The effectiveness of a diligent servant is directly proportional to his or her willingness to work hard and utilize the time in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord. Jesus Christ said “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working” (John 5:17). Jesus never wasted a moment or opportunity, took a vacation, or simply “kicked back” as we would call it.
It is no accident that Jesus chose diligent, hard working fisherman over the modern equivalent of seminary graduates. Luke 5 records that Peter, James, and John had fished all night without rest or catching a single fish. Despite being tired they made the boat ready for Christ to preach from. Then, after their hard night’s work and day of ministry Jesus tells them to fish again! Without excuse or complaint they obeyed the Lord.
In the parable of the talents it is not the sin of commission that is condemned but the sin of omission. Jesus said “You wicked and lazy servant … take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents… And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:14-29). Harsh words!
We graduate high school at eighteen. Like the vapor that vanishes away we suddenly find ourselves at sixty-eight; and that assumes we will not be called to face the Lord of glory before then. Therefore, let us be diligent servants in the brief time we have been given to do so.
Calvary Chapel of Richmond is a local fellowship of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit through the continuous study and application of God's Word.
