Notice, he's not thinking about a test, and failing a test. He's basically just disqualifying himself, as day and day go by, and there's no service. Essentially his ‘wickedness’ is just the failure to be a good steward.
In both parables, the Lord scolds him: at least you could have given what you have to someone else and got Me interest. What He's saying is: what I've entrusted to you, is with the expectation that it will produce fruit.
How did Jesus describe the other two servants? Well done, good and faithful servants; and ‘well done’ is because they did well, so it's not just a matter of being a worshipper. We need to actually apply our life to serving the Lord in the assignments He's given us as well.
They remained diligent and engaged. Throughout the appointed season of their lifetime, they were faithful, and productive, and that's really our life testimony, because we saw these eternal riches to be gained. We saw the message of the kingdom and understood what is at stake. We made this our life scripture:
Matthew 6:33 – “Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all the things will be added to you that you need”.
We've gone through hard times, good times, and challenging times. There are many different times we've gone through, but in all those times, God is watching: how did you handle yourself? How did you treat people? How did you deal with what was given to you? Were you fruitful? Were you productive? Were you faithful, in the midst of all of that?
Now, I'm 74, and my wife Joy is the same age. We're at the season of our life now, where a large portion of our life, 50 years, has gone by serving the Lord; and we've got a portion left, so all those years mean it’s much more important to remain faithful and true, and not just say well, I've done my dash, I should quit now. You understand? That's what keeps you with passion, and fire - because you understand the truth of this story here.
We must be clear in it then, that it's not the possession of your talents that determines the reward - it's just what you do with them. What did you do, with what you had? Many people look and say: I've got nothing. Well, you've got a home. Why don't you bring people into your home? Can you cook? Make someone a meal? There are no limits to what we can do.
This is the point I'm trying to make - all three servants are believers; and the difference between the two who were rewarded, and the one that was not, was all about their stewardship. Every one of us is going to face an accountability to God, according to what we have done. We can receive reward, or we can suffer loss, just like they did.
Here's the bottom line... It's not a parable for the unsaved! It's a parable for those who've received Christ, to be engaged in serving. If we act and live like the servants, the ‘one’ servant, or the ‘third’ servant, we will experience what he experienced.
I want to get to the point of what it means - what faithfulness looks like; but if I just touch on then, the reward and the loss. There may be some people watching or listening to this message that weren't in any of the other messages, so essentially the reward is ruling with Christ in His coming kingdom.
In the Parable of the Talents, they're all given a different amount, according to different capacity; and the outcome is that they enter into the joy. They celebrate with the Master. They partner with Him. They enter His joy at their success, and they will be put ruler over many things, because they've been faithful, they produced, they increased, and they were commended. They're invited to enter and experience their Master's joy, and they're both given responsibility and authority, in establishing His kingdom.
In the Parable of the Minas, they're given different amounts, but the same opportunity. The one who is rewarded more, is the one who did more with what he had.
Greater diligence and fruitfulness meant greater rewards.
Equal diligence and faithfulness meant equal rewards.