The Real Lesson Behind the Parable of the Talents 2

8/4/2019 The Real Lesson Behind the Parable of the Talents 2

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TheRealLessonbehindtheParableoftheTalents

JoshuaLoke August23,2011

TheRealLessonintheParableoftheTalents(Part2)

Inpart1ofthisteaching,Ifocusedonthesecondpartoftheparabletherewardsreceivedbythetwoservantswhodoubledwhattheyhadbeen

entrustedwith.Mygoalwastoimpressonyouthatweareallonprobationduringthislife,thatGod,bythefruitofourlabor,isselectingthosewhowouldreignwithHimaskingsandpriests.Inthisinstallmentoftheteaching,IwishtoshowyouwhattheLordshighesttestis.

Justastherearemanylevelsinthenationalschoolsystem:highschooldiploma,universitydegree,mastersdegree,andPhD,GodalsohasdifferentlevelsoftestsforHispeople.ThisissobecauseHehascreatedusdifferent,withvaryingabilitiesandtalents.

BeforeIbegintodoso,Iwouldliketotellyoualittlemoreaboutmyselfsothat

youunderstandwhereIamcomingfrom,thatwhatIamabouttosharewithyouisnotpurelytheoreticalbutreliable.

WhenmyfamilyandIwerecommissionedin1995byoursendingchurchtogotoKazakstanasmissionaries,Godgaveawordofprophecytotwoseparateindividuals.Thewordsweresimilartoeachother,tellingmethatGodsimplywantedmetoknowthatitwasfromHim.ThewordshadtodowiththeBiblecharacterJoshua,thatIwouldhavethespiritofJoshua.

Overthenextfewmonths,IreadthebookofJoshuamanytimes.Afterreadingit,IwenttoGodandsaid,Whatareyoutryingtoshowmethroughthisbook?AllI

seearebattlesandmorebattles.Areyoutellingmethatmylifewouldbefullofbattles?TherewasnoresponsefromGod.

In1997,IwasreadingabookbyCindyJacobs.InthebooksherelatedhowtheLordhadgroomedherfortheministryshewasthen(andnow)having.OneoftheversesofScripturethattheLordusedforthisprocesswasJoshua1:1.Itsays:

AfterthedeathofMosestheservantoftheLORD,theLORDsaidtoJoshuathesonofNun,Moses'assistant,

WhowasMoses?HewastheservantoftheLord.AndwhowasJoshua?HewasMosesassistant.

TheLordusedthisversetospeaktometoo.HetoldmenottothinkofmyselfasaservantofGod;atleastnotnow,buttobeaservanttoaman.ThatmanturnedouttobemyDistrictPastorunderwhomIwasworkingthen.IhumbledmyselfanddidwhateverIwastoldanddidnotdowhateverIwasnottold.ThiswentonforthreeyearsandIreturnedtothefield.

ForanotherthreeyearsinKazakstan,Iwasaservanttoanotherman.ThistimeitwastheseniorpastorofthechurchIwasassignedtoworkwith,afellowmissionary.

Attheendofthesixyears(2003),theLordsaidtome,Youhavedonewell.Enough!Itistimetomoveontoversetwo.


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Bythat,GodwasreferringtoJoshua1:2,whichsays:

Mosesmyservantisdead.Nowthereforearise,gooverthisJordan,youandallthispeople,intothelandthatIamgivingtothem,tothepeopleofIsrael.

ItbecamecleartomethenwhatGodspurposeformeis.ItistohelpGodspeople,Christians,findandenterthePromisedLandandpossesstheirinheritance.ThismarkedthebeginningofmyjourneyindiscoveringwhatthePromisedLandrepresentsandwhattheinheritanceis.Thisjourneyhastakenaboutsevenyears.WhatIhavelearneddidnotcomefrombooksbutdirectlyfromGodthroughrevelations.Sounderstandablyitmightsoundnewandstrangetoyou.IwouldliketoencourageyoutotakewhatyouwillhearandbringittotheLord,askingHimtoeitherconfirmitorotherwise.YoudonthavetobelieveeverythingIsay.

