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

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Good morning.

That's what I'm talking.

Thank you, Mike.

I appreciate that, buddy.

Hey, I also want to welcome y'all here, and this is something new for all of us, what I'm

about to do, but I'm excited to welcome everybody that's watching us online, too.

It's good to get back and to gather together, but it's also good to be able to continue to

reach those that can't be with us right now that are joining us online.

So we're glad that all of us are either worshiping here or at homes together.

Before we dive into the message, I do want to point out to you guys, we've got some special

guests that are here.

We got Rick and Tina Nolan are here with us this morning.

For many of you know, Rick and Tina are those that were part of our church that feel called

to go be missionaries.

And so our church is sending them to go onto the mission field, and they've got plans to

go to Greece to serve there to share the gospel, largely with the Muslim refugees that are in

Greece.

And because of everything, I don't know if you've heard, but life's been a little different

lately.

Because of all the things that are going on, they've gone through their training but haven't

yet been mobilized.

And so they had the opportunity to be with us as they're continuing to prepare to go

overseas.

And so they'll be with us at all three of our services this morning.

And so afterwards, maybe you're one of their supporters and you want to talk to them, they're

going to be out on the patio.

Or maybe you're not one of their supporters, but you just want to encourage them and talk

with them.

They would love to have you come by and speak with them.

So hey, thanks for being here.

I know you guys got a lot of places to be, but as your home church, we're so grateful to

have you as a part of our body of fellowship.

And so thank you guys for all that you do.

Well, if you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Matthew chapter 25.

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

In just a moment, we're going to read starting in verse 14.

Now this is week one of a series that we're doing on the parables.

Now the parables are a set of stories that Jesus would tell in order to teach those who

are around him about the gospel and then aspects of the gospel.

A pastor that I grew up with, he would quite often teach from the parables and would use

this phrase every single time.

They are earthly stories with heavenly meanings.

So it's a good way for us to think about that.

Because one of the greatest parts of Jesus's ministry here on earth, and it was what he was

referred to so often, was as a teacher.

So he taught sermons.

So just like you guys, there would be times where people would come and gather around and

Jesus would teach them.

There were other times where it was less formal settings and Jesus would be there and he would

have an interaction with someone and it became a teachable moment.

And so for many of us, kind of think of the way as we raise our kids, we're just out doing

life and conversation starts.

And next thing we know, it's an opportunity to speak truth.

But then sometimes Jesus would teach in parables.

And quite often what Jesus would do as he would teach parables is he would be with a group of

people and they would just be traveling along.

You know, Jesus would move from city to city to heal and to preach and to do different things.

And as they would go on these journeys, there would be these moments and Jesus would stop,

whether it's something that he saw or something that he heard or a question that was asked.

And Jesus would stop and begin to tell a story.

Now, what would seem kind of random in there is you're, if you're sitting there and listen

to Jesus tell the story, you can kind of go, well, what was the point of that?

Like Jesus told a story about some sheep one time.

He told the story about a lost coin.

Jesus told a story about a farmer.

And in that immediate moment, as he gets done telling the story, a lot of those around him

are like, I have no clue what he's talking about.

And then what Jesus would do is he would begin to explain.

You see, because when Jesus taught the parables, people weren't understanding fully the ministry

and what he was there.

So it was only through his power as he would, as he would teach that he would explain them

and give the application of the story and what that means.

And so as we go through these parables, that is our goal, that we can see, that we can read

these stories, that we can understand them, but even more importantly, apply these stories

to our life.

And so all throughout the summer, we're going to be journeying through the parables together.

We've got our videos that we're going to show every single week to kind of help some of our

younger learners understand the truth and the gospel of what's being told.

But as we go through them, I'm going to ask you to think about the same three questions

every week.

As we go through the parables, here's what I want you to think about.

Question number one is this.

What is Jesus teaching me about God?

I want to begin with that.

What does this teach me about God?

What does this teach me about Christ?

