It's great to be able to worship with you all.
Thanks for joining us.
Please open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 25.
If you don't have a Bible, please raise your hand.
We'd love to give you a copy that you can have,
use while you're here,
and you can take it home with you.
Matthew chapter 25, we're in verses 14 to 30.
Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.
Heavenly Father, we humble our hearts before you
and incline our ears to your word once again
because your word is truth,
and your word is life to us.
You are our Lord, our King, our Master.
You have the words of eternal life.
To whom else can we turn?
We look to you as a maid servant looks to the hands of a maid.
We long to be fed from your word.
So teach us, address us.
Teach us what faithfulness looks like.
Teach us the meaning of stewardship
and enthrall our hearts with the joy you have set before us
and the great rewards and commendation that you promised us
that we might run this race with endurance.
All to your glory, Lord.
So meet with us, speak to us now.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Please stand, if you are able, for the reading of God's word
so we can honor God as we read from his word.
Matthew chapter 25, verses 14 to 30.
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 had received the five talents went at once
and traded with them,
and he made five talents more.
So also he who had the 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 talents more,
saying, Master, you deliver to me five talents.
Here, I have made five talents more.
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.
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, who had received the one talent,
came forward, saying,
Master,
I knew you to be a hard man,
reaping where 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'd reap where I have not sown
and gather where I've scattered no seed.
Then you ought to have invested my money with the 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 more will be given,
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.
This is God's holy and authoritative word.
Please be seated.
I'm sure all of you have heard of America's Got Talent,
which I have never seen.
I've seen some YouTube clips.
It's a summer reality TV show
that features various contestants,
musicians, dancers, comedians, magicians,
and all showcasing their talents in front of celebrity judges.
The show boasts 5.9 million viewers weekly,
and some of the more viral clips have surpassed 400 million views.
And if you analyze the clips that get the most views,
the ones that tend to go viral
are the ones where the contestants
shock the judges with their unexpected talent.
The crowds love the idea of discovering hidden talent.
You are way too talented to be languishing in obscurity.
Here, come to this big stage,
and under the bright lights,
we'll make your talents shine the way they're supposed to.
It's like a reality TV version of Proverbs 22.29.
Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will stand before kings.
He will not stand before obscure men.
We often think of our own talent in similar terms.
Many of us are ambitious and talented.
There is a reason we live in a global city like Boston and Cambridge.
Intelligence, innovation, power, money, opportunity converge in global cities.
It's in cities that people try to make a name for themselves,
as they once did at Babel.
Many of us have been told,
you have formidable gifts and formidable talents.
You must not waste them.
You must maximize them.
And this is the Bible passage that most people point to
in order to justify that kind of thinking.
This is where the English word talent actually comes from.
But what if that's not what maximizing our talents looks like?
What if, by talent,
Jesus is not speaking of our abilities and aptitudes at all?
In this passage, Jesus teaches us to make the most of what God has entrusted to us,
looking forward to the commendation and reward that we'll receive from him.
We're going to first talk about the master's money,
the master's return,
the master's joy,
and finally, the master's character.
First, let's talk about the master's money.
Jesus says in verse 14,
for it will be like a man going on a journey
who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
The conjunction for in verse 14 connects it to the preceding passage.
What exactly will be like a man going on a journey?
Look back at verse 1.
Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
Jesus is still answering that same question of what the kingdom of heaven will be like.
This is another illustration to teach us what the kingdom of heaven will be like.
And the kingdom of heaven will be like a man going on a journey
who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
During the period of time while he is away,
the master entrusts to his servants his property.
And what exactly is the master's property?
It says in verse 15,
to one he gave five talents,
to another two,
to another one,
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
A talent in Greek,
the Greek word literally means a weight.
And it refers in this context to a weight of precious metal
that served as currency.
And since it's currency,
it's called the master's money,
it most likely refers to a weight of silver,
a talent of silver.
