Matthew 25:14-30
On these Sundays after All Saints’ Day, and before the beginning of Advent, we consider the End Times, and you’ll notice a pattern in our readings. The Old Testament reading is a word of judgement against the unbelieving world, but also towards those who do not truly follow God in their hearts, but only with empty outward actions.
The epistle reading is from one of St. Paul’s letters, and in contrast assures faithful Christians that we have nothing to fear about the Last Day, but it is when we will be reunited permanently with our Lord and the saints who have gone before us.
Then we have our Gospel reading, where Jesus presents a parable that shows this reality for both those who face judgement and those who receive eternal life. Last week it was the parable of the Wedding Feast and the 10 virgins, this week it’s the Parable of the Talents.
Now in this parable, it’s said that a Master entrusted his wealth to several servants, to each different amounts. Not every servant was given the same, yet his expectations for them were. They were to take what he entrusted to them and put it to good use.
The master entrusted 5 talents to one money, 2 talents to another, and 1 talent to a third servant. These talents are a measurement of weight, so depending on whether it was talents of silver or talents of gold, a talent could be more than 16 years worth of wages to the common man. These talents are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, perhaps even millions in our currency.
What does that tell you of how much the Master trusts his servants? And it appears the master is wise to trust his servants. The first one that he gave 5 talents to was able to trade it and earn another 5 talents. The second servant, who received 2 talents, likewise was able to double the money, and brought back his master another 2 talents.
Then there is the man who was given 1 talent. While it sounds small compared to the servant who received 5, or the one who received 2, this talent is still a lot of money.
We see that this man understands the importance of what he’s been given, because he responds in fear. He is so afraid of losing this wealth in a bad trade or investment that he simply buries it to protect it.
The master praises the first two servants, with equal praise really. They took what he gave them and made returns according to what they were given. This was pleasing to him. But the third servant was a disappointment to his master. The master trusted him with a portion of his wealth, and the man was so afraid he just hid it. If the master was only concerned about not losing his wealth, he could have put it in a bank or buried it himself. The master made the servants stewards, managers, overseers, they had an important responsibility over the master’s wealth.
The difference between the first two servants who produced and the last servant was an understanding of this stewardship. The first two understood what it meant that their master trusted them with his riches. The third servant responded only in fear.
So apply that to us Christians today. How are we like the servants? Think through what God has given us. We might think first of our natural talents, our abilities, our personal gifts we can share with others. Some may be blessed financially, and can pass this blessing on to the church or those in need. That all is true.
But what makes us his servants? All the world, even nonbelievers have received earthly blessings in some form from God, whether it be in talents of ability or talents of wealth. What sets the faithful apart? I would argue that as with the two servants in the parable who were good stewards over the master’s wealth, we as the faithful understand what our gifts are, what they are for, and who we received them from.
More importantly, our understanding comes from knowing the first gift that all mankind has received. The gift of reconciliation. We are all sinful, selfish, and would gladly keep our blessings to ourselves before sharing it with others. In that way, God should regard us all as unfaithful servants. So the most important talent or gift God gives us is his Son. He gives his own to die to in our place. He gives his child to die in place of us his unfaithful servants. God has done that for all the world.
Jesus is the talent that all have been given. We may have varying earthly gifts in this life, we might even be given different levels of faith if you will, some are more mature, some are able to teach, some are younger in the faith, some come and join God’s family later in life. Some may be given 5 talents, some 2, some maybe only 1. But we can be sure that we’ve all been given the talent, the gift, the immense wealth of Jesus crucified for our sins. We’ve been given the talent then of eternal life.
When we understand that talent, then we can live boldly with what God has given us. That’s what the first two servants did. They took what God gave them and put it to work. They had no fear. They understood the great treasure they had been given, and also understood how God gave it to them, not just for their own sake, but that they could be stewards of God’s love and share it with others. They had no fear, because they understood everything we have been given comes from God first, and that when we share what God has given us, ultimately, we are just mere instruments, and that it is God who is at work through us.
We don’t have to be afraid of failure. That was the unfaithful servants problem. He was afraid to squander what God had given him. The reality is, it can’t really be squandered, other than if it’s hidden. God will work through his church, his people, and through his word to accomplish what he desires.
The world is terrified or frustrated about many things right now, the virus, the election, what’s going to happen as a result of those things. We’re frustrated by those things too, but we don’t have to fear them, we know what God has promised us through his son.
So ask yourself what God has given you as a servant. First, it starts what he has given you through his Son. Because of that, we don’t have to fear anything in this world. With that confidence and assurance of salvation in hand, then ask yourself what else has God given you. It’s not going to be the same for all of us, and that’s ok. It’s not a contest.
God has placed us in different places, different stations. He’s given us different tasks, different talents and abilities. But we’re all baptized children of God now, his servants. Live with that confidence in everything else you do. Let this confidence be seen by those around you who are in fear. Focus on those around you who God has placed in your life. Let them see this confidence, and be ready to share the source of this confidence. Encourage those who are fearful. Take the talent of salvation God has given you through our Lord Jesus, and be ready to put it to work as the servants in the parable did. God will most certainly work through you, even if we don’t see all that it produces. God has always worked through his people in this way.
The world has a lot of obvious fears right now, which means it’s the perfect time to shine comforting light of the Gospel upon them. Share the light Jesus has given to you with those God has placed around you. Not everyone is called to be a missionary in a foreign land. You don’t have to give a Billy Graham sermon to every stranger you meet. Be a faithful servant where you are at.
To close, I’ll share again some of St. Paul’s words from our Epistle: …Since we belong to the light, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.