What does this teach me about our Lord and Savior that we've said that we've surrendered

our lives to?

The second question I want you to ask yourself is this.

As we tell the parable, where do you find yourself in the parable?

They've got characters that we're going to learn about, that we're going to talk about.

And what I want us to do is as we read through them every single week, find where you find

yourself in that parable.

And what you can find with this is what are you relating to or who are you relating to?

And the question that this takes us toward is, what are you learning about yourself?

What are you learning about you in this?

Right?

And then the last thing that I want us to begin to focus in every single week is how does this

parable, how does this teaching that Jesus has given us, how does it change the way I view

the world in which I live?

I think that's very, very important, not just in this time that we live in, but in every aspect.

Now, most of the stories, the parables that Jesus told, he wanted to focus in on the kingdom

of God because what he wanted the followers to understand is this, that as believers, that

we should have a different worldview, we should see things differently, we should see events

differently, we should see people differently than the rest of the world.

So what does this teach me about God?

What does this teach me about myself?

And then how does this change the way that I view the world?

And so the first one that we are going to look at this morning is the parable of the talents.

And so let's start reading Matthew 25, starting in verse 14.

Jesus speaks and says,

for it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them

his property.

To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.

Then he went away.

He who received five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.

So also he who had two talents made two talents more.

But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.

Now after a long time, the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

And he who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more talents, saying,

Master, you delivered to me five talents.

Here I have made five talents more.

And his master said to him,

Well done, good and faithful servant.

You have been faithful over a little.

I will set you over much.

Enter into the joy of your master.

And he also who had the two talents came forward saying,

Master, you delivered to me two talents.

Here I have made two talents more.

And his master said to him,

Well done, good and faithful servant.

You have been faithful over a little.

I will set you over much.

Enter into the joy of your master.

He also had received the one talent came forward saying,

Master, I knew you to be a hard man reaping what you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.

So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.

Here you have what is yours.

But his master answered him,

You wicked and slothful servant.

You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have scattered no seed.

Then you ought to have invested my money with bankers.

And at my coming, I should have received what was my own with interest.

So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

For to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.

But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.

In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

So Jesus tells a story.

Now imagine being on this journey with Jesus.

And Jesus begins to tell this.

And he tells the story of a man who is going to go on a journey.

A long journey where he's going to be away from his servants.

Where he's going to be away from what he's entrusted them with.

Now this man who's going on the journey is a wealthy man.

Is a powerful man.

And so all that he has, he's going to entrust to others who are living under his authority.

And he leaves.

And he says to three different servants, I'm going to leave you something.

One's going to get five talents.

One's going to get two talents.

And one is going to get one talent.

So what is a talent?

Well a talent is 20 years, 20 years worth of wages.

For the average person in their economy.

So I did a little math this weekend because to help us understand the culture from where Jesus is to where we are right now.

So here's what they got.

Servant number one got $6 million.

Servant number two got $2.4 million.

And servant number three got $1.2 million.

Now as we've read through, as I've read through this and studied this, here's what I want us to understand.

Don't let the number be the focus.

It's not about who got the most.

Because I'll be honest with you.

If you were given $1.2 million, that's pretty awesome, isn't it, right?

So one got six, one got 2.4, one got 1.2, but it's not about what they, how much they were given.

The point that Jesus is making is this, what everyone got was valuable.

What everyone got was important to the master.

What everyone got was precious to him.

He entrusted.

He said, this is what I value.

This is what I have here.

And he gives it to them.

He gives it to them freely.

And he gives it to them out of his choice.

And he gives it to them out of his kindness and out of his generosity.

So the Bible tells us, Jesus tells us, that the master returns.

This is important after a long time.

It's not a long weekend.

This isn't a spring break trip.

He goes for a long period of time.

And when he comes back, two of the servants, they've doubled.

They've doubled what the master gave them.

But one servant had nothing.

To the two that doubled, they were rewarded.

They were entrusted with more.

They're promised joy.

They're promised the joy of the master.

But to the one who did nothing.