And one talent of silver was,
in this time,
reckoned to be about 6,000 denarii.
And if you remember from our previous parables,
one denarius is worth a day's wage
of a common laborer.
So a living wage in the Boston-Cambridge area
is estimated to be $32.46 an hour.
That's the minimum hourly pay
that a full-time worker needs
in order to cover his family's basic needs.
So if we account for an eight-hour common workday,
that's $260 per day.
That's the day's wage of a common laborer.
So if $260 is about the equivalent of one denarius,
6,000 denarii would be $1 million,
$560,000,
$1,560,000.
That's one talent.
It's not a small amount of money.
It's about what people will make
in maybe half their lifetime or so.
Five talents is $7.8 million.
Extraordinary large sum of money.
Even one talent is a fortune.
The master in this parable
is clearly very wealthy,
and each servant,
from the least to the greatest,
from the one talent servant
to the five talent servant,
are entrusted with
a consequential sum of money.
But what exactly does the master's money
and property represent?
The word talent,
through the centuries of allegorical sermons
based on this passage,
have come to mean,
in our culture and context,
a person's ability or aptitude,
their natural aptitude,
ability,
gifts.
For this reason,
many Christians automatically assume
that this passage is teaching us
to maximize our talents
in that similar sense
of America's Got Talents.
Use your God-given talents
to serve Him
and make a difference.
However,
I don't think the talents
refer to our natural abilities
and aptitudes.
Why?
Because of verse 15.
It says,
to one,
he gave five talents,
to another,
two,
to another,
one,
to each according to his ability.
In other words,
God dispenses the talents
according to our respective abilities.
The talents are not
the abilities themselves.
So, yes,
God does take into account
our capacity
to make use of the talents
that He entrusts to us,
but the talents themselves
do not refer to our capacities
or capabilities.
Also,
if we interpret the talents
to mean our natural abilities,
what becomes of God's desire
that we multiply the talents?
Produce five more talents
out of the five
that we've been given?
Two more talents
out of the two more
that we've been given?
That reduces this parable
to a shallow lesson
on self-improvement.
Here's your five talents.
Improve on your talents.
Make it even better.
I've been wrestling with this text
and asking God
what this passage means,
and that's one thing
I'm fairly certain
the talent is not.
What then is it?
The Bible connects this idea
of God's riches
or God's wealth
often to His grace
and mercy.
In Him,
we have redemption
through His blood,
the forgiveness
of our trespasses
according to the riches
of His grace
so that in the coming ages
He might show
the immeasurable riches
of His grace
and kindness
toward us in Christ Jesus.
Paul says in Ephesians 3a,
to me,
though I am
the very least
of all the saints,
this grace was given
to preach to the Gentiles
the unsearchable riches
of Christ.
What is God rich in?
What does He have a lot of?
What does His wealth
consist of?
His mercy,
His grace.
God,
because He's rich in mercy,
because of the great love
with which He loved us,
He made us alive
together with Christ.
The talents
that God entrusts to us
then are His,
they're not our natural talents,
no,
they're His grace gifts.
His gospel entrustments.
Luke,
in the parallel,
parable of this,
in parable of the minas
in Luke 19,
makes this point
more obvious
by telling us
that the master
gave all ten
of His servants
exactly the same amount,
one mina each.
We have all heard
the same gospel,
we have all received
the same grace of God.
However,
in Matthew's parable
of the talents,
the servants
received differing amounts
of talents.
Because Matthew
is trying to highlight
another important aspect
of God's entrustments
to us.
Yes,
God gives us
of the same grace
to each of us,
but He does not
apportion to us all
the exactly same amount
of grace.
So Romans 12,
3-5 says,
For by the grace
given to me,
I say to everyone
among you,
not to think of himself
more highly
than he ought to think,
but to think
with sober judgment,
each accord
according to the measure
of faith
that God has assigned.
Having gifts
that differ
according to the grace
given to us.
