The Parable of the Talents

1:13The focus of this three-week study has not been on eschatology. Eschatology is the study of end times, the study of last things. The focus of this parable, excuse me, the focus of the series has been on the three parables. Parables in the Olivet discourse. I want you to recognize that there are themes that spread across all three parables, and we'll see that as in we get to the latter part of chapter 25 later today and how there are a common set of themes that are woven into these three parables. For review purposes, let's look back where we were two weeks ago.

1:53Two weeks ago, the disciples are admiring the temple, and as they depart from the temple mount and are celebrating its grandeur, Jesus reminds them that one day not one stone will be left upon another. This scares or confuses the disciples, and the disciples ask two questions: When is the temple going to be destroyed, and what are going to be the signs of your second coming? But there's a problem. They wrongly presuppose that these two events will occur at the exact same time. So, as a result, Jesus corrects their understanding by stating that there are two separate events, and he goes back and forth and answering it in a back and forth manner. What that really means is he answers one question, then the other, then he goes one question. So, for example, in verses 4 through 14, he actually answers the second question. Verses 15 through 25, he answers the first question. 26 through 31, he answers the second question. And so on. Two weeks ago, we also learned that a proper biblical interpretation of Pantata Ethne to all nations, that is actually in Matthew 24, 14, should direct mission efforts at making disciples of all nations rather than on finishing the task. We also learned that finishing the task is not an obstacle. that must be overcome prior to Christ's return.

3:33Last week we learned there are two types of people, those who are spiritually prepared for Jesus' coming and those who are spiritually unprepared. We learned that now is the time to prepare for Jesus' coming, then will be too late. We also learned last week that there is no way that all who read the Bible, belong to a church, sing the songs of salvation, make a public profession of faith, or maybe even preach in Christ's name are going to share in the blessings of Jesus' second coming.

4:11We learned that there is such a thing as a nominal or carnal or professing Christian who will one day be denied entrance into heaven. This second sacred cow will get repeated a little bit this week because it's one of those common themes through these. Two chapters. Thus, the imminent return of Christ, the purpose of this study and of these three parables, the imminent return of Christ could occur today or it could be a long time off.

4:48But in either case, these three parables in the Olivet Discourse teach us these things. One, we need to live and work like the Master is going to return at any minute. That was the parable of the faithful servant. We need to live our lives, but stay prepared. That's the parable of the ten bridesmaids. This week, we need to be faithful because we're going to be rewarded for our stewardship, the parable of the talents. Readiness, preparedness, faithfulness.

5:25So, before we dive into the text, I want to make one statement and then identify three keys. The one statement is, I apologize in advance for those of you who believe that you have heard the parable of the talents as often as you've heard the Christmas story every December. My challenge to you is to listen carefully because I guarantee you that we will uncover some facts, some aspects of this parable that will very likely be new to you. But we will also put this parable into the context of the larger two chapters. Chapter Olivet Discourse.

6:02And we will begin building on the concept of a nominal Christian from last week. We will build on that this week, and then we will tie in the last half of chapter 25, and you'll begin to see this common theme that lays through this. Three keys very quickly. Number one, the talents mentioned in this passage are not native abilities or personal attributes or capacities that we innately possess. Rather, these talents are something entrusted by a master to be used for the master's benefit.

6:45I'll say it very clearly: it is not something in us, it is something given to us. In effect, everything we have is given to us by God as an endowment. Brian Bricker was in here earlier this morning, Brian being an attorney. I said, Brian, I'll explain to you later why I chose the word endowment because attorneys love the term endowment. Second, this parable is predicated on the master being gone for a significant period of time. This is seen, in fact, by the fact that the faithful slaves immediately invest the endowment. And you don't invest the endowment if you think the master's. Returning tomorrow or next week. And we also know that the master was going to be gone for a long time because in verse 19 it's confirmed after a long time prior to his return. Third, underlying this endowment is the expectation of stewardship. That's at the heart of this parable.

