Standing Firm Isn’t Enough

Many, many times since launching stand firm I preached from Luke 19:11-27, the Parable of the Ten Minas. At Stand Firm events, I’d often share a simplified overview of end time events and point out how short this age is when compared to the eternal age to come. Then I’d read the mentioned parable. This parable parallels the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. Both tell of servants being given money from their master and then being judged on how they used that money. The master was pleased when the resources given grew His kingdom, and He told those faithful servants, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Of course, these parables illustrate that us, believers, have been given salvation and equipped with the Holy Spirit as servants of Christ, and on His return our faithfulness will be judged. Therefore, we need to be growing His kingdom. In those sermons, I’d share that the parable in Luke 19, along with the fact of how short this temporal age is compared to the eternal age to come, should compel us to stand firm. I’d close with a challenge to stand firm, so we’d be found faithful because our faithfulness matters, but it is being challenged.

After preaching this for over two years, while I was in route to preach that message as part of a revival, I had a realization—my application of the Parable of the Minas was inaccurate. For if we look at the details, standing firm and holding on to one’s faith wasn’t what pleased the King.

There is a servant in the parable who does just stand firm and hold on, and in doing so, he actually angers the King. That servant took his mina and wrapped it in a cloth then hid it. Now he did better than the seven servants who hated and rejected the King, but still the King wasn’t happy that the mina had merely been held on to. The King took that mina away from the one who just held it—the one who merely stood firm.

On this realization, I had to change what I preached. I was arguing that to hear “well done” we needed to stand firm, but the parable actually teaches it’s not enough to stand firm—we must march on. The King was pleased with those who utilized their mina and grew the Kingdom.

I had been pleading with professed believers to stand firm, when statistically we aren’t doing a good job of that, but to hear “well done” we must do more—we must be engaged in the Great Commission.

It’s oversimplified to say, but I believe it’s true—we can’t hear, “well done my good and faithful servant” if we’re not doing the main thing Jesus told His followers to do. We’re to carry out His words at His ascension—go and make disciples of the nations.

There are multiple ways in which we participate in the Great Commission, but we must in some way, because standing firm isn’t enough—be on mission and march on.

If you haven’t been marching on, it’s not too late, take steps. Where you are in life with the circle of influence you’ve been given, begin by talking to someone. Maybe just share your story. Most of all care. Get on mission for standing firm isn’t enough.

Jake McCandless

Executive Director of Stand Firm and lead pastor of Epic Church NWA in Springdale, AR and multiple award-winning author, Jake has a B.A. in Bible and Pastoral Studies from Central Baptist College, and an Advanced Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Former regular contributor to the Baptist Press and WND News with popular conservative voices such as Pat Buchanan, Ann Coulter, Ben Carson, Chuck Norris, Greg Laurie, Ben Schapiro, Joel Richardson, and others. He now is a weekly contributor for Israel, Islam, and the End Times and Armageddon News. He has authored books such as the, award-winning Spiritual Prepper from WND Books. Award-winning devotional books, Invincibleand For Uncertain Times, he authored the ground-breaking children’s book, Jesus and His White Horse from CrossLink Publishing. He is also a regular guest on national and international radio and streaming web shows, along with hosting his weekly live streaming program Talking Stand Firm and weekly podcast Stand Firm Parents.