From Matthew 25:14-30 / End Times Part 3

We looked first at an overview of Chapter 24, and then Jesus’ parable of the 10 virgins. But He is not done. He has two more major exhortations to make.

In 24 – The basic theme was: Don’t be fooled, lots of bad stuff is going to happen before I return, and there will be lots of Messianic imposters too. When I come, you won’t be able to miss it. With a bottom line that undergirds all four sections: Personal anticipation of and readiness for – Jesus’ return.

Men can argue all they want about signs of the times, world events, blood moons, eclipses, earthquakes, wars, yada, yada, yada – but none of it means a thing if I am not personally invested in His return, facing the full impact of what that will imply, and seeking to be ready to meet my King. None of it.

Sadly it seems, the enemy of our souls has done more damage by getting us fixated on trying to discern secret details about His return, than being about the truly central things. Peter put it most succinctly when he wrote by the Spirit: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Pet. 3:18)

Right now, the “apocalyptics” (to coin a term) are all about being “preppers.” This is true of nearly every Christian cult, and even in Evangelicalism. Store up food! Get guns and ammo! They’re coming for us! (whoever “they” are) and let’s all fight the one-world government! Of course, if the Bible says that’s going to happen anyway, I don’t know what you hope to accomplish. Antichrist will arise and there is precious little said in any portion of Scripture regarding trying to prevent it. No, not precious little – nothing. How can we possibly stop something inextricably tied to His return? It makes no sense.

All of this turns us away from Christ to news outlets and barking pundits. To sub-culture movements and obscurantists. Would you know all about the end times? Hear Christ! Read these portions. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And live in accord with His stated plan for everyone who is in Christ – being increasingly conformed to the image, the character of Christ, informed by the Word and empowered by the Spirit. Grow in the grace and knowledge of the person and work of Christ! That is the only real thing you can do in preparation for His return.

And so it is we have today’s text.

Note first: It is impossible to miss the picture Christ paints. He pictures Himself as one who has gone on a long journey, from which He will return.

In 1 Thess. 1, Paul sets out four marks of the truly born again: 1 – They turn FROM their idols. 2 – They do so to SERVE the living and true God. 3 – And they do these in an attitude of anticipation – waiting for His Son from Heaven. 4 – Looking to Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come at His return. In this sense, all true Christianity is eschatological. The Christian to BE a genuine Christian, must be looking for Jesus’ return, and that His return includes the coming wrath of God. We live in the light of these truths. They inform our entire mindset. If not, we are not living as Christians.

Note second: Our King has put something of the improvement of His kingdom within us, into our hands.

Christians are not passive in our growth in Christ. True, such growth is not left up to our natural abilities. As the parable notes, He grants us His grace, His gifting to work from. But that we are called to use that grace and to (as the Puritans used to call it) “improve” that grace. Use it. Grow in it. Exercise it. Take on more and more of the likeness of Christ by the Spirit.

The old Puritan pastor Richard Baxter (1615-1691) used to meet with every congregant at least once a year. He used a simple diagnostic tool to probe. He asked first: “Have you grown spiritually in the past 12 months?” If they replied “yes”, then he would ask – “how do you know?” What are the indicators that is so? If they replied “no”. He asked – “why not?”

What if we were each to take such diagnostics on ourselves? Not to become Evangelical naval-gazers, but to take an honest look at our own spiritual condition from time to time.

What is apparent in Jesus’ parable here, is that He gives us something of His grace, and expects a return on it when He returns.

Does such a thoughts even enter the mind of the average Evangelical in America today? I fear not. Yet look at the emphasis Christ puts upon it here.

Note third: God does not require the same thing from each of us – only to be faithful according to what He has apportioned us.

Our God never requires us more than He supplies for us. Not everyone is gifted to counsel, preach, teach, evangelize, write, give etc. Each serves according to their sovereignly given capacity – hence we can never judge ourselves by others, nor anyone else by ourselves. While it may be useful to be challenged by seeing how others have employed what’s been given them, Paul will remind us that “But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” We dare not go there.

What has God given you? Use that. Employ that. It may seem small in your eyes, but if it His appointment, it is all He requires. He doesn’t expect children to do adult tasks, the physically impaired to jump through hoops, the poor to give as the rich, the slave to serve as though free, nor the ill to rise up off their beds as the hale and hearty.

Seek Him. Seek to grow in His likeness. Love and serve His people and your gift(s) will emerge naturally. And when they do, be about them as best you can.

Note fourth: The one who had but one talent here, wasn’t judged because he had little, but because he had no interest in his Master’s business, but only in how these matters impacted himself. This self-focus in the Kingdom, not caring for Christ’s agenda and plans and purposes, but only for our own, is the mark of one who knows not The Master.

The man’s argument was: “I didn’t become evil, I just didn’t grow in grace, I made no spiritual progress. Isn’t it enough that I just stayed and OK person?”

And Jesus’ answer is – no. That’s not enough.

Some measure of grace has been given to and shown to all – the redeemed and the lost. And each will have to answer for what happened with that grace in our lifetime.

Note lastly: How richly He delights to reward His own. We deserved no grace to begin with. We only did what was fitting with what we had. And yet He multiplies it when we have sought to be faithful.

What a wonderful Savior!