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In this message we shall continue our consideration of the parable for faithfulness (Matt. 25:14-30).
Verse 19 says, “Now after a long time the lord of those slaves comes and settles accounts with them.” A long time signifies the entire church age, and the coming signifies the Lord’s coming to the air (1 Thes. 4:16) in His parousia. To settle accounts signifies the Lord’s judgment at His judgment seat (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10) in the air (within His parousia), where the believers’ life, conduct, and work will be judged for reward or punishment (1 Cor. 4:5; Matt. 16:27; Rev. 22:12; 1 Cor. 3:13-15).
Verse 20 says, “And he who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents; behold, I have gained another five talents.” The coming of the five-talented one refers to the coming to the judgment seat of Christ. Gaining another five talents is the result of the full use of the gift of the five talents.
Verse 21 says, “His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord.” The “few things” signify the Lord’s work in this age, “over” signifies the ruling authority in the coming kingdom, and the “many things” signify the responsibilities in the coming kingdom. The joy of the Lord signifies the enjoyment of the Lord in the coming kingdom. This is the inward satisfaction, not the outward position. To participate in the Lord’s joy is the greatest reward, better than the glory and position in the kingdom. Here we see two aspects of the reward given to the faithful slave: authority and enjoyment. The faithful will enter directly into the Lord’s presence in the manifestation of the kingdom.
The same reward is given to the two-talented one as to the five-talented one. When the two-talented one came and said that he had gained another two talents, the Lord said the same thing to him that He had said to the five-talented one (vv. 22-23). Although the gift given to the two-talented one is smaller than that given to the five-talented one, the Lord’s appraisal and reward to both are the same. This indicates that the Lord’s appraisal and reward are not related to the size and quantity of our work, but to our faithfulness in using His gift to the fullest extent. The same appraisal and reward would also have been given to the one-talented one if he had been as faithful.
Verse 24 says, “And he also who received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.” The one-talented one, who did not gain any profit for the Lord, also came to the judgment seat of Christ in the air. This proves that he is not only saved, but also raptured to the air. No unsaved person could be raptured and come to the judgment seat of Christ.
The one-talented one said that the Lord was a hard man, reaping where he did not sow and gathering where he did not scatter. Apparently the Lord is hard in His strictness, demanding that we use His gift to the fullest extent for His absolute work. It seems that the Lord’s work always begins from zero. He seemingly demands us to work for Him with nothing. This should not be an excuse for the one-talented one to neglect the use of his gift. Rather, this should force him to exercise his faith to use his gift to the uttermost.
Verse 25 says, “And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth; behold, you have what is yours.” To be afraid is negative. We should rather be positive and aggressive in using the Lord’s gift. If we are faithful, we shall not be afraid of anything.
The one-talented slave went away and hid the talent in the earth. In doing this he was too passive. We should be active for the Lord’s work. Because he had buried his talent, he could only give it back to the Lord. Merely to keep the Lord’s gift and not lose it is not sufficient; we must gain a profit by using it. The one-talented one seemed to be saying, “Behold, Lord, here is what is Yours. I didn’t lose anything. I have been faithful to keep what You gave me.”
Verse 26 says, “But his lord answered and said to him, Evil and slothful slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter.” Here the Lord admits that He is strict in what He demands of His slaves for His work. In a sense, the Lord is such a hard man. He always reaps where He has not sown and gathers where He has not scattered. Consider the fact that the Lord’s recovery began from scratch, from nothing.
In a sense the slave’s word about the Lord’s gathering where He has not scattered and reaping where He has not sown is true. But in another sense it is not true. We should not say that the Lord has not scattered, for He has given each of us at least one talent. His giving the talent to us is the sowing and the scattering. Now the Lord sends us to gather where He has not scattered and to reap where He has not sown. None of us can say that the Lord has given us nothing. At least we have one talent. This talent is the seed for sowing and the possessions for scattering. Therefore, we need to reap where the Lord has not sown and gather where He has not scattered. What the Lord has given you contains the producing element. Wherever you go with your talent, it will be productive. This productiveness, however, depends upon your practice, your exercise of the talent. If you use the talent, it will produce. But if you hide it, it will not produce anything.
To hide the talent in the earth is to get involved with something earthly, with something other than the Spirit. Gossiping is an example of such an involvement. Some claim to have no time to visit the saints, but they have a great deal of time to gossip. If you look to the Lord for His mercy and grace to stop your gossiping, much time will be saved, and you will be able to use this time to care for the saints.
