Matthew 25
December 27, 2022
“Again, it [the Kingdom] will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (v14, 19-21)
Jesus makes it clear that His agenda for our lives is that we learn to be stewards of what He entrusts to us. Whether our time, talents or treasure, Jesus wants us to risk investing them for the advancement of the Kingdom. And He’s honest that His return won’t happen “for a long time” (v19), so we need to be patient and persevere. But He’s also clear that when He returns, He has rewards in store for us who intentionally steward for Him what we’ve been given. On the other hand, to those who risk nothing for Jesus (but bury their talent), He calls them “wicked and lazy” (v26), and has nothing for them but condemnation.
Lord Jesus, I praise You for the way You are training me for my eternal job on the New Earth. Forgive me for the times when I get focused on what I can get/do/have here on this earth, instead of leveraging what You give me for the coming Kingdom. Give me courage to risk what You’ve given me (time, talents and treasure), and wisdom to risk wisely, so that there is a return on Your investment.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
