“For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.”

— Matthew 25:29

In the Greek text the words of Jesus have a certain forcefulness about them that often is lost in the translation. I read the words of Jesus after one of His judgment parables in Matthew, “Then He will say to those at the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matthew 25:41). I thought to myself, “What must it be like for a human being to actually hear those words intoned by the Judge of all of the earth upon himself?” It seemed to me that every single person on this earth ought to cast himself upon his knees and pray, “O God, may these ears never hear those words come from Your mouth.”

The great 19th century British preacher Charles Spurgeon said that there are two great principles of grace enunciated in the Bible. The first one is this: God gives grace to the empty…to the needy…to the poor…to the humble. Second: to those whom God has granted His grace, He is in the habit of granting more. This is the great truth of our text above, Matthew 25:29.

If you are in Christ, in one sense you are already a success. If you are not in Christ, no matter how well accomplished you may be, you are ultimately a failure. What does it profit you if you gain the whole world, but lose your soul? Serve the Lord with all your heart, and He will bless you with more opportunity and joy to serve Him.

Father God, Giver of all great gifts, thank You for Your grace in our lives and the abundance of Your blessings. Help us to be mindful of our responsibilities to share with others…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE
CAN SERVE HIM WITH JOY.