Matthew 25 is a chapter of parables – we have two of the Lord’s stories and something which comes very close to a third. And what “fun” there can be with parables – they can be twisted and turned into logic pretzels. At this point, I have plans to preach from this scripture again next Sunday morning, but my theme will be somewhat different than it is this afternoon. Such are the joys of parables. And with the joy comes the danger – an heretic may take this same parable and teach his followers right into the fires of Hell. I’ll do my best not to even come near that place today.
Once again we have one of the many references to the “Kingdom of Heaven.” And the context coming out of the last chapter has been events leading up to the Millennium. The people to whom the Lord was speaking were of Israel, but there are lessons which can indirectly applied to us. We have seen the destruction of Jerusalem under Titus, and the future destruction of Jerusalem under the leadership of the Anitchrist. We have smelled the smoke of the Tribulation. But, by the eye of faith we have also seen the glorious return of the Son of God.
The first parable of this second chapter carries the same theme as those closing the previous chapter. “Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” “Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Then “at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bride-groom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” The parable before us now, takes that theme just a bit farther – what is going to happen when the Bride-groom arrives? There will be a reckoning.
For this afternoon only, let’s forget about the context of the Tribulation and the upcoming Millennium. Let’s forget about what this parable might mean to the Jews – the people for whom it may have been originally intended. Let’s glean a lesson or two for the Christian saints of the latter days.
What is the general theme of this parable?
We’ll just cut through the plastic wrapper and get to the cheese. Christ has three servants, you, me and the next guy. Let’s say that we were once all lead of the Holy Spirit into the same Baptist church service years ago. Forrest Keener was speaking, or perhaps it was Brother Larry Jones or James Love. And all three of us – perfect strangers to each other and to this church – we were all born again. At the moment of that life-changing night, we were given a number of opportunities and responsibilities – talents, if you like. For every talent that we were given, there will be an accounting.
Maybe I should say that there IS an accounting. I realize that the judgment of our lives will come at the “bema” – “the Judgment Seat of Christ,” – in the day of the Lord. I think that this parable can be applied to that final judgment. But the wise man knows that hours are made up of minutes; days consist of twenty-four hours. Years are made up of a collection of twenty-four hour periods. If we want good report cards, each test and each quiz must bear a good grade. If we want a good report at the bema, we need to take care of today. Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves.
For the sake of argument, lets say that verse19 is March 22, 2015 – tonight. If we have wasted the talents allotted to us in the first quarter of 2015, there is a good likelihood that there hasn’t been much made of our entire lives. That is not a hard and fast rule, but it is generally true. If we take care of the pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves.
Peter once asked, “what shall the end be of them that know not the gospel of God?” He prefaced that question with – “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.” The time is come that accounting must be made for today’s activities and what we have done with the talents which the Lord has given to us. And if we fail to balance the books today, what shall the end be like when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ?
When the Lord saved us – perhaps before and even since then – Christ assigned us a number of talents.
Of course, the word “talent” does not have the definition that we modern people usually give it. It is literally referring to a unit of weight – not to some special ability, like music or skill at playing chess. Sometimes the Biblical talent was silver, or perhaps it was gold which was being weighed. So it also meant a certain sum of money, and that’s what we have here. But we can apply that word to money and “talents” as we think of them, and time, and a lot other things.
Every person in this room has been given several beautiful baskets of goodies by God. For some us they contained a bundle of silver and gold talents. Some of these talents were bestowed upon us the day we were born. And some of them were given on the day that we were born again. Oh, some were given to us last year– on the night of December 31, 2014. Some were for our use throughout our lives, and some were prepared for the year of 2015. But some were like God’s manna, and they lasted for only a day. And some were dispensed to us at different times throughout the year. But all-in-all, we have been given a wonderful bounty of talents. And remember that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” That bowl of oatmeal in the morning, that vehicle you drive, the breath in lungs, are all gifts from God. Your friends, the time in the coffee-room with your co-workers. That check that came to you out of the blue. Everything good comes through the will and the plan of God, even though we may see the hand of someone else. Truly the Lord is gracious and merciful.
But, let it not be forgotten that you are God’s servant, and not just a random recipient of these things. A computer didn’t whirl around and pick your magazine-sweepstakes number, or your ping-pong ball. You are a servant – the slave – the personal property of Jehovah. The Greek word translated “servant” in verse 14 is “doulos,” and it means “bond slave.” In other words, we are not the owners and employers of our lives – our bodies or souls. We are indentured employees of God; we are slaves. And as such anything that we possess is not really ours, but that of our Master. That car is not your own, and the check that you received is really the gift and property of the Lord. New Testament slaves could not own property, they were the property of their master. Fortunately for us, we have the kindest, most gracious Master of them all.
And by the way, I think that this theme includes the wicked – the unsaved – as well as Christian. Those people may not be double-bought slaves, by creation and redemption. Rather, they are unsaved are runaway slaves, pursued by the law and eventually to be caught. But even those runaways, are living off the stolen properties of God. Onisemus, in the Book of Philemon is a good illustration of this.
