THOUGHTS FROM MATTHEW

September3

Text: Matthew 25:19-23

"Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them.  And the one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I have gained five more talents.'  His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.'  The one also who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted to me two talents; see, I have gained two more talents.'  His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'”     (NASB)

The crux of the parable is this: The Master came back.  Everything in the parable is dependent on the Master coming back.  Three things are said about the Master’s return.

  1.  The Master came back.

  2.  The Master was gone “a long time.”

  3.  When the Master returned, he “settled accounts” with the slaves who managed his money.

All three slaves could have been dishonest.  Each could have abused the Master by pretending the money was the slave’s rather than the Master’s.  They each could have pretended the Master was not returning and they were not accountable for how they used their trust.

Note this about the slave given 5 talents and the slave given 2 talents:

  1. They both worked industriously to benefit the Master.

  2. They both used their ability in amazing ways to reward the Master’s trust in them. (To double an investment through honest means was and is amazing!)

  3. They were not ashamed of what they did—they were happy to account for what they did.

  4. The Master blessed each slave identically—he said the identical thing to both.

  5. Each brought the Master joy; the Master shared his joy with each.

  6. Being trustworthy increased the Master’s trust in each slave; being responsible produced greater opportunity.

Do you serve Jesus in a manner that increases his trust in you?

Suggestion for reflection: When a Christian serves God industriously, God bases His rewards on commitment rather than ability.  (Read 2 Timothy 4:6-8.)

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