Don't Waste Your Talents

Matthew 25:14-30

Introduction: We all have different kinds of talents. Some may be more talented in sports, and go on to be a professional in whatever sport they excel in. Some may be more talented singers than others. Some may be more talented artists. Whatever the case may be we all have talents in different areas of life. But how are we using these talents? Are we using them to the best of our abilities and growing them, or are we afraid of messing up what talent we have and hide it? Jesus touches on this exact thing in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. We are going to look at this parable and see how different people have different talents (15), how if we use the talents we have, then we will be rewarded (16, 17, 20-23), and finally we will see that if we waste our talents then we will be cast away (18, 24-30).

Thesis: Use your talents for God.

Different People, Different Talents (15)

In the parable, we learn the master gives three of his servants a certain amount of talents each to tend to. One he gave five talents, another two talents, and another one. Though in the parable talents are a form of currency, we can apply it today as each person has different amounts of talents in the Church (Rom 12:3-5). Everyone has different talents that can be used to further spread God’s Word (Col 3:17). Use the Talents We Have and We Will be Rewarded (16, 17, 20-23)

Further in the parable, the two servants who were given five and two went out and doubled their talents. When the master came back he lets them enter into the joy of the master. We can use our talents today for many things in the Church, and in using the talents God gave us we will be blessed one day with entering into the joy of heaven (Acts 7:54-60). If We Waste Our Talents, We Will be Cast Away (18, 24-30)

The servant who was given the one talent, however, went ad buried it so he would not lose it. When his master came back, the servant said he was afraid and hid his talent. The master calls him a wicked and slothful servant, and casts him into outer darkness. Unfortunately there will be members of the Church who will hide their talents, and not use them to help spread the Word of God. We must not waste our talents, for if we do then we will be cast away in the last days (Matt 25:41-46).

CONCLUSION:

We may have many different talents, we may have one talent. Whatever the case may be we should use these talents to further spread the Word of God throughout the world, and if we do we will be rewarded like the first two servants. If we try to hide our talents, like the third servant, we will be cast out on judgment day for being a lazy servant. Have you hid your talent, or are you using it to glorify God?