The greatest commission the Lord Jesus has given us as believers has been the spreading of his word across the four corners of the globe to tell every nation and tribe the love of God and what his son did on the cross for their sins.
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20).
To say this wouldn’t be easy is an understatement; the world as we know it today is no longer recognizable from a couple of decades back. Evil is now within every nook & cranny of society and is growing ever worse by the day.
The writings of the many brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ attest to the madness that is now overwhelming the world. Some can say that what we do to spread the word only seems to hit a brick wall. I can only imagine how hard it is for the newest believers in Jesus Christ and those who struggle each day to stand against sin… and the fear that comes with persecution.
But let me offer a bit of hope that the Lord Jesus gave to me a little while back. Maybe you are afraid that you cannot serve the Lord Jesus, that the weight of sin and the madness of this world is too much, and that the talents you have don’t matter. That when the Rapture happens, and you stand before Jesus at the Bema Judgment, you’ll be singled out for your failures in not serving the Lord with the talents you have. I know that feeling, and it has eaten at me many times.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them” (Matthew 25:14-19).
We all know about the servant with one talent and the fear and misunderstanding he had of his master’s will. How many of us have been paralyzed by fear and indecision or have thought that what was asked of us was just too much? I have been in the same boat many times, sadly… We see the servant with one talent being punished, and we wonder with fear that it will soon be us.
“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours. ‘But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest” (Matthew 25:24-27).
We see the anger the Lord has with the servant. Yet I was touched by something that Lord Jesus revealed to me within these verses of the talents. Just as the Lord Jesus is right in his judgment, he is also merciful. Sometimes we only focus on the Lord’s judgment but fail to see his kindness to us. In speaking to the servant makes this an important statement: “So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest” (Matthew 25:27).
What is interest? The world defines interest as the “monetary charge for borrowing money.” All talents given to us are from the Lord Jesus and from him alone. It is through these talents that we advance his kingdom and give all honor and glory to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We as servants working for the Lord Jesus will give an account to him in the Bema judgment on what we did to advance his kingdom with the talents we have, how much we worked to bring in more souls to the joy of his kingdom and his presence.
We all have fears; we all have doubts. The thoughts going through our minds may scream at us, I am not like the mega pastors out there or preacher who preaches to the masses; I cannot take the step! But in these verses, we see the Lord Jesus’s mercy for us, the downtrodden, fearful, and afraid.
“With Interest,” he says.
How much different it would have been for the one talented servant had he put the talent given to him into the bank? He would have no doubt increased his master’s talent like the two servants before. Putting the talent into the bank would have been very easy instead of digging a hole and burying it. How much interest would he have accumulated for his master if he had done this?
But you ask, how does this affect me? Quite simply, really! The Lord Jesus knows all your weakness and fears; he understands the problems you are going through. Just as he offered a way for us out of this sin-filled world, he also offers you a way to serve his kingdom.
Do a little here and a little there. Send a bit of money to your church or Rapture Ready. Have some cards printed out telling everyone what Jesus Christ did on the cross for their sins and how they can be saved by following the ABC steps. Offer to help at your soup kitchen or church; help the pastor transport some Bibles to a place that needs them. Do little by little, bit by bit, a slight nudge here and a slight nudge there.
Let these little works add up; let the Lord use your work to save the souls of the lost; let the “Interest” add up for the glory of Jesus Christ.
And remember his word: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
God Bless you All,
Zachary Everett