Last week we discussed the strong reminder Jesus gives us to assure we are ready for that day when we will stand before our Lord. The point he made with the parable of the unprepared bridesmaids was that we really don’t know when that moment will come when we no longer have an opportunity to prepare for our eternity. Although the point of the story was the uncertainty of the time when Jesus will come back to claim his bride, there is also the uncertainty of the length of our lives to consider. When we are healthy and vital, the end seems far away, and we may convince ourselves there is no urgency to have our spiritual lives in order. But in reality, we don’t know. That moment could come at any time. I am not trying to be morbid, but to be practical. These weekly discussions have concerned our role in the Kingdom of Heaven while still on earth. If we fail to ensure we are truly a part of this Kingdom, we miss the benefit God intends for us now and face a tragic eternity.
With this in mind, Jesus moves from the parable of the bridesmaids in Matthew 25, directly into another definition of the importance of the Kingdom now. I’m going to mix it up a bit and give you the application before we consider the story. One of the greatest gifts God provides to men who are living in His Kingdom while still on this earth is the privilege of serving others.
In Matthew 25:14-30, he reveals his desire for us to practice our faith by actively seeking to serve others. He lays the groundwork for his point in verses 14-15, “Again, it [God’s Kingdom] will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
Upon his return, the master settled accounts with these servants We learn that the one given 5 talents and the one given 2, invested their money and each had doubled their profit. This brought praise and reward from the master. However, the servant who did nothing with what he was given was reprimanded by the master and cast out.
God, in his grace has given each believer gifts and abilities to use for his Kingdom. He has also empowered those gifts with his Holy Spirit. This means that when we step out in faith and actively serve others with these gifts, God’s Spirit will multiply our efforts. The time and energy we invest in Kingdom work will produce greater dividends than we could ever imagine. This is God’s blessing to us.
However, we can’t avoid the warning. Failure to actively use the abilities God has given us to serve others will result in a loss of the blessing God intends for us. There are consequences.
The good news is that God’s Spirit not only provides the abilities and empowers them, but he also delivers the opportunities for us to use them. If we choose to look for them, God puts people in the path of our normal daily routine whom we can serve. We call these “ministry moments”. It may be a word of encouragement, an expression of concern for their family, or a thousand other simple things that allow our investment in the Kingdom to grow. We simply need to keep our eyes open.