SPIRITUAL INDUSTRY

What do you think of when you think of an industrious person? Perhaps you think of folks such as Dale Carnegie and Norman Rockefeller who made a mint in business.

One industrious business man, from the past, whom I’ve always admired was R. G. LeTourneau. His factories supplied LeTourneau machines which represented nearly 70 percent of the earthmoving equipment and engineering vehicles used by the Allied forces during World War II. A devout Christian, LeTourneau gave 90% of his income to the work of the Lord, and lived on the remaining 10%. Of course most of us would love to have the opportunity to live on 10% of his income!

Today, we come in our study to , which is the Parable of the Talents. This is the third straight parable in which Jesus contrasted those who were faithful with those who were not. A couple of weeks ago we looked at the parable of the faithful/sensible slave verses the evil slave. Last week we looked at the Parable of the ten virgins, five of which were stupid, and fives were sensible. In today’s parable there are three slaves, two of whom are faithful, and one who was lazy.

Over the years I’ve seen this parable used to encourage people to use their God-given talents for Christ. I’ve also seen it used to teach sound financial stewardship. Certainly both of these approaches are acceptable applications of this parable, since it is broader than the context of end times.

Everyone who is a part of the visible or professing church has been entrusted by Christ with something to be used for His purpose and glory; true believers will be productively engaged in spiritual industry, while false professors will be spiritual slackers.

Let’s read our passage together.

To emphasize the importance of spiritual industry Jesus told the parable of the talents. If this were to be put into terms of a play, there would be the following characters in this play: a wealthy man, two industrious slaves, and one lazy slave.

The Wealthy Man

He was wealthy enough to entrust to his slaves a vast amount of money and still take an expensive vacation, to boot!

This parable refers to money, not natural abilities

However, since natural abilities are gifts from God as much as anything else, the truths of this parable would certainly apply to them as well as to money

The talent (talanton) was originally a measure of weight and is variously estimated at 50 to 75 pounds. As a monetary term, its value varied, but it always connoted a very large sum, evidently around six thousand silver denarii (BDAG 988). This would be as much money as a day laborer could expect to earn over the span of nineteen years!

The Two Very Industrious Slaves

These men were able to take the seed money from their master, and use it as startup money with which to begin profitable business ventures

The One Very Lazy Slave

He may have been passive aggressive, and refused to invest the money entrusted to him out of spite, knowing that the master had entrusted more to his fellow slaves than to himself

Or he may have been so afraid losing what had been entrusted to him that he chose to hide it in order to preserve it for when the master returned

I. Christ expects people to be industrious with that which He has entrusted to them

Christ expects people to be industrious with that which He has entrusted to them

True believers practice spiritual industry

Spiritual industry = spiritual faithfulness – fruitfulness

Spiritual industry is making use of what God has entrusted to us, for the purpose of obedience to God, and bringing glory to His name.

Physical capabilities

Mental capabilities

Spiritual gifts

James 1:17 NASB95PARA

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

The Apostle Paul is a perfect example of one who was spiritually industrious. He said this of himself as he appeared before King Agrippa:

Acts 26:14–16 NASB95PARA

And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;

Acts 26:19–20 NASB95PARA

“So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.

1 Corinthians 15:10 NASB95PARA

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

Writing to the church in Corinth Paul stated:

1 Corinthians 15:10 NASB95PARA

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

1 Corinthians 15:10 NASB95PARA

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

Sproul on Principles on Stewardship Capitalism:

We possess nothing

God gives us capital not to waste, to horde, or to bury in the ground, but to be productive

Stewardship capitalism includes the principle of delayed gratification

False believers practice spiritual faithlessness

Absent of true saving faith

Christ Rewards Those who are Spiritually Industrious

Spiritual industry is making use of what God has entrusted to us, for the purpose of obedience to God, and bringing glory to His name.

Rewarded with recognition

Well done

Rewarded with further opportunities and responsibilities in service

Put in charge of many things

Rewarded with a share in Christ’s joy

Enter into the joy of your master

John 16:21–22 NASB95PARA

Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

John 16:21–22 NASB95PARA

Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

Christ Condemns Those Who are Spiritually Faithless

Condemned by his own words

False accusation against their master

Thrown into spiritual darkness

Thrown into spiritual darkness

In this parable the condemned slave is one who was not a true believer in Jesus Christ. He was a part of the visible church, but not a part of the Universal, Invisible Church.

For one such as this, there is a need of placing true faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ for your salvation. Attending church does not equate salvation. One can even be a church member and still not be saved. If you are in this category I invite you to stop riding on the fence, and to commit yourself whole heatedly to Christ.

I believe that the application of this parable can be to true believers as well. Let’s face it, the Christian life is hard. We are called on to walk a narrow road which is full of danger and peril. And sometimes we get wounded in the fight. Sometimes we grow weary. Yet, we are called by Christ to be faithful slaves. Writing to the Thessalonians Paul admonished:

2 Thessalonians 3:13 NASB95PARA

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.

We are

To the Galatians he wrote he gave the reason for not growing weary:

Galatians 6:9 ESV

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

The writer of Hebrew exhorted us to get our focus off of ourselves, which enhances our weariness, and instead focus on Christ:

Hebrews 12:3 NASB95PARA

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Sing Ron Larson’s song: THANKS BE TO GOD

Let’s pray.

Closing Song: #675

I Gave My Life For Thee