Untitled Sermon (3)

Verse 14

Here Jesus continues explaining Kingdom truths; The KJV adds the phrase Kingdom of Heaven to the beginning of the verse; This most likely to show the emphasis between this parable and the one that precedes it of the ten virgins. The man traveling to the far country is to be viewed as our Lord Jesus, but also represents those who are in authority and place or transfer authority to others.

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.

It is important to see that the initial responsibilities given to the servants communicate the wisdom of Lord in reference to his stewardship. How you may ask? Here the Lord/Master is seen placing in the hands of his servant responsibility(s) each according to their individual abilities. Thus demonstrating that not all people have the same abilities or demonstrate the same level of faithfulness with their abilities, thus the amount of responsibilities that are distributed are based on the foreknowledge of God and him knowing what you are capable of. This knowledge is based on his internal knowing of who you are, and by the history of your behaviors.

Matthew 25:16–17 ESV

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.

Two servants who had increase

Here we see that the servant with 5 & 2 talents immediately went to work utilizing their abilities and skills and they both reaped an increase.

Matthew 25:18 ESV

But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.

Lazy wicked servant

The servant that was intrusted with one talent dug a hole in the ground and hid his masters money

Matthew 25:19–23 ESV

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.’

The master return to hold the servant accountable

Both the servants the one with 5 talents and the one with 2 have a positive report for their master; They have both doubled what was initially entrusted to them. The master 's reply to them was the same ‎‘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.

Both servants had to demonstrate some level of faith in order to have the success we see here in the text.

Matthew 25:24–30 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.’ 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.’

Reward of the Lazy Servant

The third servant had nothing but insults and excuses for his master. He accused him of being hard and unreasonable, reaping where he had not sown, and gathering where he had not scattered seed. He excused himself on the basis that, paralyzed with fear, he buried his talent. This servant was doubtless an unbeliever; no genuine servant would entertain such thoughts of his master.

25:26, 27 His lord rebuked him as wicked and lazy. Having such thoughts of his master, why hadn’t he deposited his money with the bankers to earn interest? Incidentally, in verse 26, the master is not agreeing with the charges against him. Rather he is saying, “If that’s the kind of master you thought I am, all the more reason to have put the talent to work. Your words condemn, not excuse you.”

He was not only wicked but also lazy, guilty of the very sin against which again and again Scripture hurls its thunderbolts (Prov. 6:6, 9, 10; 10:5; 13:4; 15:19; 18:9; 19:15, 24; 20:4, 13; 21:25; 23:21; 24:30, 31; 26:16; Eccles. 10:18; II Thess. 3:11; Heb. 6:11). Wickedness and laziness are allies, not as if the wicked person is always lazy or slothful, but the lazy one is certainly wicked. In the original the combination is unforgettable, for the words used for “wicked” and “lazy” rhyme; cf. “pernicious and unambitious.” While the other two servants had been busily at work, figuring out ways in which, by honest means, they would be able to multiply their master’s capital, this wicked and lazy fellow had dug a hole, little realizing that in a sense he was digging it for himself!

25:28, 29 If this man had earned one talent with his talent, he would have received the same commendation as the others. Instead, all he had to show for his life was a hole in the ground! His talent was taken and given to the man with ten talents. This follows a fixed law in the spiritual realm: “To everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” Those who desire to be used for God’s glory are given the means. The more they do, the more they are enabled to do for Him. Conversely, we lose what we don’t use. Atrophy is the reward of indolence.

Learning Points

‎The three points of the passage thus approximate to the following:

‎(1) “Like the master, God entrusts all people with a portion of his resources, expecting them to act as good stewards of it.

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‎(2) Like the two good servants, God’s people will be commended and rewarded when they have faithfully discharged that commission.

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‎(3) Like the wicked servant, those who fail to use the gifts God has given them for His service will be punished by separation from God and all things good., Lastly, when we fail to utilize our gifts faithfully their is no stagnation, we either are moving forward or we are decreasing in our faith and the responsibility that God once gave us.