Let us use them.
Similarly,
Ephesians 4-7 says,
Grace was given
to each one of us
according to the measure
of Christ's gift.
Each of us receives
a different measure
of Christ's gift.
1 Peter 4-10 says,
As each has received
a gift,
use it to serve
one another
as good stewards
of God's varied grace.
The grace that God
dispenses among us
is varied.
The fact that our talents
are not our own
abilities and aptitudes,
but differing measures
of God's grace
is healthful for us.
It's helpful for us.
It's good for our
spiritual health.
First,
it takes our focus
off of ourselves
and our own capabilities
and puts the focus
on God
and on His generosity.
Notice the verbs
in verses 14-18.
It's the master
who entrusts
and gives.
It's the servants
who receive.
We are not the owners
of the grace gifts
that God has given us.
We are merely stewards.
We are entrusted
with God's money.
And because it's not ours
to begin with,
we have no grounds
at all for boasting.
What do you have
that you did not receive?
If then you received it,
why do you boast
as if you did not receive it?
Yes, the talents
we receive
are given according
to our abilities
in verse 15.
But even that,
I don't think,
is our natural abilities
and aptitudes
like being smart
or athletic
or handy
or musical articulate,
although all those things
come from God too.
The literal Greek word
here for ability
means power
or capacity.
And it's speaking
of our capacity
to receive God's grace
with eager acceptance
and obedience.
In a parallel passage
in Mark 4,
21-25,
Jesus says
that this measure
is based on our ability
to pay attention
to what we hear.
focusing on our own
abilities and aptitudes
promotes pride
and boasting.
Focusing on the grace gifts
that we have received
promotes humility.
Because of our sinful
pride and vanity,
we humans tend to have
an exaggerated sense
of our own abilities.
And if we focus
on maximizing
our abilities,
we're never content
with the lot
that God's given us
and the station
that He has placed us in.
We're always seeking
more leverage
and trying to enlarge
our own platforms.
We focus more
on what success
looks like
to the eyes of the world
rather than being faithful
in the eyes of God
with what He has given to us.
So if the talents
are various measures
of God's grace
at work in our lives,
what does it mean
that we ought to steward,
invest,
and multiply
these talents?
It says in verses
16 to 18,
He who had received
the five talents
went at once
and traded with them
and he made
five talents more.
So also he who had
the 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.
The grace of God
that goes in
always comes out
and bears fruit
within us
and among those around us.
Paul loved to use
the phrase
grace given to me
because he was aware
of the fact
that everything
that he did,
all his hard work
and amazing accomplishments
in sharing the gospel
and proclaiming the gospel
among the Gentiles,
it all flowed
from the grace
that God had given him.
1 Corinthians 3.10,
according to the grace
of God given to me,
like a skilled master builder,
I laid a foundation.
1 Corinthians 15.10,
but by the grace of God
I am what I am
and his grace toward me
was not in vain.
On the contrary,
I worked harder
than any of them.
Though it was not I,
but the grace of God
that is with me.
That fits well
with the sowing
and reaping imagery
that the wicked,
slothful servant
uses in verse 6.26,
doesn't it?
In the parable
of the sower
in Matthew 13,
the seed, right,
that we sow
is the word of the kingdom,
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The word of God
that comes from his mouth
shall not return
to God empty,
but it shall accomplish
that which he purposed.
The grace of God
toward us
is not in vain,
but spurs us
to loving service
and good works,
to sharing the gospel
of the riches
of God's grace
with those around us.
God is looking
for gospel fruit
in our lives
and in the lives
of those around us
whose lives we touch.
I'm sure you've heard
this illustration before.
Why is the dead sea
between the Jordan
and Israel dead?
Because the Jordan River
flows into it,
but no water
ever flows out of it.
And so the only water
that ever disappears
or goes out of that sea
is the water
that evaporates
in the hot desert sun.
