Stewardship

Most people think being talented at something means the person is naturally good at this thing. They think Mozart just naturally know how to play piano and how to compose music. No. Even child prodigies need to actually learn to do something. Nobody was born with knowledge or skills. People think talent means this person has a better understanding of certain things, which allows them to learn/master something faster. That’s perhaps something you see looking from the outside. But I think talent is a focus, and the ability to enjoy the work. Having talent means you can be more focused on something, more so than other people. You are less likely to get distracted. You think about this thing constantly, even when you’re not actually doing it. Da Vinci was on the record observing the flow of water and draw it for hours on end. When people put that kind of focus and effort into something, they will get very good at doing it. And when most other people get tired and frustrated, people with talent have that passion and focus to push it through. You can’t force people to play piano for 14 hours a day, it doesn’t work like that. (You should not force your kids to do it. Really, please don’t. You can’t beat talent out of someone.) But people with “talent” enjoy doing it. They found joy in tasks others find tiresome and frustrating. That’s why truly talented people often make their work seem effortless. Not because they don’t put in the work, but because the work seems such a joy for them, and it almost looks as if it doesn’t take effort. Talent means nothing if you don’t put in the work. Or, talent is the ability to work harder than others and didn’t feel like you’re working.

Types of Talents

What talents do we get?

Spiritual Gifts

Other Practical Talents

Mental Capacity

Speech

Influence

Time

Health

Strength

Money

Kindly-heartedness

Some are born

hereditary tendencies

strengths that can

be cultivated well.

Others have developed skills

they were not

naturally gifted in.

Each have our own

list of

natural

cultivated

skills.

Equally Gifted

There are some things

we are all equally

given in life:

Time:

each person has

same 24 hours.

Each person

chooses how they

use their time.

Efficiency / Productivity

honorable

good citizenship

Moral Obligation.

Wasting time is

a misuse of

our talents.

Voice:

Almost all humans

ability to talk.

Some are

orators

teachers

preachers

All have voices

all must use

voice for God.

Time and Voice

are among

greatest gifts

to humanity.

We all have them.

we must cultivate

for best use

for God.

Lloyd C. Douglas tells the story of Thomas Hearne, who, "in his journey to the mouth of the Coppermine River, wrote that a few days after they had started on their expedition, a party of Indians stole most of their supplies. His comment on the apparent misfortune was: 'The weight of our baggage being so much lightened, our next day's journey was more swift and pleasant.'

Unequally Gifted

Matthew 25:15 ESV

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

Unequal

Mental Capacity

Power / Influence

Physical - Health / Strength / Coordination

Money

Social Skills

Mind:

Christ has given

each person a mind.

Some minds are

uniquely gifted.

others are thoroughly cultivated

everyone is responsible

do best to grow

mental power

use it for God.

All minds must

be put to good use.

This takes

intentionality

desire to grow.

Last year, 2023

Only ~ 50% adults

read a book.

paper

digital

audio.

Most are

not growing

mental usefulness.

Power / Influence:

We all have influence.

Influence is power.

Each person has

their own sphere.

Our spheres are different

rage

number

demographics

age

socio-economic status

etc.

Whether we

realize it or not

we have impact

on those around us.

2 Corinthians 2:15–16 ESV

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

We all put off

an aroma.

Question is:

what is my aroma?

Am I a

sweet-smelling perfume?

nasty smell of purification?

Social media influences...

I hat the term

but it is true.

They are using

their influence

good or bad.

We can

grow our influence

use our influence for good.

Physical - Health / Strength / Coordination

We have

varying levels of

physical power.

We have all been

given some

level of physical

strength to use.

Most important

not body builder

not super model.

God cares not

outward physical beauty.

God does care.

make good use

physical bodies.

Care for them

8 laws of health.

Breaking natural laws

not just physical problem.

moral issue.

We don’t need

to be the most

exquisite physical specimen.

But we do,

need to be

physically useful

if possible!

