Risking Everything for the Lord

Jeff Curtis

A lot of what Jesus taught was startling, even shocking, to those who first heard what He had to teach. Such was the case with the parable of the talents.

Jesus spoke this parable to teach His disciples that they were to stay busy while they waited for His return. It was recorded through the guidance of the Holy Spirit because, along with the apostles, all followers of the Lord need to be reminded of this. Matthew wrote his Gospel account 30 years or so after the church was established. Exciting things were still happening. Paul was probably making his final journeys after his release from prison, ad other Christians were spreading the gospel. But enough time had to produce a second generation of Christians. Probably some congregations had lost their initial zeal and had settled into a comfortable week to week existence (notice Rev. 3:15). This parable of the talents was intended as a wake-up call for the first century Christians. Such a message is still needed for Christians today.

How do we feel about taking risks? Most of us probably prefer to eliminate risks from our everyday lives. We like, as much as possible, to have a risk-free existence. That being the case, the idea of taking risks for the Lord may not be appealing to some. Nevertheless, this parable teaches that we should do just that to please our Master.

The parable begins with the master giving his servants responsibilities that involved a major risk. Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is “like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own servants…” (Matt.25:14). The word used is a plural form of the Greek word for slave. These were “his own slaves”: He owned them; they belonged to him.

To receive maximum impact from this parable, we need to see ourselves as God’s slaves, as those who belong to Him. Paul wrote, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own” For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body” (1Cor. 6:19-10). We were purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28), redeemed (“bought back”) by that blood (1Peter 1:18-19). “When one comes forth from the liquid grave of baptism, he enters into a fellowship over the threshold of which is clearly inscribed, ‘You are not your own. You have been bought with a price.’” (The Characteristics of a Good Steward,” The Preacher’s Periodical (July 1983).

The master gave to “each according to his own ability” (Matt.25:15). No one was given more than they could handle, and no one was given less than he was capable of managing. Everyone received something.

As recipients of God’s gifts, we should understand that those gifts include a challenge. God says to us, in effect, “As those who belong to Me, you are to use these in My service. I am entrusting them to you for a short while. In the meantime, you are to use them to benefit MY cause.” When the Master bestows a gift, a responsibility is attached.

Using what God gives – abilities, time, possessions, and opportunities – involves taking risks. The risk of making a mistake, the risk of being criticized, even the risk of failure.

“Help My Unbelief”

By Jeff Curtis

Many in the Bible struggled in their walk with Gd. We may be able to identify with some of these individuals. Elijah became discouraged (1Kings 19:10). Jeremiah wept and felt that his work had been fruitless (Jeremiah 9:1; 13:17). Peter often spoke before he thought (Luke 9:33). We can share in the plea of the father who said to Jesus, “I… believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). When the man asked the Lord to heal his son, Jesus replied, “All things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). That is when the man cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

No topic is more central to Christianity than faith – and no need is more critical than the strengthening of faith. Paul wrote; “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17).

The NIV has “a righteousness that is by faith from the first to the last.” The New Century Version says that God’s righteousness “begins and ends with faith.”

“Without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Heb.11:6). “By grace” we are “saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8).  We walk the Christian pathway “by faith, not by sight” (2Cor. 5:7). Faith is the shield that protects us from the devil (Eph. 6:16). Faith “is the victory that has overcome the world” (1John 5:4). The ultimate “outcome” of faith will be “the salvation” of our souls (1Peter 1:9).

As we consider the importance of faith, we also, may be tempted to cry, “We believe; help our unbelief!” In a study of the man who first made that request, we should consider the factors that weaken faith. Above all, we want to learn how faith can be made strong.

At the beginning of the story, Jesus, Peter, James and John had just come down from the Mount of Transfiguration, from the mountaintop pf peace to the valley of conflict. This is life, and that is how God has willed it. Like Peter, we may prefer to dwell on the mountaintop with the Lord (Matt.17:4), but life has to be lived where the people – and the problems – are.

When Christ and His group of disciples reached the place where they had left the other nine, “they saw… some scribes arguing with them” (Mark 9:14). The scribes were probably challenging Jesus’ credentials and the legitimacy of His ministry. Watching the debate was a crowd of curious people, the kind sightseers that might strain to see a car crash or other disaster today.

Jesus was disturbed by the scene, the bothersome crowd, the arguing scribes, the baffled disciples and the confused father.

Jesus responded to the father’s request, not “according to the poverty of… man’s faith, but according to the riches of His grace” (Eph.1:7). He said to the father, “Bring your son here” (Luke 9:41; Matt.17:17; Mark 9:19).

Jesus turned to the boy and “rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again’” (Mark9:25). This verse says that Jesus did this “when He saw the crowd rapidly gathering.” This might indicate that He had taken the man and the boy to the side to avoid any undue publicity.

The demon didn’t leave quietly. He cried out and threw the young man “into terrible convulsions” (Mark 9:26). R. Alan Cole called this display “the important rage of a defeated enemy.” Finally, the reluctant demon “came out” (Mark 9:26). The added command “do not enter him again” must have been a comfort to the father. The tragedy would not be repeated.

Men had failed, but Jesus had not.