Comments on: The Parable of the Talents http://stepthruthescriptures.lionelwoods.net/the-parable-of-the-talents/ Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:40:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: July http://stepthruthescriptures.lionelwoods.net/the-parable-of-the-talents/comment-page-1/#comment-370 July Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:44:59 +0000 http://stepthruthescriptures.lionelwoods.net/?p=182#comment-370 The parable of the talents is a complement to the parable of the 10 virgins. Both parables were used by Jesus to describe what the kingdom of heaven is like. But the Lord's description was not a description of the place, but rather a description of who or what would it take for you and I to get there. The parable of the 10 virgins teaches believers to be watchful and vigilant for the coming of Christ (keeping extra oil for the night lamp), the timing of which only the Father knows. The parable of the talents, moreover, tells us not only to be watchful for the return of the master (who went into a journey), but to go to work with whatever was entrusted to us for the purpose of increasing its value and thereby please our returning master. In summary, the kingdom of heaven is for believers who are not only WATCHFUL for the coming of our Lord but who are also WORKING to increase and multiply our talents to please "the master", instead of just passively WAITING AND WASTING the time and resources at hand. The parable of the talents is a complement to the parable of the 10 virgins. Both parables were used by Jesus to describe what the kingdom of heaven is like. But the Lord’s description was not a description of the place, but rather a description of who or what would it take for you and I to get there.

The parable of the 10 virgins teaches believers to be watchful and vigilant for the coming of Christ (keeping extra oil for the night lamp), the timing of which only the Father knows. The parable of the talents, moreover, tells us not only to be watchful for the return of the master (who went into a journey), but to go to work with whatever was entrusted to us for the purpose of increasing its value and thereby please our returning master.

In summary, the kingdom of heaven is for believers who are not only WATCHFUL for the coming of our Lord but who are also WORKING to increase and multiply our talents to please “the master”, instead of just passively WAITING AND WASTING the time and resources at hand.

]]> By: Joy http://stepthruthescriptures.lionelwoods.net/the-parable-of-the-talents/comment-page-1/#comment-270 Joy Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:19:36 +0000 http://stepthruthescriptures.lionelwoods.net/?p=182#comment-270 One of the biggest lessons from the parable of the talents for me is that IT ALL BELONGS TO THE MASTER. Whatever God gives us, whether it be knowledge, money, family, natural talent, etc., it all belongs to HIM, he just places it in our keeping. He does so according to our ability, but He expects us to use them in the way that He would. We have to know Him to know His will. We should keep in mind at all times that we, ourselves as well as all He has "given" us, still belongs to Him, the master, and He does have expectations of us and it is Him that we will answer to. It all belongs to Him, not to us. Many Christians and church members today do not know Him. Many do not read or study the Word and many are not filled with the Holy Spirit. How then can they know Him? We cannot know Him by just listening to sermons, sunday schoold teachers or TV preachers or just by joining a church and sitting in a pew once a week. And too many are timid and afraid and refuse to even try to talk to non-Christians about Christ or they think it is only the responsiblilty of the pastor or missionaries to do so. They fear confrontation or controversy or conflict or someone disagreeing with them or getting their feelings hurt or feeling uncomfortble, so they don't even try. The servant with only the one talent didn't even try because he was afraid. That was not acceptable to the master. TIMIDITY WON'T CUT IT. God expects each of us to add increase to the kingdom of heaven and we aren't going to do it by just meeting with church members because they are so nice to be around and don't challenge us. And just because we only have a little ability and the master only entrusted us with one talent, doens't mean we aren't expected to try. One of the biggest lessons from the parable of the talents for me is that IT ALL BELONGS TO THE MASTER. Whatever God gives us, whether it be knowledge, money, family, natural talent, etc., it all belongs to HIM, he just places it in our keeping. He does so according to our ability, but He expects us to use them in the way that He would. We have to know Him to know His will. We should keep in mind at all times that we, ourselves as well as all He has “given” us, still belongs to Him, the master, and He does have expectations of us and it is Him that we will answer to. It all belongs to Him, not to us.

Many Christians and church members today do not know Him. Many do not read or study the Word and many are not filled with the Holy Spirit. How then can they know Him? We cannot know Him by just listening to sermons, sunday schoold teachers or TV preachers or just by joining a church and sitting in a pew once a week.

And too many are timid and afraid and refuse to even try to talk to non-Christians about Christ or they think it is only the responsiblilty of the pastor or missionaries to do so. They fear confrontation or controversy or conflict or someone disagreeing with them or getting their feelings hurt or feeling uncomfortble, so they don’t even try. The servant with only the one talent didn’t even try because he was afraid. That was not acceptable to the master. TIMIDITY WON’T CUT IT. God expects each of us to add increase to the kingdom of heaven and we aren’t going to do it by just meeting with church members because they are so nice to be around and don’t challenge us. And just because we only have a little ability and the master only entrusted us with one talent, doens’t mean we aren’t expected to try.

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