In the Lord’s recovery we do not have pastors to do the work of caring for the saints. This type of pastoring comes from fallen Christianity. In the Lord’s recovery every brother and sister must bear the burden to take care of others, especially the young ones and the new ones. After the meeting, many are accustomed to visit only with certain ones. Instead of doing this, they should take this opportunity to contact the new ones, the young ones, and even some backsliding ones for whom they have been praying. If we all did this, all the young ones and weak ones would be taken care of. Although you may be very busy, you can still take care of someone if you have the heart to do so and are willing to exercise your talent. By spending even ten minutes with someone, we can render him a great deal of edification. After someone has been built up in this way, he will feel warmed and know that he has been cared for. Then he will desire to receive more help. If we all practice this, no one will be neglected. There will be no need for the elders to do everything, for everyone will be functioning to take care of others.
Many, however, consider that functioning is just a matter of speaking in the meetings. But the proper function of the members is to minister the life supply to others by taking care of them. The main aspect of the service is not simply to clean the meeting hall or take care of the gardening. We are here for God’s possessions.
Not everyone has the ability to speak in the meeting. I would like to say a word of comfort to those who were not born with the ability to speak well. There is no need for you to speak in the meetings. In order to make a show that everyone functions in the meetings, the elders sometimes try to make people function. The elders may say, “If you do not function, you are not in the flow. You are not up-to-date.” This kind of word frustrates those who cannot speak well from coming to the meetings. They will be afraid to come to the meetings because the elders might force them to function. An attitude has been created that it is a shame not to speak in the meetings, but that it is glorious to do so. Yes, a number of years ago I did say that we can all prophesy one by one. At that time, I was genuinely burdened to encourage everyone to speak. But since that time a misleading attitude has been created regarding functioning in the meetings. Although I do not wish to stop anyone from speaking, I want to point out that functioning in the church life is not merely a matter of speaking.
We all need to learn to use our talent to multiply the Lord’s possessions. The Lord has given each of us part of His possessions as a talent, and our burden, duty, and responsibility are to see that this talent is multiplied. Do not make excuses for yourselves, and do not say that you have no time to take care of others. No matter how busy you are, it is still possible to use your function by taking care of others, even if you are able to come to only one meeting a week. Do not think that you are so weak. Perhaps you are weak; however, others are even weaker, and they need you. Even if you feel that you are the weakest one, there are some who are almost dead, and they need your help. The best way to use your talent is to take care of others, to become interested in others and concerned for them. This does not mean that you should become interested in the affairs of others. The Lord has employed you not for this purpose, but to take care of others.
If you have received one talent, you need to use it. Before you come to a meeting, you need to pray, “Lord, I believe that I have a talent. I don’t want to bury my talent by getting involved with earthly things. Rather, I would like to use it to take care of others.” Show some love to those whose heart has grown cold. Go to see them or invite them to your home. As you spend time with the Lord and open to Him regarding whom you should take care of, He will burden you. As you contact others and have fellowship with them, you will spontaneously use your talent. Do not say, “Lord, You are a hard man, reaping where You have not sown and gathering where You have not scattered.” On the contrary, the Lord has sown and scattered a great deal. But there is much for you to reap and to gather. Oh, the harvest is vast, but the workers are few! There is no need for you to sow — simply go to reap. After every meeting there is time for you to reap and to gather. By doing this, we shall exercise our talent. In this way, the one talent will become two, the two talents will become four, and the five talents will become ten. The talents, God’s possessions which have been committed to us, will be multiplied. If we are all faithful to practice this, the Lord’s recovery will truly multiply.
Verse 27 says, “You ought therefore to have deposited my silver with the bankers, and when I came I would have recovered what is mine with interest.” Depositing the silver with the bankers signifies using the Lord’s gift to lead others to salvation and to minister His riches to them. Interest signifies the profitable result we gain for the Lord’s work by using His gift.
In a sense, we may say that the bankers are all the new ones, weak ones, young ones, and backsliding ones. We need to deposit the Lord’s possession with these bankers. The bankers are not the leading brothers, but the weaker ones, those who have problems. Suppose a certain brother is dissenting and speaks negatively about the church. Those who speak negatively concerning the church will always have something negative to say about the elders. Such a one must speak like this in order to vindicate himself. If the church is wrong, then he is right; but if the church is right, then he is wrong. If the elders in particular are wrong, then he is truly vindicated. Nevertheless, these dissenting ones are brothers, and they love the Lord. How good it would be for such a dissenting brother to be contacted, not by one of the elders, but by another brother in the church who loves him and cares for him! If a dissenting brother is contacted by a number of others, he will eventually come back to the church and praise the Lord for the church.
