"For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance..." (Matt: 25:29)
The master is going on a journey, the journey we recognize as Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and his death on the cross and Resurrection. His return will come as He judges man to enter into his kingdom, the Kingdom of God. His servants, not tenants, not slaves, are his apostles, disciples, and us, his Christians. His love and trust He leaves man; He entrusts to us His servants His truths, His greatest possession. Man is seen as the three servants, each given talents in varying amounts; how man develops the talents depend on man’s love, fidelity, resourcefulness, and the image of God, man perceives. The talents are God’s grace; man uses the gifts to add to the kingdom.
The servants of the master are not slaves who cannot leave the service of the master, but men who choose to stay with the master. Yet Christ tells us not all who stay will enter the kingdom; man must be invited into the kingdom by the master. “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Matt7:21)
The question remains, if faith is not the only requirement to enter the kingdom of heaven, what else is needed? Faith that saves manifests itself in good works. “So faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (1Jas2:17)
Peter, Paul and Judas are good examples of faith and talents. All three had the first response to faith, to follow the Master. All three were given talents and grace to continue the work of the Master as He goes on a journey. All three will be judged when He returns and determine if each will be invited into the Kingdom of God. Their response is our response.
The Master does not micro-manage; He leaves man free to perform his duties according to the circumstances; He trusts man to do good as man see fit. This servant has true freedom- love and grace are multiplied. This is the true meaning of “harvesting what you did not plant and gathering what you did not scatter. “ (Matt25:25)
Peter’s faith is like our faith, wavering, but open to receive the truth. More and more we love the Master and feed the people with bread and love. We multiply our talents through the gifts of the Spirit- becoming willing participants in God’s plan for mankind. Growth and love perpetuate itself for the Master.
Christians are much like the second servant- we love, we multiply 100% as the first servant, Peter, but we begin with much less. We have chosen not to be envious of the first servant nor fearful as the third servant. We are content to enjoy the invitation of the Master, “to share in his joy. “ We have been invited to the kingdom because of our faithfulness in promoting the good of the kingdom; we are not envious; we have not projected a false image of the Master; we are not fearful of His return.
Judas as the third servant has been given much ability at birth. He becomes a disciple of the Master, calling himself a servant, but in his own heart, he has rejected the mission of the Master. Judas’ idea of the Messiah is not Jesus’ mission. Christ mission is as a shepherd, to bring truth to all people. Judas wants Jesus’ power to rule and thus he is not open to the way of the Master. He makes the Master something which the Master is not. Is fear another attribute of pride? Again, man must look into his heart to decide on man’s response.
The master returns for an account. It is not a return of what he has given; it is more like, ”Let’s see what you have done.” It is an accounting each of us will face. The master does not want us to be unprepared as the virgins of the bridegroom were unprepared; He wants us to have been fruitful and invited into the kingdom of heaven, where He is with all the other servants of the master. There each will be given new, more responsibilities and bask in His love.
Peter’s faith is like our faith, wavering, but open to receive the truth. More and more we love the Master and feed the people with bread and love. We multiply our talents through the gifts of the Spirit- becoming willing participants in God’s plan for mankind. Growth and love perpetuate itself for the Master.
Christians are much like the second servant- we love, we multiply 100% as the first servant, Peter, but we begin with much less. We have chosen not to be envious of the first servant nor fearful as the third servant. We are content to enjoy the invitation of the Master, “to share in his joy. “ We have been invited to the kingdom because of our faithfulness in promoting the good of the kingdom; we are not envious; we have not projected a false image of the Master; we are not fearful of His return.
Judas as the third servant has been given much ability at birth. He becomes a disciple of the Master, calling himself a servant, but in his own heart, he has rejected the mission of the Master. Judas’ idea of the Messiah is not Jesus’ mission. Christ mission is as a shepherd, to bring truth to all people. Judas wants Jesus’ power to rule and thus he is not open to the way of the Master. He makes the Master something which the Master is not. Is fear another attribute of pride? Again, man must look into his heart to decide on man’s response.
The master returns for an account. It is not a return of what he has given; it is more like, ”Let’s see what you have done.” It is an accounting each of us will face. The master does not want us to be unprepared as the virgins of the bridegroom were unprepared; He wants us to have been fruitful and invited into the kingdom of heaven, where He is with all the other servants of the master. There each will be given new, more responsibilities and bask in His love.
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