Lessons to be Learned From
The Parables of the
Talents & Pounds
                                                                                              By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                              April 28, 2018
     "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
     That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works,"  2 Timothy 3:16-17.   
Introduction
     In writing my last Bible study, The Restoration of the Judges, I encouraged God's people to take heed to the two parables, The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, and The Parable of the Pounds in Luke 19.  Why?  Because these two parables give spiritual insight into the work and ministry of the Judges who shall SOON be ruling and reigning with Christ in His glorious Kingdom.  
     Now what do I mean by this?  I'm so glad you asked!  
A Word of Explanation
     Both of these English words, talents and pounds, as translated from the Greek text, refer to amounts of money  in use in England in 1611, at the time the King James Bible was translated.  However, in the Greek text the words also refer to amounts of money, but in the Greek text the words  refer to a denarius.  The denarius was a day's wages for a common laborer at the time of the first coming of Christ.
The Two Parables Expounded
     In this study I will be primarily referring to The Parable of the Talents in  Matthew 25:14-30, but will refer to The Parable of the Pounds when necessary, as both parables teach the same basic truth.  
Exposition
      In this parable the "man traveling into a far country" is the Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew 25:14.  Before leaving this present world, the Lord did indeed call "His own servants, and deliver unto them His goods."  The Lord's "goods" are His Word, especially the knowledge of His death, burial, and resurrection, by which every true believer has been saved, Ephesians 1:7.  We believers today refer to this gift of God's Word as the Great Commission.  See Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:14-18, Luke 24:36-39, John 20:19-23, and Acts 1:6-8.   
     The Great Commission was given to the eleven disciples of Christ; the Lord's church, collectively, but the responsibility for carrying the "Good News" of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, in order that men and women, boys and girls, might be saved, was given to God's people individually, as clearly set forth in this parable.  
To Each According to Their Ability
     Notice that in this parable the Lord gives ".....unto one.....five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability.....," Matthew 25:15.   
     Folks, the Lord knows each of His children intimately.  He asks no more of any true believer, than what He knows that believer is capable of carrying out.  And just as this parable teaches, there will come a time when each of us believers will  have to give account for our service for our Lord, as to whether we served Him faithfully, or whether we hardly served Him at all, 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.   
The Time of Reckoning
     The Lord Himself illustrated this truth in both of  these parables by the three individuals in each parable.   "3" is the number in the Bible which signifies "resurrection or rapture."  So this points to the "appointed time" when each of us believers will be called upon to give account for our faithfulness to the Lord, or our lack of it.   That time will be at the resurrection and rapture of all true believers.    
     In 25:19 we are told that "After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them."  It has indeed been a long time; now some 2,000 years, since the Lord Jesus went back to His Father in Heaven, Mark 16:19.  But before He left, He promised His disciples that He would come again, John 14:3.  And the Lord always keeps His promises, Hebrews 10:23.  
Two Days in God's Great Week
     Two thousand years is but two days in God's great week, 2 Peter 3:8.  Now read again The Parable of the Good Samaritan [Luke 10:30-37] and see how many "pence" [denarius...one day's wages] the good Samaritan gave to the "host," promising to return.  How great is our Savior and Lord!  And how very much He loves those who believe.  Glory!   
     Folks, the two days [2,000 years] in God's great week are completed!  The Lord Jesus will return at any minute now! This parable tells us plainly that when He comes, He will "reckon" with His servants.  Are you prayed up and ready for His coming again?    Take heed!  
The Rewards of the Faithful
     The first two servants in these parables had been faithful, and had "gained" more abilities in serving the Lord, 25:20; 25:29.  Now notice that the reward of these first two faithful servants was to "rule" or be made "ruler over many things, and to "enter.....into the joy of thy  Lord," 25:21; 25:23.  
