1.    What has been given to every man?

“For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work,” Mark 13:34.

2.    Besides work, what else has been given to every man?

“And unto one He gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability,” Matthew 25:15.

3.    What are those called to whom this work is committed?

“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods,” verse 14.

4.    What use did these servants make of their talents?

“Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents . . . But he that received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money,” verses 16-18.

5.    What excuse did the one who hid his talent make?

“I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine,” verse 25.

6.    What did his master say to him?

“His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant,” verse 26.

7.    What did he say the servant should have done?

“Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury,” verse 27.

8.    What is the excuse of slothful servants?

“The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets,” Proverbs 22:13.

NOTE: They see great obstacles before them, and are always ready with excuses.

9.    What is the reward of the slothful servant?

“And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” Matthew 25:30.

10.    What is said of the servant who exercised his talents?

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,” verse 21.

11.    By what other name is a worker for Christ called?

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God,” II Corinthians 5:20.

12.    What does God do with the unfruitful members?

“Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit,” John 15:2.

13.    What promise is made to those who sow the gospel seed?

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him,” Psalm 126:5, 6.

14.    What promise is made to soul-winners?

“He that winneth souls is wise,” Proverbs 11:30. “And they that be wise [margin, teachers] shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever,” Daniel 12:3.

15.    What is God’s attitude toward the poor?

“He shall deliver the needy when he crieth: the poor also, and him that hath no helper,” Psalm 72:12.

16.    For what purpose did Christ say God had anointed Him?

“He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor,” Luke 4:18.

17.    When did He say we could minister to the poor?

“Whensoever ye will ye may do them good,” Mark 14:7.

18.    What did Paul say regarding our duty to the poor?

“I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive,” Acts 20:35.

19.    What promises are made to those who consider the poor?

“Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and Thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness,” Psalm 41:1-3.

20.    How does the Lord regard kindness shown to the poor?

“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again,” Proverbs 19:17. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister,” Hebrews 6:10.

21.    What fate awaits those who turn a deaf ear to the poor?

“Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard,” Proverbs 21:13.

22.    What has the Lord instructed us to do?

“Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow,” Isaiah 1:17.

23.    What is pure and undefiled religion declared to be?

“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world,” James 1:27.

24.    What is promised those who do this work?

“Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am . .

. . And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not,” Isaiah 58:9-11.

25.    How did Job treat the poor?

“I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out,” Job 29:16.

26.    What did Christ tell the rich young man to do?

“Jesus said unto him, If thou will be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me,” Matthew 19:21.

27.    In ministering to the needy, whom are we really serving?

“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me,” Matthew 25:40.

28.    What is one good evidence of genuine repentance?

“Break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor,” Daniel 4:27.

29.    What is one evidence that one has a knowledge of God?

“He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know Me? saith the Lord,” Jeremiah 22:16.

30.    What divine law of retroaction attends giving?

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again,” Luke 6:38. See Psalm 18:25, 26; 109:17; Galatians 6:7.