7:51The talents are given in trust so that they would be used to engage or enlarge the interests of the master. This trust is clearly seen by the fact that when the master returns, an accounting takes place. So with those three keys in mind, let us look at how the passage breaks out. In verses 14 through 15, we see the challenge given by the master to the slaves. In verses 16 through 18, we see the response of the servants to the challenge.

8:27In verses 19 through 30, we see the accounting of the servants' stewardship. So we have the challenge, the response, and the accounting. The central point of this morning's sermon is that faithful service leads to increased responsibilities, eternal joy, and the presence of the Lord. Unfaithful service. Service leads to the removal of responsibilities and eternal punishment away from the presence of the Lord. Let me repeat that. Faithful service leads to increased responsibilities, eternal joy in the presence of the Lord. Unfaithful service leads to the removal of responsibilities and eternal punishment away from the presence of the Lord. So let us look at the challenge in verses 14 and 15 given by the master to the servants. In these two verses, we learn of a story that Jesus tells of this wealthy magnate giving an endowment to the three servants. He does not want his money to lie idle during his absence.

9:51He challenges his servants to care for his endowment, conduct his business, and make a profit. So I want you to notice four things about this challenge. Some of these will be a surprise to you. Number one, the master gives this endowment to his servants. Verse 14. For it will be like a man going on a journey who calls his servants and trusts them to his property. This is important because This is what we've learned last week, and we're going to see it again this week. These servants are part of his household. They're not outsiders. They're not strangers. They're not enemies. They're part of his household. Okay, second, the master gives these servants a huge sum of money. Verse 15. One, he gave five talents, to another, two, to another, one, each according to his ability. Now, at this time, a denarius was basically equal to one day of wages.

11:14At this time, a talent was equal to 6,000 days of wages, slash 6,000 denarii. Now, most of you like a five-day workweek. We use a six-day work week because it gets me to about 300 days in a year. That means, using 300 days of wages, the third servant was given 20 years of wages. The second servant, 40 years of wages, and the fifth servant was 100 years of wages. Brothers and sisters, those are huge. Huge sums. That's why I chose the word endowment. Third, the master is sagacious, wise, prudent. He realizes that not all servants have equal business skill. Thus, the master awards sums based upon his evaluation of the skills of each servant.

12:22And then, fourth, the master goes away for a long time. So, what does this challenge mean to us today? J.C. Ryle captures it very comprehensively: our gifts, our influence, our money, our knowledge, our health, our strength, our time, our senses, our reason, our intellect, our memory, our affections, our privileges as members of Christ's church, and our advantages as possessors of the Bible are all talents. All of these are endowments given to us by God. From whence came these things? There is only one answer to that question: all that we have is alone from God. We are God's stewards.

13:22Brothers and sisters, everything is God's gracious endowment to us, and it's for One purpose. We are to faithfully utilize this endowment to glorify God and not to advance our own comfort, fame, or success in this world. The challenge has been given. How will the three servants respond? Their faithfulness and diligence, or lack thereof, in seeking a return on the endowment given to them, will evidence their love and their loyalty to the master. And likewise, our diligence and faithfulness in seeking a return on the endowment entrusted to us will evidence our love and loyalty to God.

14:20You know, some think that the only thing that matters is our relationship with Christ. That we've made a decision in the past, we've prayed a prayer, we've signed a card. That's simply incorrect. Because, as we learn in this parable, Jesus is very interested in what those who claim to be His servants do with the endowment entrusted to them. So, as we return to the story, look at verses 16. Two things happen in verses 16 through 18. Two of the servants double what the master said. Had entrusted to them. While the third servant takes the talent and buries it in the ground, three servants, two basic results.

15:11I think it's important to note that the focus of this parable is not on the enormous return achieved by the first two servants. Likewise, the spiritual focus is not on some type of work that earns salvation. No, the focus of this parable is on the third servant who did nothing. Likewise, the spiritual focus is to warn us against a Christianity which professes with its lips but is not reflected with its life. Back to the story. The two servants, the first two servants, are grateful to be given this responsibility. They are excited to get about the master's business. They love their master. They are loyal to their master.

