One of the greatest men in the Old Testament made a serious mistake. While military conquest was still needed, we read in II Samuel 11:1, “…at the time when kings go forth to battle… David sent Joab…But David tarried still at Jerusalem.” We are not told explicitly why David was not in battle. Perhaps he was just tired from all the conflict, overwhelmed by the weight of responsibility, or concerned about the dangers that would be involved. Whatever the reason, David squandered an opportunity to be greatly used of the Lord, and he involved himself in actions that were beneath his calling. He involved himself with Bathsheba.

As we read Matthew Chapter 28, we should realize we are looking at only a brief overview of events after our Lord’s resurrection. To see a more complete picture we should consult the other Gospels. After our Lord’s death, the apostles were a defeated band of followers. From our Savior’s repeated instructions, they should have known He would rise from the dead in three days. Yet when the women at the tomb announced that Christ had risen, “their words seemed to them as idle tales” (Luke 24:11). Even after the Lord Jesus appeared to them, the apostles “were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit” (Luke 24:36-48). Knowing how defeated His disciples would be, Christ gave instructions through an angel (Matthew 28:7) for them to meet Him in Galilee (some 70 miles north of Jerusalem) at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:32), and by angels at the tomb. There was also a specific place where “Jesus had appointed them” (Matthew 28:16) to meet Him, which was likely upon a nearby mountain where He had been transfigured. John 21 provides details that while this defeated band of believers awaited His appearing for eight days, they went fishing. Though they did not recognize Him at first, the Savior provided them with many fish. Then He invited them to draw near to Him by saying, “Come and dine” (John 21:12). It was during this time with the Savior that He comforted them and urged them to continue following Him by getting back to ministering to those who needed to hear the gospel.

It is understandable when circumstances and opposition from our spiritual enemy occasionally overwhelm God’s servants. But we must not remain sidelined for long. Come and dine in fellowship with Christ and His written Word. Then get quickly back in the battle.

While living in the dorms during my college years, one night a good-natured pillow fight broke out. It began when the one below me swatted me several times with a towel. My response was to reach for a bottle of Chloraseptic and thoroughly spray him down. He proceeded to drag my mattress, and me, to the floor. Then mayhem broke out. We’d been in trouble before, so I quickly put my mattress back on the frame, crawled in bed, and faced the wall, as if asleep. Momentarily, the door burst open with the dorm supervisor sending the rest of my roommates to the dean’s office. I continued facing the wall, as if asleep and innocent, but I was neither.

It is true that Pilate sought to set the Lord Jesus Christ free, rather than have Him crucified, but he was not guiltless. After questioning the Savior, he announced to the Jews, “I find no fault in this man” (Luke 23:4); he even calls Christ “this just person” (Matthew 27:24). Luke 23:20 documents he was “willing to release Jesus.” Peter says that Pilate was “determined to let Him go” (Acts 3:13). But he did not do so. Instead, he succumbed to the will of the mob. When he “saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult [an uproar or disturbance] was made” (Matthew 27:24), he delivered up our Lord to be scourged savagely, beaten, and crucified by the soldiers. As the supreme governmental authority in this region, Pilate’s primary duty was to see justice was always done when a subject was brought before him. He had the moral obligation to release anyone who was innocent, regardless of public opinion, and he had ample military forces to put down any unrest. It was a profound miscarriage of justice. Pilate tried to absolve himself of responsibility when he “took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person” (Matthew 27:4). But God did not hold him guiltless. Shortly before our Lord’s death, He explained to Pilate, “He that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin” (John 19:11). Israel was the primary guilty party, but Pilate was also guilty by association and by his refusal to stop this wrongdoing.

Each of us does well to realize we are guilty before the Lord when passively going along with sinful actions, even when we are not the primary instigator. Instead, we must oppose and stop wrongdoing when possible.

This author’s eldest brother once managed a company selling Yellow Page ads in different parts of the country. Our youngest brother traveled some distance to go to work for him. The usual process for new salespeople was to go through a two-day training class, and the newcomers always had questions from the materials already covered. However, our youngest brother was so bright, he was given the training manual to read. Twenty minutes later he came back and announced he was ready to get started. Sure enough, when quizzed, he had thoroughly digested all the material and understood it well.

When Mary anointed the hands and feet of the Lord Jesus Christ with oil, it demonstrated how spiritually perceptive she was. Even though the Savior had been explaining repeatedly to His apostles He was soon to die and rise again, they still did not comprehend it. In fact, at least some of the disciples “had indignation, saying, To what purpose was this waste” (Matthew 26:8)? John 12:4 specifies Judas was responsible for stirring up this discontent and criticism among others. While he may have been an unsaved man, it is not uncommon even for the saints to rile up others with a critical spirit. This is always a serious sin. Proverbs 6:16-19 tells us sowing discord among the brethren is “an abomination.” We must be careful not to do so. Even though the disciples did not comprehend our Lord’s upcoming death, it appears Mary had remembered this from previous discussions. The Lord explained when Mary anointed Him that “she did it for my burial” (Matthew 26:12). We should also note that using this expensive oil was not a “waste,” as expressed by Judas (vs. 8). Anything given as unto the Lord is never a waste, even though the unspiritually-minded may not perceive it this way. Moreover, it was Mary’s prerogative to spend her money as she pleased. Peter made this point to Ananias about his finances saying, “Whiles it remained, was it not thine own?” (Acts 5:4) The sum of this record is that Mary’s anointing of Christ with oil was “a good work” (Matthew 26:10), and the Savior announced wherever the gospel was preached, it would “be told for a memorial of her” (Matthew 26:13).

Are we spiritually receptive and perceptive enough readily to grasp spiritual things presented to us? May we seek to be so, never stir others to discontent, and remember doing things for the Savior is a good work that will bear lasting reward.

Have you ever been unfamiliar with some kind of food and asked, “What does it taste like?” The inevitable response is, “It tastes like chicken.” Everything doesn’t taste like chicken, but making this comparison is an attempt to illustrate a description in a way that will make sense to the inquirer. Just as we do today, the Lord Jesus Christ often used the comparative words “like” or “as” to illustrate something with significant spiritual importance.

The parable of the ten virgins is rich with meaning and symbolism. The Old Testament pictured the nation of Israel as the wife of Jehovah (Isaiah 54:5-6). Yet because of constant spiritual adultery, God “put her away” with a “bill of divorce” (Jeremiah 3:8). Though Israel had forgotten the Lord, He promised He would not forget her but would once again woo her, and “betroth thee unto Me forever” (Hosea 2:19-20). In this parable, the Lord Jesus Christ represents the bridegroom, and Israel the bride. It was God’s purpose to use redeemed Jews to “restore the preserved of Israel; [and] I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 49:6). The ministry of these messengers is described as “open[ing] the eyes of the [spiritually] blind” (Isaiah 42:5-7). What a marvelous description of lost souls coming to see their need for saving faith. The virgins in this parable were equipped with lamps to provide illumination in the night (Matthew 25:3-4). This pictures the literal and spiritual darkness that will pervade the seven years of tribulation. As “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” Israel was told to “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Empowered with an unction of the Holy Spirit, these Jewish believers, pictured by the ten virgins, are being instructed to fulfill God’s will for them. They were to “go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth” (Isaiah 62:1), leading many to eternal life.

While our program, promises, and people are different in this present Dispensation of Grace, we have many obvious parallels. We too are to be a light in our spiritually dark days, leading many to eternal life by giving out our Gospel of the Grace of God. We too are to be God’s evangelists. We too are to live so godly that our life enhances our efforts to lead others to Christ. Make this your goal today.