Well done, good and faithful servant!

In the Parable of the Talents found in the Gospel of Matthew 25.14-30, which is meant to help us understand how God will judge each member of the Church, only one servant is condemned as wicked, lazy and worthless. He was condemned because he hid the talents that his master had given him, rather than using the talents to accomplish the will of his master. The others in the parable were praised because they were faithful to their master and used the talents for his will. They were escorted into the kingdom.

God has given us His Church, just as the master had given his servants talents (money) to watch over until He returns. We have been entrusted with His Church until He returns. What remains for us is whether or not we will hide the Church, as the wicked and lazy servant, or bring the Church to the world so others can benefit from her teachings and way of life.

Each of them, according to their own abilities, went out into the world and increased the gifts they had been given. If the gift is the Church, then our job is to use our individual abilities and bring the Church out into the world so that it can increase. That means NEW members being brought into the Church, not to help us pay bills, but so that the Church grows, and we can return it to good increased from when we received it. As the Church grows, it will be natural for her new members to also, after they have received their gifts from God, to go out and increase the Church with more NEW members.

Each of us, new members and old members, are given the Church as a gift, and therefore the responsibility, to bring the Church out into world until God returns to claim His Church. Each of us has the opportunity to say to God, “Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.” (Matthew 25.20) Each of us has the opportunity to hear the words, “’Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” (Matthew 25.21)

The Church is a great treasure but if we hide it from the world, it can do nothing but collect dust. When a treasurer is hidden it cannot increase or be used for blessings. It remains locked up, dark, and useless to anyone. This is what happens when we are not active in bringing the Good News of the Church to others. There is no secret to how God wants us to use the treasure He has given us. “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’  Amen.” (Matthew 28.18-20) Let’s be the good and faithful servants, so we can also be escorted into heaven.