It was the first weekend my parents were leaving my brother and I alone all weekend. They were going away with friends. I was 13 or so and my brother would have been 15. And boys will be boys. My brother who was quite a bit taller than I am, he’s 6’6” now, came into my room and was just picking a fight. You know, the “I’m not touching you, I’m not touching you.” And we started roughhousing and in the process, my brother Jeff fell into the hallway. His rear end went through the wall and left a pumpkin sized hole in the drywall, ripping my mother’s new wallpaper. There were a few moments of casting blame, after all he came into my room and was hassling me. There ought to be justice right? But then we realized we were in major trouble. And with no way to fix the problem, our doom was sealed. And now that I have spoiled it for you teens, lets look to the Scriptures. Why did I tell you that story?..While the cat’s away…
Beginning in verse 14, Jesus tells the story of a man who went on a journey and left his property, his valuables with 3 men. In verse 15, Jesus said the man gave one man 5 thousand dollars, one man 2 thousand dollars, and the last man one thousand. A talent is worth more than a thousand, but you get the point. Not insignificant amounts of money.
The man left, and the implication is that he asked the men to increase his wealth somehow. The one with 5000 earned 5000 more, the one with 2000 earned 2000 more, but the one with 1000 (v.18) dug a pit and hid the money.
And then comes accountability time. The master returns beginning in verse 19, and rewards the first two men for being faithful with a few things—so faithful in fact, that he gives them much more to manage. And in verse 24, the man who took no risks, who dug the hole to preserve the money but not increase it, was called in.
His explanation was less than satisfactory and the master took the 1000 dollars from him and had him thrown into the street, calling him a worthless servant. Jesus said all this to describe the kingdom of God. Welcome! What are we missing here?
But what really is Jesus trying to say here? I always thought that Jesus meant:
--I have to produce for Jesus
--that probably means I need to be constantly soul-winning
--that if I’m not good enough, Jesus will throw me out
Have you ever thought that? I have. But I think that is an inadequate understanding of the passage. First of all, we have to look at the context of the parable. Jesus had just finished telling the parable of the ten virgins awaiting the bridegroom with their lamps. Some had not prepared and did not bring enough oil and when the night came, they were not ready for his return.
We can see a similar theme in our parable. The master or bridegroom is away, he will be returning, but no one knows when. The question is, are we ready? And in our parable, did you do something with what you have received?
Let me make it even more plain. I think that Jesus was saying:
--I am going back to the Father
--I am leaving you with the Good News—Matthew 28:19
--I am leaving you with the Holy Spirit—Acts 1:4
--Some will be given more, and frankly more will be expected
--Some will be given less, but even that should be guarded and increased
--There will be a day when the Master returns—Acts 1:11
Jesus gives this parable in the context of end times. There will be a day of reckoning. We will be held accountable for the gifts we have been given. What did we do with the salvation that has been extended? Have we accepted it or are we toying with it? Have we really entered into that relationship with Christ, or are we comfortable being near those who have?
That is clearly in play in the parable Jesus told. You recall at the end, the one who did nothing with the resources God gave him was thrown out into the cold. So using kingdom resources wisely, namely salvation and the gifts God provides, is crucial.
But here is the pivotal question that I want to ask you this morning: “Who are you went no one is looking?” Because right now the master is away, but as Jesus said, no one knows the date or the hour of his return, and I suspect it will come when we least expect it.
Who are we when no one is looking? That question will define our Christian experience, it will define our witness, and it will define every relationship we have with others, not to mention God. And you know, we can all put our best foot forward at times. We can snow people into thinking we care, that we love them, that we are godly. But live with someone long enough, and their true colors show forth.
I want to look back at these three fellas that Jesus was talking about. I think they can give us some insight into our own spiritual journeys and help us with this question of “Who we are when no one is looking.”
Look at the first man. He received $5000 or 5 talents of gold. The master had faith in him. He entrusted him with much. And faithfully, the man invested and doubled the amount. He was interested and motivated to do his masters business. His integrity and faithfulness were evident, because they produced a great result.
The second man received $2000 or 2 talents of gold. Perhaps the master did not have as much faith in this man. Perhaps he had not been as faithful as he needed to be at times, and this was a real test of the man’s obedience and integrity and faithfulness. Maybe this man did not have the skills to really do much for the Lord, and yet he was entrusted with 2 talents. Maybe this man was like me sometimes. He may have had a lot of good intentions, but worldly desires and concerns may have tended to limit God’s increase. Nonetheless, he increased his amount and doubled it as well.
The third man was almost reluctant to receive the one talent he got. He buried it so as to preserve it. He didn’t want to waste or lose it. He certainly didn’t want to risk making more. He sat on it and used the buried talent as his “ace in the hole”. Maybe he didn’t increase it, but he sure didn’t lose it.
And I have to ask the question, what are we doing with the gifts God has given to us? Particularly salvation? We cannot, as the third man sadly found out, sit on it and not think about growing it. Jesus said, even that was taken from him because He failed to do what the master expected.
Now, back to our question of who are we when no one is looking, because that is the crux of this whole thing. You and I need to realize that real spirituality is not necessarily shown in the way we worship, the way we hold our Bible or the way we dress for church. True spirituality and maturity in Christ is shown in the way we daily live out the commands and ethics of Scripture. It is the daily relationship with Jesus Christ that determines our spiritual temperature.
Who are you when no one is looking? What happens when you neglect God’s Word in your life for days on end? What happens when you ignore your prayer life? What happens when you fail to fellowship with believers regularly? How is your attitude? What is your mind on? What are you inclined to do?
You know, most of us, I would imagine have struggled with godliness when we get out of these patterns. And we can hide it for a while, but eventually it starts creeping out. And like the third man, who buried his talent, there comes a time of reckoning. It takes a toll on our relationship with God, our family, and those we hope to love and draw to Christ.
Faithfulness and integrity are so important in our witness for Christ. We can have all the right things to say, and if we are not trustworthy in the eyes of those we are trying to win for Christ, we have shot ourselves in the feet. And let us not forget the eyes of the little ones down the hall that look to you and I for a mature Christian witness and lifestyle.
How do I improve my serve? How can I make sure my witness is consistent and that my life matches what I say? The answer is that there is no quick fix. It is a commitment of daily living what God has called us to live. Wesley said, work on one spiritual issue a year, and really master it, and before long your godliness will be evident to all.
Folks one of the greatest excuses our world gives about not attending church or getting involved with spiritual things is that the church is full of hypocrites. Well guess what? They are right. The church is more a hospital for the spiritually sick than it is a display of the super holy. We are all working on our spiritual lives and we don’t always live like we should—not that that is right. And so my question and my challenge to you this morning, is: Who are you when no one is looking?
Are you like the second man who fails sometimes and yet at other times does ok spiritually? Choose an area of your spiritual life and get working on it. Take it to God in prayer and ask Him what’s next? Church, let’s work on our blind spots. Sometimes others see in us what we cannot see ourselves. Maybe we need to ask a trusted friend what areas they see in us that we could grow in. Have you ever done that? I imagine not many have, but if we did, and we answered each other frankly, with love and kindness, I cannot think the increase God might add to our spiritual lives.
As we approach communion this morning, I want you to bow your heads. What is God calling you to this morning? What is He asking you to give up? What talent is he asking you to invest? What area of your life is God not allowed to touch? What motivates you to godliness?
Talk with Jesus right now and make your commitment to the Lord. Ask Him to help your witness match your everyday life. Spend a few moments in prayer with the Lord.