     In my previous study, Restoration of the Judges, I pointed out that New Testament believers, after receiving our "glorified bodies," will serve as rulers and judges in the government of the Lord Jesus Christ, when He establishes His Kingdom over mankind living on the earth.  This truth is confirmed right here in this parable, and also in The Parable of the Pounds in Luke 19.
     The major difference in these two parables is that in The Parable of the Pounds, the inspired Word explicitly states that the faithful will "rule" over "ten cities, five cities, etc."  How much plainer could this truth be stated?
The Joy of the Lord
     Notice that in this parable the Lord also told His faithful servants to "enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," 25:21; 25:23.  This is speaking of faithful believers entering into the righteous and peaceful Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.  
     When the Lord God created Adam, He gave him "dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth," Genesis 1:26-28.  But Adam, in disobeying the Lord, lost all of his "dominion" over the earth and everything upon it, and God placed a curse upon the earth, Genesis 3:17-19.   
     But the Lord Jesus Christ, born into this world as a man, and filling the role of the second "Adam," by His obedience to God, even unto death, regained everything the "first Adam" lost,   Read 1 Corinthians 15:45, and Philippians 2:5-11.  And all the "dominion" over the earth and all that is on and in it, will be restored to Him when He returns to the earth to set up His Kingdom.  No wonder He will be filled with "joy."  And that same "joy" will be what faithful believers will be entering into.  Glory to God!  
      Even the earth and all creation will rejoice when this occurs, for all of the creation will finally be free from the curse of sin.  Read Psalm 98 and  Isaiah 55:12-13, and rejoice and praise and worship the Lord.   
The Loss and Reward of the Unfaithful
     Both of these parables also tell us about those "servants" who are unfaithful in using their blessings to love and serve the Lord.  
     In these parables the unfaithful servants "hid" their abilities "in the earth," and "in a napkin."  The Greek word translated as "napkin" in Luke 19:20, is exactly the same word used in John 11:44 when speaking about the resurrection of Lazarus, with his face being covered by a "napkin."  In other words,  God's blessings upon the servant in Luke 19:20  was wrapped in serving a dying world.  Hello!  
      These unfaithful servants  spend their lives serving the world, and seeking it's uncertain riches,  rather than serving the Lord.  They disobey and totally ignore the Lord's command,  "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you," Matthew 6:33.  Read the context in which this Scripture occurs, and the Lord was obviously talking about food and clothing, and all of our material needs for this present life.   Sadly, some true believers just don't have the faith to trust the Lord in all things, and in every situation that may arise.  Rather, they think they must do every thing necessary to take care of themselves, or they just won't be able to survive.  What happened to the faith they once exercised to trust the Lord Jesus as their own personal Savior?  True faith must be cultivated in order for it to grow.  See the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:3-8, and notice the word, "increased" in verse 8.  See also 2 Corinthians 10:15.    
     And what will be the rewards given to such unfaithful believers?   This parable tells us that the Lord will first label the unfaithful as a "wicked and slothful servant," 25:26.  This literally means disobedient and lazy.  Then the Lord took away from him his opportunity to rule and reign with Christ, which as a child of God, he once prospectively had, and gave it to those servants which had been faithful.  The inspired Apostle Paul clearly warned God's people, that if we are not faithful in serving the Lord, we "shall suffer loss," 1 Corinthians 3:14-15.    
     And what do both of these parables indicate that unfaithful children of God will lose?   The privilege of "ruling and reigning with Christ" in His glorious Kingdom, Revelation 5:8-10.   
The Security of the Believer
     No!  These unfaithful servants do not lose their salvation, as some "professing Christians" seem eager to teach today.  Don't these "religionists" even believe God's Word?  The inspired Apostle, in the context of the BEMA judgment of believers, clearly states, "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire," 1 Corinthians 3:15.  
