Luke 12:47-48 — And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Tom Rider, who teaches our Sunday School class, is doing a great series on truths about God. The first two were “God is God and I’m not” and “I need God and He doesn’t need me”. Last Sunday though the topic was one I hadn’t thought about nearly as much — “What God demands, He supplies.”
There are times when God demands a lot, don’t you think? I think James might have been hinting at it:

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2-4)
There’s another angle to this. What God supplies He also demands. Every Christian should take this very much too heart. If we have been given much we should be ready to give much back. That doesn’t just apply to those who have been materially blessed. Nor does it just apply to teachers and preachers. Every Christian has at least one Spiritual gift — “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” (1 Corinthians 12:7). God doesn’t just give us the gifts — He expects us to use them — “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:6-8)
It’s clear, from the parable of the unfaithful servant that using gifts isn’t just a suggestion. The servant who wasn’t prepared and didn’t do the master’s will was beaten with many stripes.
I used to think Christians were not punished by God. After all, didn’t Jesus pay for all our sins? Yes he did — to the extent that we have confessed them and repented. There’s the danger. It would be all to easy to miss the point that not using God’s gifts is sinful. What He supplies, He demands!