The Parable of The Talents

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

property to them.

To 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.

The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained

five more.

So also the one with the two talents gained two more.

But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid

his master's money.

After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

The 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.

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.

The man with the two talents also came.

Master, he said, you entrusted me with two talents.

See, I have gained two more.

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.

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.

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

See, here it is what belongs to you.

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.

Well 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.

Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

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

Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

And throw that worthless servant outside into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Gordon, it's good to have you with us over the weekend and good to have you with us today.

Thanks.

Well, good morning everyone.

It's been lovely to be down in Cork, this part of the world, over this weekend.

I've really enjoyed being here since Thursday evening and sharing with the folks over this missionary weekend.

It's lovely to meet some of you and chat with some of you over the weekend as well.

Well, I'm lovely to be in this church in Carrickgill.

And I've heard about this church for many years.

Johnny and I go back a long, long time.

His father, way, way back, used to come up to the Baptist meetings that would have been held up in Belfast

and used to stay in a lady's house just right across the street.

So I knew about this man, Michael Grant.

And some people from the church would have come up as well.

And then when I went to Bible college, I was wanting to come to the south of Ireland and work for a period of time to gain some experience.

So I came to Waterford Baptist and Johnny had the privilege of sharing a bedroom or I had a privilege of sharing a bedroom for a month with Johnny.

And, oh, I could tell you some great stories, but I'm not going to do that.

And it's lovely to be here and to be part of their family this weekend.

I've really appreciated, really enjoyed the fellowship with them.

And what I want to do this morning is I want to just speak to you for a little while on this passage that Johnny's read to us, Matthew chapter 25.

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

And then just a little bit about one aspect of the work that we're involved in across in Asia.

I, as I said, work with David Quinn.

And Johnny, is this tipping on me or am I leaning on it?

He did tell me, don't touch the stand.

So I've broken the rule already.

But I work with David Quinn.

And I think most of you will probably know David.

AsiaLink is a missionary organization.

We work out in Asia.

Our motto is to reach the unreached people of Asia.

This is my family that I was talking about, my wife, Nolene, with three children.

We're based in Ballyclare in County Andrum, just about 20 minutes north of Belfast.

And from there, I travel all around, mainly in the north of Ireland, over into Wales and into England, and then travel out into Asia.

These are the countries that we work in, some of the most difficult places in the world to be a Christian.

And as I said, what I want to do this morning is just to give you one aspect of our work,

a little kind of glimpse, I suppose, of something of the work that we're involved in.

But before I do that, I want to think about Matthew chapter 25.

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

This is a chapter that contains a number of parables where Jesus is trying to teach us spiritual lessons,

lessons about the kingdom of God.

And Matthew chapter 25, the story part of it is about a rich man who is going on a journey.

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

He's going away for a period of time.

And he needs someone to look after his business and his affairs.

So he puts his business in the hands of three of his servants, three people who are his employees.

There is going to be the caretakers of the master's property and the master's affairs.

He gives one of these servants five talents, which is probably a significant amount of money,

maybe gold, and places his finances in the hands of one of those servants, five talents.

To the other, he gives two talents, again, a significant amount of money, perhaps gold.

And to the other, he gives one talent.

Not all of the servants received the same, but each received something.

And what they received didn't belong to them.

It wasn't theirs.

It was just given to them by their master.

It was their master's that he had placed into their care.

It didn't belong to them.

Nevertheless, these servants had to use what the master had given to them.

And when the master returned, he told the servants that he would call them to give an account.

They had to use what they'd given and use it for the master.

So the servant with five talents, he sets to work and he uses his five talents and he makes ten talents.

And when the master returns, it's time for him to give an account of what he's done.

Then the master, the servant, who has two talents, he puts it to use and he works hard and he makes four talents.

And when the master returns, he has to give an account.

And then the servant with one talent, as you've just read, he decides in his wisdom that he's going to bury it in the ground.

He's going to keep it safe.

He's not going to use it.

He's not going to do anything with it.

He just returns the one talent when the master returns.

And so when the master returns, the man with five talents is able to give him ten talents.

He's accomplished something.

He's done something for the master.

And he's rewarded.

And the man with two talents has now four talents.

He has done, accomplished something for the master in the master's absence.

And he's rewarded.

But the third servant has nothing to give, nothing to show, has accomplished nothing.

And he's described as a wicked servant.

And the parable is there.

That story part of the parable is there to remind us that there are only two kinds of people.

There are people that God has given things to and they use them for his glory.

And there are those that are given things by God and do not use them and do nothing with them.

And when the Lord comes back, they will be empty handed.

