The Gospel of Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus said, “It is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
Let us Pray: God, our kind and loving Father, you no longer call us servants but friends. There is so much you have entrusted to us, even the future of your kingdom of justice and love. Give us the grace to work out with you the growth of mercy and goodness in this world, to be united with all Christians and with all who seek you with a sincere heart in bringing reconciliation and joy to everyone. Let us go together the way to you, our living and loving God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
As you read this parable do you ask yourself this question? What is a talent worth? I will tell you, it was 75 pounds of a precious metal such as gold, bronze, or silver. By asking that question you are missing the point of the parable. It is not about economic prosperity; it is about accepting and utilizing the gifts God has given each of us. The talents represent gifts. We can take these gifts and utilize them to help grow the Kingdom or we can hoard the gift and not do anything with it. When we let God’s unique gifts fill our hearts with love, we recognize that these gifts are meant to grow God’s kingdom. If we ignore God-given treasures, they can wither away if we do not use them prayerfully and intentionally. However, even if we drift away, God will be grateful when we return. Look around our world and ask how many have been given gifts that they covet totally as their own. Not willing to share their gifts. God has given us gifts to share, to help others and not hoard. We might feel the one who buried his talent got treated maybe a little harsh, but not because of what he did but because of what he didn’t do. Gifts from God are meant to be shared. This parable and the two proceeding it are reminders that Jesus is going to return but we do not know when. These three parables have a lesson and a warning in them. The lesson is live your life so matter when He returns you are prepared. The warning is If you aren’t prepared you may get locked out like the 5 foolish virgins or chastised like the servant who buried his talent. There are so many rewards by sharing your talents (gifts) with others. It gives your life purpose, It gives you the knowledge you have helped someone who needed to be seen, not ignored. There are many ways to share your gifts. Time, treasure and talent. Sometimes all it takes is a kind word., A moment of recognition or just listening or sitting quietly with a person. In today’s world we need to be there to share out talents. It becomes important that we encourage our churches to be fully involved in outreach and sharing. Some of the top takeaways from the parable of the talents, can be high-lighted by making us think about our own lives by looking at these questions.
1. What Has God Given You?
2. What Are You Doing with It?
3. Are You Ready for His Return?
4. What Will Jesus Say to You on That Day?
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. – Matthew 25:13 (NKJV)
Let us Pray: Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gifts, opportunities, and blessings You have entrusted to us. Forgive us for the times we have allowed fear, doubt, or complacency to keep me from using them for Your glory. So, grant us the courage to act in faith and the wisdom to recognize the gifts You have placed in our hands. Help us to be a good and faithful servant, not seeking the praise of the world but the approval that comes from You alone. May our lives bear fruit for Your Kingdom and may everything we do reflect gratitude for Your generosity and trust. Keep us watchful for the return of Christ and eager to hear those blessed words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
