Be Faithful Over a Little – Matthew 25:1-30

It is easy to compare myself with someone who is a mover and a shaker and find myself coming up short. That may not be entirely bad, because the example of the mover and shaker might help me to accomplish more than I was. But God will not judge me or my faithfulness over the “little” responsibility He has given me by how someone else handled their responsibility, but by how I served Him with my God-given abilities.

Jesus is still talking about the uncertainty of the timing of his return and how we must stay ready. He resorts to parables.

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:1-30 ESV)

Jesus finishes talking about being prepared for his return with two more parables.  Both have something in common.  The parable of the virgins suggests the possibility that the groom can be “delayed,” and that of the talents that the master might not return until after a “long time.”  Jesus is letting his disciples know that their wait may be considerable but that they must be ready no matter when he returns.  The consequences for not being ready are exclusion from the kingdom and eternity in outer darkness.  But for those who are ready there is incalculable joy.

Whereas the first parable focuses on being ready, the second highlights more clearly what readiness looks like.  It means being busy about the kingdom and investing oneself in God’s plan in accord with one’s abilities and resources.  No matter how much you are given the Master will praise you if you are faithful, and true believers will indeed be faithful.  Those who find an excuse not to serve the Lord will blame Christ for their inability to serve the kingdom, but their hypocrisy will be exposed.

Are you living like you expect Jesus’ return?