INTRO: Movie – Papillion Story (prison delusions, court guilty of the worst crime) (crime: wasted life!)
D.L. Moody once said, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many
men he serves.”
TITLE: Talent Used or Wasted
TEXT: Matt. 25:14-15 (READ)
I. The Talent Entrusted
Jesus gives this parable preparing the disciples for the things that will shortly happen.
A. Journey – master traveling into a far country.
1. Calls his servants (GK: called his bond servants).
-Bond servant: some who especially belong to the master (special servant).
Like Christians-followers of Christ.
2. Entrusted property to them believing they would do a good job.
Ex. Tammy leaving “do I get to baby-sit yet.”
Point: He was entrusting his property to them.
B. Variety of Talents
1. Master delegated out what he thought they could handle.
-Like God delegating out talents for us. Eph. 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ
Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
a. Distribution: One he gave five talents of money.
One he gave two talents of money.
One he gave one talent of money.
-Talent was a medium of exchange in NT times (gold, silver, copper). Price depended on what
type of metal used. Considered a lot of money.
b. Question fairness – rational minds.
1. Human nature causes us to compare (me having a Steve Green voice) How come God?
-Equal share still could complain (why didn’t I get more?) How come God?
Complain mentality – Paul sums up.
Romans 9:20-21 “But who are you O man, to walk back to god? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, why did you make me like this? Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use.”
POINT: Instead of questioning God, learn the gift He has given and use it to the fullest.
c. Lord gave each to his own ability.
-God will not give you beyond what you can bear (trials, talents, wealth).
II. The Servant’s conduct – Matt. 25:16-18 (READ)
A. Diligent servant – went at once (immediately).
-Nice to know that the person you entrust thing to will take care and do a good job.
Ex. 60 minutes (NY janitors)
1. Five talents: immediately goes to work and gains five more – 100% increase.
2. Two talents: immediately goes to work and gains two more – 100% increase.
-Interesting that it was a 100% increase. They gave it their all (100% effort).
-They gave their master 100% effort and the fruits followed.
*Side note: Do not make the mistake of judging success by worldly standards.
Ex. In churches people make a mistake if a church is not growing that there must be something wrong (not necessarily true). Don’t judge success by growth. *Missionaries to China and Africa spent their whole lives over there and only have a few converts. Jeremiah spent whole life trying to bring SK to repent. But he didn’t succeed. (Did he fail? No) Obedience is the key!
*What happens – seen people judge the things of God by worldly standards and get frustrated and upset (right where the devil wants you).
I Cor. 3:6 “I planted the seed, Apollos water it, but God made it grow.” God makes the increase. Success is defined as being obedient to God.
B. Third Servant – dug a hole and hid it (eastern practice)
1. Possible reasons: Small gift (compared to the others no significance – after all the master is very
rich).
-One of the enemy’s traps (feel your talents are of little importance so you don’t bother using them).
-After all, can’t sing like Sandy McConn.
-Play the piano like Debbie Woodruff.
-Lead worship like Nancy Wright.
-Preach like Pastor Woodruff.
-Not as good looking as Chad Spinler.
-Not as athletic as Pastor Mark.
-Can’t run as fast as Shannon McCauley.
-House is not as big as the Jones.
*This does not matter. You need to be obedient with what the Lord has given you.
2. Another possible reason: servant put talent into ground and did nothing with it.
a. Fear of the master (holds you back from doing things).
1. Example that comes to mind is the story of David and Goliath – I Samuel 17.
-Background: Philistines and Israel are enemies, always warring with each other.
-About to war again (each on their own hill).
a. Surprise weapon – v. 8 (challenge by a giant) tries to divide ranks.
Calls them servants or slaves of Saul.
b. Instructions (v.9) one-on-one combat (not normal practice).
*Ever gotten into a struggle and gotten tricked or placed into a corner?
Ex. Baseball deek (acted like he could not throw hard)
1. Israelites tricked, ready for battle, but they were taken out of their normal expectations
(routine) one-on-one combat.