If you use your talent in this way to take care of others, you will not only multiply the talent, but you yourself will be in the third heaven and will quickly grow and be transformed. You will be renewed in the spirit of the mind, and among us there will be a marvelous testimony of the Body to the whole universe. The universe will see that we are not a religious gathering, but a living Body. For this, we all need to use our talent, the Lord’s possession. The result will be multiplication. I can testify that the more we take care of the saints and the churches, the richer we become.
Verse 28 says, “Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.” Taking away the talent signifies that the Lord’s gift will be taken away from slothful believers in the coming kingdom. The giving of the talent to the one with ten talents signifies that the gift of faithful believers will be increased.
Verse 29 continues, “For to everyone who has shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him who has not, even that which he has shall be taken away from him.” To everyone who gains profit in the church age, more gift shall be given in the coming kingdom age; but from him who has not gained profit in the church age, even the gift he has shall be taken away from him in the coming kingdom age.
Verse 30 says, “And cast out the useless slave into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” This word, the same as in 24:51, indicates that 25:14-30 is a completion to 24:45-51 concerning faithfulness for the Lord’s work. Matthew 24:45-51 has dealt with the slave’s unfaithfulness in fulfilling the Lord’s commission, but 25:14-30 is still needed to deal with the slave’s unfaithfulness in using the Lord’s talent.
In both chapters twenty-four and twenty-five we see the matters of reward and punishment. According to 24:47, the reward to the faithful and prudent slave is that the Lord will set him over all His possessions. The evil slave, who beats his fellow slaves and eats and drinks with the drunken, will be cut asunder and have his portion with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (24:49-51). In chapter twenty-five the five-talented one and the two-talented one are rewarded by being put over many things and by entering into the joy of the Lord. The slothful, one-talented slave, however, is punished by being cast into outer darkness. To many Christian teachers, being cast into outer darkness denotes eternal perdition of a false believer. But the context proves that this is not an accurate understanding. This is not the punishment of false believers, but of genuine believers who are not faithful. It does not refer to eternal perdition, but to punishment during the coming kingdom age.
The phrase “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is used six times in the Gospel of Matthew. It is used twice concerning the perdition of the false believers (13:42) and the evil heathen (13:50). Matthew 13:42 concerns the tares, the false believers who will be cast into the furnace of fire. The furnace of fire is not the outer darkness, but the lake of fire. Matthew 13:50 concerns the evil Gentiles, the corrupt fish that are equivalent to the goats in chapter twenty-five. They also will be cast into the furnace of fire. Thus, those who perish in eternal fire will weep and gnash their teeth.
Matthew 8:12 says, “But the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” Because the sons of the kingdom certainly are saved ones, they will not be cast into the furnace of fire. Rather, they will be put into outer darkness. I do not believe that there is darkness in the furnace of fire. Although there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth both for the ones who perish and for the defeated believers, the defeated believers will not be cast into the lake of fire, but into the outer darkness outside the glorious sphere of the Lord’s presence.
Matthew 22:13 says, “Then the king said to the servants, Bind his feet and hands, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” This refers to the one who did not have a wedding garment. This, of course, does not refer to an unbeliever, but to a saved one. This saved one will not be cast into the lake of fire, but into outer darkness.
This phrase is used two other times, in 24:51 and in 25:30. According to 24:51, the evil slave will be cut off from the Lord’s presence and have his portion with the hypocrites where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The sister verse, 25:30, says that the slothful slave will be cast out into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. By reading all these verses, we see that the false believers, the tares, and the evil Gentiles will be cast into the furnace of fire, the lake of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. However, the defeated believers, such as the sons of the kingdom in chapter eight, those without the wedding garment in chapter twenty-two, and the unfaithful slave in chapters twenty-four and twenty-five, will be cast out into the outer darkness. There, in the outer darkness, they will suffer weeping and gnashing of teeth. This does not refer to eternal perdition, but to dispensational punishment. In addition to salvation, there is still the matter of the reward and punishment that will be rendered during the coming kingdom age. If we are faithful to the Lord, we shall be rewarded during the next age. But if we are not faithful to Him, we shall receive punishment. This is very clear in God’s holy Word.
In the previous message and in this message we have seen the matters of life and service. For life we need the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and for service we need the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In our life we need to be watchful, and in our service we need to be faithful. Our watchfulness in life is related to the early rapture, and our faithfulness in service is related to the reward. If we are watchful and faithful, then we shall be raptured early and we shall be rewarded when the Lord comes back. To be raptured early is to participate in the enjoyment of the wedding feast, and to be rewarded is to participate in the authority in the coming kingdom age.
