Faithfulness

Christ was dealing with His return. He went “into a far country” (v.14), and “after a long time, the Lord” returned (v.19). Christ was teaching a much needed lesson: we must be faithful and diligent, for if we are not, when He returns there will be severe judgment.

Matthew 25:14 KJV 1900

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

The Lord takes a Journey

Matthew 25:15 KJV 1900

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

The Lord Entrusted his Property to His Servants

The Lord has entrusted His goods (gifts, abilities, responsibilities) to His servants. There is a verse that says it all: “Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive [a host of vanquished foes], and gave gifts unto men” (Ep. 4:8).

Ephesians 4:8 KJV 1900

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Understand, the talent spoken of is a weight not a coin. The value of a talent varied as to whether it was gold, silver, or copper. Christ is probably using money to describe what He is talking about because money is one of the most understood commodities anywhere on earth.

Christ was teaching that His followers are to be faithful and diligent in whatever He gives them, whether a gift, ability, responsibility, or blessing.

The Lord called His own servants.

The word for servant is bond-slave. He called those who were supposedly His own (a precious thought) and who were supposedly faithful and responsible to His service. He had bought them. They were to be His own and to serve Him.

Note why He called them: to put His goods (gifts) into their hands while He was away. His property had to be looked after and increased and bettered while He was away. The property of the Lord means the world and the souls of men. The servants are given the very same mission and work that Christ had: to minister to the souls of men and to the desperate of the world.

The Lord gave each servant a different portion of His goods to look after.

The point is that each person was given a special talent (gift or responsibility). No one was left out (Ep. 4:7).

Ephesians 4:7 KJV 1900

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Each servant was therefore expected to work and serve.

The Lord gave to each servant according to his ability.

Four factors are important here.

1) No two servants have the same ability: environment, opportunity, genes, heritage, training, mind, heart, discipline, initiative. Each is different.

2) God endows His goods (gifts) as He wills, knowing each servant perfectly.

3) Each servant receives all the gifts he needs and can use.

4) Each servant has equal opportunity to be faithful in using what God has given him.

We are to be judged on our faithfulness, not on the number of gifts or the size of the work we are assigned.

We will see this down in v.21 and v.23.

Thought 1. There are three precious and wonderful facts here.

(1) We are “His own.” We are God’s, His possession (Ep. 1:14).

Ephesians 1:14 KJV 1900

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

(2) We are taken care of by Christ.

Each one is given “His goods,” very special gifts, abilities, and responsibilities to look after for God. God gives us exactly what we need to fulfill our lives and to give us purpose, meaning, and significance in life—to conform us to the very image of Christ Himself.

(3) The church is taken care of by Christ. During His absence, He has provided all that is necessary to care for and to advance the church.

Notice, Every believer has at least 1 gift.

Note the gifts are the Lord’s; they are merely entrusted to His servants. Different men have different capacities for different ministries (v.15).

The Servants Use of Property

Matthew 25:16–18 KJV 1900

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

The servants treated the Lord’s goods differently.

Faithfulness vs. Unfaithfulness

a. Two servants were responsible, very responsible. They went to work immediately. They lost no time and began to serve quickly.

1) 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.

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 (see Lu. 12:48).

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.

2) 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). But both were equally successful, doubling what the Lord had given them.

b. 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, but 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.

Thought 1. Note four lessons.

(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 gifts faithfully and diligently will witness a manifold increase in the goods of his Lord.

(3) A striking point: the person with one talent is as responsible to use his gift as the person with many talents.

(4) Too often, a person who is gifted with little feels his 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.

Matthew 25:19 KJV 1900

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

The Lord Returns - Day of Reckoning

the day of reckoning came, but it was only “after a long time.” By the time Christ returns, it will have been a long time in the eyes of men. However, it will have been only a short time to Christ: “Lo, I come quickly”

Revelation 3:11 KJV 1900

11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Note a second fact: Christ says the Lord did return, and He returned to reckon with His servants, not with the world. Christ is talking about His servants in this passage—professing believers and church members, some genuine believers and some only professing believers, who are making a false profession (v.30).

Thought 1. We must always remember this: the Lord is not slack concerning His promise to return. He is ready to judge the living and the dead (1 Pe. 4:5).

1 Peter 4:5 KJV 1900

5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

He is ready now, but He is longsuffering, wanting more and more to come to repentance (2 Pe. 3:9).

2 Peter 3:9 KJV 1900

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Matthew 25:20–23 KJV 1900

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

The Reward = Pleasure and more work

The reward for work well done will be more work to do.

Note that the experience was the same for the first and second servants.

a. They both acknowledged God’s gifts and graces: “Lord, thou delivered unto me.” All that the servant had was given to him by Christ. There is appreciation, thankfulness, privilege, and a sense of responsibility expressed. The two servants had counted it a privilege to serve their Lord. He had given them purpose and meaning in life and the greatest privilege in all the world: the privilege of serving the Lord Himself. They were appreciative and thankful.

b. Therefore, they were bold in approaching the Lord: “Behold, I have gained.” Their boldness was not in a boastful spirit, but in a spirit that knew it had been faithful in what the Lord had said to do.

1 John 4:17 KJV 1900

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

c. The Lord commended the two servants and gave them great rewards: rulership and joy, the joy of the Lord.

The Lord commended them for being good men (kind, gracious, moral, disciplined) and faithful in the trust (gifts) He had given them. They had worked and worked hard. They had been the kind of men He had wanted them to be and they had done the work He had wanted them to do. They were both good and faithful servants.

