Witness Protection Program
By Kyle Blackwell
Since early 2022, I have believed there would soon be a great revival among God’s elect. Now that we have reached 2023, I truly have faith we are in the calm before the storm. In order for there to be a nationwide revival, we must first have a great awakening, not in our churches, but in our hearts and homes. We must follow the call to step out of the Witness Protection Program. There is no way you can be filled with Holy Spirit and keep quiet on the daily.
Today’s lesson distinguishes between the ones who love Jesus with all their heart, who have been called by Him, and the ones who play part of the part, but never really knew Him.
The parable of the talents is a lesson Jesus taught shortly before His ultimate sacrifice. No, it has nothing to do with talents God has given to His people. I’ll be honest, I sincerely lack trust in the translation of English Bibles. While talent in Greek is where we derive the English word, talent, Jesus was not speaking of any sort of gifts apart from the gift of Jesus’ shedding His Blood for our sinful nature.
I’ve heard many preachers explain Matthew 25: 14-30 by stressing the fact Christians must utilize their talents less they be taken away, which is not the case. Also, some preachers say this text is about Heavenly rewards. We can discuss Heavenly rewards if you wish, and I will be happy to do so, but make sure you are presenting the proper scriptures, and the parable of the ten talents is not appropriate for that particular application.
In order to understand the underlying meaning behind today’s passage, it is imperative we investigate the preceding story. Chapter 25 begins with the parable of the ten virgins. Thankfully, we need not look far, because the parable starts by saying “The Kingdom of Heaven will be like”, and then moves onto expressing the importance of being ready when judgement day comes. While I am excited to someday write about the bridegroom, virgins and their readiness, let me stick to the task at hand. Our passage today begins in verse 14 by utilizing the word “For”, indicating a furthering explanation of what it will be like when judgement day comes.
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.” -Matthew 25:14
First off, notice how Jesus says the servants are being entrusted with the master’s property. Therefore, the servants did not earn anything. Just like our ticket to Heaven, we neither deserve, nor earn a spot in God’s Holy Kingdom.
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. -Matthew 25:15
I’m really torn between the meaning of the talents. Some say the talents represent responsibility, which I can see their reasoning. And it would be much easier to explain why each worker received a different amount. Although, you could change the amount of money given to each individual and the end result would be the same because of the nature of their heart, and willingness to work for their master, which only comes from faith. It is important that we not focus too much on the minor details of Jesus’ parables, especially with this one since the main focus comes a few verses later. However, this is how I am able to explain why the master allows for a different amount of talents, or faith, to each individual. When Christ calls a man who has been in and out of jail their entire life, or even an atheist of 20 years, their level of faith may vary greatly when compared to one who was raised in a church. In contrast, you could use Jesus’ comparison between the rich and the poor. He states it is harder for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 19:24). Therefore, the rich man would require greater faith in order to leave their worldly possessions and follow Christ.
He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. -Matthew 25:16-17
I love how it mentions the first two servants going at once to increase their master’s fortune. I like to think about one of the very first evangelists of Jesus’ time. The woman at the well went immediately to the town in order to preach about the Messiah‘s coming. The same should go for church people these days the moment they profess that Jesus is Lord. We are not to wait until we feel as though the time is right, or we feel comfortable. We are to start preaching, I did say preaching, the Blood of Jesus right out the gate. If not, this shows your lack of faith in saving grace.
But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. -Matthew 25:18
Besides being lazy, this cat did nothing for his master. So, the man was graciously given 1 talent to look after, which is about 20 year’s wages, and he just hides it. He hides the owner’s money just like many in the church do today with their faith. I would be willing to bet it was not even a deep hole where he hid the bag of money.
Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. -Matthew 25:19-21
It is imperative that we now talk about the value of a talent based on today’s currency value. It is here where we see the vast wealth of the master. 1 talent equals about 1 million dollars in today’s currency. Therefore, this man was given $5 million as a slave, someone who deserved nothing. To make it more interesting, the owner said the slave was faithful over a few things. Even ten dollars is not a little amount for me, and this guy is just throwing around money like popcorn at the Commerce theater (if you have had the chance to visit this place, you know what I mean). Moving on, this servant was able to be welcomed into his master’s rest because of his faithfulness. Also, the same goes for the second worker. He was faithful; therefore, he was rewarded. Now, even though each man was rewarded by being made overseer over much, they were actually awarded everything that is good, Heaven.
He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? -Matthew 25:24-26
Oh, the excuses this man has. In his own mind, if he gains possessions, the master gets the credit; however, if he slave loses profit, the owner will be very harsh and cruel to him. What a selfish individual this guy truly is. The sad thing is there are many individuals in the church with this exact same outlook. What if I mess up in sharing the Gospel. What if I get asked a question I don’t know the answer. I go to church… Is that not enough? I tithe… Is that not enough?
But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. -Matthew 25:26-27
The master starts by answering with a question. Essentially, he is stating that the servant has no idea who he truly is. Then, he speaks of allowing the bankers to accrue interest, but even that is too much work for the lazy man.
So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. -Matthew 25:28-30
With the weightiness of the precious blood that which was shed for us, we must appreciate, or spend it, not as anything we deserve, as the slothful servant, but we must multiply, or share, those blessings as the good and faithful servants, as if we never deserved them in the first place. Benchwarmers, and residents in the Witness Protection Program alike, say I’m not able to speak, I don’t want to bother people, I have diseases or illnesses that make it hard for me to get around, and I don’t have this or that.
With privilege comes responsibility; with responsibility comes accountability. It is time to preach the name of Jesus to the mountain tops. We need a revival, and that revival starts with us. This is a call to action. Do not be the slothful servant, who is destined for hell, which is where he was taken. You cannot have faith without action (James 2:26). Revival is coming to a city near you, and you are at the center.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge -Hosea 4:6
