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Book: Matthew
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Matthew 25:14-30 The Day of Accounting
Intro. This is another in a series of parables that have to do with the
time of the return of the Master. Up till now the emphasis has
been the importance of watching and being ready, for His coming
for the most part will be unexpected. The thrust of this
parable takes a new direction. This is a warning of the
importance of using that which the Master has intrusted to you
for His glory.
I. The giving of the talents according to their several abilities.
A. Talents here is not the ability to sing, or play some
instrument. It is a certain amount of money. The talent was a
weight, so how much a talent was worth was according to whether
it was of silver, or gold.
1. Note that all received something. "God has dealt to
each man a measure of faith." Rom 12:3
a. The scriptures speak of the Holy Spirit
imparting the gifts of the Spirit to each man
severally according to His will.
b. God has intrusted to each of us things to be
used for His kingdom and glory that we will be
accountable for.
2. Some were given more than others. The explanation is
that the amount of talents was according to their
ability.
a. God will not require of you more than you are
able to do or produce.
b. He will require that something be done with
that which has been intrusted to your care.
B. It might be well if all of us should ask ourselves at this
point, "What has God given to me that He intends I use for
Him?"
1. What do I have that I can use for Him, that His
kingdom might be increased?
C. When the Lord left, they all did something with the talents
that were intrusted to them.
1. He that had the five went out and traded with them and
gained another five.
2. He that had the two did likewise, gaining another two.
3. The one that had received the one talent put it in a
napkin and buried it. "He hid His Lord's money."
II. After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth
with them.
A. Note the after a long time the Lord cometh.
1. The other parables emphasized the unexpectedness of the
Lord's return. "In such an hour as you think not."
2. With the parable of the ten virgins, there was an
indication that the coming of the Bridegroom might be
longer than what they had anticipated, thus they all
began to slumber and sleep. There was still the element
of unexpectedness and surprise when He came.
3. Jesus is no doubt saying to them that His coming is
further down the road than they were anticipating.
4. I personally believe that the coming of the Lord is at
hand, however it could be further down the road than
what I am expecting, I shall still however live in
expectancy of His emanate return.
B. Just when He comes is not the matter of import.
1. It is the fact that He is coming.
2. The fact that I be watching and ready for Him when He
returns.
3. The fact that I be doing something with that which He
has entrusted into my care.
C. The coming of the Lord will be a day of judgment for the world,
that truth is emphasized in the next declaration that closes
out the chapter, when the nations of the world are to be judged
by our Lord at His return.
D. His coming will also be a day of reckoning for His church. We
shall give to the Master an account of what we have done with
what He has given to us. "He reckoneth with them."
1. Paul declares that,
2CO 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body,
according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad.
2. Jesus said,
MAT 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with
his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to
his works.
3. Paul warned,
ROM 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto
thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the
righteous judgment of God;
ROM 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
ROM 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for
glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
ROM 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth,
but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
ROM 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth
evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
ROM 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good,
to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
4. Again Paul said,
ROM 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at
nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ.
ROM 14:11 For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee
shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
ROM 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
E. The one that had received the five talents came and brought
another five, saying, "Lord you gave to me five talents and
they have brought you another five."
1. The Lord said to him, "Well done thou good and faithful
servant you have been faithful over a few things, I
will make you ruler over many, enter into the joy of
thy Lord."
2. The same thing happened to the one that received the
two.
3. Note that the words were exactly the same in commending
them. It mattered not if it were five or two. What
mattered was that something was done with them.
F. Then came the one that had received one, and began to offer his
excuses. He first uttered his misconceptions of His Lord, "You
are a hard man," Jesus had said, "My yoke is easy, and My
burden is light." "You reap where you have not sown." Jesus
would not do that, for that would be stealing. I was afraid, so
I hid my talent in the earth, here, you have what is yours.
1. The Lord accused him of being wicked, probably because
of His conception of the Lord.
2. The Lord also accused him of laziness. This was his
true reason for not doing anything with what the Lord
had given him.
3. If you really thought that I reaped where I did not
sow, then you should have at least put the money in the
bank that I might gain interest on it.
G. For his slothfulness the talent that was given was removed from
him and given to the one that had been diligent in using what
the Lord had given to him.
1. If you are faithful in using what God has placed in
your hand God will add unto you yet more and more.
2. What are you doing with what God has placed in your
care?
3. Therefore let a man examine himself, for if we will
judge ourselves, we shall not be judged of God.
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