TurningnowtotheParableoftheTalents,Iwouldliketohighlighttoyouthefact

thatthemastergaveveryexplicitinstructionstohisservantstodobusinesstillIcome(Luke19:13YLT).ThehighesttestthatGodhasforHisservantsisthetestofBUSINESS.Itisinbusiness,notemployment,thatapersonsability,orlackofit,tomanageandadministertheresourcesavailabletohimisclearlyseen.ThesamecriterionisappliedtothosewhowishtorunfortheofficeofPresidentofSingapore.Heorshemusthavemanagedacertainlargesumofmoneywellbeforehecanbeconsideredtobecomeacustodianofthenationswealth.InthisPresidentialElection(2011),oneoftheapplicantswasdeclaredineligibleforthesimplyreasonthathewasonlyaCFO(ChiefFinancialOfficer)andnotaCEO(ChiefExecutiveOfficer).IfanationhassuchhighstandardsforitsPresident,wouldGodexpectanythingless?

Traditionally,Christianshaveappliedthelessonofthisparabletoonlytheareaofpersonalfinanceandchurchfinance.Thisistheresultofawronginterpretationoftheparable.Theservantswerenotgiventhetalentssothattheycouldmanagethemastershouseholdtheywerealreadydoingthat.Thetalentsweregiveninadditiontowhattheyneededtomanagethehousehold;itwasgivensothattheycoulddobusinessandmakeaprofitwithit.Theservantswerealsonotexpectedtoliveonthetalentsgiven.Agoodmasterwouldhavemorethanadequatelyprovidedforhisservantsintermsoffood,accommodation,andclothing.Weknowthisbecausewhentheyoungerson(fromtheParableoftheProdigalSon)hadcometohimself,hesaid,Howmanyofmyfather'shired

servantshavemorethanenoughbread,butIperishherewithhunger!(Luke15:17).

Wealsolearnedthatthevalueofatalentisapproximatelyonemilliondollars.Whichhouseholdhasabudgetthatsize?Somechurchestoday,however,dohavebudgetsinexcessofamilliondollars.ButIbelievethatpastorswillbejudgedbyadifferently.Whiletheywillnotbejudgedbyhowprofitable(indollarsandcents)theirchurchhasbeen,buttheywillbejudgedbyhowfaithfultheyhavebeeninprovidingGodshouseholdwithfoodatthepropertime(Matt24:45-46).

BusinessisGodshighesttestforhispeople.IalsoseethisintheExodusstory.


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TheExodusstory

Enslavement

TheExodusstorycanbedividedintofourphases.ThefirstisthetimethattheIsraeliteswereenslavedinEgypt.Thesecondiswhentheywereinthewilderness.ThethirdandfourthphasescoversthetimewhentheywereinthePromisedLand.

Wewilltakeacloserlookateachphase.

ThechildrenofIsraelcametoEgyptduringafamine.Joseph,oneofIsraelssons,hadbecomethePrimeMinisterofEgypt.CapitalizingonhisfavorwiththePharaoh,JosephmanagedtosecurethelandofGoshen,thebestlandinEgypt,forhisfatherandbrothersandtheirfamilies.Theywerenotreallywelcomefromthestart,justtoleratedforeveryshepherdisanabominationtotheEgyptians(Gen46:34).

AfterthedeathofJoseph,therecameaPharaohwhodidnotknowJosephandwhofeltthreatenedbytherapidrateofincreaseoftheHebrewpopulation.HedidmanythingstotrytostemthetideofHebrewdominationintheland,lastofwhichwastooppressthemwithhardlabor.Butthemoretheywereoppressed,themoretheymultipliedandthemoretheyspreadabroad(Ex1:12).ThismadetheEgyptianshatetheHebrewsevenmore.Asaresult,theEgyptiansmadetheHebrewsworkasslaves(verses13and14).

ThisphaseoftheExodusstorysymbolizesENSLAVEMENT.AndjustasthedevilenslavedtheancientIsraelites(throughtheEgyptians)throughemployment,thewaythedevilhasenslavedmanyofusisthroughemployment.Employmenttomanyisariteofpassageofsorts.Itisamarkofmanhoodoradulthood,whenonebecomesmoreindependentespeciallyfinancially.Mostpeopleenterintothisphaseoflifewithexcitementandanticipation.Theirdreamsarenowontheirwaytobeingfulfilled.Butovertime,manybecomedisappointedanddisillusioned.Insteadoffeelingfree,theyfeeltrapped.Thefunhasbeensuckedoutofworksuchthatithasbecomenecessarybecauseofthebillsthatneedpayingandthedebtsthatneedre-paying.Hardlyanyonewouldleaveajobwithoutanotheronewaiting.Hencetheyareenslaved.