To the one, he didn't lose it, but he did nothing with it.

He's punished.

Here's a good way to understand of what Jesus is bringing us to.

As he talks through and as he teaches this parable, it's very important for us to understand the setting in which Jesus tells this.

Look back down at your Bibles and just see what chapter 26, the details that will begin to unfold.

The plot to kill Jesus, where Judas will betray him.

Jesus is on the final days of his journey to the cross.

And he wants those who follow him to understand fully who he is, who God is.

And what we learn from this parable is this.

That God is both gracious and giving and stern in judgment.

If you haven't noticed this from the parable yet, Jesus himself is the master.

Jesus is preparing those around him for a long time where he is going to leave them.

Not in the short journey that he's going to take after the death on the cross.

But the journey that the master will take after the resurrection when he ascends to heaven.

And it's so important to him that he lays the groundwork.

And what we see here is the responsibility of what's left.

What we see is that, yes, the master is gracious.

The master is kind.

The master is good.

Joy comes from what those who have surrendered to him do with what he entrusts them with.

But the master, as kind as he is, is also stern.

You see, Jesus wants them to understand as they begin to see the mission field that will lay before them.

The depth of the truth of the reality that heaven is real.

But so is hell.

Heaven is real.

But so is hell.

And he says, look, there is a judgment.

And he's gracious.

And so what we find that in this, what is Jesus leaving them with?

What is Jesus entrusting them with?

What is more valuable than six million dollars?

The gospel.

The gospel.

And what we do with it matters.

In Matthew chapter 7, starting in verse 21, Jesus in other teaching says this,

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven.

But the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Today, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, do we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name.

And then I will declare to them, I never knew you.

Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.

Again, Jesus here talking about judgment.

He says to be people that come to me.

I did this, I did this, I did this.

But you didn't do the will of my Father.

You didn't do with the gospel what I entrusted you to do.

You see, when judgment comes, the question that we have for those of us who have professed Christ,

to those of us that say, I'm a servant of the master.

But the telltale, what the Bible says, it needs to be evident in our life, is the fruit of the true believer.

Jesus doesn't say, well, those who filled out a card, those who go to church, those who call themselves Christians.

Jesus says, those who do the will of my Father.

Church, it's so important.

In the parable, who does the will of the master?

The two.

And who does not?

The one.

So what is this fruit that we're looking for?

What's the fruit that needs to be evident in our life?

The Bible talks about tons of fruit, but what we want to look at is the fruit of faithfulness.

That when you and I make a profession of faith in Christ,

that what we understand is that we have to be faithful with what we are entrusted in.

And the marks of the true believer are those who take what has been given to us,

and we do what is expected by the master.

I love the process of what we see in salvation.

The process of what God does for us and trusts to us and then releases us to do.

What we see is the beautiful picture of God's will changing the men and women who call themselves Christians,

changing their will to be obedient to Him.

Paul summarizes this in chapter 2 of Ephesians.

In verses 8 and 9, Paul talks about what God is doing in salvation.

He talks about what we didn't deserve, but what God did.

He talks about what we didn't earn, but it's God's work instead.

God saved us.

But here's what begins to happen.

In the fruit of the life of the believer, what we see is a transformation that takes place.

Look at verse 10.

Paul continues on.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,

which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The fruit of faithfulness.

What do we see?

What do we see in this?

That Jesus Christ created for us good works.

So that when He saw you, and He saw you, and He saw you, and He saw me,

what was laid out before us is the work of the gospel that's there.

And He calls us.

He says, I'm going on a journey.

And you don't know when I'm going to return.

And you don't know when this is going to happen.

But there's going to be an accountability of what did you do with what you were entrusted with.

Church, here's my fear.

For so many of us, is that God gave to us the gospel.

And there are some of us that have taken the gospel, and we've run forth with it.

And we want to see it multiply, and multiply, and multiply.

We want it to grow, and grow, and grow.

And to see the fruit that comes from it.

