Title: There is no deficit in the life of faith
In Matthew 25, Jesus explains about the kingdom of God using 3 parables. The first is the parable of virgins. As a virgin loses her virginity, she is no longer a virgin, it teaches us that the church must keep its virginity that is the purity of the Word of God. The last is the parable of a sheep and a goat that there will be judgement regarding our deed and our faith. Another parable will be the second parable, the parable of talents.
- The summary of the parable of talents
Matthew 25:14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.
- Who is this man?
What we can see from the text is that he is a master and a Lord because he had his own slaves. So, who this master can be to us? This man signifies Jesus.
- Whom did the master entrust His possession to?
It is called His own slaves. These slaves signify us, the believers of Jesus Christ. We are the slaves bought by Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are not our own and we do not belong to us. Also, it was the master who entrusted respective talents to the slaves, therefore, talents also don’t belong to us.
- When did this man entrust His possession to the slaves?
It is when He was about to go on a journey. Luke 19:12 describes it as He was about to go to a distant country. This is the right hand of God’s throne where Jesus ascended and stay
- What was the very thing that the master entrusted to the slaves?
It is the gospel of salvation and the gospel of our redemption Jesus put the Word of God into His blood and shed on the cross for all the people so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (Lev 17:11). In the blood of Jesus, there is the life of Jesus that forgives all. Even after He is gone physically, if anyone and whoever believes in the Word that He left through His blood, we may be saved and have eternal life. So, this talents signifies the Word of God, the Word of Salvation and the Word of Redemption.
- How did the master distribute the talents?
The master knows the ability of each slave. Thus, He distributed His talents according to their ability (Mat 25:15). One thing we need to know is that it is not the one who receives 5 talents is blessed by God and the one who receives 1 talent is cursed by God. They are all blessed by God and they are entrusted some duties from God.
This parable teaches us that we should do the work of God and we should evangelize by spreading the Word of God He gave to us. Furthermore, it teaches us that if we do the work of God, there will be no deficit. This is God’s plan and provision that the one who does the work of God will gain profit (Pro 11:24).
- The master will come back
It teaches us that Jesus will come back and it is no joke or no fairytale. Historically Jesus will come again and what He will do when He comes back is to settle account with His slaves. Jesus will come again and will bring us back to the kingdom of God but before it happened, there will be a settling of an account whether we have worked for God and make profit or not (Mat 25:19).
The ones who immediately went out and began working, earned profits. They were recognized by Jesus as the good and faithful slave (Mat 25:21). Likewise, if we go out and do the work of God, we will also make a profit and will be regarded as the good and the faithful slaves.
(7) The fear of the one who received one talent
Jesus intentionally describes the slave who received one talent. This slave worries that if he failed the business and lost even the one talent His master gave to him. That’s why he dare not go out and do the work but hid the talent in the ground (Mat 25:25).
The founding pastor taught us that when we are doing the work of God, there is a risk. When we do evangelism, there is a risk. However, do not worry because the principle of God’s work is always to make a profit.
However there is one way that we will make a deficit. The slaves who receive one talent. The master said if you were to just put the money in the ground, I could have put the money in the bank to gain interest. In God’s eyes, he is making deficit.
What is the way we should do? We should not worry too much that we don’t work at all. If we don’t do the work of God, then God said I am losing. God says there must not be deficit in the life of faith means He will protect our money. We must go by faith for Him to open the way for us to make a profit.
Let’s not become the slave who receive one talent. Doesn’t matter we are good or not, if we serve God He will enable us to make a profit.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 