Matthew 25-28 – The audio on this video is the property of Thru the Bible. It is offered free of charge. If you wish to make a donation, do not send it to us. Visit http://www.ttb.org for information. The audio is attributed to Dr. J. Vernon McGee and Thru the Bible. Intellectual property rights are those of Thru the Bible. Please contact us if you feel our understanding of the terms of use are in error. Copyright information obtained from https://ttb.org/about/copyright-policy
Dr. McGee’s sermon covers Matthew chapters 25 through 28, focusing on his interpretations of the parables, the events leading to the crucifixion, the crucifixion itself, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In chapter 25, Dr. McGee discusses the parable of the ten virgins. He refutes the idea of a partial Rapture based on this parable, stating that he believes every believer will be taken in the Rapture by God’s grace, not merit. He argues that the ten virgins refer to the nation of Israel, not the church. He also touches upon the parable of the talents, emphasizing the principle of using whatever gifts God has given until Christ’s return. Dr. McGee then interprets the Judgment of the Nations in Matthew 25 as occurring during the Great Tribulation, where nations will be judged based on their treatment of Christ’s brethren (the 144,000 sealed messengers). He believes the terms “sheep” and “goats” refer to ethnic groups or nations, not individual lost or saved people.
Moving into chapter 26, Dr. McGee narrates the events leading up to Jesus’s crucifixion. He highlights Jesus’s repeated predictions of his death during the Passover. He describes the anointing of Jesus at Bethany by a woman (identified as Mary in John’s Gospel), emphasizing the significance of her act as an anticipation of his burial. He recounts Judas’s betrayal for 30 pieces of silver and the institution of the Lord’s Supper during the Passover meal. Dr. McGee also discusses Jesus’s prediction of Peter’s denial and the events in the Garden of Gethsemane, where he believes Jesus won the victory over the horror of bearing the sins of the world. He continues with the betrayal by Judas, the arrest of Jesus, and his trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, including Peter’s denial.
Chapter 27 details the crucifixion of Jesus. Dr. McGee mentions Judas’s remorse and suicide after Jesus’s condemnation. He recounts Jesus’s trial before Pontius Pilate, the crowd’s choice of Barabbas over Jesus, and Pilate’s reluctant decision to have Jesus crucified. He describes the mockery and suffering Jesus endured at the hands of the Roman soldiers before his crucifixion. Dr. McGee notes that the Gospel writers do not give graphic details of the crucifixion itself, suggesting a divine reverence for this event. He highlights the supernatural events that occurred at Jesus’s death, including the tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom (symbolizing open access to God) and the earthquake. He also mentions the burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. The chapter concludes with the sealing of the tomb and the setting of a guard by the chief priests and Pharisees who remembered Jesus’s prediction of his resurrection.
Finally, chapter 28 focuses on the resurrection of Jesus and the Great Commission. Dr. McGee emphasizes that the death and resurrection of Christ are the two great pillars of the Gospel. He describes the women coming to the tomb, the earthquake, the angel rolling back the stone, and the angel’s announcement that Jesus had risen. He recounts Jesus’s appearances to the women and later to the eleven disciples in Galilee. Dr. McGee then discusses the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, seeing it as having an application for today, as well as a future fulfillment during the Great Tribulation and the Millennium. He notes the omission of the Ascension in Matthew’s Gospel, suggesting it is because Matthew focuses on the kingdom being upon the Earth and the King remaining. Dr. McGee concludes by affirming that Jesus was born a king, lived as a king, died a king, rose again a king, and will return as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The audio on this video is the property of Thru the Bible. It is offered free of charge. If you wish to make a donation, do not send it to us. Visit http://www.ttb.org for information. The audio is attributed to Dr. J. Vernon McGee and Thru the Bible. Intellectual property rights are those of Thru the Bible. Please contact us if you feel our understanding of the terms of use are in error. Copyright information obtained from https://ttb.org/about/copyright-policy
Dr. McGee’s sermon covers Matthew chapters 22 through 24, starting with the verbal clash between Jesus and the religious rulers. Chapter 22 begins with the parable of the king who made a marriage feast for his son. This parable is a continuation of Jesus’ answer to the chief priests and elders and parallels the parables in Matthew 13, focusing on how and why the current age began. The king sends servants to call those who were bidden (the lost sheep of the House of Israel), but they refused to come. He sent other servants, but the invited guests made light of it, going to their farms and merchandise, while others mistreated and killed the servants. In response, the king sent his armies to destroy the murderers and their city, which Dr. McGee believes is a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Then, the invitation goes out to everyone found on the highways, both good and bad, and the wedding is furnished with guests. However, a man without a wedding garment (the righteousness of Christ, essential for salvation) is found, bound, and cast into outer darkness, illustrating that while many are called, few are chosen and must come on the king’s terms.
