When people become born again, they receive a talent from God. The question is, what do the new creations do with their talents? Because not everyone, who has become a new creation uses the talent of God. Many Christians walk in this life with a hidden talent buried in the ground. But what did Jesus say about the hidden talent and the reward and final destination of those, who did nothing with the talent of God?
What does the Bible say about the parable of the talents?
In Matthew 25:14-30, we read about the parable of the Talents. In the parable of the Talents, Jesus made the Kingdom of Heaven known to the carnal people, who were not spiritual.
It’s all about one thing in this parable, namely, what did the servants of the lord do with the talents, which they had received from their lord?
In the parable of the Talents, a man traveled to a far country. Before he began his journey, he called his servants and delivered his goods to them.
The man gave to every man according to his several ability. The first servant received five talents, the second servant received two talents and the third servant received one talent.
What did the servants do with their talents?
The first servant went and traded with the five talents and made other five talents.
The second servant also went and traded with the two talents and gained two other talents.
However, the third servant did nothing with the one talent. Instead, he dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.
The reckoning of the lord with his servants
After a long time, the lord of those servants returned and reckoned with them.
The first servant, who had received five talents, went to his lord and brought besides the five talents, which he had received from his lord, five other talents. The lord was pleased with his good and faithful servant. Because he was faithful over a few things, the lord would make him ruler over many things. The servant could enter into the joy of his lord.
The second servant, who had received two talents, went to his lord and brought two other talents. The Lord was also pleased with this good and faithful servant. He had been faithful over a few things, the lord would make him ruler over many things.
But then the last servant came, who had received one talent. This servant thought he knew his lord. Therefore he was afraid and had hidden the talent, which he had received from his lord, in the ground.
The servant, who had hidden the talent in the ground thought he knew his lord
When the servant approached his lord, he told him, that he knew he was a hard man, because he was reaping where he had not sown and gathering where he had not strawed. Because of this knowledge, he was afraid and went and hid his talent in the earth. And now he was giving the talent back to him.
But the lord didn’t react as the servant, who knew him so well, expected.
Instead of being pleased, his lord was angry and called him a wicked and slothful servant.
If he really had known his lord and knew all those things of him, why hadn’t he put his money to the exchangers and would have given the money back to his lord with interest?
The lord commanded to take the talent from him and give it to the servant with the ten talents.
The lord said, For unto every one that has shall be given and he shall have abundance: but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has.
The two good and faithful servants could enter into the joy of their lord. However, the wicked and lazy servant, who was unprofitable for his lord, could not enter. Instead, he was cast into the outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth
Jesus delivered His possession to His Church
Jesus has delivered His possession to His Church; His disciples (servants, slaves). Everyone, who has become a new creation has received the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit according to everyone’s ability. But what does the Church do with what they have received?
Because just like in the parable of the Talents, when Jesus returns, He shall reckon with His servants, what they have done with His possession.
Without people and resources, you can’t accomplish an assignment
When you have an assignment, you need people and resources to execute the assignment. A project developer can have many good ideas and present wonderful designs, but if the people and the resources are lacking, then they are useless.
God can do everything! However, God has appointed the people on earth to rule (together with Him) on earth.
Adam failed his assignment. Because he disobeyed God, he lost his rulership to the devil and man came to live under the authority of the devil and death. But God gave His Son Jesus Christ to restore (heal) what was broken and what man had lost.
Jesus had restored the position of man, and reconciled man with God, and gave back the rulership to those, who through faith and regeneration in Christ have become a new creation (Romans 5).
After Jesus had accomplished His work on earth and before He ascended to heaven and seated on the right hand of the Father on the throne of mercy of His Kingdom, Jesus gave a commandment to His servants to be His witnesses on earth (a.o. Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-20, Luke 24:46-49, John 20:21-23, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 12:2).
This assignment was not only meant for His disciples then but also for His disciples now. This applies to all believers, who believe in Jesus Christ and are justified in Him, and decided to follow their Lord and Master.
God has not only given salvation and justification, but also His Holy Spirit
For by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you–of God the gift, not of works, that no one may boast; for of Him we are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God did before prepare, that in them we may walk (Ephesians 2:8-10)
But the disciples couldn’t go and fulfill the assignment of the Lord Jesus before they were clothed with the power of God.
When they received the gift of the Holy Spirit they were able to go and fulfill the commission that Jesus had given them.
Although the commission was the same for everyone, they had a different function and place in the Body of Christ on earth.
Together they formed the Body and were connected by the blood of Jesus and the Spirit and fulfilled the assignment of their Lord in the power and with the aid of the Holy Spirit, Whom they had received from God and dwelled in them (a.o. Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 3:7; 4:1-16, 1 Peter 4:10-11)
Not one of them hid the talent, which they had received from the Father. They were all witnesses of Jesus and went in the power of the Holy Spirit, to preach Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and His work on the cross and His resurrection from the dead.
The resistance of people, the criticism, the false accusations, the threats, the people who left them, the perilous situations, the persecution(s) of their fellow countrymen and fellow believers and Gentiles, the arrests, the tortures, and the execution of the saints, didn’t stop them to testify of Jesus the Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
The love for Christ drove his servants to be His witnesses on earth and persevere
Their love for Christ was so great and strong, that they endured everything. They suffered for the Name of Jesus Christ, without whining and complaining, without compromising, and without denying Jesus.
Their love for God was their driving force. Whatever their adversaries said and did, and no matter what situation they were in, nothing could separate them from the love of Christ.
And because they were so bold and no one and nothing in the natural could stop them and prevent them from preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work, many souls were saved, healed, and reconciled with God.
They gave themselves completely and went with the talent, they had received from God.
No one was afraid and no one had hidden the talent in the ground and waited patiently in their house until the return of their Lord.
No, the true disciples of Jesus were bold, faithful, and diligent servants. They did the will of their Lord and brought in the profit for their Lord.
How many Christians have hidden the talent, which God gave them?
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (Revelation 21:6-8)
Unfortunately, not all Christians are diligent and faithful servants, who do the will of their Lord. Many Christians do nothing with what they’ve received from their Lord, but their talent is hidden in the ground.
Many Christians stay silent and keep their mouth shut and do nothing with the talent, that they have received from God, out of fear for God, fear for people, and/or fear for the devil.
Although they believe in God and go to church, they live their own lives and focus on the things of the world. They do nothing but wait passively until Jesus returns.
They expect to receive their reward, but for what and with what will they be rewarded? What have they done for their Lord with the talent, which they received from Him?
‘Be the salt of the earth’
