Use Your Talents: Don't Be An Unprofitable Servant

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When Jesus Christ walked upon the earth as a human being, He was extremely urgent in doing the work of God.

“I must work the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4).

The Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary says (his works)  all had a precise time and place, and a definite termination, so by letting any one service pass by its allotted time, the whole would be disarranged, marred, and driven beyond its destined period for completion.” In other words, all had to be completed in a precise time frame and if one part was left undone, the whole would not be complete.

And so it is today for true Christians. Matt. 25:14-15 shows there is a work to be done and Christ gives His true servants a portion of talents (Holy Spirit) by which to accomplish this purpose. These verses show it as a talent of money representing the ability to do work.

Luke 19:12-13 speaks of the same principle, except this time it uses the term “coins.” In this case, occupy means to do business or make a profit by trading.

So the more ability an individual Christian has, the more is expected of that person in supporting God’s work (Matt. 25:14-16). Others may have had greater ability (received more talents), but the talents were the same.

As previously pointed out, the terms “talents” or “coins” denote a portion of the Holy Spirit. It is this power which enables true Christians to not only properly understand the scriptures, but which gives the ability to do what God requires, rather than rely on human strength and power (Zech. 4:6). It also enables open doors and miracles to prosper His work.

The unprofitable servant

Matt. 25 points out that one man did nothing with his talent (or portion of the Holy Spirit). Verses 35-40 are not speaking of soup kitchens or the sick and hungry of the world. Christ said the poor we will always have with us. They actually have a two aprt meaning:

1. These verses speak of helping the people of God – that part of the Church that exists with a specific need.
2. They also speak of the work of God. The world is in deep deception and afflicted by lies. Offerings and tithes make great contributions to the work of God and the world, who receive the truth of God. THAT, is the work of God.

“Then the one who had received one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you haven’t planted and gathering where you haven’t scattered any seed. Being afraid, I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here, take what is yours! His master answered him, ‘You evil and lazy servant! So you knew that I harvested where I haven’t planted and gathered where I haven’t scattered any seed? (verses 24-27)

Christ clearly shows there is no spiritual bank. He would have accepted the smallest return, but this man brought Him nothing. He is unprofitable to God, which means useless and good for nothing. Jesus’ response was to give the lazy servants’ talent to the one who already has, and take away what little the lazy person had. The fate of this man is also to end up in the lake of fire. He could have been in the work of God, but wilfully refused to do it (verses 41-42).

Christ is not only concerned about those He is calling now, in this present time, but also the entire world. True Christians today live in times of greater impact to act upon the world – to reach the spiritually naked and hungry, for the truth of God.