Reading through the Gospels #174

12/17/25

(Matthew 25:21 ESV) His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

(Matthew 25:23 ESV) His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

I am studying today two verses that contain the word JOY in the same Bible story, the Parable of the Talents, however, the verses are identical!

Whenever God's Word repeats, a flag goes up alerting me to pay attention as if God really wants me to know what He is saying to me.

These words are an invitation to the first and second servant in Jesus's story, and also an invitation to me.

Jesus tells a story about a master who goes away on a journey, entrusting three servants with different talents (aka money, aka skills, aka opportunities, aka resources, aka gifts). Guy One receives 5 talents, Guy Two receives 2 talents, and Guy Three receives 1 talent.

Guy One and Guy Two invest their talents and double what was given to them. Guy Three buries his talent in the ground out of fear and it does not grow.

When the master returns, he praises and rewards the first two servants with the verses of this study, but the third servant he rebukes. The main message of the story is about being faithful stewards of the gifts that God gives us (aka taking care of God's creation entrusted to us), but for this writing, we focus on the word JOY.

Thinking personally, my Master is God, and I am His servant, and I can hear Him saying these words to me too! If God said to me, "Well done, good and faithful servant," I would well up in satisfaction and pride. I can feel my facial expression changing, wanting to be humble and not acknowledge a job well done, but pressing my lips hard together in an attempt to hold back a big smile, with my eyes smiling with uncontainable JOY anyway. My chin would lower while my eyes would look up to the Master to acknowledge His praise.

There is JOY in my heart for having done what I was supposed to do and for doing it well, and for the acknowledgment and affirmation received from the One who matters the most.

This has to be the same feeling the servants in the parable felt.

My Master, God, continues, "You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much." Oh, a reward for my job well done! Because I did it well, God is going to give me even more to care for! God trusts me enough to take care of His creation! I feel JOY because God trusts me so much! Now that is a JOY of validation! I sure can feel that in my heart!

This has to be the same feeling the servants in the parable felt.

My Master, God, continues, "Enter into the JOY of your master." Oh, an invitation to come on in and enjoy the good things of God! That sounds like heaven to me! In God's kingdom there is an eternal reward, fellowship with God, and a happiness that comes with serving faithfully.

These things God has entrusted me with do not belong to me. They belong to God, yet he invites me in to enjoy these good things. It's like a big celebration of all things good! It is a victory party that I am allowed to join in because I helped make it happen! There is always SO much JOY going on at a happy party. Everyone celebrating shares in the same JOY of the Master.

God not only entrusts in me with physical things to care for, but He also places other people into my life for me to care for. I have a concern for their well-being and their faith. By sharing God's Word with them, God also invites them to come on in and enjoy the good things of God.

Come on in! Step into His Joy. Step into shared JOY. God shares it with me and with all those He approves of who steward what He gives with faithfulness. It is a huge rewarding welcome for all.

This has to be the same feeling the servants in the parable felt.

THREE STORIES IN MATTHEW 25 - THEME OF PREPARING

There are three stories in Matthew 25 and all three relate to the same theme of preparing to Step into His Joy. Be ready for Jesus’s return by living wisely, faithfully, and lovingly, not in passive waiting.

First in the parable of the ten virgins (25:1-13), the wise bridesmaids are ready when the bridegroom arrives while the foolish one misses out. The bridesmaids enter the wedding feast which is a place of JOY.

Next is the parable of the talents (25:14-30) which we just reviewed, where the faithful servants enter into the Master's JOY. Preparedness is shown in how they lived out their faith by how they took care of God's creation gifted to them.

Finally is the story of the separation of the sheep and the goats (25:31-46). The sheep because of their loving everyday actions to others inherit the Kingdom which God has prepared for them. Serving "the least of these" is actually serving Christ Himself with love.

Those who are wise (like the wise virgins), faithful (like the good stewards), and loving (like the sheep) are the ones preparing to enter into the JOY of God's kingdom and presence. When I live wise, faithful, and living, I step right into the joy of my Master.

Faithfulness leads straight to the JOY of my Master! This Greek version of the word JOY is only found in the New Testament, which is different than the word JOY in the Old Testament.

Please pray with me, Lord, thanks for the reminder today that some day You will come again and Your children who have been faithful will enter into Your JOY forever and ever. I get to share in that JOY with You and all those faithful to You. I love the thought of sharing. Keep firm my faith and give me strength in faith to be a good steward of the gifts which You give me. I want so much to take care of all the things You have given me, even my neighbor. All who come into my path in life are my "neighbors" and I want to help to take care of their physical needs and their spiritual needs, but know I fail often. Help me be better. Thanks for the reminder that merely living out Your Word by caring for all that You have created is being faithful to You and being prepared for You to come again. It is that simple. Amen.

Concordance G5479 chara: χαρά, Pronounced khar-ah' (khar-ah') Meaning joy, gladness, delight, greatly joyful, from the root word G5463 (χαίρω - rejoice); Found 59 times in the Greek New Testament.