MEDITATIONS FROM THE PARABLES OF JESUS
THE TALENTS
Read Matthew 25:14-30
We do not know when our Lord Jesus Christ will return. That Day could be very soon, or it may be many years from now. What are we to be doing while we await the return of our Lord and Savior, who died upon the cross to redeem us from sin, death, and the power of the devil? With the parable of the talents, Jesus teaches us that we are to be faithfully serving Him and carrying on the work of His kingdom until He returns.
All of us, as Christians, have been given talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts to use in carrying on the Lord's work until He returns on the Last Day (I Peter 4:10; Rom. 12:4ff.). Whatever our gift, talent, or ability is, we are to faithfully use it for the Lord and for the upbuilding of His kingdom and Church. We have also been entrusted with the Word of God; this we are to faithfully use and proclaim. Since Christ Jesus suffered and died upon the cross to redeem us and make us children of God, He expects us to respond to His gracious gift of salvation by living our lives for Him; and, as a fruit of our faith, we also desire to do this (II Cor. 5:15; 1 John 4:19ff.).
When Jesus returns on the Last Day to take to heaven all who trust in Him alone, He will examine our faithfulness. We are His stewards, having been entrusted with His Word and with gifts and abilities to use for the work of His kingdom. "It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (I Cor. 4:2). If, as a result of our faith in Christ as Savior, we faithfully serve Him, we will be graciously rewarded with greater opportunity for service when we enter the joy of our Lord in heaven. If we are found to be unfaithful servants who cared to do nothing for our Lord, we will lose not only what has been entrusted to us, but eternal life as well; for such unfaithfulness is the denial of true faith in Jesus Christ as Savior (cf. John 15:1-6).
O God of mercy, God of might, in love and pity infinite, teach us, as ever in Thy sight, to live our life to Thee....And may Thy Holy Spirit move all those who live to live in love till Thou shalt greet in heaven above all those who live to Thee. Amen. (TLH, Hymn #439, Verses 1,6)