Okay, what talents did you possess a year ago, and what investment plans did make at that time? Fifteen months ago, you were given the year 2014. It has only been by the grace of God that your life as been extended from 2014 into 2015. So one of your talents is time, and enough life to use it. What is your life without the sustaining hand of God? Nothing but puff of vapor. None of us can boast of rest of 2015, “for we know not what shall be on the morrow.” For all of us, obviously, the Lord gave us five talents of time to last throughout last year. But what has the Lord set aside for us for the rest of this year? Remember that each day and each hour are a few more shekels of time. Life is not dispensed in year long lots, rather they come moment by moment. Looking back, does the Lord say that we have “redeemed the time, walking in wisdom toward them that are without.” And does the record show that we “awoke out of sleep, seeing that our redemption draweth nigh?” Has the life which your God gave you in 2014 been well invested? The waste of one year makes the waste of the next even easier.
And what about the gift of your mind? Some of you have five talent minds, while the rest of us have three talent or maybe even one. And we might say the same thing about our various educations as well. And then there is native horse sense……and the gift of judgment and discernment. Oh, and what about your conscience? Has that been well used or seared and abused? Did you make a promise to yourself or to the Lord to read your Bible through this year? How many of us started and quit? How many hid that talent in the ground, instead of investing it? And then again, how well did you invest it? Was it just brainless reading of scripture or did it profit your soul?
Then there were all those physical talents that God has given to you. Some have had five talents of health, while others only had three, and others just one. Did you take advantage of your strength and health? Did you forsake that health, and through neglect jeopardize the Lord’s gift? Some of us had lots of money…………so we bought new play things. Did we honor the Lord with His gifts? Were any of them invested for Christ?
This parable reminds us that there shall be an accounting.
I notice that the Master in this parable didn’t have six servants or even four – He had just three. As I said earlier – they include you, me and the next guy. And how many of those servants had to give an account upon his return? We might think that since the Master trusted one man more than the others that He had full confidence in the man’s wisdom and ability. We might think that he would not have to be accountable. No sir! Everyone must all give an account; rich or poor; Christian or lost; the man of the cloth or naked. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” For the non-Christian, of course, it will not be at the “bema,” but at “the Great White Throne.” Judgment will begin there with an account given for the greatest gift ever given – “the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” No one has an excuse whatsoever for dying without Christ. After that those lost shall be judged and punished according to the amount of light they have received. You, in this auditorium this afternoon, have been given five talents of Gospel and we shall all give an account before God.
And, by the way, the Lord is not interested in simply having his own returned. Brethren, He wants His investments used and improved. Yes, I know that this can only come through the Lord grace and ability, but nevertheless…. Who would think about putting his investment money in a bank that refused to give any interest? Christ is not interested, for example, in whether or not you OWN a Bible, or even if you read your Bible. What He wants to see is greater sanctification, more prayer, more love, because you own a Bible. He wants us to have more practical, useable knowledge from our Bible study. The Lord is not pleased simply that we have unbroken attendance in church. But what have you learned while you were there, and has there been any spiritual growth? Who have you brought with you to sit under the sound of the gospel? Okay, you bought a new car, has that car been at all used in the service of God? We could ask the same sort of questions as we look at a long list of God’s gifts.
Aren’t there three things that could have been done with the Master’s talents? First, of course, there is the ideal – the multiplication of the Lord’s gift. Then there is the sinful neglect and return without profit. Both of these are seen in the parable. But isn’t there a third option that isn’t even mentioned here? What if the Lord’ gift was wasted, destroyed or in some way misused? If the Lord should be angry at lack of increase what does He think about the squandering of His graciousness? We all may have much to regret and rue at the judgment seat of Christ.
On the other hand there will be rewards given in that day.
The faithful servant will be distinguished from the others; he will be recognized. Don’t ask me about the details of “ruling over many.” I think that it will be literal, but I’m not sure how that will be implemented. Whatever the application might be, the implication is an exaltation for those who have faithfully done the Master’s will. Obviously, the WORLD sets apart her own: her heros, sports stars and patrons. And oh, what honors the world bestows upon them – like making them ridiculously wealthy, for example. But nothing will compare to the appointments that Christ gives to his faithful servants.
The one that the Lord wishes to honor shall enter into the joy of His Lord. History records the lives of thousands of rich and powerful people, upon whom the crown did not rest easily. But, O Christian, the crowns which the Lord shall give will be most pleasant. When the Lord gives joy, it is a most joyful, supernaturally joyful. It has made men pass through death with smiles on their faces. It lead Moses through the wilderness. It lead Abraham in search of that city whose builder and founder is God. Jesus will say to many, how many I don’t know, but to many, “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
But on the other side of the coin, there are multitudes who buried their talents. There will be an over-throwing of their home-made wisdom. There will be exposure to public shame. It will be a day of tears among the brethren. But for those at the Great White Throne there will be consignment to Hell – weeping and gnashing. “Despise not thou the riches of the goodness and forebearance of God, knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.”
The Heavenly accountant has his calculator plugged in and his pencil sharpened. What will the end of life’s auditing reveal?