So all the minerals
and salt
just collect
and accumulate
and concentrate
in that sea
so that it is not
inhabitable
for any plant
or fish.
The dead sea
has no outlet.
The grace of God
that flows
into our lives
are meant to flow out.
They're meant
to give grace
to others
in our speech
and in our deeds
and in our service
and in our love
and in our proclamation
of the gospel.
And the people
of God
are the most proper
object of our grace
outlet.
In the parable
of the vineyard laborers
in Matthew 20
and the parable
of the tenants
in Matthew 21,
the master entrusts
the care of his vineyard
to his servants
or tenants
and in both parables
the vineyard
represents the people
of God
because a vineyard
is a prominent
and repeated symbol
and imagery
for the people
of God
throughout the Old Testament.
So then where
does God expect us
to invest our talents
of his grace?
Where does God
expect us
to sow seeds
of the gospel?
In his vineyard
of course
among his people
and I think
that includes
the people
who are not
yet
saved
but yet
are chosen
by God.
As Jesus says
in John 10
15 to 16
I lay down
my life
for the sheep
and I have
other sheep
that are not
of this fold
I must bring
them also.
The grace
we have received
from God
we impart
to those around us.
The good news
we have heard
from God
we share
with those around us
until we all
attain to the unity
of the faith
and of the knowledge
of the Son of God
to mature manhood
to what?
To the measure
of the stature
of the fullness
of Christ.
We all receive
a measure
and then we all
build each other
up together
until we attain
to that stature
of the measure
of the fullness
of Christ.
Is the grace
of God within you
flowing out
to those around you?
How about
to your own
family members?
To your husband
wife
brother
sister
father
mother
children?
How about
to your own
neighbors?
Do your neighbors
know that you are
Christian?
Do they know
that the reason
why you have joy
and reason why
you have hope
and reason why
you have peace
is because
of the good news
of Jesus Christ
in your life?
What about
your coworkers?
Do your words
give grace
to those who hear?
Do you have
the aroma
of Christ
wafting about you
wherever you are
attracting
and drawing
to God
those who are
destined for life?
and none
of us
can say
well
I'm not
very gifted
so
I'm not
going to do
anything.
Have you
received
the grace
of God?
Yes
you have.
Every
Christian
has.
We have
freely
received
and we
have to
freely
give.
Remember
what we
learned
earlier
one
talent
is
1.5
million
dollars.
Some
receive
more
some
receive
less
but
all
receive
much
and
Jesus
says
in
Matthew
13
45
isn't
one
pearl
of
great
value
worth
selling
everything
we have
to acquire
an ounce
of the
grace
of God
that we
received
is worth
more
than
all the
riches
of this
world
all the
pleasures
of this
world
none
of us
have any
excuse
to be
complacent
or lazy
with that
precious
grace
we have
received
none
of us
have the
excuse
to bury
that
in the
ground
hidden
from all
those
around
us
this is
all the
more
urgent
because
of the
inevitable
and imminent
return
of the
master
Jesus
says
in
verse 19
now
after a
long
time
the
master
of those
servants
came
and settled
accounts
with them
so the
master
it says
he goes
away
on a
long
journey
in a
parallel
version
of this
passage
in
Luke
19
Jesus
tells
this
parable
to
people
who
supposed
that
the
kingdom
of
God
was
to
appear
immediately
so he
speaks
of a
noble
man
who
went
into
a
far
country
to
receive
for
himself
a
kingdom
and
then
return
Jesus
is
issuing
a
similar
caution
here
to
his
disciples
his
return
as
Jesus
said
repeatedly
throughout
chapters
24
and 25
of
Matthew
is
imminent
he
can
return
any
day
and
he
will
come
when
he
is
unexpected
like
