Thursday 24 August 2017

Saturday: 21st Week in Ordinary Time-A
I Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12: Young have learnt from God yourselves to love one another.
Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30: You have shown you can be faithful in small things, come and join in your master’s happiness.
The Parable of the Talents: The Believer’s Duty to Work
Jesus was teaching a much needed lesson: we must be faithful and diligent.
1. The Lord went on a journey (v.14)
2. The Lord entrusted his property to his servants (v.14-15)
a. Called his servant
b. Gave each servant a different portion
c. Gave each servant according to his ability
3. The servants treated the Lord’s goods differently (v.16-18)
a. Two were responsible: Immediately worked
          1) Were faithful and diligent
          2) Were successful
b. One was irresponsible: Did not try
4. The day of settling accounts came (v.19)
a. After a long time
b. The Lord returned
5. The reward for work well done: More work to do (v.20-23)
a. The first servant
          1) Acknowledged God’s gifts and grace
          2) Laboured 100% for the Lord
          3) Was commended and given a great reward: Rulership and joy
b. The second servant
          1) Acknowledged God’s gifts and grace
          2) Laboured 100% for the Lord
          3) Was commended and given a great reward: Rulership and joy
6. The punishment for work not done: Stripping and separation (v.24-30)
a. The servant’s reasons for not working
          1) He misunderstood God: Thought God was too demanding
          2) He feared loss while on earth
b. God’s reasons for condemning the servant
          1) He was wicket and lazy
          2) He was inconsistent
          3) He failed to use his gift
c. The judgement
          1) He was stripped of what he had
          2) He was thrown into the darkness
Thought: Every person or believer has at least one gift (1Cor 12:11; Rom 12:4-9; 1Cor 12:4-30). We must always remember this and must work hard faithfully and diligently.

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