Will you please turn to the Gospel according to Luke? Luke 12:48. We will read the second sentence in that verse.
And to whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more.
—Luke 12:48
I repeat: “And to whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more.”
Shall we pray?
Dear heavenly Father, our hearts are full of thanks and gratitude that Thou hast gathered us together unto Thy beloved Son. We do praise and thank Thee for Thy presence with us. Truly, we are standing on holy ground.
Lord, we do desire to remove our shoes and wait upon Thee, to hear what Thou hast to say to us. We do pray that by Thy Holy Spirit our ears will be open, our hearts will be open, that we may hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
We commit this time into Thy hands and trust Thee to accomplish the work that Thou hast ordained for this hour. And to Thee be the glory, in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.
My burden for this time is on this matter of spiritual responsibility.
I think we all like to hear about grace, but we do not like to hear very much about responsibility. Probably, we do not like to hear it at all.
Thank God that He is a God of all grace. Thank God that when our Lord Jesus came into this world, He was full of grace and truth. And thank God that of His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. All this is true.
But, brothers and sisters, does it ever enter into your mind that even though grace is freely given, and grace is for our enjoyment, yet in the very meaning of grace, as we find it in the Word of God, there is an element of responsibility?
In other words, this very word grace in the Bible has at least three meanings in it.
First, the One who gives grace is the gracious One. He is so beautiful. He is so gracious. And in Him there is such grace that draws from us our adoration.
Secondly, grace is not only that the One who gives grace is gracious, but He gives grace in such a gracious way: it is free, it is for all, and it is most gracious in the way grace is given.
Thirdly, in the very word grace there is the element that those who have received grace will be so transformed, so affected, so touched by grace, that they will give thanks to God. You know, the very words “thanks be unto God” in the original are “grace be unto God.”
So, from those who have received grace, there will be a response—a response in grace—not only giving thanks to God, but also being gracious to one another.
You will find, then, in the very meaning of grace an element of responsibility. After we have received the grace of God, we are expected to be gracious. We are expected to be responsible.
Then we will not misuse, abuse, or waste the grace of God. You remember the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:1. He says, “As fellow workers, we beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.”
In other words, when we receive the grace of God, it is freely given to us; yet after we receive it, we should not receive it in vain. There is something that has to come out of it.
We mentioned last night that God has called us according to His purpose. God has given us grace not just as something given to us without any purpose to it, and without requiring anything afterwards.
Actually, grace, even though it is freely given to us, is a commitment. When God gives grace to us, He has committed something to us; or we may say, He has committed Himself to us. Because He has so committed Himself to us, He does require that something will come out of us because of the grace that we have received.
Probably in this world there is no gift greater than the gift of life. God created the heavens and the earth and all things, yet, brothers and sisters, I think it is very evident that the greatest gift God has given to mankind is life.
God has given us life—physical life, animate life, soulish life. By this life we live. I think this is the greatest gift that God has given to mankind.
Without this life, we would not be able to enjoy all the things that God has created. Even though God does create all things for our enjoyment, if you have no life, you cannot enjoy these things.
That is the reason why Scripture says, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his life? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?” Life is a very precious gift of God.
With life there is enjoyment. But life is not just enjoyment. We find that with life there is also responsibility. As life begins to grow, responsibility begins to increase.
Now, it is true: when we are newly born, when we are babies, it seems that we have no responsibility whatsoever. All we have is enjoyment. As babies, we just enjoy, and our parents take all our responsibility.
But you cannot remain in babyhood all your life. That would be a tragedy, because as life grows, responsibility begins to come in with life. Life without responsibility is an aborted life.
You know, the problem with adolescence is that the consciousness of independence has arrived. You feel that you are an individual. You do not any longer rely upon others or attach yourself to others. You are an individual—independent.
But at the same time, you find that the sense of responsibility does not seem to grow in the same measure. In other words, you want to be independent, but you do not like to be responsible. That is the curse of adolescence: independence, but irresponsible.