Following this, the religious leaders launch their final attack on Jesus. First, the Herodians question him about paying tribute to Caesar, a political trick to trap him. Jesus, perceiving their wickedness, calls them hypocrites and uses their own coin to state, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s,” marvelously answering their question without falling into their trap. Next, the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, question him about a woman married to seven brothers. Jesus responds that they err by not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God, stating that in the resurrection, people neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels. He further proves the resurrection by quoting God as saying, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” asserting that God is not the God of the dead but of the living. This silences the Sadducees. Finally, the Pharisees, after hearing that Jesus silenced the Sadducees, gather together and ask him which is the great commandment in the law. Jesus answers, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”. Then, Jesus questions the Pharisees about the Christ, asking whose son he is. They reply, “The Son of David”. Jesus then asks how David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord (Psalm 110:1), highlighting the impossibility of David calling his natural son Lord, implying a supernatural birth. No one is able to answer him, ending the verbal clash.
Chapter 23 marks Jesus’ denouncement of the scribes and Pharisees and his weeping over Jerusalem. He warns the multitude against the scribes and Pharisees who sit in Moses’ seat but do not practice what they preach. He pronounces a series of “woes” upon them, calling them hypocrites for binding heavy burdens on others, doing their works to be seen, loving titles and recognition, and shutting up the Kingdom of Heaven. He criticizes their outward piety and inward corruption, comparing them to whitewashed sepulchers full of dead men’s bones. He also rebukes their meticulous tithing of insignificant items while neglecting the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith. Dr. McGee emphasizes the harshness of Jesus’ language, contrasting it with the liberal conception of a gentle Jesus. Jesus condemns their rejection of the prophets and foretells the persecution of those he will send. He concludes this chapter with a lament over Jerusalem’s rejection of him.
Chapter 24 begins the Olivet Discourse, where Jesus’ disciples ask him privately three questions: when will the temple be destroyed, what will be the sign of his coming, and what will be the sign of the end of the age. Dr. McGee states that the destruction of the temple (fulfilled in 70 AD) is primarily addressed in Luke’s Gospel. Matthew focuses on the signs of his coming and the end of the age, which relate to his coming to establish his kingdom, not the church. Jesus warns them to “take heed that no man deceive you,” as many will come in his name saying, “I am Christ,” and will deceive many. He speaks of wars and rumors of wars, but these are not the sign of the end. Nation will rise against nation, and there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, which are the beginning of sorrows. Dr. McGee believes they are currently in the age leading up to the Great Tribulation. He then discusses the Great Tribulation period, during which the nation Israel will be afflicted and hated by all nations. False prophets will arise, and iniquity will abound. He clarifies that the gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness before the end comes, distinguishing it from the gospel of grace preached today. The sign of the end will be the “abomination of desolation” standing in the Holy Place. Those in Judea are instructed to flee to the mountains. This period will be a time of great tribulation, unprecedented in history. False Christs and false prophets will perform great signs and wonders, but believers should not be deceived. The coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning, visible to all. Following the tribulation, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn when they see him coming in the clouds with power and great glory. He will send his angels to gather his elect (the nation Israel).
Jesus then gives the parable of the fig tree, which Dr. McGee interprets as the nation Israel. When the fig tree’s branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, it indicates that summer is near. Similarly, when they see all these signs, they will know that his coming is near. Jesus states, “Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled,” which Dr. McGee believes could refer to the Jewish race or the generation living at that time. He emphasizes that heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus’ words will not. However, the specific day and hour are unknown, not even to the angels, but only to the Father. Jesus compares his coming to the days of Noah, where people were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage until the flood came and took them all away. The phrase “two in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left” refers to judgment, not the Rapture of the church; the wicked will be taken away in judgment, and the others will be left to enter the millennial kingdom. Therefore, they are to “watch,” a watching characterized by fear and anxiety in that day, unlike the comforting hope of believers watching for the Lord’s return today. The sermon concludes with a call to be ready, as the Son of Man will come at an unexpected hour, and to live in light of the fact that everyone will stand in the presence of Christ to give an account.
The Bible gives a powerful assurance about the future: God will create a completely new Heaven and Earth. In Revelation 21:5, we read, âHe who was seated on the throne said, âBehold, I am making all things new.â Also, he said, âWrite this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.ââ This promise is not just about fixing the broken world we know today. Instead, God will replace the old with something entirely fresh.
Many people imagine Heaven as a perfected version of life as we know it. However, Scripture makes it clear that the transformation will be far greater. The suffering and loss we experience now will no longer exist. The sea, often symbolic of chaos and separation in the Bible, will be removed. Pain and death will be erased forever.
Although we cannot fully grasp what this new creation will be like, we can trust in God’s wisdom and goodness. His power and love ensure that eternity will be both glorious and perfectânot only for His.
