ONE OF THE GREATEST DAYS OF RECONING FOR ANY AMERICAN IS APRIL 15TH WHEN OUR ANNUAL TAX RETURNS MUST BE FILED. WE MUST GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AS TO OUR EARNINGS, GIFTS, INTEREST, AND CHARITABLE GIVING.
I’VE HEARD IT SAID THAT IF WE HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, THEN WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR. I DON’T THINK ANYONE IS EVER REALLY THRILLED WITH AN AUDIT OF THE BOOKS, BUT IT IS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE ASSURANCE THAT WE ARE BEING HONEST, FAIR, AND TRANSPARENT WITH MANAGING OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
IT IS NO DIFFERENT WITH OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES AS WE SUBMIT TO ACCOUNTABILITY. OUR HUMAN NATURE BRISTLES WITH THAT WORD; YET, JESUS DEEMS IT CRUCIAL IN THE LIFE OF FAITH.
AS WE SAY PRIOR TO EACH SERVICEOF HOLY COMMUNION TO EXAMINE OURSELVES AND TO ACCOUNT FOR OUR SINSFULNESS. IT IS THE BEAUTY BEHIND PSALM 139:23-24, “SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART; TEST ME AND KNOW MY ANXIOUS THOUGHTS. POINT OUT ANYTHING IN ME THAT OFFENDS YOU, AND LEAD ME ALONG THE PATH OF EVERLASTING LIFE.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCOUNTABILITY IS WHY JESUS TELLS THE THIRD OF HIS THREE PARABLES ABOUT THE END OF THE AGE AND THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.
JESUS IS EMPHASIZING, THROUGH THESE ILLUSTRATIONS, HOW THE “PRESENT” MUST BE LIVED IN LIGHT OF THE FUTURE. WE MUST BE PREPARING OURSELVES FOR THE COMING OF GOD’S KINGDOM. KEEP WATCH! NEVER DOZE OFF SPIRITUALLY, BUT REMAIN ACTIVE AND INVESTING OURSELVES IN THE MISSIONS GOD GIVES TO US.
MATTHEW 24:36, “BUT NO ONE KNOWS THE DAY OR THE HOUR. NO! NOT EVEN THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN KNOW. THE SON DOES NOT KNOW. ONLY THE FATHER KNOWS.” STAY ALERT! STAY READY!
OUR PARABLE TODAY INVOLVES THREE STEWARDS WHO WERE PUT IN CHARGE OF THEIR MASTER’S MONEY WHILE HE WAS AWAY ON A LONG JOURNEY. THEY WERE NOW RESPONSIBLE WITH CARING FOR AND MANAGING HIS FINANCIAL WEALTH AND INVESTMENTS THAT WAS NEARLY TWO MILLION IN TODAY’S MONEY.
WHY WOULD JESUS USE SUCH A LARGE SUM OF MONEY FOR HIS STORY? JESUS WANTS US TO GRASP THE PRICELESS NATURE OF THE PRIVILEGES THAT ARE AT STAKE IN SERVING GOD. THE LARGE SUM OF TALENTS EMPHASIZE THAT WHAT GOD IS ENTRUSTING TO US IS NO TRIVIAL MATTER. WE MUST TAKE GOD’S KINGDOM SERIOUSLY!
THE VARIOUS AMOUNTS OF TALENTS GIVEN SHOWS US THAT GOD MADE ALL OF US DIFFERENTLY AND IN UNIQUE WAYS FOR SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES. WE ALL HAVE A PART IN THE KINGDOM. EVERYTHING GIVEN, GOD ENSURES IS WELL WITHIN OUR ABILITIES.
WE ARE EACH EQUIPPED AND ENTRUSTED WITH RESOURCES SUCH AS TIME, MONEY, PERSONALITY, LIFE EXPERIENCES, EDUCATION, AND A WEALTH OF MANY OTHER THINGS THAT GOD EXPECTS US TO USE AND INVEST INTO HIS KINGDOM UNTIL HE RETURNS.
THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH STATES, IN PARAGRAPH 3413, ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTSAND MINISTRY: “FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ARE CALLED TO EXERCISE BOTH NATURAL ABILITIES AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN THE CHURCH FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. GOD ENDOWS ALL PERSONS WITH NATURAL ABILITIES THAT MAY BE EMPLOYED FOR SERVICE AND MINISTRY. THE BELIEVER USES THESE IN WAYS THAT GLORIFY GOD. IN ADDITION, THE HOLY SPIRIT ALSO DISTRIBUTES, AS HE WISHES, SPIRITUAL GIFTS FOR THE COMMON GOOD AND THE EDIFICATION OF THE CHURCH. WE WELCOME THE EXERCISE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS WHEN UNDER THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST AND GUIDED BY HIS LOVE. THEIR USAGE IS MOTIVATED BY THE SPIRIT, AND THEY ARE TO BE EMPLOYED IN “A FITTING AND ORDERLY WAY”. THE BELIEVER SEEKS THE GIFTS NOT FOR PERSONAL AGGRANDIZEMENT, BUT TO FURTHER THE CAUSE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.”