That is also the conflict you find with adolescence. But thank God, sooner or later you grow out of that stage. As your life begins to grow a little further, you begin to realize that there are certain responsibilities you have to take care of.
As your life reaches manhood or womanhood—maturity—you find that responsibility is something that goes with life. It does not mean that because of this you do not enjoy any more. You still enjoy, and probably you are able to enjoy even more meaningfully. Yet with it, you find definite responsibility.
Now, if this is true in the natural world, how much more true it is in the spiritual world. Brothers and sisters, when we think of all the gifts of God, the greatest gift that God has given to us is spiritual life.
Aside from this physical life that God has given to us—and we need to thank God for that—I do not know whether you ever thank God for giving you this physical life. Probably, oftentimes we murmur and even blame God for giving us this life.
“Why does God bring us into this world? Why do we have this miserable life to live on this earth?” But, brothers and sisters, we need to see that even this physical life that God has given to us is a great gift.
Every morning when you wake up, you ought to thank God that you are still alive, that you are still able to enjoy what God has created. Life is the gift of God.
But thank God, He loves us so much that, added to that life—which sometimes is not very satisfying—He adds eternal life. That eternal life of God is the greatest gift that God has given to us.
This eternal life that God has given to us has lived upon this earth once upon a time. Not only is it the divine life, the life of God, the uncreated life, but this divine, uncreated life of God has once come into this world and lived on this earth in the Person of our Lord Jesus.
Notice what kind of life that is. It is a life incorruptible. It is a life indestructible. It is a life unfading. It is a life that is victorious and glorious, a life that is in tune with God the Father.
A beautiful life has lived upon this earth. Through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, He has given this precious life to those who believe. Thank God, we have received this beautiful life. We have received this eternal life.
With this life, we are able to commune with God. Because of this life, we are called the children of God, and we are truly His children—not just by name. By the new birth, we are born into the family of God and born into the kingdom of God.
By this life, we are able to live on this earth victoriously and gloriously, doing the will of God and pleasing Him. In other words, the greatest gift of God that He has given to man is His life, and this life is in His Son.
He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life.
—1 John 5:12
This life is none other than the Son Himself. So, brothers and sisters, we have this life in us. We have Christ in us—Christ in us, the hope of glory.
We thank God for this life. We enjoy this life. But, brothers and sisters, you find that this life has not only the aspect of tremendous enjoyment. I wonder, brothers and sisters, how much you enjoy the life of Christ in you.
If you live more by His life, you will appreciate that life and enjoy that life much more. The problem is that we do not live by this life, and that is the reason why we find we do not enjoy the life as much.
But this life that is in us has also the other aspect of responsibility.
Look at the life of our Lord Jesus while He was on earth. Even though He did not have much in material things, from the worldly standpoint our Lord Jesus in the flesh did not have much. He was born in a manger. He was brought up in Nazareth.
When He began to minister, you find that He did not even have a place to lay His head. Humanly speaking, we would think that He did not enjoy much of life on earth. Yet, if you read the four Gospels, you will find that His life was full of enjoyment.
Even though He did not have much in earthly things, He enjoyed His Father so much that He was able to enjoy all that His Father had created. We may walk through a field and not notice the lilies, yet our Lord Jesus enjoyed the lilies of the field, and He could see in the lilies the care of His heavenly Father.
We have birds flying around us, and we never think of them. But you find our Lord Jesus could see in these birds how the heavenly Father took care of them. He enjoyed all things in the Father.
Even though He was rejected, yet He lifted up His head and thanked the heavenly Father, for it was the good pleasure of the Father. Brothers and sisters, you find our Lord Jesus, in His life, enjoyed very much everything that the Father had given Him.
At the same time, you find that our Lord Jesus lived a very responsible life. Not only was He responsible to His family—to His mother—but, of course, we find how responsible He was to the heavenly Father.
