Manage Wisely What God Has Blessed You With

Commentary

Jesus used this parable to explain the Kingdom of Heaven and the role of those who are a part of it. He used the concept of a master with servants, who entrusted his servants with various sums of his wealth, to teach on this subject.

A talent at the time of Jesus was worth about 20 years of an average person’s wage. So we can see that the first servant was entrusted with 100 years’ worth of salary, the second with 40 years, and the third servant with 20 years’ worth.

The Lord entrusts each of us with some portion of resources and abilities to use for Kingdom building and to glorify His name. He gives as we are capable, knowing each of our hearts and what we are able to do. The person who is entrusted with less will not be judged against the person who is entrusted with more.

You might have a small ministry reaching only a few people, or your ministry might reach millions; the Lord has gifted you in a way that perfectly fits your abilities.

Commentary

In verses 16 and 17, we see that the first two servants immediately went about doing the master’s business. They took what the master gave them and invested it. That’s our job, to take what the Lord Jesus has given us and invest it in the sharing of the Gospel and the ministry work that He has laid on each of our hearts.

This third servant decided to “play it safe” with the master’s money. He didn’t even attempt to invest the money, but rather he went and hid it in a safe place. This would be like a Christian never sharing their faith, never doing anything that the Lord has directed them to do.

Know that Satan very much uses our fears of failing to get us to come to a place of inaction. In Satan’s eyes, what better Christian is there than one who is completely useless in spreading the truth and the love of Jesus?

Commentary

The master’s return is a picture of Jesus and His judgment. We see that the first servant was able to double his master’s money by being diligent in doing his work; likewise, the second servant doubled the money he was entrusted with. We also see that judgment is personal and does not involve anyone else, as the second servant was dealt with separately, as will be the third.

Both of these servants did well. They took what the master gave them and took action. Whatever God has given you, knowledge, wisdom, money, whatever it is, you are to be like these first two servants and invest those assets into Kingdom work.

The best outcome at the judgment seat of Christ will be to hear “well done, good and faithful servant”.

Commentary

The third servant paints a picture of a Christian who did nothing with what the Lord had given him. The Lord even set the bar low, giving this servant only one talent. Even if this servant had only slightly increased his talent, he’d have been given the same judgment of “well done…”. There was never going to be any comparison to the 10 or 4 talents of the other two servants; we’re all judged individually, nobody else’s performance will have an impact on yours.

This servant knew that the master was powerful and didn’t really need the help. Just like God, who doesn’t need our help, but He asks for it anyway. We’re not to sit back with the attitude of “God will get it done”, when we have been given clear instruction to share the Gospel with the hopeless, to help those in need, to build each other up in the faith, to shine His light into the darkness of this world.

Commentary

Those who are truly following Christ, joyfully engaged in doing what the Lord has placed on their heart, will store up rewards for themselves in the ages to come and blessings on this earth now. The faithful believer will even be trusted with the authority to reign with Jesus in the Millennial Kingdom and to judge angels.

With the third servant, we see an example of someone who is not truly a servant at all. He represents the false Christian; today some refer to them as “Cultural Christians” or ”Progressive Christians”; chaff (of wheat, see Matthew 3:12) is what the Bible calls them. We know this to be the case because in this passage Jesus describes that servant being sent to Hell; only the unsaved end up in Hell.

Today this would be like someone who follows a fantasy Christ like “Socialist Jesus” or “Affirming Jesus”. They look like servants on the outside, but their hearts are not for the Lord. Scripture makes it clear that those who don’t want Christ on His terms now will then be without Him for all eternity.

Listen, don’t get caught up in the lies of Satan, these false Christian-looking religions that are so prevalent today, that have people thinking they are right with God but involved in nothing that will multiply their “talents”. Center your life, your days even, on the real Jesus of the Bible, and when that day comes, you will hear the words “well done, good and faithful servant”.