Itisinterestingthatinmostcountries,thetermusedtodescribethepoolofpeoplewhofinishschoolandwhoareseekingjobsisthelabormarket.Iusedtosay,andstilldo,thatwhilefisharebeingsoldinthefishmarket,slavesaresoldinthelabormarket.Likeitornot,wewhojointhelabormarketareseenasslaves.Thedictionarydefinesaslaveasalegalpropertyofanother.

Aslaveoccupiesacertainplaceinsociety,astatusdefinedbyrightsandliabilities,bytheprivilegesandpowersotherscouldexerciseoverhim(ThePoliticsofPropertybyLauraBrace).

ThiswasexactlywhathappenedtotheancientIsraeliteswhentheyagreedtoworkfortheEgyptiansinbuildingthetwostore-cities,PithomandRamses.Butovertime,theEgyptianschangedtheworkingconditionsandbegantomake


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themservewithrigor:andtheymadetheirlivesbitterwithhardservice,inmortarandinbrick,andinallmannerofserviceinthefield,alltheirservice,whereintheymadethemservewithrigor(Ex1:13-14ASV).

ItwasalsoexactlywhathappenedtoJacobwhenheacceptedLabansofferof

workingforawage(Gen29:15-20).Bydoingso,JacobenteredintoanemploymentcontractwithLaban,andLabanbecamehisemployerandnotjusthisrelative.AndoveraperiodoftwentyyearsLabanchangedJacobswagestentimes(Gen31:7,41).

Asslaves,theIsraeliteswerenotfreeeventoworshipandservetheirGod.WhentheIsraelitesaskedforaweeksleave(threedaystotravelintothewilderness,onedaytoworshipGod,andthreedaystoreturntotheirhomes)toworshipYahwehinthewilderness,theirrequestwasdenied.Doesthissoundfamiliar?Asamatteroffact,Pharaohaccusedthemofbeinglazyand,inturn,gavethemmorework(Ex5:17-19).

Deliverance

Fromenslavement,theancientIsraelitesexperiencedDELIVERANCE.TheywerefreedbythemightyhandofGod.Butfreedom,asyoumightalreadyknow,canbeeasilyabused.Christmadeusfreenotsothatwecandowhateverwewish,buttodowhatisright.WhatisrightandwrongaredefinedforusinHisLaw.Forthisreason,GodbroughttheancientIsraelitesintothewildernessand,morespecificallytoMountSinaisothatHecouldgivethemHisLaw.AndaftergivingtheLaw,Godmadethemremaininthewildernessforayear.AllthisHedidsothattheywouldbemadereadytoenterandpossesstheinheritance,thelandofCanaan.

ItmightbeofinteresttoyouthattherootoftheHebrewwordforwildernessmeansorder,whiletherootoftheHebrewwordforcitymeanschaos.ThisthrowslighttothepurposeofGodfortheIsraelitesinthewilderness.ItwassothattheycouldlearnGodsorderforlivingbeforetheyenteredtheLand.

ButbecausethefirstgenerationofIsraelitesthatleftEgyptwerefullofunbeliefandrebellion,theyweredisqualifiedfromenteringandpossessingthePromisedLand.Instead,Godcausedthemtowanderinthewildernessforfortyyearsuntileveryoneofthemabovetheageoftwentyhaddied.ThegenerationthatroseuptotaketheirplacewereallowedtoentertopossesstheLand.

ThisshouldserveasalessonforusthatourpossessionoftheinheritancehingesonourfaithinandobediencetoGod.Itisnotautomatic,andweshouldnotpresumeittobeso.ItispossiblethatyouwillnotpossesstheinheritanceGodhaspreparedforyoubythetimeyoudie.

Possession


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ThesecondgenerationofIsraelitesthatgrewupinthewildernessenteredandpossessedtheinheritance,whichisthelandofCanaan.Whatisaninheritance?

Aninheritancebasicallyhasthesecharacteristics:

1.Itissomethingthatispassedonfromonegenerationtoanother.

2.Hence,itisnotownedbyanyonegeneration,butonlypossessed.

3.Eachgenerationhastheresponsibilityofaddingvaluetotheinheritance.

