Sermon Tone Analysis

Jesus’ activity on Tuesday and Wednesday of His last week is focused on teaching - parables and direct explanation of what is to come make up most of Matthew 24-25.

It is difficult - if not impossible - what Jesus said on which day, nor does it really matter!

Let’s examine one of His better know parables, which is the final parable in a set of three parables (Matthew 24:45- Matthew 25:30) all focusing on the same topic: preparedness!

Our gifts/talents are daily reminders of God’s provision

The parable revolves around the master - an owner of a large estate with multiple slaves/servants - who needed trustworthy servants to manage his estate.

The important phrase in vs 15 - ‘to each according to his ability.’

The master knew these servants.

He observed them carefully and he knew what they were capable of - and what they weren’t capable of!

After his departure these talents - whether we understand them in terms of money or some other ability, would be a constant reminder that the master was still the master.

Although he was physically absent his presence was still very real as these three servants considered what to do with what the master had given them.

In the larger context of Matt 24-25, Jesus is preparing His followers for His physical absence.

After three years of daily interacting with His followers, after the resurrection Jesus would no longer by physically present as He had been.

The 12 in particular would experience His absence in the highest degree.

As Jesus prepared for the ordeal of His betrayal, trial, crucifixion, and the victory of His resurrection, He knew that His time on earth was over.

How are His followers to live in His absence?

Of course, though He is absent, in the gift of the Holy Spirit He is very present.

As the Holy Spirit gifts us for usefulness in His kingdom we are reminded daily that He has not abandoned us, but He is present.

The absence of Jesus will be ended By His return

Decades later Peter, one of those disciples closest to Jesus, would challenge generations of believers with this exhortation:

2 Peter 3:1–4 (HCSB)

Dear friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you; in both letters, I want to develop a genuine understanding with a reminder, so that you can remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles.

First, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, living according to their own desires, saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?

Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.”

Speculation about the timing of Jesus’ return is rampant!

The events unfolding around us suggest that He is nearer than before.

All we can say for certain is what Jesus said in Matthew 24:44

Using God’s Gifts is about faithfulness, not greatness

Finally the master returns.

Each slave is called to give account for the resources assigned.

Paul, though not present when Jesus shared this parable, would later write believers in Corinth - a church where fighting and division over God’s gifting was constant - reminds us:

One at a time the servants come to ‘settle accounts.’

The first two are able to share how their use of the talents had doubled while the master was away.

The third, however, had nothing to show except the original talent with which he’s been entrusted.

The master’s responses - which we will examine in detail in a moment - focus not on the amount of return but simply the return on the gift.

We are often driven by numbers.

At least once a day my Facebook feed includes one or more ads asking the same question:

Do I have enough money to retire?

I haven’t had the courage to follow those threads, but I think I know the answer theses ads will provide.

NO!

What they will offer, however, is a way to increase my retirement nest egg, ways to grow my account (and provide benefit for the company as well)!

The master wasn’t looking for massive returns.

Rather, he was looking for faithfulness and diligence in using the gifts/talents he had given

Entering into the Joy of the Master

To the two who had invested their talents and provided a substantial return, the master offered this invitation:

“Share your master’s joy.”

In the first century these were radical words.

Slaves might be acknowledged, they might be praised, but never would they be invited to cross the invisible barrier between master and servant.

Yet, here is this master inviting slaves - essentially pieces of property - to join him in a joy totally foreign to the experience of a slave.

There are two components to the master’s invitation:

a).

Both the one who doubled his five talents and the one who doubled his two talents were given responsibility over more!

Added to that, the one talent that had been hidden in the ground was awarded to the one with ten - now, eleven - talents!

For many increased responsibility seems to be the opposite of joy.

After all they might thing, more responsibility = more effort, more energy, more required of me.

Recognizing the parable as an illustration of how God expects us to live in these in-between times, the increase in responsibility is not about an ever increasing work load.

Rather it is about an increasing awareness of the extent of our inheritance as co-heirs with Jesus (see Rom 8:17).

b).

The joy these two were invited to experience is difficult to define.

In John’s gospel her records Jesus conversation with the 12 the night of Passover Dinner.

In that conversation Jesus makes this startling and remarkable promise:

The joy which Jesus experiences is literally out of this world.

The joy Jesus invites us to share is not dependent on what anyone else may do or think.

The joy which Jesus promises is not impacted by the circumstances of life.

Over the next few hours in Jesus’ life He will be betrayed by one close to Him, arrested, tried, and then betrayed by His own people.

And then He will be led to Calvary, bearing His own instrument of torture and death.

Yet, Jesus did so joyfully.

Listen to how the author of the letter to the Hebrews describes this series of events:

The Failure of Using All God has Given

Jesus speaks often of hell.

Hell is a very real place.

Drawing together several of the ideas Jesus expressed we learn:

a).

Hell is distant from God and once consigned to hell, there is no escape - it is eternal.

b).

Hell is distinctly unpleasant - here in Matt 25:30 it is described as a place of ‘outer darkness.’

Since God is light - the creator of and source of light, absence from God’s presence means the absence of light.

It is also a place of ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

This is a clear reference to the regret and sorrow those who are in hell will experience for eternity.

Having chosen to reject God in this life, the eternal life will be filled with regret and loss.

Remember - the judgment expressed is not about results.

It is about using what God has given.

God’s Kingdom Runs Differently Than Ours

Those with the doubled talents and the plus one of the one with ten - are still expected to be faithful!

to whom much is given, much is required!

In God’s kingdom success is not measured by outcomes.

Rather God’s kingdom is ruled by faithfulness, using that which God has provided in ways that acknowledge and honor God’s presence.

As Jesus closest followers heard this parable - indeed all of these parables in Matthew 24-25, they are forced to answer one important question:

Am I living faithfully to all God has given me?

If we measured our wealth - as tiny and insignificant as it appears - compared to many in our neighborhood, and in the world, we are indeed well-off.

The real question is not ‘how much do you have?’ but are you using all you’ve been given to further the kingdom?

Many people are quite willing to hang around with the people of God, claiming to be one of His.

However, many people seek to avoid the pressures of what they think God might expect.

Does God expect return on His investment in us?

The answer is a simple YES.

Again, look at the parable.

Did the master set out impossible requirements?

No.

The master simply gave as each one had proven themselves able.

What did the master expect on his return?

Just an honest and simple effort to invest all they had been given in the master’s business.