Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:14-30





Dr. William S. Epps, Senior Pastor
Sunday, November 13, 2022
14For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. 19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing
of teeth. 
Matthew 25:14-30
 
Introduction
Jesus was and is a master teacher. Firstly, he knew his subject matter. His subject was the kingdom of God. He shared what the rule of Go looks like in the lives of people who believe and trust God. Secondly, he knew his students / pupils. He knew that people filter through the lens of their own experiences how what is being said is applicable to them. Thirdly, he knew his methodology. He used parables, stories to convey truth in an unmistakable way.  

The word “parable” in Greek literally means “to come alongside.” Parables, then, were short stories given by Jesus in order “to come alongside” as he taught important truths.  His listeners and to teach an important truth. Jesus is teaching his disciples about opportunities. Jesus tells a story to encourage people to manage what they have been given. He has seen all sorts of persons, those who were go-getters, those who were backsliders, those who were satisfied with mediocrity, and you name it. Jesus recognized how easily people permitted themselves to become discouraged or overwhelmed and do nothing. So many have lost their luster for living. They appear drained of energy. They just do nothing. Here is a story of inspiration for those who need a word of encouragement to make the most of the opportunities that are available.

Consider what it means that Jesus is a master teacher who
uses parables to share priceless truths. 
Monday, November 14, 2022
In this story, Jesus describes a man who owned a great household, or in today’s vernacular, a corporation. He often traveled great distances for extended periods of time. During this particular trip, he placed the management responsibility of the company on three individuals who worked for him. The owner knew exactly what each man could handle so he proportioned the management responsibility according to each person’s ability. One was given five talents, one was given two talents, and the third one was given a single talent.

A talent was actually a measurement of weight. While commentators differ somewhat over the approximate value of a talent in today’s economy, all would agree that it was a large amount of money. Some say that it was the equivalent to
20 years’ wages for a common laborer.

The implication here is that the Lord has given us the resources necessary to manage our lives. We often complain about what we do not have, rather than looking at what we do have. God has entrusted certain assets to each of us for which we will be held accountable for how we use them. 

It should be noted that the distribution of the goods is the prerogative of the distributor. The distributor knew those to whom the distribution was being given for
it says that he gave to each according to his ability. 
 
The Lord also knows about our ability.  There are those who would like what someone else has. The way you manage what you have is the same way you would manage what someone else has. Manage what you have. 
 
Each of the three servants is called to account for the funds to which he had been entrusted at the time of the owner’s return. The first two workers doubled their investment and received the owners praise. The commendation is, "well done";
the assessment is "good and faithful"; and the invitation is to "enter into the joy of the Lord." 
 
Notice the person with the one talent indicts the owner saying, I knew you were a hard task master, wanting to reap where you have not sown and gather where you had not winnowed and I was afraid, and went and hid my talent in the earth so I would not lose it. The owner saw through the logic of the third worker and said,
If you knew I was going to be harsh, why didn’t you at least put it in a passbook savings account and make some interest. The worker's disregard for his talent prompts the owner to take the talent away and give it to the first servant.

The message is clear: those who have talent and refuse to use it, will lose it. To those who use their talents and stretch them to the limits, more gifts will flow their way. Jesus used this parable to teach people the importance of using what they have been given and to remind them that one day they will have to give an account of how they used what they were given.

The Lord will only hold you accountable for how you use what you've been given.  
 
Consider what it means that you are accountable for how
you use what you have been given. 
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
There are those who believe that this story speaks to those who consider themselves as those who have received the one talent. 
 
The reason for his failure was his fear: I was afraid (v. 25). Fear prevents you from venturing out to fulfill your possibilities.
 
Perhaps, the unprofitable servant felt insignificant. After all, he had received only one little talent. We must invest what we’ve been given. We cannot bury our resources in the ground and expect God’s blessing. We must use what we have for good. God has given us abundant resources in order to make a difference in our world.
The one talent person fails to see how much he is needed. He does not realize that while a man may not have what someone else has, he does have what he has.
He did not dare to venture. He lacked faith in life and God. He did absolutely nothing. He did not try anything. It would have been better to have tried and lost than never to have tried at all. Better to try all things and find all empty, than to try nothing and leave your life empty.  It was Zig Ziglar who said, "You are the only person on earth who can use your ability." 
 
Consider what it means that you are the only one who can use your ability. 
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
The role of the evil one is to make us feel insignificant.

