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.
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.
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.
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.
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.