VI - Responsibility

Carefully read Matthew 25:13-30

Consider the Parable Of The Talents. The talents represent faith. Even unprofitable servants are accountable. Fearful men with little faith are still God’s servants. A man may not want to be God’s servant, but whether he wants to or not, he will be held to account.

(Hebrews 9:27)  "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"

Every creature God created has a responsibility to perform the function for which it was created.

(Revelation 4:11)  "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

Men fail their responsibility. Christ often rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith. In the parable, the master gave each of his servants a responsibility to perform while he was away. The master expected each of his servants to carry out their duties. Note also, that each responsibility varied. They were rewarded according to their deeds. The profitable servants received the same reward even though their responsibilities varied. A good master knows the limitations and capabilities of his servants. You would not expect a child to perform like an adult. God created man, and He knows our limitations and capabilities. He also provides for us that which we need to perform our responsibilities. Without Him we are nothing.

(1 Corinthians 10:13)  "…God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (John 1:3)  "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (Colossians 1:17)  "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Hebrews 11:6a)  "But without faith it is impossible to please him."

The master expected results, and the servants knew it. God expects us to trust Him, to take Him at His Word. God’s word enables me to receive the gift of faith from God.

(Romans 10:17)  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Ephesians 2:8)  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"

We know what God expects!

(Romans 1:20)  “ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"

God has entrusted His Word to us until He comes back, and He expects us to use it well. Doing nothing is not an option. By doing nothing, we indicate by our actions that we think God is a liar. We place our intellect above God’s omnipotence. Like the unprofitable servant we know, but still do nothing, We think somehow we can bargain our way around God. How foolish!

(Isaiah 55:11)  "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

What we do with God’s Word will either condemn us or bring us into favor. God’s Word will determine what God does with us when He returns. If we believe and obey God’s Word, it pleases Him. If we disregard it we will die. Regardless of their accomplishments, the profitable servants in the parable were rewarded equally. We can therefore conclude that we are either profitable or unprofitable servants of God. I’m certain that all the servants feared the master. The unprofitable servant could have sought council, but he did not. He trusted himself, and his own reasoning, and he paid the price. We dare not trust our own intellect.

(Proverbs 14:12)  "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

(Matthew 4:4)  "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

God’s assets are unlimited, but He does not waste words. Every Word of God is vital to our existence, but we spend so little time with them!