*Enemy tires to take us out of our normal expectations (environment).
a. Dailey devotions (pray and Bible reading)
b. Coming to the Lord’s house and worshipping Him
c. Fellowshipping with other Christians (isolation)
*Enemy is going to have limited success so he will try and draw you out of your
protected environment (like fishing).
2. Philistines accomplished (Israel should attack in their mass hordes and overrun them.)
a. Philistines bring out this monster over nine feet tall.
-Breast of Armor alone was 25 lbs., rest of his battle gear would impress a modern-day
warrior (helmet, javelin, spear tip alone was 15 lbs.)
-Amazon man was to intimidate the soldiers of Israel by sight (appearance alone would
bring fear into the hearts of the soliders.)
-40 days Goliath would come out alone and ridicule God’s people and bring terror into
the hearts of Israel.
*Enemy today does the same thing – intimidates God’s people by sight. (The problem
looks too big. No hope.) Enemy gets you looking at situation in life and get eyes off
God.)
b. Intimidates by speech (no Mike Tyson voice).
*Enemy does the same today. (You can’t do this. You’re no good. Call yourself a
Christian, ha!)
3. Works – v. 11 (READ) The Israelites were dismayed and terrified (enemy gets you into
his environment, he will win).
b. God Raises Up Someone
1. David – a teenager – hear threat, questions what’s going on.
-Man replies – king’s promised daughter, no taxes (shows the magnitude of problem).
2. Enemy counters – v. 28 – (brother ridicules him).
-Someone trying to do great things from God and a brother stands up and ridicules him.
(Go back to your sheep).
Ex. Same thing happens today. People judge someone by their age and think they can’t do this or that. (Saints, don’t fall into that trap – of looking at someone’s age and thinking that person can’t do the job.)
*God looks at the heart. (Look at the ages of people in the Bible that God used).
-David: a teenager, Jeremiah: a teenager, Saul: a young man, Gideon: a young man.
*Sad to say, we avoid listening to God and look at the person’s physical talents, his
experience.
3. David went ahead anyway. (Stood up for God no matter what anybody else thought).
a. Outcome – David was victorious over Goliath and Israel had a great victory that day (v. 50-51
READ).
TS – one possible reason the servant buried the talent into the ground was fear. Afraid of the matter. Story of David and Goliath show how enemy uses it (things of God).
Review: Insignificant, afraid (fear)
-Lastly, talk about laziness.
3. Servant neglected the talent because he was lazy.
a. Master entrusted the servant to do his work while he was away (produce).
1. Servant was lazy. Proverbs 10:26 – “As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a
sluggard to those who send him.”
-Vinegar (irritant)
-Smoke (represents a hindrance to progress)
Solomon is saying, “don’t do it, save yourself the headache.”
We are not using the talents God has given us to use for His glory!
III. The Final Account
A. Reward to the faithful (v.19-23 READ)
1. Put in charge of many things.
2. Notice: Being faithful brings happiness to both parties! (master and servant).
B. Punishment (v. 24-30 READ)
1. Servant accuses master of being hard.
-Result: didn’t want to lose talent.
2. Response: “wicked and lazy servant”.
a. Knew me (why didn’t you put talent in bank and draw interest).
POINT: The master sees through the lie. (Truth: servant overlooked his responsibilities he owed to the master.)
-His failure shows his lack of love for the master and he tries to hide this by accusing the master
of being hard (to hide his true nature!)
3. Talent taken from him. Worthless servant is thrown out (separation from master).
Parable Main Point: To encourage the disciples to be faithful and use what talents God has blessed them
with. They will be rewarded accordingly. Also, excuses will not work because the master sees right to
the heart.
End with this question: Which servant are we like (two choices good, bad)? Let us bow our heads.
*Are we doing our best to follow after the Master and do the good works He has assigned for us?
Or
*Are we putting the Master behind our own wants and needs? We are not being faithful to what He wants for us.
Pray
1. Not salvation message, not even servant because you don’t even know the Master.
Q: Die today?
2. Those that do not know the Lord but have not been doing what the Lord wants (struggling).
