wisely also, and now he had four. But you notice something? Even though one seems to the world would look and say, that man is rich, rich, rich, rich. This is just rich. He has five, and now he's got ten. He had two, now he's got four. Great difference. They make a difference. But you know what? The Lord didn't make a difference. Look at the commendation here, when both of them are the same in verse 21 and 23. Of the one who had five, he said, his Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I'll make thee ruler over many things. into the joy of the Lord. Verse number 23, the one who had two and doubled his, this is the commendation. I'm talking about he commended him when he said his Lord said unto him, well done, good and faithful servants. You see, all God expects you to do is use what you've got. to the best of your ability, be faithful with it, and you'll be fruitful. And he'll say, well done, thou good and faithful servant. Now sometimes you tell your children, well done, and you know they hadn't done it well, but you're trying to brag on them, hoping they'll do it a little better next time. But God don't lie. Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I'll make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord. third servant choose not to invest what was committed to him. In other words, there's words not of commendation, but condemnation. In verse number 26 and 27, when he said, His Lord said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gathered where I have not strawed. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and did it my coming, I would have received mine own with usury. In other words, But he rebuked him, he condemned him for what he had done. Now to all men, God has given gifts. There's not a person in here who don't have some gift and ability that God gave you. Even if you're lost, they're God-given. They may lie dormant as far as using them for God, but they're there. And so therefore, all have gifts and all have ability, I guess you could say, in that sense, some more, some less. But all God requires is each one what's appropriate. Do to the best of your ability what you've got and you'll hear the commendation, well done. That is coming, there's going to be an accounting. Paul said this in 2 Timothy chapter 4, verse number 6 and 8. He said, for I'm now ready to be offered. the time of my departure is at hand. The old ship of Zion is about ready to come in and the gangplank's going out. He said, I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but to all them that love his appearing. Do you know something? Paul can't get his reward until everybody gets there. Somebody said, well, so-and-so died and went on to their reward. Not so, amen, not so. Their soul and spirit went to be with the Lord if they were saved, but when he comes back, then at that day, those who love his appearing, those who are looking for him to come, then he's gonna reward, he's gonna reward. Now, the Bible also says this in I Corinthians chapter three. Paul said this to the church at Corinth. He said in verse 12, 312, now, if any man build upon this foundation, we're talking about We're talking about fruitful, being fruitful in the last days, instructions to be fruitful. Use what God's given you fruit-wise. He said, but if you build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble, two different classes of material. One has an endearing quality, one has a far will burn it, and far is the type of judgment. Because he said, Every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it. That's the judgment seat of Christ he's talking about. Because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, gold, precious stones, silvers abide, he said, which he hath built thereon, he shall receive a reward. But if any man's work shall be burned, listen, wood, hay, and stubble will burn, he shall suffer loss. but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. You see, every man has fruit of some quality, of some amount. The Bible says in Matthew 13, 23, he said, but he that receives seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word and understandeth it, which also beareth fruits, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. Not all the same quantity, five develop five, Two developed two and one could develop one and had a commendation as far as the talents were concerned. Just be faithful with what God's give you and being fruitful and you'll hear the commendation at that day and time. So you see, but there's a warning about your rewards. You can lose them. You can lose them. You can tear down in one hour. You can tear down in a few minutes what you built over a lifetime. Amen. Bible said in 2 John verse number eight, he said, look to yourself that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward, you see? And so here we find the outcome then in the Mount, here the Olivet Discourse here when he, after he give that talent, or that parable about the talents, verse 29 and 30, the outcome of this man, this condemnation, when he said, but I, Let me open it up to the right page here. Verse 29 and 30, he said, There's a two-fold application here that can be dealt with. First of all, the man went to hell. I mean, we can say that. We can develop a doctrine from that. In one sense, because no fruit, because there's no root. This man could have been saved, in a sense, and yet he wasn't, he had premature death. First John chapter five, verse number 16, he said, if any man see his brother's sin as sin, which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life. For them that sin not unto death, there is a sin unto death. I