a
thief
in
the
night
however
Jesus
cautions
his
disciples
here
by
telling
them
that
while
his
return
is
imminent
is
not
immediate
remember
Jesus
prophesied
earlier
of the
destruction
of
Jerusalem
and
the
temple
as
well
as
of
the
proclamation
of
the
gospel
among
all
the
nations
these
things
don't
happen
until
later
in
that
first
century
it
has
been
2,000
years
since
Jesus
has
said
this
it
has
been
a
long
time
but
any
day
now
Jesus
says
he
can
return
and
the
master
of
the
servants
will
come
and
settle
accounts
with
them
God
is
not
an
inept
manager
who
doesn't
know
and
or
doesn't
care
what
his
subordinates
are
doing
he
cares
because
he
has
entrusted
to us
something
very
precious
he's
going
to
come
back
and
he
will
examine
the
books
I
tell
you
on
the
day
of
judgment
people
will
give
account
for
every
careless
word
they
speak
a
single
idle
word
careless
word
Jesus
says
will
be held
to
account
we
are
not
bosses
unaccountable
to
anyone
we
are
servants
accountable
to
our
master
we
are
not
owners
of
our
own
money
we
are
managers
of
God's
money
we
are
stewards
of
God's
money
and
the
performance
review
is
coming
don't
be
like
the
people
that
2
Peter
3
warns
about
the
scoffers
who
follow
their
own
sinful
desires
saying
to
themselves
where
is
the
promise
of
his
coming
for
ever
since
the
fathers
fell
asleep
all
things
are
continuing
as
they
were
sun
up
sun
down
sun
up
it's
the
same
every
single
day
nothing
different
not
expecting
the
sudden
return
of
Christ
the
day
of
judgment
is
coming
and
we
must
not
forget
this
grand
reality
lest
we
become
lazy
and
complacent
this
reality
of
his
return
should
instill
holy
fear
in
us
but
it
should
not
fill
us
as
Christians
with
dread
or
despair
rather
it
should
fill
us
with
eager
anticipation
because
the
promise
for
those
who
faithfully
endure
till
the
end
as
witnesses
of
Jesus
Christ
is
that
we
get
to
partake
in
the
master's
joy
Jesus
says
in
verses
22
to
23
and
you
had
received
the
five
talents
came
forward
bringing
five
talents
more
saying
master
you
delivered
to
me
five
talents
here
I
have
made
five
talents
more
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
talent
servant
each
respectively
produced
two
talents
and
five
talents
100%
yield
and
they
received
the
exact
same
commendation
from
God
isn't
that
wonderful
God
doesn't
say
to
the
two
talent
servants
well
that's
it
that's
it
just
two
no
the
exact
same
commendation
remember
it's
the
master
who
sovereignly
and
freely
gave
two
talents
to
one
and
five
talents
to
the
other
and
the
servant
who
had
7.8
million
to
invest
versus
3
million
to
invest
they're
rightly
going
to be
expected
to
yield
different
interests
so
Jesus
says
in
Luke
12
48
everyone
to whom
much
was
given
of him
much
will
be
required
and
from
him
to
whom
they
entrusted
much
they
will
demand
the
more
and
this
should
prevent
any
unhealthy
ungodly
comparison
among
ourselves
in
whatever
situation
whatever
station
God
has
placed
us
whatever
measure
of
grace
God
has
entrusted
to
us
and
poured
out
to
us
what
is
expected
of
us
is
faithfulness
with
what
we
have
been
given
I
might
only
have
a
teacup
with
which
to
receive
from
the
ocean
of
God's
grace
but
if
I'm
faithful
with
that
teacup
and
I
pour
out
the
grace
of
God
again
and
again
to
all
the
people
that
I
see
and
all
the
people
I
meet
then
I
will
one
day
approach
the
throne
of
God
and
hear
him
say
to
me
well
done
my
good
and
faithful
servant
enter
into
the
joy
of
your
master
imagine
hearing
that
from
our
Lord
that
one
word
from
him
will
repay
more
pay
back
more
way
more
than
any
suffering
and
hardship
we
experience
in
this
life
would
it
not
well
done
that
one
word
would
fill
my
heart
to
burst
was
I
Lord
you
really
think
I
was
faithful
did