Let me challenge you to read Psalm 139 verses 1-5:

O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. 5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
 
God knows everything there is to know about you. The question is, why would God take the time to do that? The answer is because you are important to God!
You were important enough to God that He would send His only begotten Son
to the cross in order to redeem you! That is a tall price to pay for something insignificant!
He had a warped view of the gift that had been given to him. (Whatever you receive is enough.)
A talent represented a great sum of money. One commentator estimated the value of a single talent in today’s money to be about $300,000!
Instead of being pleased with what his lord has given him, the unprofitable servant viewed his gift as if it were a curse; it was a hot potato that he needed to rid himself of as quickly as possible. He buried it.
In contrast, the other two servants saw the talents given to them as their opportunity to please the master. They were given a chance to excel, and they did! We must use what we have or we will lose it. This man, the unprofitable servant, lost everything because he did nothing with what he was given but bury it. 
 
Consider what it means to bury your ability because you are afraid.  
Thursday, November 17, 2022
We are to serve the Lord. This unprofitable servant buried his lord’s talent, and went on living his life as if the master did not exist.
 
How often does this happen, that we go on living as though the Lord does not exist as we fail to utilize the gift we have received. 
 
“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hast not received it?” 1 Corinthians 4:7
 
All that we have is a gift from the Lord - our ability, acumen, agility, aptitude. What is it you have that has not been given to you? Life, love, and liberty. What is it you have that has not been given to you? The fruits of your labors, the harvest of the seeds you have sown. All that we have is a gift to be used as long as we are part of this ephemeral reality. And when we have served our time and generation well, we leave it all behind.   
 
The bible reminds us that, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17
 
Servant of the Lord, use what the Lord has entrusted to your care and keeping and assume responsibility for utilizing what you have received to please the giver. 
If the lord in this parable had intended to simply bury the talent, he could have done that himself. There was a reason why the servants were given the talents. The unprofitable servant could not discern that the reason was to equip him to be a responsible steward whose Lord trusted him hoping that the servant would also trust the Lord by being a worthy servant.
If God wanted our talents to be buried, He would have left His only begotten Son in the grave! No! “Up from the grave, he arose!” God wants to do more than to just
take you to a cross. He wants you to live a resurrected, abundant life beyond the cross!
Consider what it means to neglect to use what you
have to the best of your ability. 
Friday, November 18, 2022
He has a warped view of God. 
24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
 
Where did the third servant go wrong? He was full of excuses. (He focused on every reason why he was unable to make a difference.) "Excuses are tools of the incompetent. They build monuments of nothingness. Those who choose to use them seldom amount to anything."
He had a bad attitude toward the master. (He thought of the master as a 'hard man'.) He did not appreciate what the master gave to him. 

He was self-sufficient. (He didn’t talk to or deal with anyone. He buried his gift.)
He was fearful of losing. (He didn’t play to win, he played to ‘not lose’.) Life is not structured for anyone to play not to lose. Losses are an evitable part of life and living, having faith and taking risks. Better to try and lose, than never to have tried at all. 
Each one of us needs to ask of ourselves the following questions:
Just what is it that I am doing that is kingdom work?
Just what is it that I am doing for Christ and His kingdom that is profitable? 
Am I using what I have received to please the giver, or am I responding because I may not have received what someone else did?
Am I responding out of jealous impulse because I feel cheated?

Don’t cheat yourself by burying your talent. 
 
Consider what it means to make excuses for not using your ability. 
Saturday, November 19, 2022
Let me close by reminding you that the reward is the same for everyone for just using what they have received. The reward is the same for everyone. The commendation is well done; the assessment is good and faithful, and the invitation is to enter into the joy of the Lord. 
 
I Am Thine, O Lord, I Have Heard Thy Voice, / And It Told Thy Love To Me;
But I Long To Rise In The Arms Of Faith / And Be Closer Drawn To Thee.
Consecrate Me Now To Thy Service, Lord, / By The Pow’r Of Grace Divine;
Let My Soul Look Up With A Steadfast Hope, / And My Will Be Lost In Thine.
Oh, The Pure Delight Of A Single Hour / That Before Thy Throne I Spend,
When I Kneel In Prayer, And With Thee, My God
I Commune As Friend With Friend!
Draw Me Nearer, Nearer Blessed Lord, / To The Cross Where Thou Hast Died;
Draw Me Nearer, Nearer, Nearer Blessed Lord, / To Thy Precious, Bleeding Side.


I Am Thine, O Lord
~Nenivadanai - Ankitha kaki
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Los Angeles, CA 90011 
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