The Great Divide (Part 2)

In the 25^th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is describing the end of the age and how He will divide humanity into two groups.  One group to enter into the joys of Eternal Life and one group that is left in outer darkness.  In part 1 we seen 10 virgins.  5 were wise and 5 were foolish.  In this article we will draw out 3 observations about the Parable of the Talents.

The Diligent and the Lazy

1. The diligent are faithful stewards.  The lazy are careless.
   
   In this parable we have a wealthy master who is going away and takes a large sum of money and distributes it to his hired servants to steward over it.   To one he gives 5, to one 3 and to the last 1.  The sum of money depended on that servants ability.  We see that the two who received 5 and 3 talents took their money and stewarded over it well so that when the master returned he doubled his money.  The servant that had received the 1 talent, which was still a good sum of money, hid it and only returned to his master what he was given.  The money given to be stewarded over was to be used to gain more.  At bare minimum, put it in a bank to draw interest.  The wicked servant was a poor steward and unwilling to even do the bare minimum.  Likewise, Christ wants investment into his kingdom.  Those who trust and love him will.  Those who don’t will not even do the bare minimum.
   
   
2. The diligent work hard.  The lazy don’t.
   
   We should tread carefully here because what I don’t want you to hear is that by working we earn salvation and eternal life.  Works of righteousness are never enough.  What we are looking for is character that is fueled by faith and love for their master.  The good and faithful servants worked not to earn favor but out of love for their good master.  Faith alone in Christ alone is what saves us, but faith is never alone.  Good works are the joyful companion of true faith in Christ.  If we love him we work.  The wicked servant is lazy.  He puts this large sum of money in the dirt and leaves it until his master returns.
   
   
3. The diligent knows their master.  The lazy knows about their master.
   
   One of the most indicting things about the wicked servant is how he describes his master as “a hard man.”  The other two servants certainly didn’t have this view of their master.  This demonstrates that the wicked servant perhaps knew some facts about his master but didn’t have a relationship with his master.  The other two knew him.  The wicked servant knew things about him and there is a major difference.  Do we simply know facts about our Master, Christ Jesus?  Or do we truly know him.  Do we spend time in communion with His Holy Spirit and reading His Holy Word?  God has revealed himself to us in His Word.  He want’s to be known.

While it is true that works will never gain us favor with God, work is still a good thing.  It is deeply engrained into the fiber of what it means to be Men of the King.  Men work.  Men aren’t lazy.  When men are lazy, you will find disorder and chaos.  Works are the mark of the faithful.  Our faith and love for Christ should motivate us to work hard and invest in His Kingdom.

Paul tells Timothy, that he “has fought the good fight, and finished the race” and that “now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness that the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day.”  True faith works and in the end may we all hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter in to the Joy’s of your Master”