Lucas 19:26

DISCOURSE: 1564
TALENTS LOST, IF NOT IMPROVED

Lucas 19:26. I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away.

THE force of habit, irrespective of any particular influence from above, is well known. But, in addition to that, God has annexed a blessing to the use of means, and has promised that they shall not he employed in vain. The words before us were uttered by our blessed Lord on different occasions. They seem to have been used by him as a kind of proverb. At all events, as being so repeated by him, they deserve particular attention. We may well consider them in a threefold view:

I. As a principle established—

God has ordained, not only that means shall be used in order to the end, but that the very mercies he has vouchsafed to us shall be either augmented or diminished, according as we exert ourselves for the improvement of them, or suffer them to lie by us unimproved. This he has established as a principle,

1. In nature—

[Every thing, in the first instance, is the gift of God. The fertility of the earth, the vegetative power of the seed, the genial influence of the sun and rain, are all of God. But still they would all be in vain without the labour of man. Adam was required to labour, even in Paradise: and so, now, man must till the ground, and use all the means which the different kinds of agriculture require, in order to ensure a crop; and, if he neglect his duty in these respects, not only will he lose the fruits which he might otherwise have obtained, but his land will sustain an injury which the labour of years will be scarcely able to repair. This is the account given us by Solomon, after beholding with his eyes the very event itself: “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man [Note: Provérbios 24:3.].” Through his neglect of the proper means, not only does he fail to be enriched; but he loses what he possessed; and poverty, with gradual and irresistible force, seizes hold upon him.]

2. In grace—

[All the faculties which we possess are given us from above. But the understanding must be cultivated, the affections must receive a proper direction, and the conscience be exercised as in the presence of the heart-searching God. If we will not exercise the faculties in the way which God has appointed, not only shall we suffer loss of all that we might have attained, but the understanding will become blind, the affections sensual, and the conscience seared. These were the very effects produced by the ministry of the Prophet Isaiah, amongst his hearers [Note: Isaías 6:9.]; as also by our blessed Lord [Note: Mateus 13:13.] and his Apostles, in their ministrations [Note: Atos 28:25.]: so that in every age those words of Solomon have been verified, “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich [Note: Provérbios 10:4.].”

If it be said, that our entire dependence upon God for every thing may well supersede all labour on our part; I answer, that, instead of superseding our exertions, it is urged as an encouragement to us to labour with all our might: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure [Note: Filipenses 2:12.].” Nothing will be added to us but in the use of means; and “whether we be righteous or wicked, the fruit of our doings, and the reward of our hands, shall be given to us [Note: Isaías 3:10.].”]

The words of our text may be further considered,

II.

As a fact realized—

They are realized in the experience of all, and especially amongst the people of the Lord;

1. In their gifts—

[God has given to his servants somewhat of a spiritual discernment; perhaps, too, a faculty to impart the knowledge they possess, and an ability to spread their wants before the Lord in prayer. Now these, and such like gifts, are increased by use, and lessened by neglect. Let any one look back to the time when any of these gifts were bestowed upon him, and mark what measure of improvement he has made of them; and then let him compare his present state in relation to them: and I doubt not but that he will acknowledge the truth of our Lord’s assertion, that, whilst a good and diligent use was made of the gifts, they were augmented to him; and that, when he became remiss in the use of them, they were proportionably diminished. Indeed, this is nothing but what we are taught expressly to expect at the hands of God: for we are told, “It is impossible for those that were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame [Note: Hebreus 6:4.].” Here it is evident, that not only does a neglect of talents prevent the increase of them; but it causes them to be withdrawn, and brings an obduracy over the heart, and indisposes it for the reception of any further blessings.]

2. In their graces—

[On some, God has bestowed a measure of contrition, and faith, and love, and peace, and holiness: and we see, by the stony-ground hearers, what declension takes place in these graces, when the possessor of them becomes remiss in secret duties. He “leaves his first love [Note: Apocalipse 2:4.]:” and “the things which remain in him are ready to die; insomuch, that he may appear rather as one dead, than alive [Note: Apocalipse 3:1.].” Let any one call to mind those favoured seasons, when his heart was dissolved in tears of penitential sorrow, or elevated with joy under a sense of God’s pardoning love: let him now say, Whether, after having lost them by neglect, he finds it an easy thing to regain them? Rather let him say, Whether he be not in danger of having that realized, in his experience, which St. Peter has so awfully declared: “If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them [Note: 2 Pedro 2:20.].” A work of grace is not like the work of a statuary, which, if left for a season, will be found unchanged; but like a stone rolled up a hill, which, when the labour ceases, will descend to the bottom, and require all the work to be performed again.]

Well then, may we regard the words of our text,

III.

As a lesson inculcated—

Surely there is much in these words,

1. For our warning—

[There is not any one of us who has not some talent committed to him: and for that, whether it be more or less, we are responsible. The man who had but one talent, did wrong to hide it in a napkin: and justly was it taken from him, and he was consigned to punishment, as an unprofitable servant. We must “look to ourselves, and diligently too, that we lose not the things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward [Note: 2 John, ver. 8.].” The Israelites who came out of Egypt, and yet perished in the wilderness, are held forth to us as a warning to make a due improvement of the mercies we have received [Note: Jude, ver. 5.]. Our Lord also bids us to “remember Lot’s wife.” To every one of you, then, I would say, Employ your time, and put forth all your powers, in the service of the Lord. This is to every one of you a day of grace, a day of salvation. The Gospel now sounds in your ears. The Saviour is proclaimed to you in all the wonders of his love and mercy; and not one of you that will call upon him, shall be rejected. On the other hand, if, like Capernaum, you are exalted in your privileges, like Capernaum, shall you also be distinguished by a heavier condemnation, if you abuse them.]

2. For our encouragement—

[If only we will engage diligently in the work assigned us, verily “our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord [Note: 1 Coríntios 15:58.].” Hear what blessed encouragement is afforded us by an inspired Apostle: “Giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly-kindness; and to brotherly-kindness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall not be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall; but so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ [Note: 2 Pedro 1:5.].” What can any of us desire more than this? We would not wish to have our own labours dispensed with: all that any of us can wish, is, to be assured that they shall be effectual to the desired end. In the name of Almighty God, then, I declare to all of you, that to him who will employ his talents “shall more be given, and he shall have abundance [Note: Mateus 13:12.];” abundance here, for more special improvement; and abundance hereafter, as his recompence of reward [Note: ver. 17–19.]