do not say that he shall pray for it. In other words, the person, we could apply the doctrine of sin unto death, where you're loose and you're saved, so as by fire. But you say, what about the weeping and the gnashing of teeth? You see, you'll go into the millennium reign, not as a ruler, but as a servant, a place of far less rewards, in other words. Weeping, yeah, weeping means the expression of sorrow over not having used God's given opportunity. If you please, the gnashing of teeth, it indicates anger at oneself for missing such marvelous opportunities that the believer had on the earth, at least during the That'll go on for a thousand years in the millennium reign. It'll go on. And in Revelation 21, 4, he says, Isaiah 65, 17 said, For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. In other words, when God wipes those things away, all that other will be gone. There'll be no more tears after that. But for the millennium reign, there's going to be seen missed opportunities that we've had. And there'll be some spasmodic crying during that time, and even anger at yourself to a degree. Why didn't I use that opportunity? Missed opportunities. Well, we've got it. We've had it. Amen. May the Lord help us to see that and be fruitful. Whichever it means as far as that could be, one thing comes through. Be fruitful. You've got to give an account one day. Be watchful, be faithful, be prepared, and be fruitful. That's instruction for the last days of the last days. That's what we need to do and continue to do. Then when Israel starts to rebuild the temple, and she will one of these days, and there is a silver-tongued man who has the world eating out of his hand, that's the Antichrist, then we need to prepare a place of refuge and make other measures of safety. But until then, be watchful, be faithful, be prepared, and be fruitful. And remember this, 1 Corinthians 12, 9, Paul having trouble, thorn in the flesh, and he wanted God to remove it. Asked him three times to remove it, and he said, no, I won't do it. I'll let you, but my grace is sufficient for you. You notice that little word is? In other words, is. The grace is sufficient. What do we need to do today? He said, my grace is sufficient for you today. It'll be sufficient today, I mean, throughout the day. See, sometimes we want to know what's out yonder, how? How am I going to pass? Just take one day at a time, one step at a time, amen? Live one day at a time. and His grace is sufficient for today, for today. In other words, as you think about it, it's not was sufficient, not will be sufficient, it ever now is. In fact, he said in John 1, 16, he said, and of His fullness have we all received, and grace for grace. That word for is a preposition of replacement. It means grace for today. but then as sufficient for today. And then there'll be grace for tomorrow that will replace the grace today. And that grace will be sufficient for tomorrow. James 4, 6 says, But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. He said, My grace is sufficient today. and it's sufficient. And that grace tomorrow will be sufficient for tomorrow. You live today, you be watchful, be faithful, be prepared and be fruitful today, one day at a time. And do what you know to do, in a sense. And you see the genuine issue at present is not physical evasion of the Antichrist. How are we going to keep away from him? That's not what it's all about. Amen. You realize something, but the genuine issue at present is spiritual faithfulness to the true Christ. That's what we need today. Be watchful. Be faithful, be prepared, be fruitful. And when the time comes, may the Lord give us wisdom and grace to sound the alarm. Behold, the bridegroom cometh, amen. And we'll go out to meet him, amen. And the Bible said in I John chapter five, verse number seven, casting all your cares upon him, for he cares for you. May God help us to take one day at a time. Be watchful. Be watchful. I'm talking to myself. Be faithful. Oh, we need some faithfulness, some character. Be faithful. Somebody you can depend on. Be prepared. Be ready. And as He unfolds it, and be fruitful, and you'll one day have to give an account, and you can hear, well done, thou good and faithful servant. You say, but I'm not saved. Be watchful. You've got light. Continue, be faithful with what God's given you. Be prepared as much as you can today, and the grace for today is sufficient today, and it'll be substituted with grace tomorrow that'll be sufficient tomorrow to carry you through. I've got hope. I've got expectation. We've got the promise. I'm looking for it. I don't know how it's happening, but something, there's a settlement. Just pray the Lord to settle in on us for God's glory. Amen. One day at a time. Father, help us. We need something. We need you. We need a visitation from on high. Lord, just do that that's needed. We don't even know what the power of God is all about like we should. As far as manifesting yourself, we know it's got to be done, but give us grace today that'll carry us through the night storm, and grace tomorrow that'll carry us through that, and all the time may we be watchful, may we be faithful, may we be prepared, and may we be fruitful. do what we know to do at the time, obeying the light we have, and wherever we are, we can stand on the promises of God. He that had begun a good work in us will perform it under the day of Christ. And then one day we can stand unashamedly and say, behold, the bridegroom cometh, and we'll be up and away with him forevermore. Move in our hearts, do that that's needed, and we'll thank you, for we ask it in Jesus' name, for His sake we pray.