InthecaseoftheancientIsraelites,thelandwastheirinheritance.Theywereallowedtopossessitbutnotownit.ThelandisMine,saystheLord(Lev25:23).Assuch,theywerenotallowedtosellit.AndeachgenerationisresponsibletotakecareofthelandbykeepingthecommandmentsoftheLordsothatthenextgenerationwillhaveagoodinheritancetopossess.OneofthemostsignificantcommandmentsofGodtheIsraelitesweretoobeyregardingthelandwasthe

commandmenttogivethelandresteverysevenyears.Eventhis,theydidnotdo.Asaresult,thelandwastakenawayfromthemforseventyyears.

Thinkaboutthis:whatisityouhavetodaythatcanbeaninheritanceforyourchildren?Canthejobyoureholdingbeaninheritance?Canitbepassedon?

Onlyabusinessthatyouhavestartedandowncanbepassedontoyourchildrenasaninheritance.Andwhileyouarerunningit,youaretoadd-valuetoit.

Blessing

IftheIsraelitesweretokeepallofGodscommandments,theycouldbeassuredofGodsblessing.ListentowhatGodsaid:

AndifyoufaithfullyobeythevoiceoftheLORDyourGod,beingcarefultodoallhiscommandmentsthatIcommandyoutoday,theLORDyourGodwillsetyouhighaboveallthenationsoftheearth.Andalltheseblessingsshallcomeuponyouandovertakeyou,ifyouobeythevoiceoftheLORDyourGod.Blessedshallyoubeinthecity,andblessedshallyoubeinthefield.Blessedshallbethefruitofyourwombandthefruitofyourgroundandthefruitofyourcattle,theincreaseofyourherdsandtheyoungofyourflock.Blessed

shallbeyourbasketandyourkneadingbowl.Blessedshallyoubewhenyoucomein,andblessedshallyoubewhenyougoout.TheLORDwillcauseyourenemieswhoriseagainstyoutobedefeatedbeforeyou.Theyshallcomeoutagainstyouonewayandfleebeforeyousevenways.TheLORDwillcommandtheblessingonyouinyourbarnsandinallthatyouundertake.AndhewillblessyouinthelandthattheLORDyourGodisgivingyou.TheLORDwillestablishyouasapeopleholytohimself,ashehassworntoyou,ifyoukeepthecommandmentsoftheLORDyourGodandwalkinhisways.AndallthepeoplesoftheearthshallseethatyouarecalledbythenameoftheLORD,andtheyshallbeafraidofyou.AndtheLORDwillmakeyouaboundinprosperity,

inthefruitofyourwombandinthefruitofyourlivestockandinthefruitofyourground,withinthelandthattheLORDsworetoyourfatherstogiveyou.


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TheLORDwillopentoyouhisgoodtreasury,theheavens,togivetheraintoyourlandinitsseasonandtoblessalltheworkofyourhands.Andyoushalllendtomanynations,butyoushallnotborrow.AndtheLORDwillmakeyoutheheadandnotthetail,andyoushallonlygoupandnotdown,ifyouobeythecommandmentsoftheLORDyourGod,whichIcommandyoutoday,being

carefultodothem,andifyoudonotturnasidefromanyofthewordsthatIcommandyoutoday,totherighthandortotheleft,togoafterothergodstoservethem.(Deut28:1-14ESV)

Whentheyareblessed,theyinturnwillbecomeablessingtoallthenationsoftheearth.ThatwasGodsintentionfortheIsraelitesfromthestart,anditisHisintentionforyoutoo.

E.S.B.I

AftertheLordhadrevealedtomewhatIhavejustsharedwithyou,HealsobroughttomyattentionsomethingthatwaspopularizedbyRobertKiyosaki.PleasenotethatIamnotusingaworldlyteaching,likethatofKiyosaki,tosubstantiatetheScriptures.ButIamusingwhathesaystoillustratewhatGodisshowingusinHisWord.

InRobertKiyosakisCashflowQuadrant,apersonhasthepotentialofgoingfrombeinganEmployeetoSelf-employedtoBusinessOwnerandtoInvestor.(Seediagrambelow.)

ThiscorrespondstothefourphasesthatarefoundintheExodusstory.

WhilethefocusofKiyosakismodelismoney,itisnotGodsfocus.Godsfocusisourdestinyandtheblessingofthenations.ButhowcanGodspeoplefulfilltheirGod-givendestinyiftheyarestillenslaved?

