"Well done, good and faithful servant!"

Jesus tells a parable, a story with a lesson, of a man leaving for a trip. The purpose is for us to see a little more clearly what the kingdom of heaven is like.

14 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was leaving on a trip. He called his servants and handed his possessions over to them. 15 To one he gave five valuable coins, and to another he gave two, and to another he gave one. He gave to each servant according to that servant’s ability. Then he left on his journey. (Matthew 25, CEB)

We are told what the servants did with their coins.

16 “After the man left, the servant who had five valuable coins took them and went to work doing business with them. He gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two valuable coins gained two more. 18 But the servant who had received the one valuable coin dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. (Matthew 25, CEB)

When the master returns to account for what the servants did with their coins, he is extremely pleased with the servants who were able to produce more from what they were given, telling them,

“You are a good and faithful servant!”

The servant who did not use the coin given to him to produce more was not greeted the same.  

26 “His master replied, ‘You evil and lazy servant! You knew that I harvest grain where I haven’t sown and that I gather crops where I haven’t spread seed? (Matthew 25, CEB)

This story should raise some questions in our lives. Are we being faithful with what God has given us? Are we listening and seeking to obey the call Jesus has placed on our lives? Are we truly following Jesus or are we still doing what we want to do most of the time?

I do not share these words to sound like a fire and brimstone preacher. Rather, I share these words hopefully in the spirit of the Apostle Paul who reminds us to examine our hearts.

5 Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Don’t you understand that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless, of course, you fail the test. 6 But I hope that you will realize that we don’t fail the test. (2 Corinthians 13, CEB)

The Bible makes it abundantly clear. Our tendency is to walk away from Jesus, to follow the world. We have to remain focused, remembering who we are in Him, to follow.

May I encourage you to take time and examine your life today.

Blessings,

Pastor Matt