16:14The third servant, not so much. This servant buries the talent in the ground. This third servant has no interest in getting about the Master's business. This third servant doesn't really have any love, doesn't show any loyalty to the master. So, what can we learn this morning from the response of the three servants who are all part of the master's household? You see that repetitive theme coming back. What we can learn is that there are many who profess to be Christians, but their lives indicate no interest in being a good steward.

17:12They actually express their displeasure in having to serve Christ because they see Christianity as being drudgery. They view a personal relationship with Christ as being extraneous. They view the things of this world as much more important than making disciples and investing in heavenly treasures. Simply put, brothers and sisters, there are many who profess to be Christians, but whose lives are devoid of any proof that they are Christians. The existence of nominal, carnal, or professing Christians who are not saved is what can be learned by the response.

18:01Of the third servant, particularly. The challenge has been given. The three servants have responded. Now, let's look at the accounting in verses 19 through 30. The two servants who invested their talents report that they have doubled their endowment that had been entrusted to them. These servants eagerly, enthusiastically, joyfully give to the master the original talents and all of the investment proceeds. These servants believe the master to be a generous man. They love serving and gaining interest for the master.

18:52Let me give a shout-out to the second servant. Why? It is because the Lord neither requires a return of five talents from all, nor does he entrust five talents to all. God gives some of his children a smaller endowment and only expects proportional stewardship. He does not require the same of all believers. He wisely grants talents and asks that we be faithful with the portion given to us. I praise God for the second servant. But the story, unfortunately, is quite different for the third servant.

19:52The third servant reports that he made no return on the endowment entrusted to him. Zero zilch nava. What is his justification for this poor stewardship? First, look in verse 24. The servant accuses the master of being a hard man. Second, the third servant states in verse 25 that he is afraid of the master. This is not the fear of God, the awe of God, the trembling in the presence of God's holiness. Rather, this is the fear of one who thinks ill of God, who thinks God to be unjust, that God is unfair, that God is a tyrant.

20:52Third, the careless servant disclaims any responsibility for the talent. Verse 25, you have what is yours. In effect, he says, I'm giving it back to you just as you gave it to me. In fact, you probably should be thankful that I gave it to you intact so that you can have back what's actually yours. And fourth, in verse 26, he states that the master is a thief. And that's the intent of the statement: you take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.

21:34So these four reasons clearly show that the third servant has no love, no affection, and no loyalty to the master. He simply takes no responsibility for what he's done, and he blames the master for his own actions. So now, how does the master respond to these reports? The master rewards the first two servants with three things in verse 23. First, the master commends the faithful servant. Well done, good and faithful servant. Second, the master promotes the faithful servants. You have been faithful over a little, I will set you over a little. Much.

22:31And third, the master communes with the faithful servants. Enter into the joy of your master. That is how the master responds to the two faithful servants. How does the master respond to the third servant? It's the exact opposite. The master in verse 26 condemns the faithful servant. You wicked and slothful servant. Second, the master in verse 28 demotes the careless servant. Take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. And third, the master in verse 30 banishes the careless servant. Cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.

23:25So, what does this accounting teach us today? It teaches us two things. For those who are faithful, it teaches us there will be commendation, promotion, and communion. To everyone who demonstrates that they are faithful believers, who take the gospel investment, multiply it in faith in Christ, they're obedient to his word, to his will. Jesus will one day say, Well done, good and faithful servant. That is commendation. When the master tells the two faithful servants, you've been faithful over a little, I will set you over much. In effect, Jesus is saying, What you have today is nothing like what you're going to get one day in the future. This is chunk change. Because what you're going to be given in the future is going to be incredibly bigger, greater.

24:29Here's a principle in the kingdom of heaven: Jesus Christ will reward faithfulness with still greater responsibility. That's promotion. The master tells the two faithful servants also to enter into the joy of your master. The master loves his faithful servants, he delights in their diligent service, he invites them to share his joy. So think about this: our destiny, if we are faithful in serving Christ, if we embrace the gospel, is joyous fellowship with Jesus forever. That's communion.

