After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.“Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and settled accounts with them.After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them.
5 sermons cite this verse
… Let's look at verse 19 in the Gospel of Matthew. Now, after a long time, the master of those servants came and did what? He settled accounts with them. What did you do with what I gave you? Now, some of you theological alarm bells are going off in your head right now because this does not feel consistent with the gospel that you know. doesn't scripture say that I am saved by grace through faith and not a result of works so that I couldn't boast? You are absolutely right. It does. Doesn't God's word say that the judgment and our shame was placed on Jesus on our behalf? It absolutely does. And yet you will give an account. There are two judgments talked about in scripture. The first, we call it the great white throne judgment. And this is where the father, where every person will stand before the father and he will separate those of us that put our faith in Jesus and chose to live our lives following him. And then he separates those who didn't put their faith in Jesus and chose to live their lives rejecting him. This is not that judgment. This judgment, the Greek word, in fact, is called the bama seat of Christ. And the apostle Paul describes it in Romans chapter 14. He says, remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the scriptures say, as surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bend to me. Every tongue will declare allegiance to God. …
… And if you're in here, I want you to go back and study. But in Matthew 25, verse 14 through 30, this whole story was about three different people who who the grace of God gave one of them five, one of them, two and one of them, one. And he didn't matter. It didn't matter about the amounts. He just wanted them to do something with what they had been given. So in this series, this whole thing about us being the blessed people that God wants us to be. I really started to look at this scripture because verse 29 really struck me. And I want to go there real quick as we end last week's service today. And I'm going to start a new message today, too. But I want you to see this real quick. Matthew 25, verse 29. It says, those who use well. Everybody say use well. Those who use well what they are given Even more will be given And I said man god what if we could have nobody have an excuse? …
… worry about that one. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money. After a long time, the masters of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought out other five. Master, he said, you trusted me with five bags of gold. See, I gave five more. Verse 21, it says, his master replied, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness. Verse 22, I'm reading slow because I need y'all to get every single word. The man with two bags of gold also came. Master, he said, you entrusted me with two bags of gold, See, and I have gained two more. His master replied, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness. Then the man who had received one bag of gold, So, master, he said, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seeds. …
… listen in and hear what the Savior can teach us about the shape of ambition in his kingdom. Matthew chapter 25, verses 14 through 30. Jesus said, For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now, after a long time, the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents. Here I have made five talents more. His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. …
… He said this is what the kingdom of heaven's like. And after a long time, after a long time, the master, he says, of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. And the servants who went to work, the servants who understood their master's intent when he loaned them or gave them a portion of his wealth to invest, the servants who understood the master's intent got busy investing what he had entrusted to them. And when the master returned to settle accounts, they had something to show for it. And they were celebrated, not for their faith, they were celebrated for their diligence in multiplying what the master had left them with. Now, initially, these parables, the meaning of these parables were completely lost on the disciples as well. You can read it for yourself in the gospels. Jesus tells a parable, drops the mic, walks away, and they're like, we'll be back. Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. nobody knows what you're talking about. I mean, didn't he, every once in a while, he would interpret one, but most of the time, he just drops these things. …