The Parable of the Talents.
Matthew 25:14-30

August 15th 2004
Toongabbie Baptist Church

Back to talk list

Sol in the Castrol GTX advert used to say oils aints oils

John Laws said Valvoline – you know what I mean.

And me – well, I say oil? It goes where? In the engine? To keep it running? Is THAT why my car overheated and the engine seized.

<lift up 5L of oil>

Yep, oil and water doesn’t mix and for a while it seemed like oil and my cars didn’t mix either.

Oh I bought oil – for sure – usually a 5L container sat in the cupboard for the day I was gunna use it – gunna put it in the car. One time I bought some oil and it sat on the dryer beside our back door for months until finally Steve used it to do his own cars oil change.

I had the right stuff – I bought it – but I didn’t use it and so one day my engine seized when I was on the freeway supposedly coming home from Dapto.



My problem was that although I had the right stuff I wasn’t doing anything with it and so any benefits that I might have hoped to gain – like having a car that functioned – I missed out on.

Tonight we look at three servants who had something – something worth far more than oil – given to them by their master to look after while the master was away – we find out what they did with what they were given and the master’s response.

But before we do that – let’s pray.

<prayer>

This passage follows on and is linked to the passage from last week. Last week we learnt that we had to be prepared for Jesus’ return because we did not know when it would be. And if we were not prepared it would be too late to become prepared when Jesus does return. This week we take a look and see what we need to be doing – if anything – while we wait for Jesus to return.

Let’s look at the passage - Matt 25:14

14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

“Again” is linking us back to what comes before – not just with the passage of last week but even further back – if you turn back a bit to the start of Matt 24 we see that Jesus is speaking to the disciples about the end of the age – the time when Jesus returns.

So this passage is again about the times when Jesus returns. Starting when he departs, examining what we need to be doing while he is away and then the consequences of those actions.

And so we have a master [God] who is going away who entrusts his property to the servants [Christian] – differing amounts based upon the ability of the servants. Different talents to each servant.

What is a talent I hear you ask?

I’m glad you asked that – I did a bit of research and found out that a talent could have meant a few things.

Today a talent is a skill or an ability as in Young Talent Time.

But that is not what the disciples would have been thinking of - no they wouldn’t have in mind the winner of last years Israeli Idol – to them a talent was a medium of exchange – they would be been thinking about money – about value. It was an amount of either gold or silver or copper.It was firstly related to weight and then later expressed in terms of the coinage of the time.

As a weight It was about 30 kg of metal – copper or silver or Gold.

If we look at Gold 30 kilos would look like this

<hold up 1 talent>

which at current rates would be worth $540,000

In terms of the coin of the time, a talent was 6000 denarii – a denarii was a days wages [for unskilled labour or a roman soldier]

so you are looking at 1 talent almost being 20 years wages.

So how much were the servants given – well if we look at the weight and take it as being of Gold then 1 talent would be 30kg of gold or $540,000, 2 talents would be 60kg of Gold or $1,080,000 and 5 talents would be 150kg of Gold and be worth 2.7 million dollars.

OR in terms of a days wage

1 talent is about 20 years wages

so, 2 talents would then be 40 years wages

and 5 talents would be 100 years wages

So if you are confused about the word talent just replace it with an amount of great worth.

Because no matter how you look at it, the servants were entrusted with amounts of great worth by their master – whether it is thought about as amounts of Gold or years of wages.

The next thought I had was – well this is a parable, so, do the talents stand for anything and if so what is it? I know in my mind I wanted to be sure what Jesus is on about – is he talking specific things or wider things, is he talking about money? Or Spiritual Gifts? Or faith or something else?

If we look at the fact that the amounts are huge and that the amounts come from the master – then I think we can probably work out that this is talking about everything about us .

Jesus is talking about our gifts – abilities – time – property – hopes – fears – dreams – mouths – cars – houses – websites – phones – clothes – money – everything we have, everything we are, comes from God and is his – and he has given it to us.

So don’t think this parable is only talking about “special” things – like preaching, or singing, or leadership or hospitality or discernment or tongues – it is talking about those things but it is also talking about the every moment of every day things – like our thoughts, our emotions , our Reponses to people, the things that consume our stressful momentz, the fun times we have with friends – about how we act when we drive, about what we are like at home and work and study.

