Everyone's Got Talent

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gifts and service

Matthew 25:14–30 ESV
“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.’
there are 4 things this parable tells us.
1 - everyone is given talent; some much, some little but all of it is valuable.
Matthew 25:14–15 NRSV
“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
A talent was a unit of measurement for money, but it depended on weight and therefore it depended on the material of the coin. In this context one talent was between 10 and 20 years wages for a day laborer. So no matter it was 5, 2, or 1 it was a large amount. This is true for us today as well. Jesus used this parable as a metaphor for the Kingdom of God. God gives us all things to be used for his Kingdom. I would be lying if I said some people don’t have more than others.
2- It is our choice what we do with that talent, how we use it, if we use it.
Matthew 25:16–19 NRSV
The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.
Too many times we are looking for neon lights. We want to know exactly how to use the gifts, talents, and abilities that we have. Yet, the master in the parable, (Jesus to his disciples) never tells these servants what to do with what they have been given
3- Doing nothing and playing it safe isn’t an act of prudence. Fear of failure. Fear that our talent isn’t good enough or isn’t what God is looking for.
Matthew 25:24–28 NRSV
Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.
4- God wants us to use what we have been given so that our talent flourishes and the Kingdom of God flourishes with it.
Matthew 25:28–29 NRSV
So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
The reward for doing good isn’t rest but more responsibility.
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