What Jesus Christ Taught Concerning His Return (Part 2)

The Parable of the Talents: The Believers Gifts {Matthew 25:14-30}

(Faithfulness— Unfaithfulness: the servants treated the Lord's goods differently)

1. Two servants were responsible, very responsible. They went to work immediately; they wasted no time and began their work immediately - speedily.

a) They were faithful and diligent. They used their abilities and energy immediately. They exerted themselves, expended their energy and effort to use what the Lord had given them.

(Please note: the less gifted servant worked and labored as much as the more gifted servant. He did not have as many gifts, but he exerted the same initiative, energy, and effort. Again, the picture is that of a business transaction, but the point is that the two servants used what the Lord had given them; and they used their gifts faithfully and diligently.)

b) They were successful. Each one gained and doubled what the Lord had given him. Each servant's gifts bore fruit in proportion to his gifts. The one given more (five talents) bore more (ten talents). The one given less (two talents) bore less (four talents). However, they were equally successful, doubling what the Lord had given them.

2. One servant was irresponsible. He simply did not use the Lord's gift. But note: he was somewhat active. He spent time and energy to go out and bury the Lord's gift—he hid it. His days, his time, and his energy were to be the Lord's; but he took his life and days into his own hands. What was he doing? We are not told, however, his efforts were not spent in the Lord's cause. He served only himself. He was worldly, lusting after the flesh and possessions of this world. He was out to serve himself instead of God

Thoughts to Ponder:

1) Immediate work—immediate action—immediate use of God's gifts are expected. Each hesitation—each hour—each day where maximum energy and effort are not given is a lost opportunity. Each lost opportunity equals unfaithfulness and slothfulness. What a strong example the two faithful servants were.

2) The efforts of the faithful and diligent will bear interest (fruit). The servant who uses his or her gifts faithfully and diligently will witness a manifold increase in the goods of their Lord.

3) The person with one talent is as responsible to use their gift as the person with many talents.

4) Too often, a person who is gifted with little feels his or her service matters little, that it is not really worth the time and effort it takes. This attitude forgets something: the gift is not ours; the gift is the Lord's. It is to be used, and full energy and effort are to be exerted in its use. The use of a single gift is to occupy what days and hours we have on earth. We are to be faithful, even in the single gifts—always faithful and always using what we have for the Lord, even if it is a single gift.

5) For the child of God there are two important things:

• Find out what God wants us to do; that is, determine what the talent is that He has given us.
• Be faithful in the use of it.