Before Jesus was

a pastor/healer.

He was a carpenter.

He was useful physically

in this life.

We must make

wise choices

care for our bodies.

Oftentimes, parents will guide their little children with their purchase decisions. A child may have $1.50 to spend at the dollar store, and the child often doesn’t comprehend the value of the money in their pocket. One thing is certain, though: they’ll make a purchase decision based on what they like at the moment. Their purchase decision seems silly to adults, but to the child, it’s the best thing in the world. With adults, that dollar amount may be significantly increased, but the same process goes on. In both cases, the purchase of choice is based on our desires. We can easily grasp this with finances, but we often don’t see the parallels in the areas of time and resources. We spend time in areas that we feel are important. In all areas, we are to give Jesus our very first priority, but the only way that will ever happen is if he is the center of our thinking.

Money

We will not all

have same resources.

As with all other talents:

We are judged

by how we use

what we have...

All money is his

(not just tithes and offerings).

Deuteronomy 8:18 (ESV)

You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth...

God expects us

to be a good steward

of all our money.

Social Skills

Some have been given,

amazing skills in

interpersonal relations.

Like many other gifts,

were not all given same hand.

Some have great personalities.

Some had great examples.

Others of us,

not so much.

Nonetheless,

we get to choose

to improve skills

diplomacy

kindness

respect

conversation

caring / nurture

winsome spirit.

It is not enough

to say,

that is not my gift.

We can all improve

be nicer people.

Once, a man said, "If I had some extra money, I'd give it to God, but I have just enough to support myself and my family." And the same man said, "If I had some extra time, I'd give it to God, but every minute is taken up with my job, my family, my clubs, and what have you--every single minute." And the same man said, "If I had a talent I'd give it to God, but I have no lovely voice; I have no special skill; I've never been able to lead a group; I can't think cleverly or quickly, the way I would like to."

And God was touched, and although it was unlike him, God gave that man money, time, and a glorious talent. And then He waited, and waited, and waited.....And then after a while, He shrugged His shoulders, and He took all those things right back from the man, the money, the time and the glorious talent. After a while, the man sighed and said, "If I only had some of that money back, I'd give it to God. If I only had some of that time, I'd give it to God. If I could only rediscover that glorious talent, I'd give it to God."

And God said, "Oh, shut up."

And the man told some of his friends, "You know, I'm not so sure that I believe in God anymore."

God is No Fool, 1969, Abindgon Press.

Spiritual Gifts:

The most important

of all talents are

Spiritual Gifts!

Why?

Because they are used

for building spiritual

for God’s kingdom.

1 Corinthians 12:8–11 (ESV)

For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge

according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits,

to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

These gifts,

given by God for

building His kingdom.

These are supernatural

not something

any are born with.

Yet,

they can also be

cultivated like

the other gifts.

Example: gift of healing and casting out demon. Disciples had to learn how to use it effectively.

We all have gifts.

as you cultivate some

you are given more.

Haddon Robinson tells of a concert violinist whose brother was a bricklayer. One day, a woman began gushing to the bricklayer about how wonderful it was to be in the family of that violinist. Not wanting to insult the bricklayer, she added, “Of course, we don’t all have the same talents, and even in a family some just seem to have more talent than others.”

Brother, little bothered,

we have different talents.

If he couldn’t make money

playing that fiddle,

pretty useless at life.

Can’t fix or build anything!

Growing Talents

Matthew 25:15–18 (ESV)

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.

Perhaps the most

important concepts:

1. All given something.

Nobody should ever say:

“I have no gifts.”

“I’m not good at anything.”

“I have not skills.”

These statements are

not godly humility.

God gives talents.

Saying, “I have none.”

ACCUSATION AGAINST GOD!

Like Adam who said,

“the woman,

“who you gave me...”

He didn’t just

blame Eve.

He blamed God!

If we say,

I have no talents.

We accuse God.

of Unfaithfulness.