I
please
you
in
the
little
service
I
rendered
did
I
do
a
good
job
isn't
that
what
every
children
want
just
to
please
their
dad
to
please
our
heavenly
father
Hebrews
12
1
to
2
says
we
ought
to
run
with
endurance
the race
that is
set
before
us
looking
to
Jesus
the
founder
and
perfecter
of our
faith
who
for
the
joy
that
was
set
before
him
endured
the
cross
despising
the
shame
and
is
seated
at
the
right
hand
of
the
throne
of
God
how
did
Jesus
endure
the
cross
how
did
Jesus
endure
all
that
shame
and
trouble
and
pain
how
did
Jesus
do
it
he
says
he
looked
forward
to
the
joy
that
was
set
before
him
and
that's
how
we're
supposed
to
do
it
too
master
says
enter
into
the
joy
of
your
master
that's
what
awaits
all
of
his
faithful
servants
we
long
for
that
day
of
Christ
return
when
will
come
with
robes
of
white
when
our
eyes
will
be
transfixed
upon
him
and
we
will
rise
with
the
saints
and
praise
his
glorious
name
and
don't
ever
despise
the
day
of
small
beginnings
what
we
are
entrusted
with
in
this
life
might
not
seem
like
that
much
maybe
we're
not
very
influential
maybe
we
don't
know
many
people
maybe
we
don't
have
many
opportunities
to
make
much
of
Christ
and
speak
of
his
grace
with
others
like
some
people
do
but
the
master
says
to
faithful
servants
you
have
been
faithful
over
a
little
I
will
set
you
over
much
isn't
that
amazing
don't
ever
think
that
if
you
had
been
given
more
grace
God
I
mean
what
is
this
that
you've
given
me
what
is
this
small
thing
you've
given
me
what
is
this
small
church
you've
given
me
what
is
this
thing
you've
given
me
if
we
think
that
way
it's
something
a
little
more
influential
oh
then
I
would
have
been
really
diligent
and
faithful
then
I
would
have
really
given
my
all
absolutely
not
it's
a
delusion
to
think
that
lazy
people
will
all
of
a
sudden
become
diligent
when
they're
entrusted
with
more
important
tasks
people
who
cut
corners
in
small
matters
will
cut
corners
in
big
matters
it's
the
people
who
are
faithful
with
the
small
things
bigger
things
so
focus
on
being
faithful
with
the
little
with
which
you
have
been
entrusted
your
little
family
your
little
church
your
little
classroom
your
little
children's
ministry
class
your
little
ministry
team
your
little
work
it is
required
of stewards
that they
be found
faithful
moreover
whether we
have
two
talents
or
five
talents
in
this
life
whatever
God
has
entrusted
to us
in
this
life
is
tiny
compared
to what
we will
have
in
eternity
so
have
a
longer
view
of
life
this
life
is not
all
there
is
there's
more
to
come
our
temporal
earthly
stewardship
is
merely
the
training
ground
and
the
testing
ground
of
our
eternal
heavenly
stewardship
trust me
brothers and
sisters
trust
God's
infallible
word
rather
we have
an
inheritance
that is
imperishable
undefiled
and unfading
kept in
heaven
for us
all
the wealth
of heaven
ours
as
heirs
of Christ
all
the riches
of God's
mercy
and grace
that we
today
can only
appreciate
in part
we will
in eternity
appreciate
in full
for
now we
see in a
mirror dimly
but then
face to
face
now
I know
in part
that I
shall know
fully
even as
I have
been fully
known
can you
imagine
that
that sweet
that sweetest
grace
that is
poured
into my
teacup
my cup
will be
submerged
in the
ocean
of
unending
grace
and
there
will
be
new
entrustments
and new
responsibilities
as well
in a new
heaven
and a new
earth
we will
get to
worship
and serve
our gracious
Lord
for all
eternity
in a world
where there
is no
more toil
and no
more tears
enveloped
and carried
forth by
the love
of God
and the love
of one
another
in Christ
we will
always go
further up
and further
in
but how
how can
we persevere
till the
end
what helps
us to be
faithful servants
until the
end
that brings
me to my
