PARABLES OF JESUS - THE TALENTS

THE TALENTS

Last week we dove into the parable of the wise and foolish virgins or the 10 bridesmaids and the overarching concept Jesus was teaching there was being ready – like the Boy Scouts – Be prepared.

Remember that all of these parables the last 4 weeks and this week and the next parable are all being taught during Holy Week – the time between Jesus entering Jerusalem on the back of a donkey and being crucified.

Today, the parable of the Talents continues this idea of being prepared and the coming consequences of not being prepared. And while the wise and unwise parable gave a glimpse into Jesus did not really define what Be Prepared is – today, in the Parable of the Talents, He does.

God will judge man according to his use of his talents. The word talent comes from the Greek word talanton which was a measurement for money but today means abilities, skills, intelligence, or gifts. All people have talents; some have more than others. God will judge our faithfulness in using these talents. Whatever you do, do it with faithfulness to God.

Let Us Pray!

THE TALENTS

Matthew 25:14–30 – “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 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? 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. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 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. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

I. The Parable—vv. 14–18

A. Servant—v. 14. The servants met with the master before he went on a journey.

They were given money for investment purposes.

They had work to do and accomplish before he returned

Before he left the master gave according to their ability.

Make sure we note here that God is not saying He loves one more than other

Talent was a weight of money – one was given 5 bags of silver, one was given 3 bags of silver and one was given one bag of silver

These were large sums of money – could be up to 20 years of wages in once sense

God has given all of us a tremendous amount of talents – what are you doing with yours?

B. Service—vv. 16–17. Some put their money into service by investing it to gain interest.

Like the servants – we are called to do something for the master – for God with what He has given us

We need to use it for His purpose -

C. Shame—v. 18. The man given least hid it. Faithless and fearful, he allowed his talent to lie dormant.

Mediocrity has its affects – ingratitude, contempt, envy we will see this in his response in vv24-25

We can't hide from God nor can we neglect what God has given us

He failed to recognize his masters intentions and instead of service to he chose security.

Are we just sitting secure in our salvation without utilizing the gifts God has given us for His Purpose – His Glory?

II. The People—vv. 19–25

A. The return—v. 19. After a long time, the master returned and asked an accounting of the money. Good or bad – the report has to be given.

We do not know when Jesus will return – we must be ready for whenever He does

We are accountable to God for our lives—what we have done with what He has given us – the talents He has bestowed, grown and developed in us.

2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

So when He returns we will have to give an account

What were the results in the parable—vv. 20–23. Those who invested their money were praised for their faithfulness. We, too, will be judged by our faithfulness—

How are we regarded with using what God has given us?

B. Rejection—vv. 24–26. God expects us to use the talents he gives for His honor and glory.

By utilizing what we have – what God has given us – we can get what we don’t have – (Not the prosperity gospel or the Baker family send me money and God will give you more) look at the parable – its more of what the master gave them - more talent more gifts –

When we do – look at the greeting we will have – Well done good and faithful servant

The more we do with what God has given us – the more opportunities we will have

Enter into the joy of your master – how much more joy can there be than to fully enter the presence of God

The third did not waste his masters talent but neglected it. Many Christian are content doing nothing because they won't or can't do something big

Billy Graham  Mordecai Ham  Billy Sunday

Don't buy the lie, you've got to do it all – Just let Jesus use you where you are One day at a time – Live well – Lovin' God and others as yourself Find little ways where only you can help – With His great love A tiny rock can make a giant fall – Yeah, five loaves and two fish can feed them all

So dream small (Dream Small by Josh Wilson)

Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

C. God will judge Christians in their use of:

1. Time— No one is promised tomorrow – don’t put off til tomorrow what you can do today

Psalm 90:12 – So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

2. Treasure—It’s not ours – we are a steward of what God gives us

Malachi 3:8–10 – Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

3. Talent.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 – Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

Colossians 3:23-24 – Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Hebrews 13:16 – Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

III. The Punishment—vv. 26–30

A. Laziness—v. 26. “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?’ ”—NIV

MSG - “The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.

Romans 12:11 – Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Not only did this servant not invest and try to multiply the masters gift – he did not even deposit it to get interest – he hid it.

B. Loss—vv. 27–30. The talent was taken from the one who had wasted it and given to the one who had made the greatest increase. The unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness.

God’s judgment will come to all people.

At the judgment for Christians, there will be tears because the Christian was guilty of laziness and indifference. God’s people know their need for Bible reading and prayer, they know it is right to give God His tithe, they know soul-winning is their responsibility—but so many Christians do not apply this knowledge to their lives. It is better to use 1 talent for God than to waste 5 on that which is not God. We are not all gifted the same

1 Corinthians 12:14-20 – (Just summarize this) For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

Use what God has given you for Him – and He will multiply your gifts and your opportunities to use them.

Remember a giant oak comes from an acorn – the mustard seed – smallest of seeds grows big enough and strong enough for birds to build nests in

Is there someone who can use help during harvest? Can you help make meals or watch kids during calving and branding season? Is there someone who just lost a loved one that you can visit and check in on and see on they are doing?

“Someone once observed that a wasted life is really nothing more than a collection of wasted days. As God gives us life, each one of us starts the new year with the same number of opportunities—365—that we can choose to either use and invest in eternal things or allow to drift by without taking advantage of the gift we have been given. The difference between those who succeed and those who fail is not found primarily in talent but in diligence and effort.”

Use the gifts you’ve been given.

What is God calling you to do this morning? What is your response to His message?

Let Us Pray!