And it is the steward, it is the servant, it is the caretaker that uses his God-given gifts for God

that will be congratulated and rewarded.

It is the servant, the person, the caretaker who has been given much but does nothing with them

that will be condemned by God.

And as we think about that parable, probably a very well-known passage in the Bible,

I want to apply it to a number of areas of our lives.

I want to apply it, first of all, to the area of time.

How much time does God place in our hands?

He doesn't give some people five talents, 24 hours in a day,

and some people two talents, 12 hours in a day,

and some people one talent.

That's not what I mean by time.

Every one of us has the same number of hours in the day.

But when I say that God gives us different talents of time,

what I mean by that is not hours, but seasons.

The passage, I think, is here to remind us,

make the most of your time in this world.

God has given each of us periods or seasons of time.

And the important thing is that we use those seasons for the glory of God.

Now, although we all have the same number of hours in the day,

not everyone has the same length of time or the same number of seasons.

For some people, God gives us five talents of time.

He gives us a long life.

We live 80, 90, we might even live 100 years.

God gives us a long period of time, five talents of time.

This parable reminds us to use whatever length of time God has given us

for the absent master.

For some people, God gives us two talents of time.

We live an average length of time.

We're here on this earth for 60 or 70 years.

We're given that length of time.

Whatever length of time God gives us,

we're to use it for the master.

For some, God gives one talent of time.

Our lives are short.

We're cut down early in life.

We don't live as long, perhaps, as others.

These parables remind us that whatever length of time God gives us,

we should use it for the master.

Different lifespans.

Different talents of time.

But God wants each of us to use our time

to accomplish something for God.

What is it that we're doing with our time?

Are we using our seasons, our months, our years

to accomplish something that when the master returns,

we might hear those words,

well done.

Or are we people

that have seasons of time,

months and years and spans of life,

but we're burying them

in the ground.

And when we meet the master,

it will not be

rewarded in commendation that we receive.

Time.

But I also want to apply it to money.

It's a touchy subject to be talking about money,

but for some,

God gives us five talents of money.

For some of us,

we find ourselves in life with finances,

and we don't have to worry about much,

and our business,

and our jobs are good,

and in many ways,

we have five talents of money.

We're relatively wealthy people.

For some people,

God gives two talents of money.

We have an average amount.

We don't have a lot to spare,

but we have enough.

And for some,

God gives just one talent.

Not a lot at the end of the month.

A struggle at times of the year

to pay the bills.

It's difficulty.

But all of that

has been given to us by God.

All of the money that we have

has been placed into our hands.

The ability to work

is a gift from God.

The ability to derive a business

and to work

is all from God.

And in the church,

there are all kinds of people

with all kinds of incomes.

We have different talents

when it comes to finances and money.

But God is not so concerned

about how much we have,

but what we do with what we have.

So what is it that we do

with our money?

Whether it is a small amount,

whether you're a student

on a grant,

whether you're a young person

at home with pocket money,

it's not the amount of money

that we have,

but what we do with our money.

what we accomplish

with our money

for the glory of God

and the kingdom of God.

What God will be asking us

at the end of our lives

is not how many millions

or thousands

we have given

to the kingdom of God,

but what we have done

with what we have,

whether it be five or two

or one talent.

What is it that we're doing

to bring the gospel

to advance the kingdom of God

around the world

with our money?

And thirdly,

can I apply it not just to time

and not just to money,

but apply it to the gospel itself?

God has placed into our hands,

to your hands and mine,

the gospel,

the greatest,

most amazing message

in all of the world.

God sending his Son

into the world

to be the only Savior.

It's by faith,

alone,

in Jesus,

alone,

that rescues

and saves

the world

and people around the world.

God has not called

everyone to be a preacher,

to stand at the front

and declare

to great numbers of people.

He's not called everyone

to be a Sunday school teacher

with a little class.

He's not called everyone

to be up front,

but He has called

every Christian

to spread the gospel.

He has placed

the great commission

into our hands.

Some people

have the gospel

and are not afraid

to tell people about it.

Some people

have the gospel

and throughout this week,

neighbors

and friends

and work colleagues

and people

will come across

our paths

and will not be afraid

to speak it

and to share it

and to use it

and to disperse it.

For others,

the gospel

has been placed

in our hands

and God will place

people in our paths

and we will hide it.

We'll bury it.

We'll do nothing

with it.

So the challenge

for us is

that God

has placed

things

in our hands.

We have

talents.

We have the gospel.

We have money.

We have time.

And we should do

all that we can

to use

those things

for the glory

of God,

for the advancement

of the kingdom

and

to be assured

that when

that day

comes

and the master

returns,

we will receive

those words

well done,

good

and faithful

servant.

