Preschool
For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29
The Believer’s Duty
Memory Verses
Primary
For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29
Junior
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Hebrews 12:28
Background Scripture: Matthew 25
Lesson Scripture: Matthew 25:14–30
Introduction
We all are familiar in some way with the duties of life. Even children have small duties. Reasonable and God-fearing parents will give their children duties commensurate with their age and ability. Our heavenly Father gives duties to His children according to their abilities. These are our reasonable service (Rom. 12:1).
In seeking inspiration to discharge our duties, we should remember our Savior’s joy as He lovingly gave Himself for our salvation. This is expressed in Hebrews 12:1–2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Key Verse
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men (1 Cor. 7:23).
Lesson Scripture
Matthew 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Studying the Lesson
Jesus told the account of a father who had two sons. He instructed each of them, “Son, go work to day in my vineyard” (Matt. 21:28–32). One son initially refused the call of duty but, after some thought, he repented, caught the joy of service, and went to work. The other son, although apparently willing, did not have the proper understanding of the duty required, and he neglected to go.
The New Testament uses the same word for a unit of money as for the gift one has been given to use profitably in the father’s vineyard. Whether money or gifts to use in service, how we exercise that which is given to us depends largely on how we view the God who gave it. If we see the Lord as a harsh, demanding, and exacting master, requiring perfection of us, we will likely bury our talent and bear no fruit. If we see God as a loving Father who pities us and has given us much more than we deserve, we will seek, with love and appreciation, to serve Him in whatever capacity or opportunity He gives us. If we feel that our gifts are the product of good upbringing and belong to us, we will not respond favorably to the request, “Son, go work today in my vineyard.”
The lesson verses give the responses of those servants who were given talents. The first two cheerfully went to work, and God blessed their efforts. When their lord returned, they received him with joy and gave a good accounting of their efforts. Their faithfulness brought joy to their master and a blessing to them as well. Their trust in their lord’s goodness and generosity sustained them through the time while they worked and waited for his return. The third servant followed his selfish, rebellious nature and became an unprofitable servant. God takes no delight in someone who shirks his duty.
Practical Truths for Today
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11:28–29). The Lord lovingly calls us to come to Him with our burden of sin to find forgiveness and rest. We are those who have heard the call to come. We have received forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and have given our hearts to the Lord. We have been given the gift of life, a lively hope of salvation, and an infilling of the Holy Ghost. These are gifts given to us from the Lord, and it is our responsibility to be faithful stewards of them. Our attitude toward the One who has given us these gifts bears heavily on how well we discharge our duty.
Jesus invited His disciples (some of whom were fishermen) to follow Him and become fishers of men (Matt. 4:19). With their experience as fishermen, they knew much about placing nets and about angling with the proper technique, lure, and bait; but becoming fishers of men would take more than natural ability and experience to be successful. It would require the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
After Pentecost, the disciples received talents from the Lord for the work He wanted them to do. They carried in their hearts the death and resurrection of their Savior. They had caught the joys of salvation from Him and, in spite of much temptation, difficulty, and persecution, they were willing workers. They allowed the Lord to place His yoke upon them. Being equally yoked with their fellow believers, they plowed up the fallow ground, planted the seed, and God gave a bountiful harvest. The disciples learned that if they followed the Lord’s direction, they were successful.
Maybe we have been given a smile to encourage others. With an overflowing cup of the joys of salvation, it is not a burden to give an encouraging smile to the people we meet. But it is hard to smile if our attitude toward the Lord has been darkened by negativity. Some who work in service industries may smile during their workday, but that smile is buried in the earth when they return home to those who really depend on their smile and goodwill. The Christian secretary or counterperson may greet many people during the day. Then someone enters who is hard to please, unkempt, or gloomy. Is it hard to give a friendly greeting with a smile and ask “How may I help you?”
The apostle Paul encourages us to make melody in our hearts (Eph. 5:19), and some people have a nice gift for singing. The ministry of song is a real blessing when done with humility, joy, and a heartfelt desire to promote the gospel. Others have taken their talents to the world, seeking acclaim and popularity. They will be found on the day of reckoning to have buried their talent in the earth, never to have brought an increase for the Lord.
Let us consider the lesson the Lord taught about the servant who was given only one talent. He looked around and began to ascribe to his lord the evil qualities he observed in the ungodly world around him. With this view of His lord, he became angry and discouraged. Even that one talent became burdensome, and he buried it in the earth. Possibly he doubted that his lord would ever return.
Those who have one talent should be thankful and, whether or not it seems small in comparison with the talents of others, it is still the Lord’s talent. The Lord will return, and the great day of the wrath of the Lamb will be a very hard day for those who have blamed their Lord unjustly for giving them only one talent (Rev. 6:16–17). Let us heed the scripture that teaches that those who compare themselves among themselves are not wise (2 Cor. 10:12). We dare not be ungrateful, because not only will the cost be too great in the end, but life will be drudgery. Jesus spoke of this unfaithful one as being wicked and slothful, and that He would cast him into the lake of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Illustration
A young man had been disrespectful when working with his family, especially with his father. After he became a Christian, his family thanked the Lord for a welcome change in his attitude. The young man was growing and learning to follow the Holy Spirit. One day his father gave him a task that caused him a struggle. The task was to be done without pay as part of his obligation to the family. The young lad went grudgingly to the task, struggling with thoughts that his dad could at least compensate him something for his work, reflecting on all the things he had to do without pay.
His father owned a small service business, and suddenly the son discovered some old advertising brochures his father handed out earlier when he was soliciting more business. Just then the Holy Spirit drew near, showing him how hard his father worked to make ends meet and the joy it would bring his father if he would do his work willingly. Yielding to the Holy Spirit, the lad turned to his work with warm thanksgiving and joy in his heart—his work no longer seemed to be just a duty.
We can learn from this account of a young, growing Christian. We all are never far from needing the Holy Spirit to inspire us with joy in serving our Master. The Father has work for us to do. No temporal pay is offered, and it may even cost us something to do our duty to help make the spiritual family unit work. When we enter into the work of our Father with appreciation for all He has done for us, it will warm our hearts and give us joy to fulfill the duties of His kingdom.
Questions
- Think, discuss. When something is imposed on us that we resent, it becomes a duty to us. Does commitment to our duty help us to be faithful even when we do not feel like it?
- What is our responsibility when we see a brother or sister shirk that which we believe is their duty?
- We all know that love and forgiveness are pleasant to the soul. Is it a duty to love and to forgive others?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).