The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25: 14-29

“The Parable of the Talents”

    In this story, a master delegates his money to three of his servants.  The first servant receives 5 talents, the second receives 2 talents and the third receives one talent.

While the master was away, the first two servants invested their talents and doubled their worth.  The third servant buried his talent in fear that he would lose it and the master would be angry.

    When the master returned, he complimented the first two servants for increasing the worth of their talents and reprimanded the third for hiding his talent and doing nothing with what he was given. As punishment, he made the third servant give his only talent to the first servant, leaving him with nothing.

    It would seem that this parable is about wealth and the importance of investing money; however, Jesus story has a much deeper meaning.  “The parable does not justify a gospel of economic prosperity. Instead, it challenges believers to emulate their Master by using all that God has given them for the sake of the kingdom.”

    We learn from this parable that God (the master) has given everyone gifts (talents). God does not give us identical or necessarily equal gifts, but expects that we use them wisely and with joy, and if we do, we will hear him say, “Well done.” And when Jesus returns, (like the master in the story), we can sing with joy in knowing that we have served him with all of our talents.

    Pastor Sarah spoke today of the many talents we share at FPC.  We praise the Lord for our blessings and the beautiful place we have to worship.  We are reminded to continue to work for the good of the kingdom and be joyful for all that we have been given. It is upon us to prepare for our future as we wait for the return of our Lord, Jesus Christ. God wants us to use all of our talents so that he can say, “Well done.”

Let us raise our voices and sing for joy.

Psalm 98

Sing to the Lord a new song,

    for he has done marvelous things;

his right hand and his holy arm

    have worked salvation for him.

The Lord has made his salvation known

    and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

He has remembered his love

    and his faithfulness to Israel;

all the ends of the earth have seen

    the salvation of our God.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,

    burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp,

    with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—

    shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,

    the world, and all who live in it.

Let the rivers clap their hands,

    let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord,

    for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness

    and the peoples with equity.