25:16But it also teaches us something else from what we learned from the third servant. It teaches us that one can be a good person, but not a good person. Saved. The third servant was a servant of the household. It wasn't an outsider. And that third servant had been entrusted with gifts from God, and he did nothing with them. We're going to see this as we get to the latter half of Matthew 25. The servant was not a murderer, nor an adulterer, nor had committed any great crime.

26:11The servant wasn't even the prodigal son who wandered off, spent all the money, and came home begging. This servant did nothing. He claimed to be a part of the household of God, but his life did not reflect the life of God in his heart. Listen carefully. This man is condemned not because of what he did, but because of what he didn't do. You're going to hear that again later. In effect, this accounting, this reckoning teaches us there is, brother and sisters in Christ, such a thing as a nominal Christian. There are servants in the master's household that don't love the master. There are professing believers in this church that don't love Jesus.

27:12There are believers who have lived all their lives with the great privileges that Jesus has given to the church. They've heard the gospel week in and week out, but they've never grasped the goodness of the good news. They do nothing with the grace that's been offered to them. The grace has never changed their heart. All they have to do when Jesus comes, they can show the privileges they had in this life, but they can't show what they did with the grace, talent, and privileges they were given.

27:50They are not ready for Christ's return. They rather have chosen to live in the master's house, but they will one day be revealed at the end as having no interest in the master or in the master's business. J.C. Ryle says it this way in this passage. Let us leave this parable with a solemn determination by God's grace never to be content with the profession of Christianity without practice. Let us not only talk about Religion, but act. Let us not only feel the importance of saving faith in Christ, but to do something too.

28:41So, in closing, I want to go through one additional practical application that's worth noting in the latter half of Matthew 25. And it ties into this theme that we've just discussed of the nominal Christian, of the person who it's not condemned for what they do, but will be condemned for what they don't do. This additional practical application is this: How you treat the messengers of the gospel provides a basis for telling us if you are a true believer.

29:25Let me explain. To properly understand Matthew 25:31 through 46, this poetic picture, you must answer four questions. The first two questions arise in verse 31 and 32. Please turn with me to verse 31 of chapter 25. When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne, and before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people. From one another, one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

30:07First question, when does this separation occur? I will tell you, this separation is really less of a trial than it is of a sentencing, if you think how trials work out. This separation will occur during the great white throne of judgment. Who is going to be at this great white throne of judgment? The answer is: that's the second question: who's being judged? The best understanding of pontata ethne to all the nations. Who's going to be judged? All the nations, both Jews and Gentiles. The third question arises starting in verse 33. Please turn there.

30:53And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you welcomed me. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry? And feed you, or thirsty, and give you drink?

31:34And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison or visit you? And the king will answer: Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. Question number three: Who is the least of these my brothers? The least of these my brothers in this passage are Christian disciples and messengers of the gospel. They are not the poor in general. Let me repeat that. The least of these my brothers in this passage are Christian disciples and messengers, not the poor in general.

32:27This interpretation can be set forth by three simple facts. We'll cover it real easily. Number one, New Testament use of the term Adelphos, brother, the use in Matthew, it's used 22 times in Matthew. Nine times it refers to the filial relationship of James, the brother of John, Andrew, the brother of Philip. 13 times when the term Brothers is used, it's always in the context of referring to someone who is a believer or actually to the disciples themselves. Not once in 22 uses does it refer to the poor.

33:19Second, the expression, the least of my brothers, is really Jesus combining two terms he's used in this very gospel and in his very communication. Jesus refers to the disciples as my brothers. He also refers to believers as my little ones. So the least of my brothers is just a combination of two terms he's already used in this very gospel. And third, the sufferings of Jesus are as follows. He was hungry, Luke 4:2. He was thirsty, John 19, 28. He was naked, John 19, 23. He was a prisoner, John 18, 12.