final point
the master's
character
look closely
at the words
of the one
talent servant
in verses
24 to 25
he also
who had
received
the one
talent
came forward
saying
master
I knew
you to
be a
hard man
reaping
where you
did not
sow
and gathering
where you
scattered
no seeds
so I
was afraid
and I
went and
hid your
talent
in the
ground
here
you have
what is
yours
this
his
response
raises
so many
questions
for me
and
one
question
that I
have
is
what
in the
world
was he
doing
while he
was
gone
like
it
doesn't
take
any
effort
to
bury
the
talent
in the
ground
right
what
was he
doing
maybe
he's
busying
himself
with
his
own
ventures
rather than
investing
his
master's
money
that was
entrusted
to him
I
think
of
someone
like
Elon
Musk
who
have
founded
I
don't
have
anything
against
Elon
Musk
he's
founded
seven
major
companies
zip
to
paypal
spacex
open
ai
neural
link
the
boring
company
xai
he
owns
six
major
companies
including
Tesla
and
himself
runs
five
of
those
major
companies
how
in the
world
does he
have
the
time
for
all
this
he
boasts
of
working
80 to
100
hours
a
week
and
says
that
working
weekends
is
his
superpower
by
every
worldly
measure
he
is
one
of
the
most
productive
people
in the
world
he
has
maximized
his
talents
to the
tune
of
a
trillion
dollars
which
is
his
current
net
worth
700
billion
more
than
the
second
richest
person
in
the
world
but
Elon
Musk
has
absolutely
nothing
to show
the
master
of the
universe
when he
returns
nothing
because
he's
done
nothing
with
the
talent
of
God's
grace
someone
needs
to go
and share
the
gospel
with
him
what
about
us
what
are we
doing
we are
servants
we are
stewards
we're
managers
of
God's
money
what
are
you
managing
are
you
trying
to
manage
your
own
money
are you
trying
to
manage
your
own
glory
your
own
reputation
your
own
success
before
the
eyes
of
the
world
or
are
you
busy
managing
God's
money
because
that's
what
you're
going to
be
judged
on
and
look at
what he
says
the
audacity
you know
what
master
you know
what the
real
problem
is
it's
you
you're
a
hard
man
a
cutthroat
businessman
if there
ever
was
one
you're
always
wheeling
and
dealing
and
you
exploit
people
in
situations
by
taking
what
you
didn't
deposit
and
reaping
what
you
didn't
sow
so
I
had
no
choice
I
was
afraid
I
had
to
keep
that
talent
safe
underground
instead
of risking
it
by
engaging
in
business
isn't
that
really
ironic
you
think
that
having
this
harsh
view
of
God
seeing
him
as
a
hard
and
severe
and
exacting
man
would
make
him
work
harder
it
doesn't
instead
what did
Paul say
earlier
that I
read
in
1st
Corinthians
he
worked
harder
than
all
of
them
why
not
because
he
has
such
a
hard
view
of
God
no
but
because
of
the
grace
that
was
at
work
within
me
it's
our
hard
view
of
God
that
makes
us
be
lazy
servants
it's
our
severe
view
of
God
seeing
him
as
a
harsh
task
master
rather
than
a
gracious
lord
that
makes
us
not
want
to
work
not
want
to
please
him
but
this
goes
against
everything
that
we
see
about
the
master's
character
in
this
passage
normally
when you
hire a
money
manager
you
entrust
them
to
your
property
to
them
you
tell
them
hey
invest
it
make
some
money
I'll
give you
a cut
of the
interest
right
if you
look at
some of
the most
high risk
hedge funds
usually they employ a
2 and 20 model
a 2% flat management fee
plus 20% of the profits
carried interest
but look at how much
these guys get paid
the 5 talent servant
makes 5 talents
more
and then
if you look at
verse 28
it says
take the talent
from him
the 1 talent
servant
and give it to him
who has the 10 talents
he still has the 10 talents
he brought the 5 talents
the 10 talents
the total
to the master
saying here master
I've made 5 talents
more
but who has the talents
in the end
the servant