I wonder

this morning

are you

like the man

with the five

talents,

with the two

talents,

or are you

someone

who's more

like that

with the one

talent.

I hope and pray

that we might

be those

who God

is pleased

with

when the

master

returns.

When I

think about

taking the

gospel around

the world,

I think

that we

have been

entrusted

with the

greatest

gift

of all,

the greatest

gift and

privilege of

all,

to take

the message

of Jesus

Christ,

of forgiveness

of sins,

of hope

of heaven,

to a world

in need.

It's a very

difficult task

to share

about the

Lord Jesus

unless we

have a

Bible.

and the

Bible

therefore

becomes a

very

precious

gift.

And I

was thinking

about some

of the

great

gifts that

there have

been given

in the

world.

This lady

is not a

fan of,

I'm not a

fan of mine,

she doesn't even

know where I live,

but I'm not a

fan of hers,

just in case,

but apparently

this is

somebody called

Beyonce and

she has a

husband or

something like

that called

Jay-Z or

something,

I'm not

really kind

of into

those things,

but the

crazy man

decided that

he would

give her a

gift a

number of

years ago,

a 20

carat gold

engagement ring

that cost

him five

million dollars.

You wouldn't

like to leave

that somewhere

in a public

toilet or

come home and

tell him you've

done that.

Well,

that's one

gift.

This is another

gift I was

thinking about.

This is the

Statue of

Liberty,

which is

located in

Liberty Island

in New York

Harbor.

It was a

gift to the

people of the

United States

from the

people of

France,

300 and

something feet

tall,

and it was a

gift to

commemorate the

alliance between

the French

people and the

Americans during

the American

Revolution.

And it

cost the

people of

France a lot

of money.

They had to

have a whip

round.

Literally,

they were going

round asking

the people,

can you give a

wee bit if you

want to give it

to the Americans?

Can you give us

that?

And it

cost two

and a

quarter million

French francs,

which is

45 million

dollars.

That's quite a

gift, isn't it,

to give from

one country to

the other.

And this is

the one that I

like most of

all.

This is the

Taj Mahal,

this ivory

white mausoleum

in Agra near

India, built

by this

emperor,

Jahan, to

house the

tomb of his

favorite wife.

He had a

whole lot of

them, but he

had one

favorite one.

And it

began in

1632, and

it took 21

years to

finish.

And it was

just built to

put his

favorite wife's

body into.

And it

cost 32

million

rupees, which

in today's

money is

827

million

dollars.

What a

gift to

give to

your favorite

wife.

But the

greatest gift,

one of the

greatest gifts

that we could

possibly give

to people does

not break the

bank.

In fact, maybe

the greatest

gift that we

can give to

people on a

practical level,

sharing the

gospel with

them, is to

give them a

copy of the

Bible.

That will cost

about a

euro fifty

to put a

Bible into the

hands of

Christians

across our

world.

world.

And I

just for a

few moments

want to

show you

one or two

things.

Just to

think about

Bible

translations,

around about

6,900

languages in

our world,

and of those

6,900

languages,

around about

600 of

them have

the complete

Bible out

of 6,000

languages.

Of those

other languages,

there are

around about

another 1,400

that have the

New Testament

in their

language, and

then there

are around

about 1,000

languages that

have a portion

of the Bible

in their

language.

Books scattered,

maybe not a

complete New

Testament.

And that

leaves us,

in a world

that leaves us

with around

about,

see if I can

move this on

a little bit,

there we go,

of those 6,900

languages,

probably 1,800

languages,

a third

almost,

where there

has been no

translation started

at all,

and then

around about

another 2,000

odd languages

where they are

just in the

process of

Bible translation.

Around about

57% of the

languages in

our world

this morning

do not

have a

portion of

God's Word.

word.

And added to

that is the

fact that in

our world

there will be

people who

even if you

give them a

copy of the

Bible,

they cannot

read,

they cannot

write.

So you have

to add on

people that

even those that

have the Bible

there are many

of them that

can't read and

they can't

write.

And then you

have to add

into the

whole equation

that there are

countries and

religious systems

in the world

that won't

allow Bibles to

come into them.

Think about

Muslim countries

where to try and

print Bibles and

distribute them and

put them into

countries.

it's very

difficult.

And then you

have communist

countries as

well that are

completely opposed

to the Bible

coming into

them.

And it makes

the job,

the task of

taking God's

Word into

parts of the

world extremely

difficult.

And I'm going

to show you two

little videos.

One now,

this one is a

video of ours

called The

Greatest Story

Never Told

Part One.

And it just

shows you

something of the

challenge of the

Bible getting

into the hands

of people across

our world.