Sometimes people say that the reason why our Lord Jesus did not come out to minister publicly until He was thirty was that probably Joseph died very early. He is not mentioned later. Humanly speaking, as the first son, He took responsibility for the family until all the other boys and girls were grown up. Then, at thirty, He was able to come out and minister.
Even when He was on the cross, He was still responsible for His mother, preparing a place for His mother. He lived a very responsible life.
When He was twelve years old, He had the consciousness that He was sent by God to do God’s will. You remember that He stayed back in the temple, occupied with the Father’s business. Throughout His life, He was doing the Father’s will—very responsible.
So, brothers and sisters, we thank God for the life that He has given to us, and this life is meant to grow.
It is true: when we are babes in Christ, there does not seem to be much responsibility upon us. We have other brothers and sisters, older than us in Christ, to take care of us. As babes in Christ, it seems that we are just enjoying being taken care of, and sometimes we find that we are a little bit naughty too.
But even so, in the church our brothers and sisters will tolerate us because we are still babes in Christ. When we are babes in Christ, there does not seem to be much responsibility.
But actually, even though we may still be babes in Christ, the training to be responsible should already start.
As we grow up, then you find that with the growth of our spiritual life there will come the growth of responsibility. More and more, we find ourselves responsible.
So you find in Luke 12:48: “To whom much has been given, much shall be required.” If little is given, little is required. It does not mean that if little is given, none is required.
If we have received the grace of God, if we have received the gift of spiritual life, then even with the little we have, at the beginning of our Christian life, there is a little responsibility there. But the more we grow in the Lord, the more is required of us.
I would like to share with you, brothers and sisters, especially two parables that our Lord Jesus used. One is found in Luke 19: the parable of the mina.
Perhaps we will read from Luke 19:11.
And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was immediately to appear.
He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
And he called ten servants of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said unto them, Trade ye herewith till I come.
But his citizens hated him, and sent an embassy after him, saying, We will not that this man reign over us.
And it came to pass, when he was come back again, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these servants, unto whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading.
And the first came before him, saying, Lord, thy pound hath made ten pounds more.
And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou wast found faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
And the second came, saying, Thy pound, Lord, hath made five pounds.
And he said unto him also, And be thou also over five cities.
And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I kept laid up in a napkin: for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
He saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow; then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming should have required it with interest?
And he said unto them that stood by, Take away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten pounds.
And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.
I say unto you, that unto every one that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him.
But these mine enemies, that would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
—Luke 19:11-27
You know, our Lord Jesus was approaching Jerusalem. This was His last approach to that city before His crucifixion. Strangely, people thought that our Lord was going into Jerusalem to claim His kingdom, to establish the kingdom of Israel.
Even His disciples had the same concept, because this was in the minds of all the Jewish people. In order to correct this concept, the Lord Jesus used a parable: the parable of a nobleman.
Of course, we know that this nobleman is none other than our Lord Jesus Himself. He is the nobleman. He is the only One who is noble; all the rest are mean.
This nobleman is going away to receive a kingdom. Our Lord, at that time, was preparing to go away from this earth by way of the cross. He was going away to the Father, to heaven. What did He go away for? To receive a kingdom—the kingdom of the heavens.
Before He goes away, He calls His own bondmen to Him. He has ten slaves. You see, bondmen are slaves—slaves for life, slaves forever. Ten is the number of responsibility.
So He calls His ten bondmen to Him and gives to each of them a mina. A mina is one-sixtieth of a talent. At that time, it was about three months’ wages.
This nobleman, out of his own property, gave to each a mina. This mina was not given to the bondmen that they might have it as their own possession. These minas belonged to the nobleman, and he gave them to the bondmen that they might trade with them.
In other words, it was a trust, a stewardship—not an ownership. The ownership belonged to the nobleman, but these bondmen became stewards. They were entrusted with the substance of the master, and they were asked to trade, to do business with the capital, to increase the capital for the master.
