It was William Shakespeare that said in AS YOU LIKE IT, “The world is a stage and we are all but players…” acting one role or the other. I doubt whether he was born again, but he was echoing a kingdom truth. A truth that is hidden to many, a truth that many see but don’t rate as important in the things of the kingdom; but this is a truth that has dire consequences for all who will not do it. According to the Scripture in Luke 19:11-27 they will go to hell, even though they started the journey as servants of God. The journey to heaven is a life of productivity – fruitfulness. Prov. 11:30-31; Dan. 12:3.
What made one servant to profit and another to be un-profitable – a situation that made the Master to change his name from my servant to the wicked servant are matters that should engage the mind of a serious-minded Christian. But let’s face the fact; many that come in into the Commonwealth of the Faith – Christianity don’t know what they are in for. Many thanks to the prosperity preachers of today who call people in just to receive from the Lord. The immediate result is a myopic understanding of Christianity. The walk into the knowledge of the ways of God which gives maturity eludes such people. And that is mainly what is responsible for the mediocre status of many Christians today. Jesus never said, “Come and receive blessings.” He said, “Come, I’ll take care of your problems, as you learn of me and as you work for Me:”
Matt. 11:28-29 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
In Matt. 6:25-33; He condemned those who seek even basic needs by all means, saying instead,… seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
John 4:34-36 “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.”
These were His disciples, who had been with Him awhile, but never grasped the mind of God. God is not interested in a crowd of people who converge mainly to ask (or I dare say, demand) from Him. Not that He doesn’t like to give, especially where there are needs to be met, He’s however more interested in the person who has received a Commission from Him and is fulfilling God’s mandate in His life.
Let’s face the fact, we are anointed to serve but how many Christians are serving. Like the world, they strive daily to take care of self, forgetting that life is a mirage: it is full of surprises, and emptiness. As you reach out to grab it, you discover its emptiness. From the baby who cries for attention and discovers that the mother’s warmth is always temporary, to the adult who strives daily to make ends meet only to discover the reality in the word of God, which says, “all the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled (Eccl. 6:7)
The man that labours for himself receives things that perish and at the end, death, for that is the portion of the man that live to satisfy himself (Philp. 3:17-19). His arena is the world. He lives focusing on the world and the standards being set daily. But satan owns this world and the things of this world. When he told Jesus he will give the world to Him Jesus did not contradict him: you can only give what belongs to you (Luke 4:5-6). He sets the pace; he gives the laws and dictates the tunes, according to Eph. 2:1-3 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
But the devil is warped: evil and corrupt. When he rebelled against God in heaven and was banished from heaven, he was also judged and condemned. God promised him and the angels that joined him to rebel against God a future, final home in hell (Matt. 25:41) “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”. Hell is horrible and satan does not want to go there alone. He intends to take with him as many people as he possibly can, for the road is wide that leads to hell. And many are on that path today as we see the hearts of men waxing cold by the minute: armed robbery, prostitution, drug addiction and all forms of violence and immorality are increasing daily.
People need to be saved and delivered from the strangle hold of satan. And God is doing this through His anointed servants. These ones have been called by God to minister as Kings, Priests and Prophets. This is the Triple Fold Ministry of all Christians (Please see 1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6 where we are described as Priests and kings and II Cor. 5:17-20; 1 Peter 4:11 where we are described as His representatives or spokesmen-oracles of God). This is our general calling which correspond to the work in the vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16)
It is important to note that they were all paid a penny (vs. 11); an indication of a reward common to every Christian that worked for God in their lifetime. “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”