Yes! There is Good News! 3.18.17

Not too long ago I was speaking to a group of believers and asked the question, “What is your ultimate goal in this life?” There was silence in the room for a couple of minutes (I am sure they were striving to come up with the best answer possible). Then a middle aged woman put her hand up. And this is what she said, “My ultimate goal in this life is to have my Savior place His hand upon my shoulder and say to me, ‘Well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of your Master’.”  This woman, a true discipline of Jesus Christ, gave, from her heart, an answer that could not be improved upon. This must have been the opinion of all the rest of the people in the room for there were no other answers but only nodding of heads in agreement.

This powerful answer was a quote from a parable that Jesus gave in Matthew 25:14 - 30. Perhaps you are familiar with the parable. It speaks of a man going on a journey and giving his servants differing amounts of talents; one received five, another two, and one other one talent. This parable never clearly tells the servants what they should do with the wealth, but the one with five put his to work and gained five more. The second, with two, likewise put them to work and gained two more. The third took his one talent and buried it so as not to lose it. The ones that doubled it were commended with the very words, “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.”

Are you a “good and faithful servant?” If you belong to Jesus Christ, if you have been purchased with His precious blood and if you call Him “Lord and Master,” then what are you doing with the talent He has entrusted to you?

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good ... All these are the work of one and the same Spirit and he gives them to each one just as he determines.” 1 Corinthians 11:4 - 11.

I quote this scripture because it lets us know that if you have the Holy Spirit, serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and obey the will of our God and Father, then you have received a certain gift from Him! In this portion of scripture, Paul lists nine different gifts that are imparted to the brethren (see verse 8 - 10). This is not a complete list, for Paul mentions other gifts in other passages. But have you recognized your gift and put it to good use?

“My ultimate goal in this life is to have my Savior place His hand upon my shoulder and say to me, ‘Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master’.”

Wow! Yes, that is good news and I’m not sure there could be any better.

Until next time ...