|
|
The Least is the Greatest
by
Mark Baker
Lk:22:24. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should
be accounted the greatest.
Mk:9:34. But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed
among themselves, who should be the greatest.
The disciples were always arguing over who should be called the
greatest among them, but God sees things from a different perspective. Not
necessarily the way we see ourselves.
My question is what does God call great?
I would like to start off by examining the parable of the talents.
Matthew 25:14-30. For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to
a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to
them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another
one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a
journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with
them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received
two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in
the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those
servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received
five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, Lord, you
delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides
them. His lord said to him, 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. He also who had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I
have gained two more talents besides them. His lord said to him, Well
done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things,
I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your
lord. Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew
you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering
where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid
your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours. But his
lord answered and said to him, You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that
I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered
seed. Therefore you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and
at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore
take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For
to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken aw
ay. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There
will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
We have each talents and abilities given by God. Yet it is up to us
to do something with those talents and abilities. You will notice in
this parable that the lord did not tell the servants what to do with the
talents that he gave them, but he gave them according to their own
ability. They were equipped to deal with what they had been given. He did
not give them more than what the were equipped to handle, so it is the
same with our Heavenly Father. He’s not asking us to do more than we
have been given the grace or calling to handle. You will also notice that
the servants were held accountable with what they had been given. This
is a lesson to us. God has given us each abilities, so that we can be a
blessing to others. The more we do with what we have, the more
responsibility we will be given. The servants who did something productive with
what they had been given were given more, and the servant who did
nothing with what he had been given, had what he had been given taken!
away. Jesus called the productive servants good and faithful. He
called the unprofitable servant, you wicked and lazy servant. That hardly
sounds like a compliment. The unprofitable, wicked and lazy servant was
cast into the outer darkness. I am not trying to create fear, or bring
condemnation on anybody, but I want to encourage people to find their
God given purpose here on this earth and begin to be profitable with
what they have been given. We have been called to do good works before the
foundation of the world, God equipped us and preordained for us to walk
in these works and to bear fruit.
Ephesians 2:10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in
them.
Open your hand and look in it. What do you have. What has God given
you. I can assure you, it is within your ability do so something with what
you have been given. I want to encourage you to find your calling and
step into it, if you have not already done so. If you do know your
abilities and calling, then I would like to encourage you to begin to do
something with them. What ever your gifts are, begin to use them to bless
others. You might say I’m not a preacher or a teacher. You don’t have
to be a preacher or a teacher if that’s not what God called you to be.
Maybe He’s called you in the area of helps to help others who do have
teaching or preaching ministries. The pastor can’t do it all alone, and
He or she is not suppose to do it alone. There are many areas within
the body of Christ where people can be a blessing and a help. It takes
all of us working together to fulfill the calling of God as a body, but
it starts with us individually using the talents God has given to
us. Those who don’t use their gifts truly affect the whole body, not
just themselves. We have to start looking at the whole picture and see
what God is trying to accomplish through us collectively, but it starts
with us individually. It is up to us to find out how to best be
effective with what we have each been given.
Ephesians 4:16. by whom the whole Body is fitted and joined together,
every joint adding its own strength, for each individual part to work
according to its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up
in love.
That’s the way it works, your individual gifts and talents are
important. You as an individual have to function properly if the whole body is
to be strong. I can’t tell you what your calling is but I can encourage
you to seek it for yourself. If you aren't fulfilling your role then
somebody else is going to have to fill in, in your place. If that
somebody else doesn’t do it, then it won’t get done. We have a responsibility
to the rest of the body of Christ to use our talents and gifts for the
edification of the whole body.
We also must realize that there are eternal consequences involved. It
not only effects us but our actions can have lasting effects toward
others as well. If we don’t walk in the good works that God has called us
to walk in then, we won’t have the rewards that God wants to give us.
That’s a pretty serious thing to think about isn’t it.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures
on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and
steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth
nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For
where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
There is a treasure waiting for the obedient. However, we shouldn’t
have the attitude that we are trying to earn something, or that we are
trying to get something from God, but we should keep a good attitude and
pure motives. There is much said in the New Testament about our rewards,
and the consequences both good and bad for our actions.
Luke 6:35. "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for
nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of
the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
Luke 12:42-48. And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise
steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give
them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his
master will find so doing when he comes.
Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
But if that servant says in his heart, My master is delaying his coming,
and begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and
drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he
is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware; and will
cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And
that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do
according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who
did not know, yet committed things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten
with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be
required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
We have God's Word to tell us God's will, and we have the Holy Spirit
to lead us and guide us into all truth. It sounds to me like we have
been given a mandate to prepare ourselves to do the masters will. It is
always in our best interest when we obey the Lord. There are consequences
for our disobedience, as also there are rewards for our obedience. This
is not to say that our salvation is earned, but that rewards are given
for our faithfulness. Blessings are always a result of obedience. God
wants to bless us so that we can in turn bless others. You will find
the more you begin to reach out and bless others the more you will be
blessed. There is a spiritual law of sowing and reaping here, that we
begin to walk in when we are giving of ourselves. This is not just money,
but what ever talent or ability God has placed in your hand. This is
truly the heart of the Father, for us to sow life into others. God gave
the greatest gift, His only begotten son. If it wasn’t for the mercy
and grace of God we would all be lost. Just about everybody knows
John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave… This is what love
does, it gives. God expects no less from us. This is the greatest
example there is! Let us be diligent in the things God has called us to do
and reap the rewards for it, not only later but in this life as well.
1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is
profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of
that which is to come.
1 Corinthians 3:8. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and
each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
It’s never too late to fulfill what God placed into your heart. The
gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Stand up and begin to
walk into God's purpose for your life.
The greatest is the one who takes what God has given him and uses it to
build up others.
The greatest will be the servant of all. Jesus is our example, He
washed his disciples feet. Being a servant is an attitude we all should
have. This is truly what God has called us all to be; the greatest.
Mark 10:28-31. Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all
and followed You.''
So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one
who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or
children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, "who shall not receive
a hundredfold now in this time houses and brothers and sisters and
mothers and children and lands, with persecutions and in the age to come,
eternal life. "But many who are first will be last, and the last
first.''
About the Author:
Article by Mark Baker. Mark is the webmaster of The Olive
Branch, http://www.olivebranchministries.us, a site dedicated to
helping others come into a deeper understanding of who they are in Christ.
Please visit his site for more free studies and resources to help you on
your journey.
|
|
Management