The point is this: the first two servants worked at full capacity, exerting 100 percent energy and effort. Both increased the Lord’s goods 100 percent. Note the reward: both received responsibility over many things in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Lord rewarded both servants greatly. He gave them a twofold reward.

First, they were given rulership: the responsibility and rule over many things in the Kingdom of Heaven after the Lord returned (see notes and Deeper Study # 1—Mt. 19:28; 19:29; Lu. 19:15–23).

Second, they were given entrance into the joy of the Lord. The servants were to be ushered into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, where there is nothing but joy. The joy is the joy “of the Lord” Himself—a joy which He Himself possesses within His very being. Joy is the state of the Lord’s being because He is perfect; His perfection gives rise to a fulness of joy. Believers also experience this joy because of heaven, for heaven is perfect; and where perfection is, there are no tears, pain, or sorrow. There is only joy.

Thought 1. Two things are highly commendable among God’s servants:

(1) To acknowledge that their gifts are of God.

(2) To be so faithful and diligent that they can be bold in the day of judgment.

Thought 2. Just how wise we are is shown by how much work we do for God and how well we use our gifts.

James 3:13 KJV 1900

13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Our works will follow us.

Revelation 14:13 KJV 1900

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Thought 3. A precious, precious truth: God will be accepting both our person (“thou good … servant”) and our labor (“thou … faithful servant”). Amen!

Matthew 25:24–30 KJV 1900

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Punishment = Stripping and Separation

The punishment for work not done will be stripping and separation.

Christ covers three points in discussing this unprofitable servant. Remember: Christ is speaking of a person who professes and is in the church (see note, Kingdom of Heaven—Mt. 25:1).

a. Note the servant’s reasons for not using the gifts the Lord had entrusted into his care.

1) He misunderstood God. The unprofitable servant said that the Lord was too demanding, exacting, stern, and unsympathetic. He was a Lord who demanded too much and was too strict. He did not allow man the right to enjoy this world and its pleasures enough. The servant felt that if he spent his time in the service of the Lord, he would miss out on life. The demands of the Lord upon his time and affairs were just too burdensome. The servant was too involved in the world and its affairs to give that much time and effort to labor for the Lord and to concentrate upon His demands.

2) He added that he feared—feared using and putting his talent to work for the Lord. Therefore, he hid the Lord’s talent and did not use it to increase the Lord’s kingdom.

b. Note God’s reasons for condemning the servant; note the vast difference between what the Lord said and what the servant had to say.

1) The unprofitable servant was wicked and slothful.

He was wicked because he went about doing exactly what he wished to do, spending his time and energy on his own thing. He transgressed God’s command and will.

He was slothful because he did nothing with God’s gift. He buried and hid it.

2) The unprofitable servant was inconsistent, or perhaps a better description would be deceptive, double-minded, and self-contradictory. If he really believed the Lord was harsh and stern, he would have labored and worked his fingers to the bone. The servant was either lying or terribly deceived and self-contradictory—all in an attempt to justify his behavior.

3) The unprofitable servant failed to use his gift. Christ was direct: the servant should have used the gift and served (v.27).

Matthew 25:27 KJV 1900

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

He was without excuse.

c. Note the judgment of the unprofitable servant (vv.28–30). Christ pronounced a twofold judgment upon him.

1) The unprofitable servant was stripped of what he had. All that he had was taken from him.

The servant’s responsibility—the glorious privilege of working for and serving the Lord—was not to be his any more. He was to have nothing else to do with the Lord. His responsibility was taken from him and given to the one who proven most faithful.

2) The unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness. He was cast out of the Lord’s presence and banished forever. And there was no joy there, nothing but outer darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth.

OUTER DARKNESS - a darkness outside some realm or space of light. The rewards have to do with the assignment of responsibility. Therefore, it is probably accurate to say that the judgment is a darkness outside the joy (light) of the Lord’s presence and outside the joy of responsibility. What a darkness! To be cast into outer darkness away from the Lord’s presence and to be stripped of responsibility—to be responsible for nothing throughout all eternity.

Thought 1. There are two gross errors in the thinking of the world.

(1) Many persons think God is hard, stern, demanding, and unsympathetic. They are unwilling to follow such a hard, narrow way. So they bury, hide their God-given gifts and travel along the easy, broad way.

(2) Others think that what they have is their own, and they can use it to live as they please. They think that what they do is no one’s affair except their own, not even God’s.

Thought 2. Few persons feel any responsibility to God for what they have, and even fewer feel the necessity to serve God faithfully and diligently.

Thought 3. Slothfulness, doing nothing for God, is one of the great sins of professing Christians (Ro. 12:11; 2 Th. 3:11; Heb. 6:12; Pr. 18:9; see 1 Co. 15:58).

Thought 4. Sins of omission are as serious as sins of commission. Being idle and slothful, being complacent and doing nothing, being lethargic and self-satisfied—all are condemning sins: sins that condemn a person to outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Thought 5. Men deceive themselves. They rationalize their comfort, ease, and slothfulness by minimizing their gift. They think that they will be excused by downing or denying their gift.

⇒ Inactive righteousness is as condemning as active wickedness.

⇒ Idle service is as condemning as a busy sin.

⇒ Sleepy concern is as condemning as stimulating flesh.

⇒ Indulging comfort is as condemning as assault and robbery.

⇒ Being unprofitable is as condemning as being evil (see Mt. 25:42–46).

How Will YOU Fair When Christ Returns?

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