The “talents” in this story are all that we are and have.

It all comes from God.

It is of great worth

And it is entrusted to us according to our abilities.

So let’s take a look and see how each servant went.

16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.
17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.
18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

The master was away for a long time [just like last week where the bridegroom is delayed] and when he returned, he returned to settle the accounts, to find out what each had done with what they were given.

20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

Can you hear the eagerness with which these servants approach the master - they are like children – “see dad, look what I have done” they are excited to share with the master what they have been up to while he was away.

And the response of the master – well, that is something to be cherished isn’t it – well done Good and faithful servant – but even more than that – you have been faithful with a few things so now you will be in charge of many things – and share in the masters happiness.

And the response was not based upon how much each servant had it was based upon the response that the servants made to what God had given them, it was based upon what they had done with the things that the master had given to them.

So what about the servant who was given one talent?

24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

What a contrast to the other servants – instead of approaching the master excitedly, positively, he judges the master, the source of the amount of great worth, He approaches the master not with joy but with fear, not trusting the master rather afraid of the master because he had decided that the master was a hard man. And what did he have to return? It was what the master had given him – having stuck it away in the ground – bringing back nothing more and nothing less than what was originally given to him having done nothing with what the master gave him.

26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

The master judges the servant by the same standard the servant judges the master – and says well if that is really how you see me – if that is really how you think of me – then why did you hide it in the ground- why didn’t you deposit the money in a bank and earned me interest. Why? Because this servant is wicked and lazy.

This servant did not know the master at all – and due to this lack of knowledge he stuck what he was given away in the ground – where it was of no use to any one – not even gaining interest for the master. Instead of the smallest possible return this servant, who was afraid of the master, chose to hide the talent away and give it back unused.

But the master is not impressed - his judgment is quick and final.

28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Three servants – two judgments. Joining with and enjoying the master’s happiness or being thrown out as worthless, being thrown into darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

It is not hard to understand this parable. Not difficult to get the message – while we wait for Jesus’ return, God has entrusted each one of us with something according to our abilities and we have to use that something to produce something for God when he returns – and if we do then God will be pleased with us, giving us more to do and allowing us to share in his happiness

But to do nothing with the things God has given to us shows we do not understand the master – and will result in us being cast out of the kingdom into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

How well do we do this – or do we only know this – I remember a few weeks ago when John North was here he asked us the difference between knowledge and faith and the difference came down to knowledge being passive while faith was active

And this is what this parable is about – it’s about doing things.

It is about how we, who are God’s people, who have put our faith in Jesus death for the forgiveness of sins – we who are prepared and waiting for Christ’s return – it’s about how we have to DO things while we wait.

It is message of hope and peace and comfort to those who are using every moment of every day to produce more for God – because – well as 1 Cor 15:58 says – because you know that your labour in the lord is not in vain – quite the contrary – God will smile at you, lift you up, look you in the eyes and say to you – Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!

Wow!

And if you are worried – wondering, how do I know? how do I know how much is enough for God?

Maybe you look at people like Pastors, or missionaries or evangelists or martyrs and you are thinking – I am not even close to giving, doing, as much for God – have I done enough?

Well, remember us servants are entrusted according to our ability – so you can not measure “enough” by looking at other people – doing that is to look with sinful eyes and that will just puff you up with pride or bring you low with guilt.

No you have to look at yourself and what God has given you and ask yourself if you are using all of that for God – using it to multiply the kingdom, using it to make more for God.

And if you are – then be joyful – have hope – your labour in the lord is not in vain – you will share in God’s happiness you good and faithful servant.

So persevere – keep on doing good – keep on praying – keep on serving – reaching out – giving not taking – do not lose heart – even though it may seem pointless – even though you may not see the fruits of your labour for the Lord – keep it up – it is not in vain if it is done for God.

But don’t be too easy on yourself – don’t be like the servant given one talent – entrusted an amount which is still of great worth – 20 years wages or $500000 in Gold and suitable for him - but who did nothing with it.

