The Book of Matthew features many of Jesus’ parables, including one about a special wedding. This illustration, known as the parable of the ten virgins, features imagery, symbolism, an exciting promise for His followers, and a dire warning to those who would reject the love and forgiveness of God, provided by the death and resurrection of the Son of God. Understanding this parable and its meaning can provide assurance for those who have a relationship with the Lord, serve as motivation for believers to evangelize those around them, and make real the eternal consequences of sin and rejecting God’s grace.
18 Dec
It’s referred to by many as “The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached.” The Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7, contains the words of Jesus Christ as he taught his disciples at the outset of his earthly ministry. Several well-known phrases and themes find their origin in these chapters “Salt and Light,” “Love your enemies,” “Turn the other cheek,” “Judge not,” and the Golden Rule.
Perhaps the most famous portion of the Sermon on the Mount is the Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5:1-12. The Beatitudes are a series of phrases, each beginning with “Blessed are the ,” by which Jesus identifies those who are truly the recipients of God’s blessing. The first beatitude was sure to shock many of his listeners as he declared that the “poor in spirit” were the ones who had access to the “kingdom of heaven.”