REF 21:1-5 NASB: 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, âBehold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.â 5 And He who sits on the throne said, âBehold, I am making all things new.â And He *said, âWrite, for these words are faithful and true.â
The audio on this video is the property of Thru the Bible. It is offered free of charge. If you wish to make a donation, do not send it to us. Visit http://www.ttb.org for information. The audio is attributed to Dr. J. Vernon McGee and Thru the Bible. Intellectual property rights are those of Thru the Bible. Please contact us if you feel our understanding of the terms of use are in error. Copyright information obtained from https://ttb.org/about/copyright-policy
In the 18th chapter of Matthew, Dr. McGee highlights several key aspects of the Kingdom of Heaven. He emphasizes that entering the kingdom requires conversion and becoming like little children. This isn’t about reverting to childish behavior but rather experiencing a new spiritual birth, akin to starting life anew as a child spiritually. Dr. McGee notes that the disciples’ concern about who is greatest in the kingdom is secondary to the primary importance of securing entrance through the new birth. He underscores the Lord’s teaching that unless one is converted and becomes as a little child, they shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Dr. McGee stresses the immense value God places on children, stating that the evangelization of children is a Divine imperative. He cites the Lord’s strong words against those who would offend or cause these little ones to stumble. McGee interprets the passage about angels beholding the Father’s face as indicating that when little ones die, their spirits go immediately to be with God because Jesus died for them. He emphasizes the responsibility of parents and the church towards children, lamenting societal trends that harm them. Dr. McGee connects the Lord’s teaching on children to the discussion on divorce, noting that the well-being of children should be a paramount consideration for Christian couples.
Moving into Matthew 19, Dr. McGee addresses the crucial topic of marriage and divorce. He explains that Jesus takes the Pharisees back to God’s original ideal for marriage: one man and one woman becoming one flesh. While the Mosaic Law permitted divorce due to the hardness of hearts, Dr. McGee highlights that Jesus provides a new principle, stating that the only scriptural ground for divorce is fornication (adultery). He clarifies that while believers may separate on other grounds, remarriage after divorce is only permissible for the innocent party in cases of adultery. Dr. McGee also touches on the topic of singleness, noting that some are uniquely suited for it, and the decision to marry or remain single is ultimately a personal one.
As the narrative progresses, Dr. McGee discusses the concept of true greatness in the Kingdom. He explains that it is found not in seeking exalted positions but in humbling oneself and becoming a servant. This is exemplified by Jesus himself, who came not to be ministered to but to minister and give his life as a ransom for many. Dr. McGee emphasizes that rewards in heaven are determined by faithfulness to the task God has given, regardless of how significant or prominent it may seem. He notes Peter’s question about reward and Jesus’ response about judging the tribes of Israel, highlighting that sacrifice for Christ’s sake will be rewarded.
In the later chapters, Dr. McGee addresses Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and his interactions with the religious leaders. He distinguishes between the initial entry and the true triumphal entry at the second coming. Dr. McGee interprets the cursing of the fig tree as symbolic of Israel’s fruitless religious system. He highlights the confrontation between Jesus and the chief priests regarding his authority, noting how Jesus skillfully exposes their hypocrisy. Through the parable of the two sons and the wicked husbandmen, Dr. McGee emphasizes that outward religious profession without genuine obedience and fruit is insufficient. He concludes by underscoring the importance of recognizing oneself as a sinner and coming to Christ for salvation.
Southern Gospel trio Southbound has released their latest single, âI Left It In The Waterâ. The digital release happened 11 October following the renewal of their recording relationship with Daywind Records. The song addresses the concept of baptism as a symbolic act of spiritual cleansing and forgiveness, as reflected in its lyrics.
The lyrics of âI Left It In The Waterâ reference past mistakes and the idea of being absolved through baptism. It begins with acknowledging our past errors: âI had a past I carried so long. Didn’t get it all right. Got a lot of it wrongâ. The act of baptism is described as a form of burial: âWhen they laid me down in that watery grave, came up without a trace. It was covered by graceâ.
The central theme of the song is expressed in the repeated line, âI left it in the waterâ. This phrase is directly linked to the concept of forgiveness received during baptism: âwhen I was baptized. I left it in the water. Buried in the tide, my past was forgiven. That very hour, guilt, sin, and shame no longer remain cuz I left it in the waterâ. The lyrics suggest a complete separation from the past self: âIf you look for old me, friend, don’t even buy Father, there’s just a headstone saying that man is gone. Cuz I left it in the waterâ.
Clint Brown of Southbound gave us some context for the song’s message. He said while some people may consider themselves saved, baptism holds a specific significance. Brown explained that âI Left It In The Waterâ offers an opportunity to communicate the meaning of baptism as representing âthe cleansing uh power of God in your lifeâ.
The release of this single coincided with Southbound’s renewed partnership with Daywind Records. Clint said the continued collaboration comes with the value of associating with experienced professionals in the industry and expressed his anticipation for their ongoing work together to âbring hope, help, and blessing through the songs we singâ.
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