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Matt. 25:14-21
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. It is the desire of every Christian to hear the words “well done good and faithful servant” from The Lord Jesus. It will be an “added bonus” to hear Him say, “Share in your Master’s happiness.” This passage from Matt. 25 offers us at least 3 truths concerning “good and faithful servants. Notice 1st
I. THE SAVIOR’S RESPECT. One writer says, The Master’s “well done” is the greatest reward a loyal servant could have hoped for. We don’t often speak of “respect” coming from the Lord to His servants, do we! Our focus is on the respect we owe the Savior for all He has done for us just in our salvation. But the Lord does respect His servants. Read Jn. 12:20-26. You see, anyone who gives their life in service to God the Son will be honored by God the Father! Read Psalm 91:1, that person – the one who lives in verse 1 is the recipient of all God provides according to this Ps. Notice v. 15, 16. Again you will notice the person who receives respect and honor from God, is the one who both honors and respects God. God bestows respect and honor upon only those whose way of life demonstrates they respect and honor God in their daily living. When any true Christian, but especially a recognized leader in the local church, lives their daily life in such a way that others know they respect and honor God, Paul says that person is above reproach! Notice that the Savior’s respect to is in response to:
II. THE SERVANT’S RELIABILITY. The TDNT defines the word “good” as an adjective that expresses the significance or excellence of a thing or person. From a biblical viewpoint “good” means “pleasing to God” when it is talking about man; and “kind” and “good” when it is talking about God. In the NT Jesus declares only God is good! God demonstrates his goodness toward all men in salvation. God’s goodness is always demonstrated to all people everywhere. A reliable servant is a person who: 1. Has come to Christ for salvation; and 2. Has established Christ as Lord and Master of all their life. In the OT “faith” is always how man reacts to what God does. Read Deut. 7:6-11. God’s action was His choosing, loving and caring for Israel. God is faithful by his very nature. Man, on the other hand, must learn to be faithful to God. As man obeys God, he learns that God’s response to his obedience is blessing. Man also learns when he disobeys God, God withholds His blessing, which is viewed as punishment or discipline. The best definition of a faithful servant comes from Jesus Himself, and is recorded in John 12:25. In the NT “faith” is how man reacts to what God has done – at Calvary. NT faith expresses itself in a life that knows it will spend eternity with Christ. In the OT a servant was a slave in the sense that we think of slave. However in the NT, and in the light of salvation, slave becomes bond slave; or one who could be free on their own authority, but chooses to remain a slave under the control of their master. Today we would say such a person is one whose daily life demonstrates they are dedicated to walking in harmony with Scripture. Finally, we see
III. THE SERVANT’S REWARD. There are perhaps several lessons to be gleaned here, but the point is the servant’s perseverance for the entire time the Master was gone, is rewarded in a two-fold manner. 1st The master compliment is extraordinary him with “well done.” The servant did not do just what he had to do to get by, he excelled in all his work for his master. 2nd The masters compliment is extravagant. The good and faithful servant received a much more than he had! Have you ever noticed God always gives, not just more, but much more!
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