Outline 

Prayer

Why we are doing this
* why Accountability groups don’t work * https://redeeminggod.com/why-accountability-groups-dont-work/
* The entire old testament is an exercise at “trying to be good” - we can’t be good we need Jesus
* God wants your heart. Let change our hearts by putting our focus on Christ 
* Hebrews 12:1-2 *

Explanation of format
I will be bringing up a topic and read some scripture and will ask a question of one or all of you, to which you will reply. Typically the question will be something like, “what do you think of when you read this passage?” or “what sorts of sermons have you heard on this passage?”

Greetings and Introductions

Scripture reading - 
Philippians 3:20 *
Luke 17:21 *
Matthew 24:45 - 25:13 *

Q and A
what do you think of when you read this passage?


Look at this a different way:
Matthew 24:45-51 - 
* Consider The ‘Master’ is not Jesus in this parable. Master is a slave owner and the people in the parable are slaves.
* Consider this is just an allegory of what would typically happen if you abuse your parents, king, elder, etc in the “world”
* Should we make doctrine from parables in a literal sense? Aren’t these metaphors? 
* The “punishment” at the end is a loss of honor/banishment from society (1st century Palestinian Jews were an honor based society)
* “Gnashing of teeth” is anger
Matthew 25:1-13 -
* A 1st Century Jewish happened at night (hence the lamps)
* The procession involved torches/lamps, dancing and drums
* Weddings were a community affair “Everyone 6 to 60 follows the wedding drum.”
* Everything in the community would stop so the wedding can commence.
* The wedding is a picture to the Jews of God’s relationship to us “The Communion of Heaven and Earth.
* After the procession, they got to the wedding house and stay there for 7 days.
* The people who ask for oil are scared they will lose honor. So they are attempting to “save face” for when the bridegroom returns. They aren’t concerned by doing what they should, only avoiding punishment. They want to do the bare minimum. Their “hearts aren’t in it”. 
* Notice the fools who didn’t bring the oil know about the wedding ceremony if this is an allegory for Jesus’s return then these are “believers”
* in verse 9 - this is not a rebuke to be mean, think of the bride and bridegroom who would suffer as a result of no one bringing lamps too their wedding
* The door is locked on purpose to keep out the selfish people who didn’t care enough.
* There are two paths, you can be selfish and do nothing and hope scything will be okay when Christ returns or you can start this Kingdom right now. Be prepared, follow the procession to the bridegroom
* Jesus Paints a picture of a “world made whole”. The kingdom starts now.
* God isn’t interested in threatening you into submission. He is inviting you into the Kingdom to start something new in the world with Him.

Q and A and discussion

Prayer

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