It is true,

our talents are varied.

It is not true

Have no gifts.

Even the most

slothful

handicapped

have gifts!

We all have

some level of:

Time

Influence

Speech

Money

Health

Physical skills

Spiritual Gifts

Social Skills

Mental Capacity

We all have

some level!!!!

Appreciate what

God has given you now.

Bertoldo de Giovanni great artist and teacher. He was the pupil of Donatello, the greatest sculptor of his time, and he was the teacher of Michelangelo, the greatest sculptor of all time. Michelangelo was only 14 years old when he came to Bertoldo, but it was already obvious that he was enormously gifted. Bertoldo was wise enough to realize that gifted people are often tempted to coast rather than to grow, and therefore he kept trying to pressure his young prodigy to work seriously at his art.

One day he came into the studio to find Michelangelo toying with a piece of sculpture far beneath his abilities. Bertoldo grabbed a hammer, stomped across the room, and smashed the work into tiny pieces, shouting this unforgettable message, "Michelangelo, talent is cheap; dedication is costly!"

Main concepts:

1. All given something.

2. Talents can be multiplied.

Servant with

5 talents got more

2 talents got more.

The servant

1 talent could have

doubled too!

He chose not to

he was

unthankful

distrustful of master

lazy

If we want

if we try

we will grow

mentally

physically

emotionally

spiritually

socially

etc.

It take effort.

Must be intentional.

Dangers of Growing Talents

Now, there are some

there is risk to grow.

Mentally,

careful to grow

honoring God.

Some smart people

look to themselves

wisdom of the world.

Christians should not

have head in sand.

We should be

more advanced in

sciences, etc.

Careful of pride

Careful of wisdom of word.

Nonetheless,

God has called

to be wise.

Be careful of

power / influence.

We need Christian

social media influences

politicians

business leaders

etc.

Be careful

like knowledge

power goes to head quickly.

Power corrupts

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Lastly,

money...

It is easy to forget:

who provided wealth.

God’s purpose for giving wealth.

In truth,

each of these 3

only become dangerous

when we forget:

who brought us these talents.

what their purpose is.

Seems there was a talented young man in the Midwest. There were terrible fires in Yellowstone National Park burning thousands of acres. This young man was gifted with the camera and could capture the heart of crisis on film. So a well known national magazine hired the young man to picture this disaster for their cover story. The young man packed his bags, his cameras and film and left on his assignment of the fires at Yellowstone National Park. The national magazine asked him to capture and show the heroic measures of the thousands of fire fighters. When the young photographer arrived, he ran into a problem he had not anticipated for he realized that the smoke was so dark and thick, that it made it impossible to picture the scenes from the ground. The young man called into the magazine office and sought permission to charter a small plane so he could take pictures from overhead. The magazine made arrangements at the local airport and the call returned to him that a small plane would be waiting on the runway. He jumped into his rented car and away he rushed to the airport. There was a real young man sitting in a small single engine aircraft. As instructed, the plane’s engine was fueled, and warmed for take off. The young photographer had his cameras and film ready and threw all the gear into the back-seat of the plane. He closed the door and said, " READY FOR TAKE OFF!" The young man proceeded down the runway. The plane was shaking and very rough. When in the air the Pilot asked, HOW WAS THAT?" The Pilot SEEMED VERY NERVOUS as the little plane lifted higher and higher into the wind. The young talented photographer had not experienced such a jerky flight, but he requested the Pilot to fly over the park. The photographer asked the Pilot to fly real low, near the fires. "Why?" asked the Pilot. "Because I am on assignment, I am a photographer, and photographers need to be close to the action to take photographs." The Pilot was very quiet for a few minutes, and he broke the silence saying, " I thought you were the flight instructor?"

Main concepts:

1. All given something.

2. Talents can be multiplied.

3. We are held accountable for the use of our talents.

Parable Continues:

Matthew 25:19 ESV

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

Master is Jesus.

