Luke 19:12-13

In our verses for today, Jesus begins the Parable of the Ten Minas. Those that followed Jesus were expecting the kingdom of God to appear at once. Wanting to readjust their thinking, Jesus gives them this parable. Two things blare out – first, whatever we have been given, rather great or small, comes from God’s hand and is entrusted to us for a season; secondly, we are held responsible for the gifts that we have received. Scripture is replete with verses to confirm both.

Let’s begin with Paul’s words to us in 1 Corinthians:

7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? 1 Cor 4:7 (NIV)

On the basis of grace, God bestows upon His children a wide variety of gifts to be used for kingdom work. These gifts are given to us but they are not solely for us – they are to be used for the common good of the body, the Church. Later in this same book Paul again states:

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 1 Cor 12:4-7 (NIV)

Peter echoes this exact same message calling us each to be good stewards of the gifts we have received:

10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

Everything belongs to God. I am reminded of God’s words in Haggai which describes His ultimate ownership and providential control of the wealth of all nations:

8 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty. Hag 2:8 (NIV)

God also speaks through the pen of Asaph in Psalm 50 stating:

9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. Psalms 50:9-11 (NIV)

As His servants, we are to use these gifts through the Holy Spirit’s power to point others to Jesus. This is what He means when He tells us that we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), that we will do even greater works than He (John 14:12). We can know that we are on the right track if it is Jesus who gets the glory for our actions rather than ourselves. As John the Baptist poignantly states:

27 To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:27-30 (NIV)

“The parable of the talents is our Lord’s statement with regard to the danger of leaving undone the work of the lifetime.” Oswald Chambers

Scripture tells us that we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; the Bible teaches that it matters how we live our lives:

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Cor 5:10 (NIV)

One day each Christian’s life will be evaluated by the Master. Our motivation in our perseverance should be to please Jesus because of our love for Him. In commending the Thessalonians, Paul states:

3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess 1:3 (NIV)

If our work is produced by faith, our labor prompted by love, and our endurance inspired by our hope in Jesus we are certain to hear:

17 "'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. Luke 19:17 (NIV)