He thought he knew the master – thought he understood the sort of person the master was – but he was wrong – he didn’t understand the nature of the master and he did not understand what he was given and so he choose to do nothing – arrogantly presuming that that would be the safest way out.

He was wicked and lazy and he did not know the master, and he did not understand the worth of what he was given.

So what are we doing with what God has given us? Not compared to others but rather compared to the things of great worth that God has entrusted to us.

It’s time to look at ourselves.

The stewards are going to hand out some boxes – just hold them until we all have one.

<wait>

A gift of great worth – each one of us – each of God’s servants have been given some of our masters property according to our abilities – but each amount we are given is of great worth – it is a gift.

I was going to paint the boxes Gold, but I wanted this plain box to be a reminder that what is in the box is of great worth not the wrapping it comes in – and it’s worth is tied up in the value of the one who gave it to you.

Let’s open the box – inside you’ll find a gift of great worth –

everything you are and ever hope to be.

God has given each one of us so much – and I do not just mean material things – but obviously in this country a lot of the things God has give us are material and can be used for him. What I am also asking us to think about is the things God gives to every believer, not just material things – though they too come from God and need to be used him.

I am going at ask you to write some of the things God has given you to use for him on that piece of paper – not just the things you may be using for Him but everything, and especially anything that God might be calling you to use for him in a new way.

But just before we do that – I want to make sure we are all clear – this parable was told to the disciples – the servants in the story are servants of the master doing his will – this parable is addressed to Christians – you can not please God by doing things for him.

This parable serves as encouragement and warning to Christians that while we wait for Christ’s return we need to be actively living out our faith.

If you have not put your faith in Jesus death and resurrection as paying for your sins and putting you right with God then doing things will not please God, will not solve the problem we all have – how can sinful men approach a sinless creator? Only through faith in Jesus, who he was and what he did.

So I would ask that each one of us – on the blank side write “Jesus’ death and resurrection paying for my sins, making me right with God” If you do not have a faith in Jesus then ask God, and come into his family. Believe Jesus died for you rebellion against God and ask for forgiveness through that death and tell God you believe and want to follow Jesus now.

We all need to write it because it is trusting in Jesus that makes us Christians – he is the foundation for all we are and do.

Now I will give you some time to record some of the everything you are and ever hope to be – write down some of the abilities, your personality traits, strengths, that has God entrusted you with while he is away, while you await his return – maybe he has given you an earning potential, a financial mind, a musical ability, a warm heart, a mind that is practical, a mind that is strategic, a big house, a car, a family, an ability to persevere, patience, preaching, leadership, service – and write your dreams.

And while we write – I want us to remember that God has given those things to us – and their worth comes from Him and in them being used for Him.

<time to write – band come up – have seats ready>

God has given us much of great worth – and the first thing is knowing Jesus as our King and Saviour.

And we should be thankful to Him for all that he has given us.

And each of us must ask ourselves - what am I doing with all that God has given me?

Don’t just use it to be content and secure in the things of this world – I have been challenged so much by this passage – it nailed me right between the eyes and into my heart – I have been given so much – not to make me happy – only knowing God brings that joy – but to use for God – everything I have and ever hope to be – it is God’s and I am called by Jesus in this verse to use it for God.

If you are using all that God has given us for Him – then take hold of the hope in this passage – If you are using the things of great worth that God given you for Him – then you can know that when he returns you will be called a good and faithful servant, given more to look after and share in the Masters happiness

But, if you are not using what God has given you for him – according to your ability – then you need to do something about it – there is still time to start using what God has given you for Him – and tonight God has clearly called each one of us to be getting our hands dirty for him.

Let’s pray…

<prayer – ask for quietness now to start listening to what you call us to do as we wait - pray that we do what He calls us to asking joy and hope from the knowledge that when he returns he will be proud of us – make us people who use all we have to serve you and to grow your kingdom – make us people who would surrender to you all that we have and hope to be and use it in your service. Pray that God would show us how to serve him more – surrendering all we have to him and for his use>

Song: I Surrender

God has given each one of us a gift of great worth – let’s this week start afresh [or for the first time] using all that we have for His glory and His purposes.