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A Comparison of Luke 19: 11-27 The Parable of A Ruler who Entrusts Minas to His Servants and Matthew 25: 14-30 The Parable of the Talents reveals that Christ Expects Us To Be Engaged IN This World, but to Conduct Ourselves As If We Are OF Another.
In both parables Christ explains that His servants are given gifts, talents and abilities.
In both the servants are expected to use IN this world what God gives us to increase and multiply His possessions, meaning “His state of ownership” on this earth.
In both parables some servants are rewarded for successfully caring out their Master’s expectations and others were debased, scolded and stripped of what God gave them because they failed to perform satisfactorily by balancing what it means to be IN but no OF this world.
In both parables the servants who failed to perform did so out of fear: In Luke 19:21 the underperforming servant said, “21for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.’ In Matt 25 the underperforming servant said, 25”so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.’
In both parables the fearful response of the underperforming servants are addressed pretty harshly by Christ, who says in Luke 19 22“ …’By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. And in Matt 25:26 Christ says, “You wicked and slothful servant!”
In both parables the assets or tools or gifts given to the underperforming servants were given to the more successful servants. Jesus says, 26“I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. In Matt 25: 28 – 30 The Master says, 28So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29For 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.
In both parables there are dire consequences for those who fail to meet a minimum acceptable standard. In Luke 19: 27“But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” In Matt 25: 29-30 we read, “But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
Both parables tell us there are significant consequences for the saved, who will suffer the loss of rewards and for the unsaved who will suffer in outer darkness if we fail to operate effectively IN but not OF this world.
1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. FEAR fails to engage the world we are IN. By operating in FAITH we successfully impact it with the resources and value that are OF our true eternal Home, Heaven. By doing so, we get lifted up in Liberty.
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