During his absence, that is what these ten bondservants were to be occupied with. They were to take these minas and do business with the capital so that the master would have increase. That was their trust.
Now, what does this mina represent? This mina represents the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. You remember Jude 3: “the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.”
It is the truth of God, as we find in the whole Bible. This is entrusted to the church, and we are to be faithful stewards of the truth of God. We must be true to the truth of God, and we must also impart truth to others. This is our responsibility.
When the Lord is away, we have a business to do. That business is to keep the truth, to walk by the truth, to live in the truth, and to testify for the truth.
Someone has said that in this parable we are told what we are saved for. Thank God, we are saved. But why are we saved? What are we saved for? We are saved to do business. We are saved to do the business of our Lord.
We have a real business to do. To make a living is not our real business. We have to make a living, that is true, but this is not the real business we are here for.
Our real business is to trade with the mina that our Lord has entrusted to us. What does that mina represent? It is the knowledge of the supreme grace of God.
In the Gospel, we find that God has given us such grace—abundant grace. The grace that God has given to us is a mina. It is given to us that we may trade with it.
Our real business in this world is to know the grace of God: to know more of the grace of God, to experience the grace of God, to experience more of His grace—grace upon grace—and then to share grace with others. This is our business.
This mina, on the one hand, is faith; on the other hand, it is grace. Actually, they are the same thing. It is what God has provided for us in Christ Jesus.
Grace is what God has given to us in Christ Jesus. Faith is what Christ has done for us, and grace is what is done in us. In other words, faith is the objective truth; grace is the subjective experience.
It is one and the same thing. The faith that we believe becomes the grace that we experience. What Christ has done for us has now become real experience in us.
This grace is capital. It is not just something for you to enjoy alone. There is much enjoyment in our faith. There is much enjoyment in the grace that we have received.
Without grace, we cannot live. The apostle Paul said, “By the grace of God I am what I am.” The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” If it were not for the sufficient grace of God, how could Paul stand the thorn in his flesh?
Wonderful, marvelous, amazing grace of God is given to us to experience, to know, to enjoy, and to live by. But remember: grace is not just for enjoyment. It is for us to be responsible to that grace. We have to do business with it.
We do business with grace, on the one hand, by allowing grace to work in us, so that more grace may become our experience. We are responsible to the grace that God has given us because we share it with others. The more you share, the more you receive. This is trading; this is doing business.
Strangely, you find that the nobleman gives to each bondman a mina. In other words, they are all equally given.
When we think of the grace of God, when we think of the faith once delivered to the saints, you find that it is equal. The faith delivered to the saints is for all of us. It does not mean that some people are given more and others are given less.
You find that the grace of God is open to all of us and is for all of us equally. What was given to Paul is not anything more than what is given to us. It is true that Paul seemed to receive more, but what God prepared for Paul, and what Christ has done for Paul, is the same as what Christ has done for each one of us.
You cannot say, “God gave that brother more grace; therefore, he is more spiritual.” You cannot say, “God gave that brother more faith; therefore, he knows more.” We have the same Bible. The reason why you do not have as much revelation is that something is wrong with you.
Grace is equally given. Everyone has the same thing. But the way you deal with grace, the way you trade with grace, the way you do business with grace, makes a lot of difference.
The one with one mina, when the Lord was absent, faithfully did business with that mina. He represented the nobleman while the nobleman was absent, and he faithfully did the job until it increased ten times. Another increased it five times.
You know, grace is something that can be increased. The more faithful you are with the grace that is in you, more grace will be given.
On the other hand, if you do not respond to the grace, if you let grace stay where it is—perhaps five years ago you were saved and received grace, but five years later today the grace you received and experienced remains the same as five years ago—something is wrong.
It should be increased. The only reason why it is not increased is that one servant took that mina and wrapped it up in a napkin.
