Parable Of The Talents

1) For Elders—I Peter 5:2-4

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

2) For Overcomers—James 1:12

3) For Servants

We will receive these rewards because the God in which we sere is faithful. Isn’t it awesome that the God we serve rewards us for faithful service? We have and can claim so many promises in scripture if we are faithful to the Lord. How great it will be to hear the Lord say to us well done my good and faithful servant!

There is no one greater to serve than Jesus.

Yes, we are commanded to use the gifts God has give us, He expects us to do something with what we have been given, but the promise of the rewards are not based upon success, but rather faithfulness. God does not call us to success, but to faithfulness. We must simply do our best to use what the Lord has given us. If we are faithful we can rest assured that the kingdom will advance and souls will come to know Jesus and that we will receive rewards for our service.

Our master will return and we can look forward to that day if we have been faithful in using what we have been given.

Let us work diligently as the day approaches so that we can spread our talents even further.

III. God will punish those who do not use them

Many years ago as missionaries would travel to other countries and work with the tribal people they would bring and give them sundials. The natives were so fascinated by these sundials that they put a roof over them.

Is their something today blocking what God has given you? He has given us gifts and they have a specific purpose, but if we do not use them they are as useless as a sundial covered by a roof.

Like the car that’s transmission is stuck in neutral; the motor sounds impressive, the lights radio and horn are all in working condition, new tires, but the only problem is that it is not going anywhere.

a. Loose our Gifts –vs. 28

If we do not use our gifts they will be taken from us as the talents were taken from the lazy servant. We cannot expect to sit back and do nothing in the kingdom and still have gifts to bless the kingdom with. We will be ineffective in eternity if we do not use what we have for the Lord

b. Loose His Trust – vs. 29

Again like the lazy servant, we will loose our master’s trust if we are not faithful with what he has given us. How can we expect him to trust us with more, if we can’t do anything with what we have now? Hopefully we all want to be used by God, but we need to stop sitting back and waiting for God to use us, but instead be his servant and go.

c. Loose His Presence – vs. 30

The most severe punishment of no using our gifts for the Lord I loosing His presence. There is no such thing as a Christian who does nothing. Many times I hear people talk like it is alright to do nothing in the church. I have heard people sing that they would be satisfied with just a little cottage in heaven, and they really believe that because they defiantly do not earn the mansions. If we do not use our gifts to serve the Lord and to build up the kingdom, we will be hear the same words as the lazy servant, “through him into the pit where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth”. It is a lot more serious deal to do nothing than we usually admit.