July 31st, 2022
The Conversationalist
Parable of the Talents
“The parables are abstract enough to keep us from making them into laws, but clear enough to help us understand what matters to God.” —Pastor Mike Burnette
“Sometimes stories say best what needs to be said” —C.S. Lewis
Then the kingdom of heaven will be like …
—Matthew 25:1 (ESV)
Faithfulness is the
Faithfulness will not
For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
—Matthew 25:14 (ESV)
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
—Matthew 25:15 (ESV)
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.
—Matthew 25:16-18 (ESV)
Burial is subtraction, circulation is multiplication. —Pastor Quentin Beard
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 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.’
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, 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 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 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.’
—Matthew 25:19-30 (ESV)
1- It’s what you
The parable of the talents is a story about capacity,
not comparison
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
—1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV)
2- If we’re always
Risk it all - it’s not yours.
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Next Steps:
1. Today, I accept Jesus in my life for the first time.
2. I am struggling with comparing myself to others and feeling not good enough. Today, I commit to stop worrying about what other people have.
3. I’ve been afraid of messing up, but today I’m choosing to be faithful by risking it all by investing what the Lord has given me into the Kingdom of Heaven.
4. My next step is … .