Justin Houtz

Hi. I’m Justin. I write code and things but enough about that…

Let’s talk about Jesus.

  • Daily Bible Study

    2 Samuel 15-16; Psalm 32; Matthew 25

    DateVersionReading Plan
    May 8, 2026ESV (2016)ESV Life Journal Plan – 2026

    Matthew 25

    Observation & Interpretation

    Through the parables and explanation of the final judgement spoken by Jesus in this chapter, we come to understand that there are only two paths we can follow and subsequently two possible outcomes: with the Lord and the fullness of blessing that entails or apart from Him and the just wrath of our deserts. With the parable of the ten virgins, the wise women who took flasks of oil with their lamps were able to join the bridegroom when he arrived while the foolish did not. The foolish begged to be allowed entry to the marriage feast, but the bridegroom said that he did not know them. The takeaway is that “Believers should live as if the Lord might come at any moment.” and to ask the question, ”Are our lamps trimmed and filled with oil?”

    In the parable of the ten talents, the men who doubled their talents were commended by the master and set over much. However, the man who was given one talent and did not invest it was chided by the master, dispossessed of his one talent to be given to the man who had ten talents and cast into the outer darkness, a place with weeping and gnashing of teeth. It was the wise men who stewarded their gift well who remained while the “worthless servant” who did nothing with what he had been given was cast out.

    In description of the coming of the Son of Man in His glory, Jesus spoke of the nations being gathered and a separation of one people from another, symbolically depicted here as sheep on the right and goats on the left. To the sheep on the right, the King references as blessed and invites them to inherit the kingdom prepared for them. It was these who gave Him food to eat when He was hungry, clothing when He was naked, visitation in His sickness and coming to Him in prison. When asked when they did such things for Him, the King clarifies that as they did it to the least of His brothers, they did it to Him.

    However, to the goats on the left, the King told to depart from Him, into the eternal fire prepared for them for the devil and his angels. These likewise asked the King when they saw Him hungry or thirsty or naked or sick and He responded that as they did not do it to the least of these, they did not do it to Him. Jesus then draws a sharp distinction, that those on the left will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

    Application

    The fact that there are only two conclusions to this life is particularly salient given my recent reading of Mark Dever’s book, “The Gospel and Personal Evangelism”. In it, he speaks of the many ways we can deny Jesus as Lord and Savior and the reality of their being only one way to say yes to Him, namely, full surrender and devotion of one’s entire life. Living in a pluralistic society that champions individualism, we are immersed in the narrative of autonomy in which it is thought that one has mastery over the end of our choosing. However, this is Biblically untenable as any choice not made for Christ is the choice to be apart from Him and incur His just punishment for rebellion. May God’s people abide in the truth as given to us by HIs Word, unwavering in our resolve to convey in both word and deed that there be but two ways to live.

    Resources

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