RPG Adults
PARABLE OF TALENTS – THE UNFAITHFUL
THURSDAY, MAY 14
Matthew 25:14-30
Memory verse: Matthew 25:30
“…cast ye the unprofitable servant
into outer darkness…”
PARABLE OF TALENTS – THE UNFAITHFUL
The master gave to the unfaithful servant one talent. He gave him the least that could be given to his servant so that he could not make excuses for not being given any responsibility. If the master had not given him a talent, the servant could have used that as a legitimate excuse for doing nothing. It is very much like today’s employment, where the employee is assigned a task so that he would not sit around idling in the office.
The master gave him one talent, the least and most straightforward task compared to the other two servants. The servant could have even given the amount to the money changer and at least earned some interest that would earn him his master’s commendation. How much effort would it have taken to hand the money over to the money changer, obtain an official receipt, collect the one talent plus interest and return the whole amount to the master? Absolutely no effort at all! The servant was slothful!
Furthermore, he could have begged forgiveness for his laziness after returning the one talent, but he did not. Instead, he used his master’s bad character as his excuse, and he buried his one talent! If what he had said about the master was true, how could the other two servants trade so well? Using his own argument against him, the master said that if what he had said was true, all the more, he should have worked hard, but he did not! The master punished him severely. He took everything from him and cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. The unfaithful or unprofitable servant represents professing believers who claim to serve Christ. There is no excuse for laziness. Every believer serves Christ in the world by pointing sinners to Him. They do so by sharing the Gospel through their lips and lives of holiness. They also serve Christ in the church when they exercise their spiritual gifts. They build up the faith of fellow believers as labourers with God. Their lives are built up when they receive the service from fellow believers. This mutual building up of one another’s faith is God’s work through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.
THOUGHT: Faithfulness originates from a life of holiness.
PRAYER: Father, may I not be deceived.