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The mission of Calvary Bible Church is to glorify God by making disciples who will impact our community and the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ
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Matthew 25:14-30
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. (15) To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. (16) He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. (17) So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. (18) But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. (19) Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. (20) 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.’ (21) 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.’ (22) 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.’ (23) 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.’ (24) 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, (25) so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ (26) 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? (27) 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. (28) So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. (29) 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. (30) And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Commit to Give
A healthy church is eager to give
A committed assembly of believers will commit to grow in their relationship to Christ by studying His word and that growth will manifest in healthy relationships within the body. Because of Christ’s immeasurable gift of salvation, we ought to live as “living sacrifices” as our only acceptable worship to Him. We GIVE ourselves entirely as worship: our hearts to Christ, the exercise of our spiritual gifts within the body, our abilities, and our material resources – all for His glory. WE GIVE.
Matthew 25:14-30 is our text today – The Parable of the Talents. Jesus’ parables were stories that were “cast alongside” a truth in order to illustrate that truth; teaching aids which serve as extended analogies or inspired comparisons. Parables are an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. We’re all stewards – like the three servants of this parable – we’ve been entrusted with something by our Master. And one day, there will be a reckoning. We’ll give an account to Him of how we’ve handled what has been entrusted to our care.
A key theme in this parable is the tragedy of wasting opportunity. We can identify two contrasts or principles in this parable – and they are instructive as we consider the importance of giving in the church.
RISK v. SAFETY – Christianity is not about safety. It is about risk. The five talent and two talent servants did not play it safe. They sought to honor the departed Master by taking what was given to them and boldly seeking a return on it. Their efforts were successful and the Master praised and rewarded them when it was time to settle accounts. And so, we cannot play it safe, as the third servant untrustingly does in the parable and is condemned for fearing the master and being afraid to risk for his Master.
In the faith, we’re not promised comfort, ease, or even safety. We are called to be salt and light: in our homes, at our jobs, at the playground, at our kids’ ball games, and everywhere else in between. We have to be willing to face down our fears as we share the good news with a friend or family member. We should give sacrificially to kingdom work, and we should lend our energy to sharing the Good News and building one another up in the faith.
FAITHFUL v. UNFAITHFUL The three servants fall into two categories: Faithful and Unfaithful. Stewardship – the care and management of that which belongs to another. NOTHING is “ours.” ALL that we have and are belongs to God – our life, salvation, physical resources, our finances. 1 Corinthians 4:7 “What do you have that you did not receive?” We have received our lives and everything in them for which we are responsible. Until God requires them from us — we are stewards of these gifts from Him. Faithful stewards are productive. Unfaithful stewards are lazy. Biblical stewardship calls us to use all of our resources in the way the Lord wants – to use them for His glory.
FAITHFUL Servants …are good stewards
- Faithful stewards are disciplined – without discipline, the best intentions to use our time, talent, and treasure for the gospel will be overwhelmed by our circumstances
- Faithful stewards are productive. The faithful servants took their talents (money) and put them to work for their Lord.
- Faithful stewardship is evident – their stewardship can be seen in that the gathering of the saints together is a priority, there is an eagerness to use spiritual gifts to serve God within the body, and offering skills to promote progress.
The servants were charged with preparing for the Master’s return. How should we prepare for Christ’s return? Of course, by being faithful stewards of the resources and abilities God has given us. God has given each of us certain resources and abilities, and He expects us to use them for His glory. He expects us to be productive for His kingdom, because when the Master returns, it will be time to settle accounts.
(Matthew 25:23) 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.’
