Enter into the joy of our Master

“For  it will be like a man  going on a journey, who called his servants  and entrusted to them his property.  To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.  He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.  So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.  But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.  Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’  And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’  He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed,  so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’  But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?  Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.  So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.  For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 25:14-30 ESV

http://bible.com/59/mat.25.14-30.ESV

Pastor Paul Park

This parable is located between the parable of the ten virgins and the sheep & the goats. These two talk of salvation and readiness of the coming salvation.

The parable of the talents tells us that we are not our own masters. God is our master. We own nothing, we are caretakers and stewards. Perhaps it would be better to be called a slave. We, as Christians, are bought at a price, the blood of Christ. Do you see your life as purchased by Christ and not your own? Grace means that we owe everything to God. We desire to be our own masters, but we are not.

Talents are not innate talent, but rather large sums of money. 5 talents is worth 75 years of wages. 2 talents is 30 years and 1 talent is 15 years of wages. All of then were given large sums of money. They were all given an opportunity to invest in the kingdom. The Master gave them all an opportunity and then He left. Do you feel the opportunity and the duty? To be able to serve the church? To have relationships that can build up the kingdom?

To those who feel insufficient, everyone in the parable was given some money to invest. But we are all given the opportunity, whether big or small. Each of us is given something with which to serve. Do not look at the one with five talents with envy, just take the gift you have been given and use it. We are given different gifts with which to serve.

The attitude of the servants is one of eager faithfulness. The first servant runs off to make more and so does the second. The last servant was fearful, but not the reverent fear. This was a bad kind of fear. He didn't seem to do anything wrong, but yet he is not commended. He was concerned with not doing anything wrong. He is the picture of the Church goer/pew-warmer. They come to church service and try to avoid sin, but they do not serve or build the kingdom. This is the heart of one who does not know God intimately and one who does not and is not saved.

So which of the servants are you? Are we eagerly ready to serve Him? Do we share in the joy of the Master? Are we saved or not? If we are, then we should be eager to serve Christ and grow His kingdom. Conversely, if we are not eager, do we know the Master?