1. “The Parable of the Servants

Here we have the “faithful and wise servant,” and the “evil servant” contrasted. What characterizes the “faithful” is being heartily taken up with the Lord’s interests. The Lord’s household, therefore, is the sphere where the affections and energies are exercised, and true attachment to the Master shown forth. Hence he cares for the real need of the household during the Lord’s absence, by giving them “meat in due season.” This is so well-pleasing to the Lord, that when He cometh, such will be abundantly rewarded: “He shall make him ruler over all His goods.” It is not only faithful love to Christ to care for His sheep and lambs during His absence, but the only “wise” path. By and by it will be seen how foolish it has been to have done otherwise.
The “evil servant” is far different. That he bears the name of Christian, and traffics in the things of Christianity is true, but where is his heart? Does he care for the household? Does he feed them with meat in due season? How could he, if his heart was not right with the Lord? He may hold the outline of doctrine, see the coming of the Lord, and be orthodox in other points. But he held that Christ was not coming yet, and therefore he went into the world. This is very solemn. The root of all was saying in his heart, “My Lord delayeth His coming.” He did not give up the profession of being the Lord’s servant, but he was not desiring or looking for Christ; hence he took an antagonistic place to the true servants, and associated with the world. He said in his heart, “My Lord delayeth His coming,” and we find connected with it that he began “to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken.” It does not contemplate his getting drunk, but there was no practical separation unto the Lord; there was therefore a choosing of the world’s society―eating and drinking with the drunken. The result we might expect. He is judged accordingly, and ranked with hypocrites and unbelievers. Suddenly and unexpectedly (alas, how solemn!) he is cut off. “The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Now I say, beloved, that this parable reads deeply solemn lessons to our hearts. It strikingly reminds us of an old sentence— “The Lord looketh on the heart.” It is one thing to see the Lord’s coming as a doctrine in the Bible, and another to be hoping and waiting for Him. The walk and ways show where the heart is. Christ has bought us with the priceless value of His own most precious blood, and we are His. The wise and faithful know and feel this. What interest, then, can they find in society that shuts Him out? How revolting the idea that one of His should seek it! Who on earth can be so dear to the heart of those who are in Christ as His members? “We love Him,” says the apostle John, “because He first loved us and every one that loveth Him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of Him.” It must be so. To be occupied with Christ and abiding in Him is the alone power of fruit-bearing, the only place of real happiness and strength. Then we naturally, if I may so speak, fall into our right place. The heart filled with His love, and knowing the joy of His presence, finds its interests and joys alone with Him, and knows nothing brighter before the soul than the sure hope of soon seeing Jesus, and being with Him where He is. Such, too, prove that Christ is all, and go through the wilderness singing with melody in the heart―
“My God! I am Thine,
What a comfort divine;
What a blessing to know
That my Jesus is mine.|My Jesus to know,
And feel His love flow;
‘Tis life everlasting
‘Tis heaven below.”|