January 1927
30
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
International Lesson Commentary
Heart of the Lesson—K.L.B. DevotionalfiSelected Writers Little Folk—Mabel L. Merrill
P ith and P oint A Christian is a spiritual tradesman. Use or lose. Those who do not use their God-given talents for Him are guilty of embezzling trust funds. Talent is that which is within a man’s power. W. D.—“Well done”—grandest degree in the universe. Whom the Lord employs He empowers. Even a Timothy had to be told to dig up his gift (2 Tim. 1:6). Work well done is rewarded by more and greater work. S uggestive Q uestions What do the talents represent? Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4, 8, 11, 28; Eph. 4:8-11. How do we “trade” with talents? 1 Cor. 15:10; 1 Tim.' 6:17, 18; 2 Pet. 1:5-10; 1 Cor. 14:12. 'When will the “reckoning” take place? Mt. 16:27; 1 Cor. 4 :5; 2 Cor. 5 :10. • Will believers appear to be judged as to salvation 6r rewards? Jn. 5:24; Rom. 8:1; cp. 1 Cor. 3:13-15. Who are the talent-hiders ? Prov. 26:15. Talent-investors? 1 Pet. 4:10. Wr G olden T ext I llustration “Well done, thou good and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful over a few tilings, 1 will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” M itt. 25:21. There is a legend that the emperor Justinian built the Byzantine Church with a view to his own glory. On the dedication day, he looked in vain for his name on the memorial stone. Instead, an angel’s hand had obliterated his name and substituted “Euphrasia,” a poor widow living near, who' had -strewn straw in the path of the beasts that drew the heavy trucks. Her motive was so pure that she received credit for the whole. Justinian’s motive was so selfish that his gift was ignored. Let us therefore learn that it is quality not quantity which appeals to God (1 Cor. 3 :13). The reward will not be based so much upon the greatness of the investment as upon the graciousness of it.
FEBRUARY 6, 1927 CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP MATT. 25:14-30
servants by doing what they can. He asks no more. It’s goodness and faithfulness He re quires—not greatness and success. The reward of this faithful investing of ourselves for Him will be not an eternity o f rest but an eternity of enlarged activi ties. There shall be new spheres of action beyond all our dreams, if we have “turned many to righteousness” here, and served Him faithfully. “Enter into joy.” In this life the joy of . the Lord enters into the heart as the earnest of the Spirit. In the-next life, we shall enter into joy, as the very element in which we shall serve Him to all eternity. There, as here, our joy will be in WORK. The two-talent man now comes (v. 22). He gets the same commendation as the mail with five. He was faithful with what had been committed to him. He rewards not simply actions, but graces made visible in actions. These can be seen by Him in the smallest as well as the greatest deeds. Now for the one-talent man (v. 24). Strange that an example should be made of him! He is pronounced the worst de faulter of all. Some think so little has been committed to them, it matters not whether they do anything. You who are entrusted with the least number of talents—LOOK OUT! We are accountable for the least advan tages as well as the greatest! Those who seem not so gifted as others are exposed to a peculiar temptation of saying: “So little can I do, I will not try to do anything.” How could Christ more forcibly impress us with our accountability for one talent than to make an example of this man who was full of excuses for his failure to use the little he had? “Thou art a hard man.” His talk almost ' brands him as a man who was not really born of God. “False notions of God lie at the bottom of careless, frightened and unsuccessful service,” says Dr. Torrey.' “Wicked and slothful,” not “good and faithful” (v. 26). It will be a poor excuse at the Judgment Seat to say that we had but one talent. “Every one that hath shall be given” (v. 29). In plain words—the disuse of a faculty will lead to its entire loss. The due use of it will lead to its develop ment and increase. Conclusion: The virgins (vs. 1-13) erred through overconfidence. The one- talent man erred through under-confidence. Some count it an easy thing to be a Christian. Some think it too hard.
Key thought of the first section of this chapter (vs. 1-13)—“W A T C H .” Key thought of vs. 14-30—“WORK.” The Virgin’s Parable teaches the possi bility of Christ’s com ing any time, and hence the necessity of constant readiness oh the believer’s p a r t , “lest coming suddenly He find us sleeping” (Mk. 14:36). We are to “live soberly, right eously, godly, looking for the blessed hope” (Tit. 2:13). But not only are we to .be as virgins, watching; we are to be as SERVANTS WORKING. Some have said that belief in Christ’s coming “cuts the nerve of Christian activity.” They picture those who hold this hope as men who fold their hands and wait. This lesson shows us, however, that thip hope affects not only the inner spiritual life but the external activity. Christians are here represented as spiritual investors, link ing their small abilities with the larger abilities of others, thus working more effectively for the advancement of His Kingdom in view of His imminent coming. This is a parable of the Absent Master— Christ, (v. 14.) All of His followers do not have the same ability, but all serve the same Lord, and all are individually responsible to do . what He has given them power to do. He does not empower all alike. Variety is characteristic of His method (v. 15). Each one is to do his own task, not another’s. “To every man his work.” The five-talent man “traded” (“did busi ness with”). The busy people are the happy ones, Work for Christ is the salt of life (v. 16). A man of one talent—yet one talent is, enough—to do something with. Why should a man go and bury it? (v. 18). Despise not small things. You may count the apples on a tree, but you can’t count the trees in an apple. The clock that won’t strike one is not likely to strike twelve. The fellow who wants to do a great deal at once will probably not do anything in the end. “After a long time”(v. 19)—Here’s a hint that Christ’s coming might be deferred for some time. Though He seems to wait long, He will surely come and “reckon.” Our privileges in heaven will certainly be in proportion to our service for Him on earth. “Well done” (v. 21). This is a “degree” that can be won by the weakest of His
DEVOTIONAL COMMENT B y W illiam H. P ike
February 6, 1927 Scripture: 2 Cor. 9:6-11
The• Practice of Christian Stewardship Did you ever stop to think that every thing and everyone in the universe gives? It is a law written by the Creator upon His creation. Every animal contributes
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