still has the talents
the master
didn't take any of it away
rather his desire
is to give him
all of that he has
all of his property
all of his heavenly riches
with his servants
that's the master's heart
and yet we think of him
oh I'm going to lose
everything I bring to him
this is why he says
for to everyone who has
will more be given
and he will have
an abundance
it's kind of similar
to what American philosopher
Albert Hubbard
once said
he says
if you want anything done
ask a busy man to do it
it's a truism
of course
not always true
but it's generally true
and that's because
a busy man is busy
because he has shown
that he can get stuff done
a busy man is busy
because he is
getting stuff done
that's why people
have continued
to give him
a lot of things to do
the idea is similar
to what we find here
it's a servant
that has proven
most faithful
that should be entrusted
with the most responsibility
and instead
the person
the servant
who viewed him
as a hard master
will be treated
the way he expected
Psalm 18
25 to 27
says
with the merciful
you show yourself merciful
with the blameless man
you show yourself blameless
with the purified
you show yourself pure
and with the crooked
you make yourself
seem tortuous
for you save
a humble people
but the haughty eyes
you bring down
why does God
treat people
this way
if you expect him
to be crooked
if you expect him
to be hard
and severe
he will be torturous
but if you expect
him to be merciful
and gracious
he will be much
much more gracious
and merciful
than you would ever
expect him to be
because God
saves a humble people
and he brings down
the haughty
you know who
the harsh taskmaster
is
it's not our Lord
it's the devil
you have any experience
serving him
I have in the past
before I came
to know the Lord
he is a harsh
taskmaster
he's always promising
and not delivering
it's always a bait
and switch with him
he promises pleasure
and gives you
an ounce of it
and then takes an L
and gives you
more pain
and you serve him
longer and longer
and longer
and you become
poorer
and poorer
we were so enslaved
by this prince
of the power
of the air
the devil
we had an
insurmountable
debt
of sin
we were carrying
we were slaves
we'd be slaves
forever
that's how
insurmountable
the debt is
but God
because he is
so gracious
and merciful
Jesus
because he is
a merciful
and gracious
master
he says
he came
Matthew 20
28
even the son of man
came not to be
served
but to serve
and to give his life
as a ransom
for many
Jesus
is the master
who became a servant
Jesus
is the master
who saw
the heavy yoke
of sin
that we could not
carry
and he said
you cannot
carry that
I will carry it
I will put it
on my shoulders
I will put it
on my back
and I will die
for your sins
on the cross
and I will be
raised
in power
so that you
can be free
and no longer
slaves to sin
and death
that's the kind
of master
and lord
that we serve
there's no
master
as gracious
as he is
and it's
when we
recognize
that
when we
believe
that
when we
humble
ourselves
before that
gospel
of grace
so
counterintuitively
it makes us
work
all the
harder
it makes us
run
all the
harder
because
who doesn't
love serving
a gracious
master
like that
so let's
serve him
together
abide in
Christ
remember
drink deeply
of his grace
then you will
bear fruit
and you will
bear witness
let's pray
together
yes father
thank you
for your
grace and
mercy
lord we
are eager
to please
you
will you
please help
us to
will you
please enable
and empower
us to
will you
please
keep us
attentive
to
and focused
on
your
gospel
of
grace
be
glorified
oh lord
in all
that we
do
and
oh lord
come
soon
come
soon
lord
we
wait
for
you
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
amen