Living for "Well Done"

In 1992, Dr. Gary Chapman released a book called The 5 Love Languages. It was written with the intent to help married people express love to one another, but the principles in that book can be applied to relationships as a whole, not just marriages. The five love languages are words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. While we can express and receive all of these, one of them usually is dominant over the rest. I’m a quality time guy. The other four apply depending on who it is coming from.

Today is for the words of affirmation people in the room. If you come alive when people verbally affirm you, this one’s for you. This one is not at the top of my list, but there are times in which I want to know that I am doing a good job, that I’m on the right track.

This world is not our home. Jesus came to tell us as much. There is a new kingdom that is not of this world. Since it is not of this world, it operates unlike any kingdom of this world. In Matthew 25, Jesus uses parables, an art of storytelling, to explain what the kingdom of heaven will be like. The two parables we see in Matthew 25 are about his coming. There is an expectation that he is going away, and that he is going to return. We are going to turn our attention to the parable of the talents beginning in verse 14.

Matthew 25:14–30 NASB95

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. “To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. “Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. “In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. “But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. “The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. ‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. ‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. “Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

There is a rule concerning the interpretation of parables. Jesus uses this art of storytelling using real life scenarios for the audience to connect with. The story itself is not meant to be broken down into the tiniest of details and analyzed to death like every second of a presidential speech. The story is meant to convey one truth. We will arrive at that truth in a few moments.

Though there is one interpretation for the parable, it does not mean the details don’t matter. The details feed us information so we can arrive at the proper conclusion. As we look at this parable, I want to ask the question,

What does arriving at "Well done" look like for you?

Understanding this parable isn’t terribly difficult. The man going on a journey is Jesus. The servants are those who follow him. Now, the story borrows from a real life scenario where a very wealthy man, who has a number of others working for him goes off on a journey. He’s going to be away for an extended period of time. The three servants he calls upon are entrusted with different talents. A talent then wasn’t a skill like, “That guy has talent in basketball.” A talent was a large sum of money. They are entrusted to conduct business on the master’s behalf while he is away.

When the master returns, he calls the three men to report on their business dealings. Two of them do very well and hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant, you were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” We hear this line in funeral services often. We all want to hear these words. Ultimately, we want to know that what we are doing would make our master happy. If hearing those words are your goal, then the question we must ask, is what does that look like for you?

To answer that question, there are a few details we want to take note of to help us out. If you want to arrive at “Well done,” there are three things you need to know.

You have the ability to do what God is calling you to do.

If you go back to verse 15, the man about to go on his journey is distributing sums of money. Five talents to one guy, two talents to the next guy, and one talent to the third guy. But right after that it says “each according to his own ability.” Do you see that? Why doesn’t he give five talents to all of them? Or one talent to all of them? Because their boss knows what they are capable of. They are not all performing at the same level. Therefore, they are entrusted with what the boss knows they can handle well.

No two Christians are on the exact same level. We are all equal in terms of value and worth in the eyes of our Father, but we are not all on the same level when it comes to what he will entrust to us. God knows exactly what you are capable of. The good news is it is more than you think you are capable of. We sell ourselves short all the time. Always it can’t be done...except that it can...because he knows what we are capable of. God always has a habit of calling us to perform just outside of our comfort zone because it stretches us and grows us.

It is not that our faith somehow dictates to God what God will do. It is that our faith in him combined with our willingness to act equals us performing at levels we couldn’t expect. What if the five talent servant was once a one talent servant, who became a two talent servant, who was now entrusted with five? That means he was tested. He had proven faithfulness. Therefore, the master had reasonable certainty that he would perform as expected. Whether God has entrusted to you a lot, some, or a little, he has you operating at a level you are capable of. Just remember, you are not doing it alone.

You are expected to work with what God has given you.

I love the word immediately in verse 16. As soon as the man in charge was gone, two of the three men went to work, each doubling what was entrusted to him. Five talents became ten, and two talents became four. One man took his one talent, put it in a coffee can, and buried it in the backyard. The two who went to work received praise. The one who sat on his responsibility was not. The master in the story expected there to be growth.

We are not saved to carve out a comfortable living, retire well, and live out our days in peace. The mandate of Christ is not to go to church and be nice to everyone around us. The Christian faith is not an add-on to whatever lifestyle we want to live. It is the center of our lifestyle, and everything we do should be flowing from our relationship with Christ.

After spending time training his disciples, Jesus sent them out in pairs to go into the towns and share the good news with them. Acts 1:8 is the verse every missionary knows. It is part of Jesus’ marching orders.

Acts 1:8 NASB95

but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Being Christ’s witnesses implies we are telling people about him.

Ephesians 2:10 NASB95

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

The Bible paints the picture that Christ’s followers are expected to work. The good works are not the things that save you, but when you are saved, you understand you are saved to work God had prepared for you before the beginning.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NASB95

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

The two men who went to work did so because they understood the assignment. They also understood (most likely because they had done it before) there was going to be a reckoning. The boss was going to come back, and he was going to expect a report.

Reward awaits those who are faithful.

This is it. This is where we hear those coveted words: “Well done good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” This is the goal. If this is not your goal, it should be. But you should also know this is not automatic. We learn this lesson because of the third man who received no reward at all. The reward belongs to those who are faithful.

You do not serve Christ for no reward. Your reward is ultimately in eternity. You are not promised a return on investment here. There are numerous people around the globe who are faithful followers but they amass no earthly fortunes. Serving Jesus doesn’t guarantee earthly riches, fame, or influence. But it does mean that there are degrees of reward in heaven based on our work here.

An example of this can be seen in Matthew 19:28-30

Matthew 19:28–30 NASB95

And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.

The twelve apostles are going to rule on thrones over the twelve tribes of Israel. There appears to be a hierarchy, a chain of command in Christ’s kingdom. Yes, we will have equal standing and the same access to God’s presence and share in his joy, but when it comes to responsibility, it looks like that work will be divided up based on the work you do while you are here. This life is the testing ground for the life to come. What job description do you get in heaven? That depends. What are you faithful with now?

Matthew 16:27 NASB95

“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.

Well done good and faithful servant is not automatic. It is earned.

How do you arrive at well done? There is a man named Reagan Rose who wrote a book called Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God. He proposes a three step approach. First, get clear on what God is calling you to do. Second, get organized through calendar and task management. Third, get consistent so your goals are reached.

Know that you already have the ability to do what God is calling you to do. Know that you are expected to work. Know that there is a reward waiting for you if you are faithful.

What does arriving at "Well done" look like for you?