Matthew 25:14-30 - The Parable of The Talents.
Matthew 25:21 (NIV) His master replied,
Well done, good and faithful servant! You have
been faithful with a few things; I will put you
in charge of many things. Come and share your
master's happiness!
INTRODUCTION
The parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30)
illustrates the tragedy of wasted opportunity. The man
who goes on the journey represents Christ, and
the servants represent professing believers
given different levels of responsibility.
Faithfulness is what he demands of them (v. 23), but the
parable suggests that all who are faithful will be
fruitful to some degree. Both the man with five
talents and the man with two received exactly the
same reward, "the joy of your lord, indicating
that the reward is based on faithfulness, not
results. The slothful servant (v. 24) does not
represent a genuine believer, for it is obvious that
this man had no true knowledge of the master.
This fruitless person is unmasked as a hypocrite
and utterly destroyed (v. 30). [MacArthur Daily
Bible 2003]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Are a bride and groom ever more married
than they are the first day? The vows are made
and the certificate signed - could they be any
more married than that? Imagine fifty years
later. They finish each others sentences, order
each others food. They even start looking
alike - a thought which troubles Denalyn deeply.
Wouldnt they be more married on their 50th
anniversary than on their wedding day? Marriage is both
a done deal and a daily development.
The same is true of our walk with God.
Can you be more saved than you were the first
day of your salvation? No. But can a person grow
in salvation? Absolutely. Like marriage, its
a done deal and a daily development. Do you
feel so saved, you never serve? The fact is, you
and I are here for a reason, and that reason is
to grow and glorify God in our service. [Max
Lucado Daily Devotional at maxlucado.com]
COMMENTARY
Use your uniqueness to take great risks
for God!
The only mistake is not to risk making
one.
Such was the error of the one-talent
servant. Did the master notice him? Indeed, he did.
And from the third servant we learn a sobering
lesson. Then he who had received the one talent
came and said, Lord, I knew you to be a hard
man, reaping where you have not sown, and
gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was
afraid, and went and hid your talent in the
ground (Matt. 25: 24"25).
Contrast the reaction of the third
servant with that of the first two.
The faithful servants went and
traded (v. 16). The fearful one went and dug
(v. 18).
The first two invested. The last one
buried.
The first two went out on a limb. The
third hugged the trunk.
The master wouldnt stand for it. Brace
yourself for the force of his response. You wicked
and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I
have not sown, and gather where I have not
scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my
money with the bankers, and at my coming I would
have received back my own with interest (vv.
26"27).
Whoa. What just happened? Why the
blowtorch? Find the answer in the missing phrase. The
master repeated the assessment of the servant, word
for word, with one exclusion. Did you note it?
I knew you to be a hard man (v. 24). The
master didnt repeat the description he
wouldnt accept.
The servant levied a cruel judgment by
calling the master a hard man. The servant used the
exact word for hard that Christ used to
describe stiff-necked and stubborn Pharisees (see
Matt. 19:8; Acts 7:51). The writer of Hebrews
employed the term to beg readers not to harden their
hearts (3:8). The one-talent servant called his
master stiff-necked, stubborn, and hard.
His sin was not mismanagement, but
misunderstanding. Was his master hard? He gave
multimillion-dollar gifts to undeserving servants; he honored
the two-talent worker as much as the five; he
stood face to face with both at homecoming and
announced before the audiences of heaven and hell,
Well done, good and faithful servant.
Was this a hard master? Infinitely good,
graciously abundant, yes. But hard? No.
The one-talent servant never knew his
master. He should have. He lived under his roof and
shared his address. He knew his face, his name, but
he never knew his masters heart. And, as a
result, he broke it.
Who is this unprofitable servant? If you
never use your gifts for God, you are. If you
think God is a hard God, you are.
For fear of doing the wrong thing for
God, youll do nothing for God. For fear of
making the wrong kingdom decision, youll make no
kingdom decision. For fear of messing up, youll
miss out. You will give what this servant gave
and will hear what this servant heard: You
wicked and lazy servant (v. 26).
But you dont have to. Its not too
late to seek your Fathers heart. Your God is a
good God. [Max Lucado Daily Devotional at
maxlucado.com]
EXAMPLE
This spring, I made a new friend, Steven
Batchelor, at one of my workshops. After class he told
me about his ongoing fight with cancer and went
on to mention a book hed written called
Dont Miss Love. Sadly he passed away shortly
thereafter. As I read his book, I was struck by its
theme - spreading Jesuss love any way we can
with everyone we encounter. Stevens
determination to use every single one of his God-given
talents to glorify Christ touched me deeply.
I spent some time thinking about this
quiet, gentle man of God, now resting in Jesuss
peace. Steven left behind a legacy of caring and a
life well-lived. Beyond his family, he bestowed
blessings on his readers, so we may live out the life
he suggested.
My mind drifted to Jesus and His parable
of the talents (Matthew 25:14"25) and to the
way Hed lived. Everything He did reflected
perfect love. He buried none of His talents. Was it
too late to uncover the talents Id buried in
fear and turn them into glory for Jesus?
Losing a friend is a wake-up call, a
chance to assess where weve been and where
were heading. Sometimes its a source of joy as
we discover the wisdom in anothers life.
Learning how they used the gifts the Lord gave them -
their time, their money, and their hearts -
changes us. We want to live as Jesus did, sharing
all, sparing nothing. by Heidi Gaul
Faith Steps: How can you influence others
with your love? Grow your legacy to glorify
Jesus. [Mornings With Jesus 2020 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Matthew 25:14-30 - The Parable Of The
Talents.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2006/20060823-0520.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (currently live):
https://bible.awr.org/the-warning/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug
Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