     I suggest that our readers refresh their memories about Lot, the nephew of Abraham, being delivered from Sodom and Gomorrah.  Lot was the perfect example of a believer being "...saved; yet so as by fire."  Lot was a saved man with a righteous soul, whether some readers like it or not, 2 Peter 2:4-9.  God even sent two angels to Sodom to bring Lot out of that wicked city, for God had purposed to pour out His wrath upon it.  But even the angels couldn't finish the work they were sent to do, until Lot was out of the city of Sodom, Genesis 19:22.  Why?  Because we believers are not "appointed to wrath, but to obtain salvation [deliverance] by our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9.  But as soon as Lot was delivered out of that wicked city, fire fell from heaven and destroyed them all, Genesis 19:17; 19:22-26.
     Folks, John 3:16 is still in the Bible, and it and many other inspired Scriptures still promises those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ "everlasting life."  Some folks should stop trying to make God out to be a liar!  Plain enough?   
The Future of the Unfaithful
     Where does this then place the unfaithful believer following the BEMA judgment?  Exactly where the inspired Word says they shall be!  In Luke 12:37-47, true believers are warned to be faithfully watching for the Lord's return.  Read it for yourself.  In 12:45-46 the Lord Himself explicitly stated, "But and if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
     The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers."
     Read [study] this entire discourse.  The Lord Himself plainly stated that unfaithful servants will have a portion in His Kingdom, but their portion will be to live among and watch over the unbelievers.  In other words, when the Lord establishes His Kingdom on the earth, instead of ruling and reigning with Christ, those believers who have been unfaithful during this present life, will be ruled over,  right along with lost unbelievers who will be in the Lord's Kingdom.  Talk about humiliation!   Is this what some readers want?   No!  
     Then stop beating up [verbally] on those faithful believers who are serious about studying the prophecies of God's Word, and who are seriously "watching" for the Lord's return, exactly as the Lord commanded His children to do, Mark 13:34-37.  Stop claiming that the Lord is delaying His coming, when all the "signs" of His coming are right before the eyes of those believers who are willing to see, Revelation 3:18.  Stop living just to eat and drink and enjoy the pleasures of this present evil world, Galatians 1:4.  And stop engaging in the drunkenness [spiritually and literally] of this whole world system.   
     Instead, dedicate or rededicate your life to the Lord and try presenting your whole body, heart, mind, soul, and strength,  to the Lord as a living sacrifice, Mark 12:30; Romans 12:1.  The Lord God will bless you for it.  
Conclusion
     This study was written to encourage true believers to live faithfully for our Lord Jesus Christ in this Laodicean church age, Revelation 3:14-22.  I am well aware that sin is abounding throughout the world around us, and these are trying times for the people of God.  But God's grace is still here to sustain every true believer,  if we will but ask the Lord for the needed grace in humble prayer, Matthew 7:7-8. And God's grace is still sufficient to meet our needs, 2 Corinthians 12:9.  
     But if this study should come into the hands of any reader who has never been truly saved, I implore you; yea, I beg you, to seek the Lord as your own personal Savior while there is still time for you to be saved.  Time is swiftly running out for this present Age of Grace, and very soon unsaved mankind will awaken to find themselves in the terrible Tribulation period plainly predicted in God's Word.  Perhaps then you will turn to the Lord for salvation, but perhaps you won't even be given the opportunity.  ".....behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation," 2 Corinthians 6:2.  Read the following Scriptures in your own Bible and seek the Lord today.......
     John 3:16-18, 3:36, 5:24, 14:6, Acts 2:38, 4:12, 10:43, 16:30-31, Romans 10:8-13, 1 Corinthians 1:18, Ephesians 2:8-10, Hebrews 9:22, 9:28, and 12:2.  Let me know when you receive Christ Jesus as your own personal Savior, so that I may rejoice with you.  
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     Those readers who would like to make personal contact with me should choose one of the following:
     Postal:     Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 County Road 8120, Rolla, MO 65401.
     Email:      francismriley34@gmail.com
     Phone:    573-202-6493   
     May the Lord graciously bless every reader.......
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