He left earth.

But He is coming back.

At 2nd coming

He settles accounts.

Revelation 22:12 ESV

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

Parable says:

Matthew 25:20–23 (ESV)

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.’

These good servants

were commended

not for what they had.

But for

what they did

with what they had!

Each of us

will be so judged.

How did we

improve the

opportunities

given to us?

Judgment Continues:

Matthew 25:24–25 (ESV)

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.’

Notice that

lazy servant

does not take

responsibility for

his poor choices.

He charged God

for being reason

too scared to

make good choices.

He said that

I knew you expected

a return on your investment.

So I was scared

and did nothing!

Is that a

true reason

to do nothing?

Imagine if you were attending a birthday party for a child you dearly love. You’ve purchased a toy for them, and it is exactly what they wanted; and it requires no batteries or assembly. Now imagine if you give it to them, they open it, and then they set it aside. You see them a week or so later and ask if they are enjoying the toy, and they say no, they haven’t played with it. You’d be puzzled; this isn’t a natural reaction to such a gift! God doesn’t want us to receive His gifts and do nothing with them.

No.

Master catches him

in his lies.

Matthew 25:26–27 (ESV)

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.

God held servant

responsible...

Why?

Not only upset

didn’t build wealth

with nothing.

He is upset

because man

did not use

what he already had!!!

If you want

to offend God.

Talk about

how useless you are.

God is offended

because He

doesn’t make trash.

We are all

imperfect creatures.

All are gifted

with some value.

God expects

that we use

that special value

for His kingdom.

Summary

1. All given something.

2. Talents can be multiplied.

3. We are held accountable for the use of our talents.

Parable of Pearl

So when man finds Jesus, it costs him everything. Jesus has happiness, joy, peace, healing, security, eternity. Man marvels at such a pearl and says, 'I want this pearl. How much does it cost?"

"The seller says, 'it's too dear, too costly.' "But how much?' "Well, it's very expensive.' "Do you think I could buy it?' "It costs everything you have -- no more, no less -- so anybody can buy it.' "I'll buy it.'

"What do you have? Let's write it down.' "I have $10,000 in the bank.' "Good, $10,000. What else?' "I have nothing more. That's all I have.'

"Have you nothing more?' "Well, I have some dollars here in my pocket.' "How many?' "I'll see: Thirty, forty, fifty, eighty, one hundred, one hundred twenty -- one hundred twenty dollars.' "That's fine. What else do you have?'

"I have nothing else. That's all.' "Where do you live?" "I live in my house.' "The house, too.' "Then you mean I must live in the garage?' "Have you a garage, too? That, too. What else?' "Do you mean that I must live in my car, then?' "Have you a car?' "I have two.' "Both become mine. Both cars. What else?'

"Well, you have my house, the garage, the cars, the money, everything.' "What else?' "Are you alone in the world?' "No, I have a wife, two children...' "Your wife and children, too.' "Too?' "Yes, everything you have. What else?' "I have nothing else, I am left alone now."

"Oh, you too! Everything becomes mine -- wife, children, house, money, cars -- everything. And you too. Now you can use all those things here but don't forget they are mine, as you are. When I need any of the things you are using, you must give them to me because now I am the owner."

Juan Carlos Ortiz, Call to Discipleship, (Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1975), pp. 42,43.

God was calling

Moses at burning bush.

Told him to

God back to Egypt

set people free.

Moses was

scared

comfortable

unwilling

Made excuse after excuse.

Exodus 4:1–2 (ESV)

Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say,

‘The Lord did not appear to you.’ ” The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.”

God did not

ask Moses to focus

on what he

didn’t have

couldn’t do

was afraid of.

God said

fine...

What DO YOU HAVE???

Exodus 4:3 (ESV)

And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent...

God loves to use

those things we

already have but

thought were nothing.

Appeal

Realize What You Have.

Use It for God.

Trust God To Multiply It.

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