Are You a Servant?
The Parable of the Talents is anchored on the relationship between the master and his servants. We have uncovered the master and understood who He is and what He does. We now want to uncover the servants and discover who they are. And so I ask you, “Are you a servant?”
Who is a Servant?
Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.
Matthew 25:14
First and foremost we see that a servant is one who is entrusted with his master’s property or wealth. In other words, the servants of God are entrusted with His wealth.
But…before you get all excited, let us see what this actually means. The Greek word for servant used in this parable is ‘doulos‘ which means:
1. A slave
2. One who gives himself up to another’s will, those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men
3. Devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests.
It is to such people that the Lord entrusts His wealth. Need Proof?
1. Noah
This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God […] So God said to Noah, ” I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out[…] The LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation[…] And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him[…]Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful, and increase in number and fill the earth[…]As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”
Genesis 6:9- 9:7
Noah was “foolishly” obedient to God. Yet it was this “foolishness” that led God to entrust all creation to him.
Are you willing to be “foolish” and do the “crazy” in obedience to your Lord?
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Hebrews 11:7
2.Solomon
Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have you asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked[…] Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for – both riches and honour – so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.
1 Kings 3:7-13
We did a series on King Solomon, which I encourage you to study.
Solomon was the son of Israel’s greatest king and was now king himself. Yet, when he had an appointment with the Lord, he humbled himself to the position of a servant( for that is what he was) and sought out the interests of his master as he put his own desires on the back burner.
How many of us, when promoted or put in positions of honour, will still put God’s interests above our own?
3. Apostle John
Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve – designating them apostles – that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve appointed[…] James son of Zebedee and his brother John […]
Mark 3:13-17
When Jesus called John, he gave him his “job” description. John, and the rest of the disciples knew that accepting their call would not come easy.
Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they will obey my teaching, they will obey yours also.
John 15:20
And to him, Christ gave the privilege of seeing the end times.
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:1-3
John suffered. Church history tells us that he was dipped, head first into a pot of boiling tar. Yet, he did not waver in his allegiance to his master.
Are you willing to suffer, as many have done, for the cause of Christ, your Lord, only to receive your reward in heaven?
Your Turn
Are you a servant?