While the Master’s Away

Matthew 25:14

Hello again... I’m glad you decided to come back. This week we are examining the parable of, “The Talents”. We need to say right off the bat that the word “talent” has nothing to do with a special gift or ability like singing or juggling. It is a mere coincidence that the word “talent” is both an ancient Roman measure of money and a modern day skill or gifting. The way Jesus is using this word, it means a large sum of money... think about a briefcase of $100 bills or a bag of gold. With that in mind, let’s look at our verse for today. Jesus opens this parable, as He does most, by setting the stage for us. An un-named man is going away and leaving his wealth with several servants. The master in this story represents Jesus. The “journey” that the master is going on represents the time between Jesus ascension (Acts 1:3) and His second coming at the End of Days (Rev 1:7). Both of these details are important to understand. While the parable focuses on three servants, the main character is actually the Master who has gone away but is going to return. All of the “action” in the parable takes place while the Master is away. This is because the setting in the real world for this parable is today! We are living in the age of the Church, the time between Christ’s ascension into heaven and His Second Coming. As Christians, we know that Jesus is going to come again. We ready about it in the Bible and talk about it when the topic comes up. But... do we really live like we believe it? 

Prayer:

Jesus, I know that You are coming soon and when you do it will surprise us all. But, I don’t always live like I’m excited about it. Please help me to live with Your return in mind. Amen. 

Reflection:

Is the imminent return of the Savior a motivating factor in your life? Why or why not?