OUR TWO SERVANTS ARE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT “RIGHT” LOOKS LIKE. PEOPLE WHO TOOK WHAT THEY WERE GIVEN, WERE FAITHFUL, AND USED THE MONEY SO THAT EVERY CENT WAS PROPERLY HANDLED, INVESTED, AND DOUBLED. THEY FULFILLED THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES BY BEING FAITHFUL TO WHAT THEY WERE GIVEN.
THEY WERE REWARDED FOR THEIR EFFORTS, HOWEVER THEIR REWARD WAS NOT BASED ON ABILITY, STATUS, AGE, DISABILITY OR GENDER, BUT SOLEY ON THEIR FAITHFULNESS. BOTH OF THE SERVANTS WERE COMMENDED FOR BEING GOOD AND FAITHFUL.
HOWEVER, THINGS WITH THE SERVANT GIVEN ONE TALENT DID NOT GO SO WELL. INSTEAD OF INVESTING THE MONEY, HE DUG A HOLE AND BURIED IT IN THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO JEWISH TEACHING, THIS WAS CUSTOMARY OF THE DAY TO AVOID LIABILITY AND THEFT. SO, IN SOME REGARD, HE DID DO SOMETHING “TECHNICALLY” RIGHT.
THEN WHERE DID HE GO WRONG? THE SERVANT KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE MASTER’S HAD TOLD HIM TO DO, BUT HE STILL DIDN’T DO IT. JAMES 4:17, “REMEMBER, IT IS SIN TO KNOW WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO AND THEN NOT DO IT.”
THE LEAST HE COULD HAVE DONE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO PUT THE ONE TALENT ON DEPOSIT TO HAVE GAINED INTEREST. THAT ONE SIMPLE STEP WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH, BUT HE DIDN’T MAKE ANY EFFORT TO EVEN ACCOMPLISH SUCH A SIMPLE TASK.
THE MASTER REALIZES HIS SERVANT DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AND SO CONFRONTS HIM. SADLY, THE MASTER GETS INSULTED BY HIS SERVANT WITH DEFENSIVE EXCUSES, WHINING, AND COMPLAINING THAT HE WAS JUSTIFIED WITH PLAYING IT SAFE AND NOT DOING ANYTHING OTHER THAN BURYING THE TALENTS.
THE MASTER CONDEMNS THIS SERVANT AS “WICKED” AND “SLOTHFUL” WHICH MEANS “IDLE, LAZY, LETHARGIC.” HE IS ACUSING HIM OF BEING A “SELFISH, EVIL, TROUBLESOME, DO-NOTHING.”
THIS IS A WARNING TO EVERY CHRISTIAN! WE MUST NOT SIT BACK, IDLE, AND RESTING ON OUR PROFESSIONS OF FAITH WITHOUT ANY DESIRE OR INTEREST IN LIVING OUT SUCH A FAITH FOR GOD’S KINGDOM. THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BEG, GROVEL, AND PLEAD FOR HELP. WE SHOULD BE STRUGGLING TO ACCOMMODATE THE MASSES OF THOSE WHO COME FORWARD TO HELP.
SIMPLY PUT: DOING SOMETHING IS ALWAYS GREATER THAN DOING NOTHING. GOD REWARDS THE FAITHFULNESS OF THOSE WHO ARE BUSY LIVING OUT THEIR FAITH AS THEY WAIT FOR JESUS TO RETURN.
WE ARE ENTRUSTED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF UTLIZING THE GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN US. ONE DAY, WE WILL GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF HOW WE RESPONDED TO THAT RESPONSIBILITY: ROMANS 14:11-12, “IT IS WRITTEN: ‘AS SURELY AS I LIVE,’ SAYS THE LORD,‘EVERY KNEE WILL BOW BEFORE ME; EVERY TONGUE WILL ACKNOWLEDGE GOD.’ SO THEN, EACH OF US WILL GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF OURSELVES TO GOD.”
LET US BE FAITHFUL AND DILIGENTLY ATTENDING TO THE INVESTMENT OF OUR GOD-GIVEN RESPONSIBILITIES, SO THAT WE WILL NOT BE ASHAMED WHEN THE MASTER CALLS US TO SETTLE OUR ACCOUNTS. MAY IT BE OUR DESIRE TO HEAR THE MASTER’S WORDS, “‘WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT! … COME AND SHARE YOUR MASTER’S HAPPINESS!’”