You see, the napkin is something to wipe off sweat. If you are diligently doing business for the Lord with the grace that He has given you, you sweat. But this wicked servant wanted to receive grace, have all enjoyment, and have no responsibility. Therefore, he wrapped it up in that napkin. He had no use for the mina, so it remained one mina.
Now, dear brothers and sisters, do you know that responsibility is a test of love?
Here you find the difference between the one who earned ten times, the one who earned five times, and the one who remained at one. Those who diligently trade with the mina, with the grace of God, do it because they love.
When you think that even before the foundation of the world God chose you in Christ Jesus; when you think that God foreordained that you should be holy and without blame; when you think that in His eternal will He has sonship for you; when you think that even when you were in your mother’s womb He knew you and set you apart—
When you think that at a certain time He met you—perhaps on the road to Damascus—you were on the way to do something opposite to His will, but He arrested you and turned you around; when you think every day how He pours down His mercy and grace upon you, how He takes care of you, how He loves you—brothers and sisters, if you are constrained by love, how can you be lazy and irresponsible?
How you will be occupied with His business! Brothers and sisters, how much we are occupied with His business is a test of love.
Look at that wicked servant. He fears his master, but he does not love him. He does not understand or appreciate his master. In his mind, he thinks his master is harsh, unreasonable, wanting to reap where he has not sown. You know, it is not true. It cannot be true.
Brothers and sisters, are you afraid of the Lord, or do you love Him? That will determine how responsible you are.
If you really love Him, brothers and sisters, you do not need anybody to tell you to be responsible. You will be responsible. You want Him to be increased.
That is the very purpose of your life on earth. This is your business. This is your occupation. This is your priority. Everything can be sacrificed for this one thing: that the Lord may have this increase.
But, brothers and sisters, if all we have is fear, we are afraid. We know that one day there will be a day of reckoning, but we love our comfort and our ease. We do not want to pay any cost. We want to live our life for ourselves.
When that bondman wrapped that mina in a napkin, during this long period of the absence of the Lord, what do you think he was doing? If you are not doing the Lord’s business, you are doing some business. But what is it?
The very excuse he makes is his own condemnation. Our Lord Jesus is absent today. It is true that in the Spirit He is with us, but He is absent. Brothers and sisters, during the time of His absence, what are we occupied with?
It is very serious. It will not be long; He will come back. But when He comes back, He will call His bondmen to Him, and He wants to know how responsible you are to what He has given to you.
You find that the one who earned ten minas and the one who earned five minas received different rewards: authority over ten cities and authority over five cities. But that wicked servant will be disciplined.
So, brothers and sisters, this is grace. Grace is a trust. Be responsible to the grace that you have received.
Then there is another parable with which I think we are all familiar: Matthew 25, the parable of the talents.
Again, you find in Matthew 25:14-30 that a man is going away, and he has three bondmen. He gives his substance to these three bondmen: to one five talents, to another two, and to another one.
He gives the talents according to their ability. Now, there is a difference between these two parables. The parable of the minas speaks of the gift of life—grace—that is given to us. It is equal.
But here you find that a talent is given differently: to one five talents, to one two talents, and to one one talent, according to their ability.
Brothers and sisters, God created us differently. Not only are our physical features different, normally our temperaments are different; even our abilities are different.
Some people God has made with the ability to handle five talents. Some people are made to handle only two talents, and some people are made to handle only one talent. But you find that it is just variety, that is all.
God knows our ability, and He gives us a corresponding talent. Now, talent here represents spiritual gifts.
So far as spiritual life is concerned, grace is equally given to all. But so far as spiritual gifts are concerned, we are all given differently, according to the ability that God has ordained for each one of us. He has a work for each one of us to accomplish; therefore, He gives differently.
In 1 Corinthians 12, we find that in the body there are many different members, and the Holy Spirit gives gifts to each member according to His good pleasure. With the spiritual gifts we receive, we are able to function and fulfill our responsibility in the body of Christ.