But then so many of us, we run back to the yard, and we dig the hole, and we bury it right there.

And we cover it up.

And then when Jesus returns, you say you're a believer.

What did you do with it?

What did you do with it?

And in the graciousness of God, we see the reward.

But in the sternness of his judgment, the reality, we see what happens to those of us that have buried it.

Here's what I want you to think through.

Which servant are you?

If Jesus is the master, which servant are you?

And on that day, when accountability is there, one day when we stand before, not what others have done,

but when we stand in the testimony of our life, before our creator and our savior,

for what we have claimed, has it been lip service, or has it been the condition of our heart?

And are we going to be like the servants and show the action or excuse?

Are we going to show the action or the excuse?

You see, it's not the works that save you.

Your action will never save you.

It's Jesus' work that saved you.

Don't miss that.

But the gospel calls us to something.

The gospel holds us accountable to something.

And we have to take what we are giving, if we are really is, and it comes from us.

Just as the master returned, look, I don't know when.

I don't.

No clue.

But he will.

He will.

You see, the first two, first two servants, they weren't investors.

They weren't bankers.

They weren't educated into this.

But the Bible tells us that when Jesus gave them what was most precious to him,

the Bible says they went at once.

They didn't wait to live out the gospel until they were trained.

They didn't wait to live out the gospel until they had reached a level of perfection.

They didn't wait to live out the gospel until they had dealt with the stuff in their life.

No, immediately, as God was transforming them, they took what he had been given, what he had given them,

and they went forth with it.

And when they stood there before him, there was the fruit of the work in which they had done.

Here's the action of the saved life.

Here's the action of the transformed heart.

But one came forward.

He dug up the talent.

He brought it.

And he says, here's this.

You didn't do anything with it?

Mm-mm.

Because I knew you, that's what he says.

I knew who you were.

I knew that you were harsh.

And I was scared.

So I did nothing with it.

Now notice what he says.

The master doesn't agree to.

The master asked a question back to him.

Here's what the master's saying.

You didn't know me.

If you went and buried it, you never knew me.

Church, where are we going to be?

Where are you going to be?

Where am I going to be?

Are we the ones that take the gospel and bury it in the ground?

Or are we the ones that take the gospel that we've been entrusted with

and seek to see it multiply?

Not just in the gathering of these walls,

but in our homes, at work, with our friends, with strangers.

For people who are different than us, who think differently,

who act differently.

What are we going to do with the gospel?

Because judgment will come.

And in judgment, God will be both gracious and stern.

Would you pray with me?

Lord, we thank you for your word and for who you are.

God, I thank you that this is who you show us to be.

Lord, it is not a surprise to us.

Your word is very clear.

Lord, for all of us, may we find who we are in you.

Which servant are we?

Lord, speak to us and reveal that to us.

Lord, for those of us who are faithful,

Lord, may we feel the encouragement of the time right now

so that we can continue on and be who you've called us to be.

Lord, for those of us who find ourselves in a different setting.

Lord, we've heard the gospel and we've stored it away somewhere.

It hasn't changed us.

It hasn't consumed us.

It hasn't transformed us.

Lord, could today be the day in your grace and your kindness

that you transform our hearts,

that it begins with repentance and with brokenness.

So that, Lord, what we can experience is your grace and your joy and your mercy

that comes from a broken, repentant heart

where sin makes our hearts hardened to the gospel.

Lord, today, could we respond to it?

Lord, could this change and shape the way that we view the world

Lord, nothing is more deadly

than a person who knows the gospel

and seeks not to share.

But nothing brings more life

than the sweetness of the gospel

that comes from the lips of the saints.

Lord, in the brokenness that we see

and the divide that is there

and what needs to be made right

can only happen

through the blood of the cross

and the resurrection of Christ.

Jesus, you have sent us.

May we go.

It's in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

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We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message.

We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message.

We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message.

We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message.

We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message.

We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message.

We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message.

We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message.

We hope that you enjoyed listening to this week's message.