Jesus and the Parables "Talents"

Jesus message of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Least week

Treasure in the field

Merchant searching for fine pearl

“The Kingdom of Heaven has such great value that it is worth giving up everything for it”

Jesus said “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

Our actions demonstrate where our treasure lies.

In today’s sermon we are going to see Jesus give the important principle of stewardship.

Jesus Steward Treasure

Today sermon is titled “Talents”

As I said last week this parable is where we get the idea...

talents natural ability...

Jesus’ time unit of money or a sum of currency....

Now this morning we see Jesus unpack the importance of stewardship in the Kingdom of God.

Before we unpack Jesus parable I will again as the question this morning....

Will we embraced Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God?

or will we close our eyes, plug our ears and harden our hearts to Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God?

Now let us read Jesus parable of the talents...

Matthew 25:14–30 ESV

14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

1. Three men are entrusted

Matthew 25:14 (ESV)

14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.

It’s important to understand that in the Kingdom we are all entrusted with something...

Father or mother

Manager Business or Employee Business

Money

Gifting’s ( for God’s glory)

Guitar mom (Glory to God or self)

Whatever Abilities and Gifts (Glory to God or self)

I was in Sales...

Secular VS Sacred

Whatever situation we are entrusted

NEED TO BE FAITHFUL!!!

One of the most important passages in the Bible in my life...

Colossians 3:23–24 (NLT)

23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

When you work solely for people the level of your work is based on how they treat you...

But if you work for the Lord it does not matter how you are treated because you are working for the Lord not for people.

Manager meeting (look to your right and left)

Perform to our standards...

We work as unto the Lord knowing that God has place us where we are at for a reason.

Whatever field we are in we should be the best we can possibility be in order to give glory to our Father. Amen?

In Jesus’ story all three men were entrusted with something.

but each one was entrusted differently.

Matthew 25:15 (ESV)

15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

Matthew 25:15 (NLT)

15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

First given 5 Talent

Second given 2 Talent

Third given 1 Talent

History with the Master

All 3 have freedom to be creative…

In the Kingdom everyone is given different gifts and abilities.

Though each gift is different and each member of the body is given different levels of responsibility,

each one is entrusted by God to be faithful in whatever area that God has entrusted to them.

Because Jesus will come and we will have to give an account of our lives… (Jesus is coming)

Matthew 25:19 (ESV)

19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

After a long time finally the master returns and he finds the first two servants faithful.

2. Two men are faithful

First given 5 Talent

Second given 2 Talent

Both double what they where entrusted with...

The Master told both men after doubling his profits...

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.” (V21 & V23)

In the Kingdom,

God always rewards those who are faithful

Seem like a life of insignificance… (Kids, work,)

Story of David Shepard boy forgotten

The Prophet Samuel came they forgot David

Well done good an faithful servant

Jesus said

“You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.”

How we steward what God has given us now will determine what level of responsibility we will be given later.

If you feel like God is calling you to something greater,

be faithful where you are now.

Snapshot society...

When it comes to leadership...

I rather give the mic to someone who is really good at cleaning toilets then someone who is really good at speaking.

I rather give a guitar to someone on stage who is really good at cleaning up after an event then someone who carries a lot of musical talent.

I rather give a seat at the meeting table to help make decisions to someone who is really good with babies in the nursery then someone who holds a lot of knowledge.

What I mean is when someone is faithful in what seems insignificant and is willing to work hard when no one is watching,

proves that their heart is ready to be intrusted with more.

The first two servants proved that their hearts where postured right as they where faithful with what the master had entrusted to them.

Because of their faithfulness the master said to them,

well done good and faithful servant.

How many here would love when Jesus come again for him to say to you “well done my good and faithful servant”

People may recognize you now or may overlook you now but it is all in vain compared to the great worth of hearing our Master say well done.

3. One man is wicked

After hearing the master say well done to the first two servants,

the third servant comes forward.

Matthew 25:24–26a (ESV)

24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant!

What a terrible response it would be to hear Jesus say when he returns “you wicked and slothful servant.

Never faithful

1 John 2:28 NLT

28 And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.

Live a life that when Jesus returns he will say well done my good and faithful servant.

We will all stand face to face before Jesus and give an account.

Settle accounts

And may each one here live a life that we can boldly welcome Jesus when he returns

for we know that we lived our lives in a way that Jesus will say well done good and faithful servant.

May we not be like the third servant and here Jesus say you wicked and lazy servant.

What led to the third servant not being faithful to his calling?

He said V25 “I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.”

Fear drove the third servants actions.

I think fear can destroy people from walking out their calling more than almost anything.

It can be the fear of losing friendships,

fear of losing one’s reputation,

fear of losing finances and possessions.

Maybe it is even fear of not feeling qualified

fear of being inadequate to carry out the task

Whatever may bring you the most fear,

yielding to it will destroy your ability to walk out your calling.

The third servant allowed fear to cripple him to such a degree that he berried the talent that the master entrusted to him.

2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:6 (NKJV)

6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

2 Timothy 1:6 (NLT)

6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.

Timothy you can’t yield to fear....

Don’t bury that gift

God entrusted you that gift

How many know that when God entrust us with a gift,

it is our responsibility to steward that gift.

Don’t bury your gift because of fear

God qualifies the called

not calls the qualified

Jesus’ message of this parable is to challenged those who are apart of the Kingdom of God to understand the great responsibility God has entrusted to us.

Because,

when you understand the value of the Kingdom of God,

you need to be faithful to steward the calling that He has placed on you.

Klyne Snodgrass,

The theme of faithfulness must be brought directly into relation with Jesus’ teaching about the present and future kingdom. Knowledge of God’s reign and salvation brings with it added responsibility. To accept the kingdom and its salvation is to accept a trust. It enlists one as an agent on behalf of the kingdom, and all those so enlisted will be rewarded or judged in terms of their faithfulness to their task. (542)

Jesus will return...

First two servants well done

Third servant you wicked and slothful servant

Mat. 25:30

And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

I rather give the mic to someone who is really good at cleaning toilets then someone who is really good at speaking.

I rather give the mic to someone who is really good at cleaning up after an event then someone who carries a lot of knowledge.

What I mean is when someone is faithful in what seems insignificant and is willing to work hard when no one is watching,

it shows me that they they can be intrusted with more.