"THE DAY OF ACCOUNTING"
Intro. This is another in a series of parables that have to do with the time of the return of the Master. Up till now the emphasis has been the importance of watching and being ready, for His coming for the most part will be unexpected. The thrust of this parable takes a new direction. This is a warning of the importance of using that which the Master has intrusted to you for His glory.
I. THE GIVING OF THE TALENTS ACCORDING TO THEIR SEVERAL ABILITIES.
A. Talents here is not the ability to sing, or play some instrument. It is a certain amount of money. The talent was a weight, so how much a talent was worth was according to whether it was of silver, or gold.
1. Note that all received something. "God has dealt to each man a measure of faith."
Rom 12:3
a. The scriptures speak of the Holy Spirit imparting the gifts of the Spirit to each man severally according to His will.
b. God has intrusted to each of us things to be used for His kingdom and glory that we will be accountable for.
2. Some were given more than others. The explanation is that the amount of talents was according to their ability.
a. God will not require of you more than you are able to do or produce.
b. He will require that something be done with that which has been intrusted to your care.
B. It might be well if all of us should ask ourselves at this point, "What has God given to me that He intends I use for Him?"
1. What do I have that I can use for Him, that His kingdom might be increased?
C. When the Lord left, they all did something with the talents that were intrusted to them.
1. He that had the five went out and traded with them and gained another five.
2. He that had the two did likewise, gaining another two.
3. The one that had received the one talent put it in a napkin and buried it. "He hid His Lord's money."
II. AFTER A LONG TIME THE LORD OF THOSE SERVANTS COMETH, AND RECKONETH WITH THEM.
A. Note that after a long time the Lord cometh.
1. The other parables emphasized the unexpectedness of the Lord's return. "In such an hour as you think not."
2. With the parable of the ten virgins, there was an indication that the coming of the Bridegroom might be longer than what they had anticipated, thus they all began to slumber and sleep. There was still the element of unexpectedness and surprise when He came.
3. Jesus is no doubt saying to them that His coming is further down the road than they were anticipating.
4. I personally believe that the coming of the Lord is at hand, however it could be further down the road than what I am expecting, I shall still however live in expectancy of His emanate return.
B. Just when He comes is not the matter of import.
1. It is the fact that He is coming.
2. The fact that I be watching and ready for Him when He returns.
3. The fact that I be doing something with that which He has entrusted into my care.
C. The coming of the Lord will be a day of judgment for the world, that truth is emphasized in the next declaration that closes out the chapter, when the nations of the world are to be judged by our Lord at His return.
D. His coming will also be a day of reckoning for His church. We shall give to the Master an account of what we have done with what He has given to us. "He reckoneth with them."
1. Paul declares that,
2CO 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad.
2. Jesus said,
MAT 16:27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
3. Paul warned,
ROM 2:5But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
ROM 2:6Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
ROM 2:7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
ROM 2:8But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
ROM 2:9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
ROM 2:10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
4. Again Paul said,
ROM 14:10But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
ROM 14:11For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
ROM 14:12So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
E. The one that had received the five talents came and brought another five, saying, "Lord you gave to me five talents and they have brought you another five."
1. The Lord said to him, "Well done thou good and faithful servant you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many, enter into the joy of thy Lord."
2. The same thing happened to the one that received the two.
3. Note that the words were exactly the same in commending them. It mattered not if it were five or two. What mattered was that something was done with them.
F. Then came the one that had received one, and began to offer his excuses. He first uttered his misconceptions of His Lord, "You are a hard man," Jesus had said, "My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." "You reap where you have not sown." Jesus would not do that, for that would be stealing. I was afraid, so I hid my talent in the earth, here, you have what is yours.
1. The Lord accused him of being wicked, probably because of His conception of the Lord.
2. The Lord also accused him of laziness. This was his true reason for not doing anything with what the Lord had given him.
3. If you really thought that I reaped where I did not sow, then you should have at least put the money in the bank that I might gain interest on it.
G. For his slothfulness the talent that was given was removed from him and given to the one that had been diligent in using what the Lord had given to him.
1. If you are faithful in using what God has placed in your hand God will add unto you yet more and more.
2. What are you doing with what God has placed in your care?
3. Therefore let a man examine himself, for if we will judge ourselves, we shall not be judged of God.
Verse-Reference
Square — [Jhn 1:1 KJV]
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Use SBL Abbrev.
