The Parables (The Road #3)

Introduction

Welcome

Good morning, My name is Troy Stanley, and I am the Lead pastor hear at FCCCB

I welcome everyone and especially our guest

I also welcome and say hello to those that are watching online today.

Jab 1

Recap

Setup “The Road Series”

The Disciples

The Miracles

The Parables (Parable of the talents)

The Sermon

The Temple

The Triumphal Entry

Betrayal, Trial and Triumph

Jab 2

Tell the story of selling the Jax house

Jab 3

Right Hook

This week we are looking at the parables Jesus used to teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven and our day to day life.

We are going to focus on one in particular where a hard master required a return on his investment

What is a Parable?

It is symbolic speech that teaches a lesson

Non literal utterance

The parables of Jesus are all recorded in the synoptical (i.e., the first three) Gospels. The fourth Gospel contains no parable properly so called, although the illustration of the good shepherd (John 10:1–16) has all the essential features of a parable

An Illustration

An understanding of parables is essential to understand the teaching of Jesus, since the parables make up approximately 35 percent of teaching.

While the parable is not unique to Jesus, he was certainly a master at using parables as a way of teaching.

Jesus’ parables have been truly described as both “works of art” and “weapons of warfare.”

List of Parables

The Growing Seed, The Two Debtors, The Lamp under a Bushel, Parable of the Good Samaritan, The Friend at Night, The Rich Fool, The Wise and the Foolish Builders, New Wine into Old Wineskins, Parable of the strong man, Parable of the Sower, The Tares, The Barren Fig Tree, Parable of the Mustard Seed, The Leaven, Parable of the Pearl, Drawing in the Net, The Hidden Treasure, Counting the Cost, The Lost Sheep, The Unforgiving Servant, The Lost Coin, Parable of the Prodigal Son. The Unjust Steward, Rich man and Lazarus, The Master and Servant, The Unjust Judge, Pharisees and the Publican, The Workers in the Vineyard, The Two Sons, The Wicked Husbandmen, The Great Banquet, The Budding Fig Tree, The Faithful Servant, The Ten Virgins, The Talents or Minas, The Sheep and the Goats, Parable of the Wedding Feast

Let’s take a look at just one on the parables this week to learn how we are to use our talents

Explanation

Get out your Bibles

The Parable of the Bags of Gold or Talents

Matthew 25:14-30

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.

This is an important statement because this parable is a continuation of something

Matthew 24 The destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times

The Day and Hour unknown (Keep watch)

The Ten Virgins 5 foolish and 5 wise

These are parables about being ready for the return of Jesus

15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

In this story we have

The Master (God)

The 3 servants (Us the faithful)

Each has different abilities

Each is given according to their abilities

The two that put the gold to work have a 100% return

The one who hid the Gold had a Zero return

Let this sink in:

The master would have accepted even a small return

27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

So the sin was doing nothing and hiding the Gold

Two of the servants knew they were to put the Gold to work

One is afraid of the master and knows that the Gold should be put to work but doesn’t

He doesn’t even put it in the bank to earn even a little interest on the money

He failed to be ready for when the master returned

This parable is about us using our talents and being ready for the Master’s return

Because it is a parable it is not a literal leaching about investing Gold but it could be.

It is an illustration on living a productive life for the Kingdom and being ready because we do not know the hour of the Master’s return

We are to use the talents that God give us to further the kingdom/Make disciple and change lives

Application

What talent or Gold has the Master entrusted to you?

Five bags of Gold and much talent because you have abundant ability

Two bags of Gold and some talent because you have some ability

Or have you been entrusted with one bag of Gold so that your abilities can be identified.

Notice I did not say so you can hide or bury your talent. We are to use whatever we have been given. Even if to just earn a small return.

No return or increasing of the talent that God has given you is unexceptable

What happened to the Servant that had a zero return?

28 “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

So let’s answer this questions

What has God given me to use for the Kingdom?

No matter what it is great or small we each have something that can be used for God.

Are you willing to take the chance with what God has given?

And for that matter is it really a chance anyway?

The servants that took the risk had a 100% return. They were blessed even more.

And lets not forget that the one that had ten bags of God ended up with eleven?

(Use your powers for good Story) God will bless you when you “Use you Power for good”

So today let’s decide to use the talent that God has given us to further the Kingdom.

We are commissioned to make disciples so we should be ready when the Master returns to show Him how we have increased what He has given us.

Explain the talent card

Call to Jesus

The Path