Stewards in the Kingdom

Matthew 25:14-17

GOLDEN TEXT: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”—Matthew 25:21

THIS parable of the talents was evidently given by our Lord to prepare the minds of the apostles for His departure from the present life—to the “far country,” heaven itself, there to appear in the presence of God and present the sacrifice for sins which He was about to accomplish at Calvary; and there also to be crowned, highly exalted and honored far above angels, principalities, and powers, and there to remain till the appointed time for Him to take possession of His kingdom under the whole heavens, to bring all its subjects into full accord with the divine government, that God’s will should be done on earth as it is done in heaven.

We are to notice distinctly that the parable does not concern the world; but only the specially consecrated servants of the Lord, to whom He has committed certain responsibilities; those only who have been begotten of the Holy Spirit. The parable mentions servants who received five, two, and one talent, respectively. No doubt we may safely assume that there are comparatively few five-talent servants among the Lord’s people, that the majority are among the one- and two-talent classes.

There are not many five-talent people in the world, anyway, and it would appear that the world, the flesh and the devil bid so high for the services of these few that the number of them who become the Lord’s servants and consecrate to Him their five talents fully and exclusively, is comparatively small—“not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble.”

The parable shows that five-talent people amongst the Lord’s servants are not to measure themselves with others and to say, I have done enough; certainly more than A, who has one talent, but as much as B, who has two talents. Rather, each disciple is to seek to know truthfully just what talents of natural ability and opportunity the Master has committed to his care, and to seek to use every one of these as fully, as thoroughly and as constantly as possible, so that the results may be much fruit, much praise, much service much honor to the Lord.

And as this parable would be a check upon those servants who have five talents, to hinder them from taking a slothful view of the matter, so it should also be an encouragement to those having fewer talents of ability and opportunity, showing them that the Lord will not expect as great things from them as He would expect from those having greater opportunities and greater natural talents.

It teaches such that they should do with their might what their hands find to do, and realize that this reasonable service is what the Lord expects and what He proposed to reward in each. The servant with only one talent of ability and opportunity should have felt equally his responsibility, and might equally have had the Master’s approval had he been faithful, in which event, no doubt, his one talent would have increased.

There may instances in which persons use some of their talents faithfully in the Lord’s service, and bury others “in the earth,” in business and cares of this life; but the fact that the Lord does not give such illustrations would lead us to question the probability of such a course. Some might plan certain things respecting two talents for heavenly things and three for earthly things; or of one for earthly things and the other for heavenly things; but the result probably would be either that he would become. thoroughly immersed in the earthly things, and bury all his talents there, or else that his heart would become so thoroughly infused with the Lord’s spirit and the desire to serve His cause that all of his talents would be thus employed.

This tendency and result is implied by our Lord’s statement on another occasion: “Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.” “No man can serve two masters.” Experience and observation corroborate this; and hence as a rule we find that people are either cold or hot in spiritual things; either it is the Kingdom of heaven first and far above all other considerations, demanding and receiving the very best we have of time, energy and influence; or else the Kingdom of heaven is neglected and forgotten, and time and influence are spent in money-getting or other selfish and earthly occupations of mind and body.

It will be noticed that there are two grades of faithfulness: the servant who hid his Lord’s talent in the earth was faithful in that he did not waste or squander it riotously, sinfully, viciously. He did not repudiate his Master either, for he still acknowledged himself as his servant and the talent as not his own. The higher faithfulness that in the parable was rewarded went beyond this and represented earnest, self-sacrificing zeal in the Master’s cause.

These in the parable are the same that are represented by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Gather together My saints unto Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” (Psa. 50:5) “They shall be Mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I come to make up My jewels.” (Mal. 3:17) This jewel class must all be sacrificers. This is their covenant with the Lord—that they will sacrifice, that they will use their talents, opportunities, privileges, favors, zealously in His service, in the service of His household, in the service of His cause, to the honor of His name.

After entering into this covenant with Him any other course of conduct would be properly designated wicked and slothful. From this view it is to be feared that the class represented by this unfaithful servant is a large one, a great company. While still our time for rendering our accounts is future, while still the opportunity for using our time and influence and all in the Lord’s service is with us, how it behooves every one who has made the covenant by sacrifice to be vigilant, energetic, that he may ultimately hear the Master’s precious words, “Well done, good and faithful servant enter thou into the joys of thy Lord. Thou hast been faithful in a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things.”

QUESTIONS:

Was the departure of Jesus intimated in the parable of the talents?

Does this parable concern the world or the servants of God?

What are some of our talents and how may they be used?

What is required of a steward?

Have I buried any of my talents?

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