Parable of the Talents
Here’s a question for the women in the audience?
• Of the following three options which one would prove to you the most that your husbands truly loved you?
1) He went out and bought you a $1,000 diamond ring?
2) He told you he loved you every day?
3) He helped out with the chores around the house every week?
• Can’t choose all three!
• Why did you choose option three?
• This is the only option where the love was demonstrated by action
• Words are cheap as they say!
Going to continue with our series on the Parables of Judgment – Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
• Don’t have to be Einstein to figure out who the man travelling to a far country is? It’s Jesus!
• His servants are those to whom He has committed his “goods”
• Some other translations use the word “treasure” rather than talents – literal translation is “goods”, or “possessions”
• But I prefer the word “treasure” as this is a better label than “Talent” or “goods”
• The key to understanding this Parable is to know what these “talents” or “treasures” represent
• Most like to regard these “talents” as the spiritual gifts we have each been given
• This may be one interpretation but I think “talents” distracts the reader from the true intent of the parable
• First, we should note that these treasures are not ours, they are the master’s. We did not earn these treasures, and neither can we earn them – they are given to us
• Of all the treasures God has given to us, what is the most precious?
• Is it our spiritual gifts? No, the greatest treasure God has given to us is His Son, specifically his grace and his Mercy through the saving work of Jesus Christ – in other words the Gospel
• And this interpretation changes the whole focus of the Parable. It rightly puts the emphasis on God “works”, not on our “works”
• He has committed the treasure of His gospel to his servants
15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
• Not everyone has the same capacity to use these treasures that have been committed to us
• The issue here is not how much the servants make as much as the issue of “use”, using what has been committed to us
• Notice another point that we have mentioned in other Parables, “No one is excluded without first of all being included”
• All the servants had a relationship with the Master – 10 virgins, Those invited to the marriage supper etc
• No one was excluded without first of all being included
16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
• As these two went about their day to day lives, the gospel was reflected in how they conducted their lives
• Through them, God’s love, mercy and grace was extended to others
• People were shown forgiveness, they were helped, they were encouraged, they mixed with those who needed the gospel the most – sinners
• And people responded to the love of God reflected in these individuals lives
18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
• In contrast, this guy went incognito about his Christianity – he kept his Christianity to himself, in fact he didn’t look any different from those he associated with
19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
• The master comes back and wants to know how his servants have used the treasure he has committed to them
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
• Most of us would be pretty proud to receive a 100% return on our investment
• But all this guy gets is an “At a boy!” Faithful in a few things – notice our contribution is only minimal
• The gospel has a power of its own – it is not our fancy packaging, it is not our great arguments, we don’t have to dress it up, the power of the gospel lies with Jesus Christ
• Our part is only minimal, however he does allow us to bask a little bit in his glory
• So the credit for any return we achieve goes to Christ, not to us.
• However our willingness to contribute to the process is viewed by Christ as proof that our faith is genuine
• It has nothing to do with earning our salvation – that is a free gift
• This is why I asked you the question at the beginning, Love without deeds is a “cheap love”
• Dietrich Bonheoffer talks about “Cheap Grace”
• “Cheap Grace” is when we flaunt Christ’s sacrifice by continuing in habitual sin thinking God’s grace will simply cover those sins indefinitely
• Its Pauls’ question, “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?”
• And his answer is, “God forbid!”
• The proof that our faith is genuine is backed up by a changed life
• As James writes, “Faith without works is dead” Jas 2:20
• The nature of the gospel demands it be used – It is love in action. If Jesus comes and lives in us as he promised, something is going to happen to our lives
• John 14:23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
• Its not going to be static life – it is a new creation with a new nature, the nature of the living God
• If God moves in, things are going to happen
• Its unfortunate that some churches don’t trust this process
• They feel they have to control their members and if they don’t there’s going to be anarchy
• So in many case the church resembles a prison to protect those inside from outside influences and the pastor’s job is to be the Chief Warden
• This mentality undermines the ability of the Holy Spirit to bring about transformation in our lives
• The primary change agent in our lives is Jesus living in us by the power of the Spirit – not the pastor, not the church, and certainly not other members
• Sometimes the best thing we can do is take an aspirin, have a good lie down and get out of the way so Jesus can do his life-changing work
22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
• Now we come to the third servant. Not much was expected of him as he only received one talent, nevertheless, something was expected
• Again, the genuineness of our faith is reflected by a changed life
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
• Most of us start off our Christian walk with a warped concept of God. But as time goes on and the relationship develops, God true nature is revealed to us
• This naturally happens as we reflect on Jesus’ life (He came to reveal the Father), as we speak with Him daily, and as the Fruits of the Spirit develop in our life
• This never happened in this man’s case, not because of a lack of effort on God’s part, but because of a lack of effort on the man’ part
• He maintained his warped concept of God because he never put in the effort to build the relationship and this was his downfall
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
• So God judged him according to his own warped concept of God in much the same way as Matt 7:2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you
• God looks very dimly on judging especially when it has something to do with Him
27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
• God is very gracious, He is very merciful, and He is very fair…not much is expected of us, but enough is expected to prove our faith is genuine
• One of the most scary statements made in scripture is found in Matt 7
• Matt 7:23-23 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
• Notice these people were performing all sorts of miracles, yet they never had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
• The key to our salvation is our desiring a relationship with this great God who has done so much to prove his love for us…but we have to reciprocate
• We will come back to this section of scripture as we look at some of the other Parables of Judgment
28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
• The key to our salvation is a genuine faith relationship with Jesus Christ.
• This relationship and what it means for mankind is too precious to be hidden in the ground
Let me finish with a story which I think illustrates this point
Fritz Kreisler (1875 1962), the world famous violinist, earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he wasn't able to buy it. Later, having raised enough money to meet the asking price, he returned to the seller, hoping to purchase that beautiful instrument. But to his great dismay it had been sold to a collector.
Kreisler made his way to the new owner's home and offered to buy the violin. The collector said it had become his prized possession and he would not sell it. Keenly disappointed, Kreisler was about to leave when he had an idea. "Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?" he asked. Permission was granted, and the great virtuoso filled the room with such heart moving music that the collector's emotions were deeply stirred. "I have no right to keep that to myself," he exclaimed. "It's yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people hear it."
• The gospel of Jesus Christ is too precious to be locked up in a dusty museum. Its very nature demands it be shared.
• The good news of Jesus Christ needs to be passed on… this wicked and lazy servant was happy to accept the treasure but refused to make the effort of sharing it with others.
