The Parable of the Talents

As is often the case while preparing for a message I am tempted to be drawn away from the target passage to another that relates in some way. This is often where I find inspiration for a post, although finding the time to write is a whole other situation. But I digress…

While I was preparing to preach on James 3:1-5b I was drawn toward the Parable of the Talents in Matthew chapter 25. This really grabbed my attention as James is talking about the teacher’s temptation to sin with their mouth and Jesus, in the parable, is talking about being faithful to use what our Master has given us to bring an increase back to Him.

But, as James is talking about pastors and teachers Jesus’ parable is more general, describing rather what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. In this case, “it” is like “a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.” (Matt. 25:14, ESV) The parable goes on to describe three servants all given something of the master’s own abundance to manage and increase. The firsts is given the most, the second not as much as the first but more than the third, and finally the third is given the least. After the master returns he calls his servants to give an account of what they have done with the portions entrusted them. The first two are successful in doubling their portions, but the third buried his and although protecting it from being lost did not increase what he had been entrusted with.

There are a couple things that I was struck by when reading this parable. First, in his letter to the early church James very much emphasizes that the things that we do as Christians are the result of and fully connected to the reality of our faith. If our faith is not true, then we will not work in obedience to God and be fruitful. This is the parable of the talents. Those who truly believe, who truly have faith in the sovereign Master, are fruitful and bring an increase, but this too needs explanation or we may find ourselves naming and claiming or declaring financial increase as a birthright.

Am I Ready?

The parable of the talents is an explanation of what the kingdom of God is like. In Matthew 25 the preceding parable warned the listeners to be ready, it seems reasonable that this parable illustrates how to be ready or what “ready” looks like. This brings me to the second thing I see in this parable, and this is where I am convicted. Is the church in America ready? Am I ready? Well, what is ready?

The talents in the parable may not be so much the things we are able to do by way of our gifting and abilities. What if the talents are faith and salvation, the real gift that will continue on even after spiritual gifts pass away? (1 Cor. 13:8-10) What if what we have been given demands growth as a result of truly being present within us? In America we tell those who are gifted in business that they are to increase monetarily and give to the ministry as their part in the ministry, but is that in Scripture as a ministry function? Of course the ministry needs and operates off the generosity of those who support it, but is that all they should do? Throw some money across the pond to Africa and you’re all good; you've fulfilled your duty to the mission. I say no.

Upon This Rock

Many churches these days are like the third servant. Burying what they have and just trying to survive in the face of aggressive atheism and all the intolerance of Christianity’s absolutes in the name of tolerance.  This

is not acceptable. The church has a promise… “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18, ESV) This confession (That Jesus is the Savior and King) requires our faith, and our faith requires our action. The only reasonable action in response to faith in a loving Father who sent His Son to die in our place is to proclaim that truth regardless the reaction of the world around us, because whether they want to hear it or not, they need to. They absolutely need to hear it, and it is our responsibility to tell them of this gift.

If we bury our talent, we cease to be fruitful and thereby cease to be an accurate representation of the Kingdom. In effect, we cease to be the church. No matter what happens in the society we are in and not of we are called to proclaim the Truth and live according to His ways. When the family structure degrades and morality declines in society this especially is the time the church needs to speak truth in love. When the church moves forward working toward the increase we can be assured that we will see it. We can have this assurance because nothing can stop the Kingdom from progressing forward.

So, if “being ready” means working toward an increase, are you ready? He may return at any moment, as no man knows the time or the hour. Will you be found able to present an increase to your master, or will you be found as lazy, missing the point of the gift, and in self-preservation mode? What say you, are you ready?