Text: Matthew 25:14-30
Prayer:
Father, you have given us so much: Life itself, our homes, families, friends, abilities, opportunities and many resources. Now you add to these blessings, the gift of your Word. Help us, dear Lord, by your Holy Spirit, so that we do not put the gift of your word out of sight and out of mind, but instead cherish and use it, so that it may bring the harvest in our lives that you seek. This we ask in Jesus' Name, Amen.
The poor fellow. He was only trying to do the right thing. Surely a conservative approach to financial management was wise, especially when money markets fluctuate so much, and times are so uncertain. He kept his master's money safe - he didn't lose any of it, so don't you think it was unfair of the master in Jesus' story to come down so hard on that third servant?
But a closer look at the text will show us that this fellow is not the hapless victim we might be led to believe. First let us focus on the Master. A hard man? No, a generous, trusting man. He left his 3 servants in charge of a large amount of money. A talent was a weight measure, and when used to describe a sun of money, it added up to a very handsome sun indeed! How much would 25 kilograms of silver or gold be worth? Let's just say, a lot!
The master is a generous, trusting man. He is also wise and understanding. He entrusted his property to each, according to his ability. One got to look after 5 talents, because the master knew he was capable of looking after 5 talents. The Master knew the second fellow was well able to manage 2 talents. And even though the third servant received just the one talent, it was according to his ability -ability not just to look after that amount, but to use it productively. From the master's response on his return, we see that this is what he expected: he wanted his servants not to sit on the money, but to use it. He wanted them to invest it, so there would be a return.
The third servant is exposed as a wicked, lazy servant. He slandered his master, calling him a hard man, virtually accusing his master of being a thief and having no right to any return for his investments. He accused the master of being hard-hearted, but he shows himself to be hard-hearted: unwilling to even try to get a return for his master. He thought he was smart, playing it safe. But he was out of touch with his master's will, and it was the master's will that mattered most.
The first two servants risked all, and put their talents to use. They responded to the trust their master placed in them, by investing, and doubling the money. Their master was delighted, and rewarded them with greater responsibility and trust. "Well done, good and faithful servant!" he declares. But he gives them more than mere reward for services rendered. He invites them to share his happiness! He draws them to his heart, which is not the response the kind of man the third servant accused him of being. Here is a master who loves his servants. He shares with them, and is eager to have them share his joy.
The first two servants acted in faith. Their master had trusted them, and in turn, they trusted him. They had to, otherwise how could they have risked such large amounts of money?! There is a friendship, a partnership between the first two servants and the master, that the third man does not have, and does not seem to be interested in having. He thinks he knows all there is to know about his master, but as he views his master through the distortion brought by his own hardness of heart and selfishness, he can't see the master as he really is.
This is the natural state of humanity. Suspicious, ungrateful, fearful, rebellious. Unwilling to make use of the many gifts God gives us, we are like chickens scratching bare earth, when in reality we could be soaring eagles, invited to feast on the heights.
Our master, the God of all creation, is eager to share his joy with us. He is eager to draw us to his heart, and reward our efforts with further blessing and greater opportunities for service.
But does this happen? We might be using some of our talents, and serving God in various ways, but are we not more like the third servant, than the first two? Elsewhere in the Scriptures, the Lord makes it very clear that the only thing we really earn, is wrath and condemnation: What kind of wages do we deserve? "The wages of sin is death," Romans 6:23 declares. Our only hope is in the next part of that same verse, which declares, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
The third servant did the wrong thing, because in his heart, he was wrong. He had no faith in his master; he was wicked, he was lazy. He deserved the severe punishment he received. We too deserve our master's displeasure, for who can say they have used God's many gifts to us, in a way that brings honour and glory to God alone?!
Enter the true servant of the Lord. The Suffering Servant, our Lord Jesus Himself. Isaiah 53:4 says, "Surely He took up our infirmities, and carried our sorrows... verse 6: We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us turned to his own way, but the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Who is this, who when crucified, entered the outer darkness...the place that we worthless servants were meant to be thrown...? None other than our master... who took upon himself, the wrath we deserved to suffer, so that, though undeserving, might also share his happiness.
Yes our master looks for a response, from the talents he has given us. But our master is not hard hearted. He reaps from our lives what he himself sows: the fruit of the Spirit, produced by His Word.
This then, is how we can continue in his service - not under the law that demands a return of our own making, but under the gospel, which gives us an abundant share of that which he himself has earned on our behalf, and sets us free to risk all in joyful, confident faith. As forgiven, redeemed servants, we are motivated not by a love of rewards, but by the love of our master, no less... and by the joy that he calls us to share, now, and for all eternity.
God's Word is true. Amen!
May the peace of God, which is beyond our human understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.