34:17Likewise, in the commissioning of the disciples in Matthew 10, Jesus said that the disciples are likely to be hungry, thirsty, and in need. Of lodging. In essence, as Jesus is sending the disciples out in Matthew 10, he sets before them the prospect of hardship and suffering. Because the apostles' work is Jesus' work. Their suffering is his suffering. This mimics what happens in Matthew 25. Because, in fact, how one treats the messengers of the gospel is the same as how one teaches to me, is Christ.

35:15Because how you treat Christ and how you treat the disciples and the messengers of the gospel should be one and the same. So these facts lead logically to the conclusion: the least of these, my brothers, in this passage, is not Christian disciples and messengers, are Christian disciples and messengers, not the poor in general. And the final question comes up in verses 41 through 46. Join me. Then he will say to those on the left, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food. I was thirsty, you gave me no drink. I was a stranger and you did not welcome me. Naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.

36:08Then they will answer, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you? Then he will answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, you did not do it to one of the least of these. You did not do it to me. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Question four, what is the basis of the judgment? Clearly, the basis of one's eternal destiny is how one receives the gospel of Jesus Christ. But yet this passage also tells us that how we treat the messengers of the gospel, the least of these my brothers, provides a basis for telling us if we're a true believer.

37:03Back to that common theme. Some are going to say, I never outright denied the deity of Christ. I never believed in false Christian doctrine. It didn't matter. You did not embrace Jesus. I never did a horrible crime. I never murdered. I never committed adultery. I never stole. I never cheated. It doesn't matter. You did not invite evangelists and missionaries into your homes. You did not sacrificially give to the local church or ministries or mission organizations. You did not feed or shelter those who labor in the gospel. You did not love Christ because you did not love the least of these, the messengers of the gospel.

38:05I'm going to state it differently. How you treat the messengers of the gospel, the least of these, my brothers, provides a basis for telling us if we are true believers. Augustine said 1,600 years ago: the one who is ready for the coming of the Lord is not the one who said, it's far away. The one who's ready for the coming of the Lord is not the one who says, it is near. The one who is ready for the coming of the Lord is the one who lives his life with sincere faith and steadfast hope and fervent love for his brother.

38:48Faithful service leads to increased responsibilities and eternal joy in the presence of the Lord. Unfaithful service leads to the removal of responsibilities. And eternal punishment away from the presence of the Lord. Let us pray, Father, you have called us to be stewards, and all who profess faith in Christ have the responsibility to be stewards of all of the talents that you have given to us. This sermon series, these two chapters, this Olivet discourse, these three parables have repetitively emphasized that there are some that are a bridesmaid, that there are some that are in the household who will one day be denied entrance into heaven.

40:21These individuals may not be murderers, adulterers, they may be good people. But as we learn this morning, they did nothing with the talents given to them. And they have chosen not to feed, to clothe, and to shelter those who are faithfully preaching, proclaiming the gospel as pastors, as disciple makers, and as missionaries. And if we do nothing with our talents, and we do nothing to feed, clothe, and shelter those who are messengers of the gospel, we demonstrate no love or loyalty for you, and one day we will be told, even to our surprise, that we are denied entrance and will be cast into the other darkness.

41:28I pray that every single person in this gathering room will take seriously the gospel of Jesus Christ. Will they recognize their sin, place their faith not in their works, but in the perfect work of Jesus Christ? And in being, placing that faith in Christ, they can be saved. They get about the work of being a faithful servant. The theme of this whole series was ready or not. Is everyone in this room ready for the imminent return of Christ, which could occur today?

42:22Or it may be a long time off, but are they ready? Are they using the talents that have been given to them? If not, they should be concerned. If they're not sheltering, feeding, clothing the messengers of the gospel, they should be concerned. The gospel is the only hope for all of us in the midst of the pandemic, the uproar here in the United States, and for those in this room who have done nothing with the talents given to them.

43:05We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for listening to the sermon audio from New Life Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. For more information or to support our ministry, visit us online at newlifecs.net.