So, brothers and sisters, we are all given gifts. No one can say that he has no gift. At least you have one gift. A spiritual gift is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in you, and He manifests Himself in gifts.
Everyone has a gift or gifts according to where He has put you in the body of Christ, according to the function that He has ordained for you to fulfill. So everyone is gifted. We hear somebody say, “I am not gifted.” Everybody is gifted.
Again, you find that we are to trade with what we are given. The one with five earned five more—he doubled it. The one with two earned two more—he doubled it. But the one with one, again, dug in the earth and buried it.
Why? Again, you find that it is a test of love. He does not love the master; he is afraid of him.
But when the Lord comes back, you find what happens. Now, I made a mistake when I spoke about the minas. In the minas, you find that the rewards are different. But in the talents, you find that the rewards are the same.
The one with five earned five more, and the one with two earned two more. They received the same reward: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” But the one with one received severe chastisement—discipline.
With the minas, the rewards are different. The one who earned ten more received ten cities; the one who earned five more received five cities. In other words, you can see that the increase of grace is so much more than the increase of gifts.
A gift can be doubled. Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12, said there is a measure, and that measure can be enlarged. If you are faithful to the gift God has given to you, more gifts will be given.
You can see this very clearly in Scripture. For instance, Stephen was first given the work of serving tables. But he was so faithful in serving tables that he became one whom the Lord greatly used, even with the Word of God.
So gifts can be doubled. But thank God, grace can be increased ten times.
Finally, there is another parable. Our Lord Jesus spoke it in connection with Matthew 24 and Matthew 25. In Matthew 24, speaking of the coming of the Lord, He said: “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season?”
When the Lord comes back, the Lord will entrust him with all His substance. But if that servant says in his heart, “My lord tarrieth,” and because of that begins to beat his fellow servants and eat and drink with the drunken, then at an unexpected time the Lord returns.
There you find that wicked servant will be severely chastened. We do not have time to go into this, but let us just see what that parable means.
Actually, the Lord is not talking about two servants. He is talking about one servant. But that one servant can be a good and faithful servant, or he can turn himself into a wicked servant.
Probably in the beginning he was a faithful and good servant. But when the Lord delayed, somehow it got into his mind that the Lord would not come very soon, so he could do what he wanted to do. He turned himself into a wicked servant.
Now, brothers and sisters, how often this happens with us. When we are first saved, probably our hearts are toward the Lord. We are waiting for His return, and because of that we are faithful in His house.
But as days go by and the Lord has not come, we say, “Well, He will not come this year, nor even next year.” Then we try to have a good time for ourselves, and, brothers and sisters, turn ourselves into wicked servants.
We are all God’s servants. We are responsible in the house of God. We are to see that there is plenty of food for the household.
And we know that food is none other than Christ. He is our food. What Christ has done in your life, what He is to you, is the food that you should offer to the house of God, so that in the house of God everybody will be well fed with Christ.
But, brothers and sisters, if you keep Christ within you just for yourself, sooner or later you will find that you begin to be at odds with your brothers and sisters. You will fight with them, and you will begin to be friends with the world.
The result is that, when the Lord comes, He will find you. So, brothers and sisters, this is what responsibility is. This is spiritual responsibility, and this is something that we need to be concerned with and occupied with during His absence.
Shall we pray?
Dear heavenly Father, we do praise and thank Thee that Thou hast given us so much, that we may be responsible and that we may make increase for the kingdom’s sake. Oh, how we praise and thank Thee for this noble will of God.
Yet, Lord, we do acknowledge that oftentimes we do not take it seriously. Lord, have mercy upon us. We pray that this matter of spiritual responsibility will become something that is really imprinted upon our hearts.
That hereafter we will be responsible to Thee. Lord, that when we shall see Thee, we will not be ashamed. In the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.