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The Good and Faithful Servant
Matthew 25: 14-30
14 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far
country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods
to them.
15 "And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to
another one, to each according to his own ability; and
immediately he went on a journey.
16 "Then he who had received the five talents went and traded
with them, and made another five talents.
17 "And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
18 "But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and
hid his lord's money.
19 "After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled
accounts with them.
20 "So he who had received five talents, came and brought five
other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents;
look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'
21 "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant;
you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler
over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
22 "He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord,
you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two
more talents besides them.'
23 "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant;
you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler
over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
24 "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord,
I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown,
and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 'And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.
Look, there you have what is yours.'
26 "But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy
servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and
gather where I have not scattered seed.
27 'So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers,and
at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
28 'Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who
has ten talents.
29 'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have
abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has
will be taken away.
30 'And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
NOTE #1:
Everything in this passage pertains to the Kingdom of
Heaven, where the gospel goes forth.
Note #2:
The man traveling to the far country is Jesus. The far
country is Heaven. He ascended into Heaven and will be
coming back to settle our accounts.
Note #3:
Those who are His servants fall into one of two
categories: "good and faithful" or "wicked and lazy".
This is based on what we do with what He has given us.
Note #4:
The talents which He entrusts us with represents: our
knowledge of Jesus and His gospel, our relationship
with Jesus, and the abilities (talents) He has given
us to further His Kingdom. These are the only things
that are truly important to Him. That is why He wants
to "settle acounts". He is not literally referring to
money; He owns everything and He does not need us to
make Him more money or give Him anything. What He
really wants are people to be saved and to be faithful.
Note #5:
He gave everyone a certain amount according to their own
ability. He didn't give them more than they could handle,
but just enough that each person should be able to do
something with what they have been given.
**Everyone who calls themselves a servant of Jesus longs for the
day when He will say to us, "You are a good and faithful servant".
This is part of the hope that is within us. But if we want Him
to declare us a "good and faithful servant" after this life, then
we must be one in this life. Too often we forget that we must
actually DO ACCORDING TO HIS WILL in order to receive His
blessing and good favor.**
QUESTION #1:
How can we know His will in the first place?
Answer:
We have one shot (in this life) for Christ our
Lord to determine us as "good and faithful" or
"wicked and lazy". Remember, this is His
sovereign judgement of us, NOT our judgement
of ourselves based on how we think.
So, how do we know what category we fall under?
1 Samuel 15: 22-23
22 So Samuel said:
"Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrafices
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrafice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He also has rejected you from being king.
Note #6:
If I had servants under me, I would determine which ones
to be "wicked and lazy" or "good and faithful" by their
level of TRUSTWORTHINESS and OBEDIENCE. By their ability
to trust my judgement, I would be able to trust that they
would hear and obey what I command of them. The servants
that I could trust with my possessions and obey without
complaining or hesitating, are the ones I would call
"good and faithful". The servants who consistently
question their duties, are careless about their work,
or who just choose not to work period, are the ones I
would call "wicked and lazy".
MAKES SENSE, RIGHT?
QUESTION #2:
What is the difference between the first two servants
and the last servant?
ANSWER:
Matthew 25: 29
For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he
will have abundance; but from him who does not have,
even what he has will be taken away.
Has what?
Remember, what is most important to Christ is knowledge
and a relationship with Him!
The first two servants knew how to use their talents because of
their relationship with their lord. They knew their master's will
becasue they knew their master.
"For to everyone who HAS, more will be given, and he will have
abundance; but from him who DOES NOT HAVE, even what he HAS will
be taken away."
Matthew 7:2
"For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and
with the measure that you use, it will be measured back to
you.
Want more relationship and knowledge of Jesus?
Matt 7: 7-8
7 "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks
finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened."
ASK Him and you shall find Him.
KNOCK and the door will be opened to you.
But. . .
YOU HAVE TO SEEK HIM!
&
YOU HAVE TO ASK HIM!!
Remember: In the verses (Matt 7:7-8), Jesus does not say
knock, open the door and then come in...He says: KNOCK.
He will open the door.
You're job is to open the Bible, and His job is to teach you.
You have to ask Him, and He will provide the answers.
And USE what He has given you!!
We must learn to obey what He has said and do what we have
been told to do. He will not overbear us to the point that we
can't handle it, but He won't give us more if we can't grasp the
amount that He is currently giving us.
What is more important than our sacrafices, praise, cahritable deeds,
or our attempts to act "spritual", is the ability to obey Him!
If we trust what Jesus tells us above what we see and act promptly
without questioning Him, He will find us to be good and faithful
servants.
Being faithful is using what He has given to us, no
matter how small. The more we trust what He tells us and obey what
He has told us, then the more He will provide instruction and
our relationship with Him will be stronger.
But, Christ can't trust someone that He doesn't know!!!
Our final thought...
Matthew 25: 24-26
24 "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord,
I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown,
and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 'And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.
Look, there you have what is yours.'
26 "But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy
servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and
gather where I have not scattered see.
Many who follow Jesus hide the message of the gospel in their
heart out of fear, just as the wicked servant hid his talent.
They become fearful of not having enough to work with and start
to worry about how they can become profitable on their own
strength. After a period of time, they get burned out, give up,
and become paralyzed in self-doubt. They justify their position
in their heart and think that what He has given to them is
sufficient for the Day of Judgement.
THEY NEED TO CHANGE THEIR WAYS!
Anyone who has received the message of Jesus Christ and has
even the slightest relationship with Him can do something!
Even if it comes down to supporting missionaries and evangelists,
like in Matthew 25:27, "depositing money with bankers", or in other
words, giving to those people who will bring in some "profit" for
Christ in return.
John 3:8
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it,
but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is
everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Jesus the Christ "Reap[s] where He has not sown and gathers where
He has not scattered". This is the uncontrollable and unpredictable
scattering of the gospel by Jesus' servants who sow and scatter
by means of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is continually "reaping and
gathering" the fruits of His servants harvests.
Now by knowing all of this, you choose to become lazy and
unproductive, then you become the unprofitable servant!
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