Havingsaidthat,youwillexperienceachangeinyourcashflowasyougothroughthefourphases.Inthefirstphase,youwillexperienceLACK.Nomatter

howmuchyouearn(unlessyouareamillionaire)youalwayscoulddowithmoremoney.Fewcanbecontentwithwhattheyhave.Withtherateofinflation


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nowreadytodiscussthetermsofemploymentwithme.Andonthe12thofMay,IstartedworkhereinBMC.

Conclusion

ManyChristianshavenotenteredthePromisedlandandpossessedtheirinheritance,andmanymightneverdosobecauseofalackoffaith.WheneverIsharethiswithChristians,themostcommonreactionIgetisthis:ButIamnotcutoutforbusiness.Ifullyunderstandthiskindofresponse.Ithastodowiththewaywehavebeenbroughtupandthewayoursocietyhasconditionedourthinking.WeareseenbyourGovernmentasnothingmorethanaworkforce,andtheyhavenotfailedtoconstantlyremindusaboutit.OnlyinrecenttimeshastheGovernmentchangedtheirtuneslightly.Nowtheyareencouraging

entrepreneurship.ItisnotacoincidencethatthischangeindirectionbytheGovernmentcameataboutthesametimeaswhenIreceivedthisrevelationthatbusinessisourinheritance.

WhenIsaybusiness,Imeanboththefor-profitandnot-for-profittypesofbusiness.ThespecificbusinessGodhasinmindforyouwilldependonthegiftsandtalentsHehasendowedyouwith.Forme,sinceteachingismyability,mybusinessisateachingministry.

InJanuaryof2007,withacapitalofS$300IcreatedawebsitewhichIdesignedmyself.ItwasforateachingministrythatIwasstarting.Iwantedtodothis

becauseIfeltthatmygiftofteachingwasnotfullyutilized.TherewassomuchIwantedtosharewiththeBodyofChristatlargebutnoopportunitytodoso.So,insteadofdoingnothing,Idecidedtostartaweb-basedteachingministry.Ihaddoubtsastowhetherornotanyonewouldlogintoittolisten.Afterall,Iwasanobody.Withintwoyear,thewebsiteIcreatedwasreceivingbetween80to100thousandhitsamonth.WhenIcamebacktoSingaporein2008,IcontinuedthisministryonthewebandalsoconductedBiblestudieswithanyonewhowantedtoknowtheWordofGodbetter.Today,Istillhavetwogroupsmeetingweekly.

Godhasawonderfulplanforyourlife.AndthatwaswhatHewastryingtoconveytotheIsraelitesthroughMoses.

ReadExodus6:2-9

Hesaid,IwillbringyououtfromundertheburdensoftheEgyptians,Iwillrescueyoufromtheirbondage;Iwillredeemyouwithanoutstretchedarmandwithgreatjudgments;IwilltakeyouasMypeople,andIwillbeyourGod;IwillbringyouintothelandwhichIsworetogivetoAbraham,IsaacandJacob;AndIwillgiveittoyouasaheritage.ButthechildrenofIsraeldidnotheedMosesbecauseofanguishofspiritandcruelbondage.Inotherwords,theircircumstanceshadmadethemloseheartandlosefaith.

GoingbacktotheParableoftheTalents(notthatwehaveeverdepartedfromit),thetalentsrepresentfinancialresourcethattheLordwillgivetoHisservants.Thisresourcewillbethecapitalyouneedtostartthebusiness.Itmightbesmall


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atfirst.Butifyouarefaithfulinthelittlethings,youwillbeentrustedwithgreaterthings.

Whateveryoudo,justdonotbewickedandlazylikethethirdservant.Wecanunderstandwhythemastercalledthisservantlazybecausehedidnothing

withthetalententrustedtohim.Butwhatwarrantedthemastercallinghimwicked?

Itwasbecausetheservantwasfearful.Outoffear,hehidthetalentintheground.Anythingthatisnotoffaith,Paulsays,isSIN(Rom14:23).Thisservantwaswickedbecausehelackedfaith,whichwassin.Iurgeyounottobefearfulordoubtful,buttomoveinfaithandobediencetoallthatGodhadshownyouthroughHisWord.

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The Real Lesson Behind the Parable of the Talents 2