A Word on Being Ready For The Lord’s Return
“Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”— (Matthew 25:24-30 KJV)
Here we have a frightening verse that basically says that when He returns the Lord is going to expect an accounting.
The Lord has given each of us our lives, talents, gifts and the possessions in our lives, which He expects us to use to build the Kingdom. He wants people saved. He wants us to love others and help them. He wants us to love Him and have a relationship with Him. As best we can with the guiding of the Holy Spirit.
In the verses, the Lord gives talents to His servants, and then leaves. These are gifts. The scriptures says, “He gave gifts unto men” He has given gifts unto all men, whether saved or not. Salvation is just one gift. Our life is a gift. Our possessions are gifts, Our talents are gifts. We are to use what He has given us to turn to Him and build the Kingdom.(Eph. 4:8)
He comes back and finds that his servants have gained profit from the gifts. This profit would be souls or people helped. There is no other real medium of exchange between worlds.
The first 2 servants succeed and are rewarded. They used what they had to help others in Jesus name and to get souls saved and lives changed.
But, let’s focus on the last one. This servant says,”I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.” (see verse above)
There’s so much here. First, the fact that the servant says that the Lord is a hard man, proves that there is no relationship. This servant doesn’t know the Lord. Jesus said “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:27-30)
I could stop right there. Because people try to use this prophecy as a way to prove that people can lose their salvation.
But, this guy never had it. He never knew the Lord. He never trusted the Lord. He never had faith in the Lord. He did not have the Holy Spirit.
There are many people in Church who have never been born again. They have never confessed Jesus as their Lord. They just call themselves Christian. They might do good things, but the fact that they have never been saved means that those good things are still defiled with evil.
But, let’s go on because this guy never even tried. He buried the talent. He was afraid. Jesus warns us “Fear Not”. Fear is one of our greatest enemies and will keep us from knowing Christ.
If this guy had even tried, he might have woke up and found Jesus. He might have seen something that made him turn. “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8)
The Lord rebukes him, and says, “You could have given the talent to the exchangers (or bank) and I could have gained profit in interest.”
What does that mean?
Well let me break it down. I’m not trying to speak for the Lord. But, it might sound like this.
“I know you were afraid, and didn’t know what to do. But, you could have at least given and supported people and ministries, who were doing the work. But, you didn’t even do that.”
The exchangers are workers or ministries doing the work. If you cannot go yourself, then support those who are.
Then, the servant is cast into outer darkness and there is wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Understand that The Lord is the light of the world. Apart from Him is darkness.
Hell/the Lake of Fire is a garbage dump outside the city of God where all unclean and evil things must go.
Satan, the fallen angels, demons, unclean spirits, and those who have not been washed in the Blood of Jesus must go there.
They cannot enter the city lest they corrupt it with the plague of Sin for all eternity.
This servant was never washed. He did not have a clean garment. He had no oil in his lamp. He was a goat. ( Matt.22:1-14, Matt. 25:1-13 ,Matt. 25:31-46
He never knew the Lord. When we know the Lord, the Holy Spirit guides us to care about the things the Lord cares about. We become burdened with it. We will respond. We will serve somehow. Even if it’s only giving to others who are serving.
The worst thing to ever hear is…
“Depart from Me, I never knew you.” (Matt. 7:23, Matthew 25:31)
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