A Good and Faithful Servant
Today’s passage: Matthew 24:45–25:46
Focus verse: “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21)
As Jesus winds down his teaching about the end times and his return, he shares an example of two servants. One is faithful and wise. The other is wicked.
The first does what’s expected by his master—he’ll be ready whenever the master comes back—while the second treats those in his charge badly and goes out drinking.
When his master arrives unexpectedly, he exacts eternal punishment on the wicked servant.
May Jesus find us doing what we should be doing when he returns and not goofing off.
To make sure we understand, Jesus gives two parables.
The first is about ten virgins waiting to celebrate a wedding. Though they know the event will happen, they don’t know when. Each one has an oil lamp.
Each one has filled her lamp with oil, but five also brought an extra jar of fuel. They’ve planned and are wise. The others lack foresight and are foolish.
In the middle of the night—when they least expect it—they hear the groom is on his way. They arise and trim their lamps. This means they adjust them from a dim, barely lit state to full brightness.
They all realize their lamps are about out of oil. The wise ones add fuel from their reserves. The foolish ones can’t and go to buy more oil.
That’s when the groom arrives. The five wise ones are waiting and go in for a massive celebration. He shuts the doors. When the foolish ones get back, the groom won’t let them in. They weren’t ready for his return, and it’s too late. They missed out.
This parable reminds us to be ready for Jesus.
The second parable is about talents (bags of gold).
A man preparing to embark on a journey entrusts some of his money to his servants: five talents to one, two to another, and one to a third. (According to a footnote in the NIV, a talent is worth about twenty years of a day labor’s wage.)
When he returns, he calls them each to give an account. The first and second were both productive and doubled their money. “Well done, good and faithful servant,” he says. “Join me in my happiness.”
The third servant was lazy and hid the money. He didn’t even bother to deposit the funds in a bank to earn interest. The master takes the servant’s one talent and gives it to the one who has ten. He throws the slothful servant into darkness to receive judgment.
This parable reminds us to be productive for Jesus.
Jesus concludes with an example of a shepherd separating his sheep from his goats. This is analogous to Jesus judging people when he returns.
Some served him well, receiving an eternal reward. Those who didn’t serve him well will receive eternal punishment.
May we serve Jesus well.
Questions:
- What are we doing to be ready for Jesus’s return?
- What are we doing to be productive for him?
Prayer: Jesus, may we live lives worthy of you as your faithful and wise servants.
[This devotional is taken from the Day 16 reading in The Passion of Jesus.]
Discover more about celebrating Jesus and his passion to save us in devotional The Passion of Jesus. It is part of the Holiday Celebration Devotionals Series.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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