The faithful, wise Servant and the wise Virgins

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” – Matthew 24:45-47

In his end-time discourses in Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Jesus teaches four parables in a row that are very important for the growth of the church and the kingdom of God. They are the parables of the faithful servant, of the wise virgins, of talents, and of the criterion of judgment. These parables contain important principles and truths that we need to understand. Here I would like to briefly address the first two parables.

1. Parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant
– Matthew 24:45-51

Jesus describes the faithful servant as the one who gives food to His servants at the right time. I believe that we are talking about ministering pastors, elders and leaders in the body of Christ whose responsibility it is to comprehensively teach and train all Christians as disciples of Jesus. Jesus himself is our role model in this, since He has comprehensively taught and trained simple fishermen and tax collectors over three years.

Jesus asks Peter three times in John 21:15-17: “Do you love me?” Peter answers three times with “Yes, Lord.” Jesus answers three times: “Then feed (feed) my sheep!” to be an auxiliary ministry for pastors, elders and leaders of these faithful servants of Jesus who give the church solid food at the right time week after week. When is this time? Now!

Good Shepherd Services

The name of the mother organization that the ISOM Bible School founded under the direction of the South African Berin Gilfillan is Good Shepherd Ministries. This name reflects the heart of God that Jesus expresses in this parable. God the Father wishes faithful and good shepherds for His church (His servants).

Who are these good shepherds?

It is the shepherds who give their life and time teaching Christians everything that Christ taught His first twelve apostles and training them for the work of service, as Paul writes in Ephesians 4:11-13.

Ezekiel 34 shows how important God good shepherds are to His people. In this chapter, the prophet Ezekiel describes the qualities of good and bad shepherds. The good shepherd leads God’s sheep to good pasture where they can grow healthily. The ISOM Bible School is such a good pasture through which Christians can become spiritually strong and grow.

2. Parable of the wise and foolish virgins
– Matthew 25: 1-13

In this parable, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to ten virgins. Everyone went to meet the bridegroom with their lamps. The foolish virgins went without oil, but the wise virgins took oil in their lamps.

Who are the virgins?

All ten virgins are Christians who believe in Jesus.

What is the oil? How does it get into the lamps?

The oil is the anointing of the Holy Spirit that comes through an intimate relationship with the bridegroom, with Jesus. How does this intimate relationship come about and how does this transfer of oil take place? Through a relationship of discipleship! We see this in the lives of ordinary fishermen and tax collectors, all of whom were spiritually illiterate. How did they get the oil of the anointing of the Holy Spirit in their lives? By paying a price and attending Jesus’ Travel Bible School for three and a half years and becoming His disciples. During that time Jesus taught them all the mysteries of the kingdom of God, how to heal the sick, set free, preach and teach the gospel, and live dependent on the Holy Spirit.

What is the lamp? I believe that it is our spirit and our whole being because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19-20). Our lamp must become a lamp for God, illuminated with the light and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Rivers of living water are to flow from us (John 7:37). This happens in the life of a disciple of Jesus who has learned to live spiritually and to hear the voice of God and to do the works of Christ.

Who are the foolish virgins?

These are unprepared Christians who for whatever reason did not take the time to invest in their training as disciples of Jesus. For lack of good teaching and training in the Word of God, they have remained spiritually immature and have not learned to distinguish between the works of the flesh and the life in the Spirit. As a result, they keep grieving the Holy Spirit so that He cannot establish an intimate relationship with them or release an anointing on their lives. The wise virgins advise the foolish to go and buy oil for themselves.

How do you buy the oil?

It happens through the decision to take the time to invest in one’s own spiritual life and to learn from experienced Christians who already have lamps full of oil and an intimate relationship with Jesus. A very good way to do this is through a Bible school like the ISOM Bible School. Here a transfer of the oil of anointing, of faith and also of the heart of God takes place – daily FIRST to seek him and his kingdom.

God is a reward to those who seek Him, as Hebrews 11:6 says.
That reward is a lamp full of oil!

This anointing oil is precious because when we become disciples of Jesus it teaches us all things (1 John 2:27) and leads us into all the truth, which is one of the works of the Holy Spirit in our lives is (John 8:31-32 and 16:12-13).

Be like the wise virgins and buy oil by doing a Bible school,
and invite others to join!