God Trusted Me With It!

Focus Statement

In the laboratory of faith,

fear corrodes potential,

while trust in God's abundance catalyzes transformation.

God entrusts us with talents not to bury,

but to boldly invest in a world hungry for hope.

Point of Relation

In the spirit of the season,

I am going to be slightly unconventional again

and discuss a story that, without doubt,

is NOT often talked about on Sunday morning in churches;

the gothic tale of horror,

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, or A Modern Prometheus.

A great novel,

written by an 18 year old at the time. Hard to wrap your mind around it.

Picture, if you will, the tragic figure of Frankenstein's creation—

a being of immense potential,

abandoned to wander the wasteland of neglect.

This creature,

stitched together from disparate parts,

was endowed with life, strength,

and the capacity for both great good and terrible destruction.

Yet, paralyzed by fear of his own creation,

Dr. Frankenstein fled,

leaving his "monster" to grapple alone with existence.

In many ways, we are not unlike this creature.

God has pieced us together,

breathing life into our very beings,

entrusting us with talents both seen and unseen.

But how often do we,

like Frankenstein's creation,

stumble through life, unsure of our purpose,

our potential lying dormant within us?

Or perhaps we are more like Victor Frankenstein himself—

gifted with incredible abilities,

yet allowing fear to short-circuit our ambitions.

How many dreams have we buried,

how many talents have we hidden away,

terrified of the power they might unleash if fully realized?

The parable of the talents echoes through this gothic tale.

The master, like Dr. Frankenstein,

bestows life and opportunity.

The servants, like the creature,

are entrusted with these gifts.

But unlike the tragic tale of Frankenstein,

our story need not end in isolation and missed potential.

God, unlike the flawed creator in Shelley's novel,

does not abandon us to figure out our purpose alone.

Instead, God invites us into a relationship of trust,

challenging us to step out of the shadows of fear

and into the light of possibility.

We have in God what the creature was lacking in Victor.

In this cosmic experiment of stewardship,

will we choose to be the fearful doctor,

hiding from our creations?

Or will we embrace the full potential of what God has entrusted to us,

transforming our perceived monstrosity into a masterpiece of divine purpose?

Things to Consider

Before we dive into today’s parable in Matthew, ponder this:

What talents has God entrusted to you?

How might fear be holding you back from fully utilizing these gifts?

Consider the difference between viewing God as a harsh taskmaster

versus a loving creator who believes in your potential.

What Scripture Says

Matthew 25:14-30 presents a parable that sparks with potential.

A master—akin to a visionary inventor—

entrusts servants with talents,

each a prototype of possibility.

These talents, distributed with precision,

are catalysts for innovation,

each resonating with expectation.

Two servants, inspired by their master's confidence,

amplify these talents.

Like engineers refining complex systems,

they calibrate their resources with methodical purpose.

Under their care, the talents flourish,

doubling in value—

a testament to the power of trust

paired with ingenuity.

But the third servant,

paralyzed by fear,

disconnects his talent from the grid of opportunity.

This act of trepidation mirrors Frankenstein's cautionary tale—

a creation of vast potential,

left to malfunction in isolation.

Fear corrodes the servant's talent,

transforming a conduit of possibility

into a relic of missed chances.

This parable prompts us to examine our motivations.

Do we view God as an unyielding taskmaster,

or as the master innovator whose blueprints sketch our purpose with insight?

Our perception shapes our actions,

determining whether we become bold creators

or cautious hoarders of divine inspiration.

Along with this narrative, let me remind you the story of Joshua laying siege on Jericho.

Joshua's unconventional approach to Jericho (Joshua 6:1-9), walking around it several times with his army

demonstrates faith's power to redefine possibility.

Joshua, leading a silent procession of obedience,

embodies trust that can dismantle seemingly impenetrable barriers.

His actions challenge conventional wisdom

while aligning with divine design.

As the parable concludes, the master returns,

his assessment cutting through excuses.

The enterprising servants are embraced,

rewarded with expanded responsibilities

and shared joy.

The fearful servant faces a stark reckoning,

his disconnected talent

a monument to untapped potential.

This scripture illuminates stewardship as an art of innovation.

We're called to be like skilled inventors,

reconfiguring our lives—

our time, talents, and resources—

into opportunities for growth and service.

We must resist isolating our gifts in fear,

like the third servant,

or abandoning our potential,

like Frankenstein's creator.

Instead,

God invites us to connect with the infinite source of divine provision,

to trust in the current of grace.

This parable challenges us to step from hesitation into possibility,

using our gifts as components in the evolving circuitry of God's kingdom.

What This Means for You

In your life's laboratory,

what catalysts has God entrusted to you?

Examine the talents pulsing within—

powerful agents awaiting activation.

Is fear short-circuiting your potential?

Are you burying gifts beneath doubt,

or boldly experimenting with them?

God invites a shift from scarcity to divine abundance in your cosmic lab.

How might your unique formulas feed the hungry or comfort the sick?

Remember, God measures success by faith,

not yield size.

In this grand experiment of stewardship,

will you be catalyzed by trust or paralyzed by fear?

The choice is yours, and transformation awaits.

What This Means for Us

As a church, we balance between fear and faith.

God entrusts us with gifts—

our building, voices, hands, and hearts.

Do we cling to scarcity or boldly witness?

We're feeding hundreds through Community Suppers, PB&J Wars, and SOCKTOBER.

Imagine embracing God's abundance further through meeting even more needs in our community.

Will we be catalyzed by collective trust

or paralyzed by communal fear?

The choice is ours.

Amen? Amen.

Written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of Perplexity AI, based on a series developed by GNJUMC’s Breakthrough: https://breakthroughseries.org/.