week of 9/24

 Unit 25  Session 4

THE DIVIDING PROPHET

MATTHEW 25

Followers of Jesus are to live expectantly, faithfully, and compassionately as they await His return and His coming kingdom.

In His last week on earth before His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus' disciples, sitting privately with Jesus, asked when He was coming back at the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). The disciples understood and believed that Jesus had to go away, but they also knew that He would one day return to restore all things. Jesus answered them with parables - fictional stories used to convey moral and spiritual truth - to explain that no one knows the time or hour, but it was still necessary for them to prepare for His return and work to build His kingdom while they waited.

Points to consider:

✞   Jesus divides the wise and the fools.

     * What are some things that we can do 

        to stay prepared for Jesus' return?

     * How do good works verify genuine 

        faith and make our justification 

        evident to others?

✞   Jesus divides the diligent and the faithless.

     * How are our actions a direct reflection of 

        our understanding of God's character?

     * How can we be diligent in God's work, 

        knowing that our faith should be dis-

        played in our service to the King and 

        His kingdom?

✞   Jesus divides the compassionate and the indifferent.

     * How does the reality that the kingdom is an 

        inheritance challenge the idea of earning 

        salvation through good works?

     * What are examples of serving "the least of these"?