Talent: What's In Your Hand Series

1. Opening

a. Illustration:

?A story about our beautiful garden at home and my inability to care for it.

? Overgrown with weeds that choke the beautiful flowers until I learn how to care for it.

? A gardener inherited a plot of land. Some areas were rocky, some fertile, but every inch could be fruitful under proper care and cultivation.

b. Thesis Statement—God has entrusted each of us with unique spiritual gifts and talents. Our call is to recognize, develop, and invest them for His Kingdom, just as we will see the faithful servants do in our main passage for today.

c. Connecting Question—What might God be calling you to cultivate in your life today?

2. The Parable of the Talents: Understanding the Trust (Matthew 25:14-30)

a. Context: Continuing the Olivet Discourse from last week (The 10 bridesmaids).

b. Remember: A parable is a story used to illustrate or communicate a truth.

c. Key Elements of the Parable:

? The Master departs and entrusts his servants with wealth (talents), according to the ability of each particular servant (v. 15).

? Two faithful servants invest and ultimately double their money, but one fearful servant hides the money so as not to lose it (v. 16-18).

? The Master commends the faithful servants for their wise investments but condemns the fearful servant (v. 21-30).

d. Key Observations:

? Just as the Master expected faithfulness, God expects us to steward what he’s given to us.

? God measures us by faithfulness, not by the size of our gift or ability. Each of us is held accountable for obedience, not comparison.

e. Application: Just as the Master expected his servants to grow the wealth entrusted to them, God expects us to steward what’s He’s given us.

3. Recognizing Your Gift: “What is in Your Hand?”

a. Exodus 4:1-2 says Moses answered, ‘What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.

b. Moses’ Objection: “What if they do not believe me or listen to me?”

c. God’s Response: “What is that in your hand?”

? The rod becomes a sign of God’s power.

? God had already made sure Moses had what he would need for the work—He was set up for success before he ever knew the assignment.

d. Insight: Our gifts and abilities often seem to us to be commonplace or ordinary until God reveals the Kingdom potential they possess.

e. Question: What is a talent or spiritual gift that God has given you?

4. Rooting Your Gifts in Christ

a. Colossians 2:2-3 says, “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

b. Implication:

? Christ himself is the source and storehouse of spiritual gifts.

? Gifts apart from a deep relationship with Jesus become empty exercises; true empowerment flows from abiding in Him.

c. Practical Response: Commit yourself to abiding in Christ on a daily basis: 5 minutes of prayer and Scripture focus on Christ as your source. Allow the Holy Spirit to put more oil in your lamp (connect with last week).

5. Understanding the Variety and Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

a. Overview: Romans 12:6-8—“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

b. Insight: 1 Corinthians 4-6—“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”

c. No gift is insignificant. Every act of service, every word of encouragement, builds Christ’s Church.

6. The Heart of Faithful Stewardship

a. Faith + Action: The difference between knowing your gift and actively using it.

b. Challenge: 1 Peter 4:10—“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

c. Key Principle: Stewardship flows from gratitude—our gifts are God’s provision for His purposes.

d. Illustration: The two servants who multiplied their talents stepped out in faith under risk.

e. James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above…” Our confidence is in His provision, not our performance.