Matthew 25:14-30 The Investor

Theological Proposition/Focus: Jesus has equipped his servants, plans to return, expects that his servants have used what he gave them wisely, and intends to reward those who serve wisely.

Homiletical Proposition/Application: We must use what Christ has given us wisely.

Introduction:

Setting the Stage:

The parable in Matthew 25:14-30 is the last parable within a series of parables focussed on the need for every believer to be ready for Christ's return. The previous parables drove home the idea that a believer needed to be ready for the return of the master but this passage in particular set up the idea that working for the Kingdom was part of being ready. In order to fully understand this parable we must realize that the people were expecting the Messiaiah to come as a conquering King. Here we see the notion that the Jesus will return but there will be some delay. Nevertheless, as we wait for that return there is an expectation that that we serve Jesus with all our worldly possessions in anticipation of his return.

Body

Expectations: The returning judge has expectations (14-15).

Jesus will come again (14)

The term Orthodoxy is a fancy theological way of saying something that is believed and practiced everywhere, always, and by all. That is a belief is orthodox if all those who have historically been recognized as Christians have held the belief. Orthodox beliefs are those beliefs that are standard within Christianity. Examples of Orthodox beleifs are the virgin birth and diety of Christ, the Trinity, or the death and ressurection of Christ. You can think of Orthodox belief's as the set of non-negotioables. One important Orthodox belief is what is known as the

parousia

That is, the Second Coming of Christ. There is a lot of debate on when exactly Christ will come again, and we wont be getting into that today. For today what we need to know is that Christ is coming again and this belief is a shared belief across denominations.

So, what do we need to know from this particular verse? We need to realize that We are in the middle of a particularly interesting time in history. Jesus is not physically present right here and right now. He has sdent his Spirit but he is not here. However, he is only on a journey and the implication of him being on a journey is that he is planning to return.

We also see that in his abscense he entrusts his servants with what is his. Jesus has literally assigned each of us as Stewards.

Jesus has gifted each of us (15)

In verse 15 we are given just a little more detail. The master in the parable entrusts a specified number of bags of Gold to each of his servants.

ταλαντα between 75 and 100 pounds of silver (αργυριον in verse 18 refers to silver money)

The word for bags of gold here is the Greek word Talent but it is not something you have been gifted with the ability to perform as you might intially thinkg but rather a weight. Specifically, this was the weight that a soldier could carry on his back (typically between 75 and 100 pounds of silver). Today this would be well over 1 million dollars per talent if Gold but since this is likely silver it is probably about $31,000. The point that Jesus is making is that this master entrusted everything he had, which was substantial, to his servants.

Textual note: The NIV adds the word Gold here, the actual word is talend and since silver was the currency it is probably better translated as silver.

It is also worth noting that master does not give the same quantity to each person. Many people have asked about this and some might even argue that this is unfair but notice the end of verse 15.

Gifting is done in accordance with ability

It is important that we notice the end of the verse. The amount given is in accordance with the ability of the individual. In God's Kingdom he does not create all of us equal because we each have differing strengths and abilities. We are all equally valuable but we are not all equal in what we are provided with or expected to do. So, we are all equally expected to do our best, but our best may look different and that is okay. The key is we are equally valuable and expected to give our best.

Image: Pilot Orientation is a week longer than Flight Attendent Orientation

My family has a fascination with airplanes. Among my four brothers 3 of us have commercial pilot's licenses. My younger brother decided to make a career out of flying. When he recieved his first job working for the airlines he had to go to orientation for the airline. I remember a particular story he told me. The first week of oreintation was about airline operations and aircraft/passenger safety. The airline chose to have flight attendent and pilots attend the first week of orientation together. At the end of the week the flight attendents were getting ready to go do their next week of flight attendent training and one of them asked my brother, "where are you going to be assigned." My brother responded, "we still have two weeks of training." To this the flight attendent responsed "oh, I didn't realize that I only needed to go to an extra week and I could be a pilot."

I worry that at times we are so busy looking at what others are doing and how others are equippted that we lose sight of our own equiping and our assignments. God has blessed each of us with various gifts, and God has given each of us different financial entrustment. We need to take stock of our own gifting and be prepared to give our best to God.

Actions: The servants have choices (16-18).

ευθεως

The first thing I want to call attention to is that the actions we are going to read about for the first two servants were done immediately. If Christ asks you to act, you must act immediately.

There are good choices

In verses 16 and 17 we see that the servant who recieved five talents and the servant who recieved two talents get right to work and earn a 100% profit on the investment. A couple of things strike me. We are not told how the money was invested it simply tells us that the money was put to work.

There are bad choices

Unfortunately, as we will see in verse 18, there are also bad choices. It was common practice to store something by burying it. The problem is that this servant chose not to make use of what the master had given him. This servant decided to take no risk. I have spent some time trying to make sense of the problem here. One commentator wrote that this servant "deliberately disobeyed" his master. But as I look at this text here I don't see an explicit command given to the servant what I see is an implicit command. So, I don't know that I see deliberate disobedience as much as failure of faith and failure of steweardship.

I think that we must recognize that God expects us to step out in faith with what he has given us.

MTR: Consider how you are using what God has given you.

In the previous point I asked you to consider what God has given you. Now I want to ask how are you using what God has given you.

Accounting: Each servant will give an account (19-27).

In verses 19-27 there are several important points of emphasis.

Emphasis 1: The length of time.

The first point of emphasis is the length of time. Verse 19 is packed with grammatical significance. The very structure of the grammar in verse 19 suggests that this is important. The master, after some unspecified length of time returns and settles accounts.

In verse 20 the verbs of coming and bringing include the preposition προς (to) which emphasizes that everything that is done is done with an orientation toward the master. That is everyhting is oriented toward the glory of Jesus.

Emphasis 2: Equality of blessing.

The second point of emphasis I see in those passagee is that the blessing bestowed on both faithful servants is the same final blessing. Being put in charge of many things and an invitation to share in the master's happiness. Remember earlier where we learned that God did not equally equip every individual, this may have made you uncomfortable. But what we see here should actually greatly comfort you. Here we see that God does not expect every believer to produce the same results, he only asks for our best.

I want you to hear this. I could stand up here and tell you that God has given each of you equal blessings but first, that wouldn't be true to the text, and second, that would then mean that you all should have equal outcomes. I would essentially be telling some of you that you were going to have to work really hard to give just as much as the person next to you. I am thankful to God that he is not measuring our outcomes but rather what we do with what we have.

Emphasis 3: Contrast in servants.

Now I want you to look at verse 24 and see the contrast. The first thing I see is both fear and understanding. The fear is pretty obvious by the response but I also see understanding, understanding that the servant had not done well. The servant in verses 24 and 25 is defensive and actually appears to attack the master in his defense.

Hid YOUR in the ground

Verse 25 is interesting. Here I think we see on of the most telling points ofi emphasis. The servant never took ownership of what was the master's. Stewardship is more than just aknowledging that you don't own any of it, it is aknowledging that you are responsible for all of it. I have heard people whoa re talking about tithing say something like "well you know God owns it all." Yes he does! but that is not a valid excuse for not investing it as you are supposed to invest. Just stating that it is God's is not enough you need to take action.

In verse 26 the master argues that the wicked servant has indicted himself. He knew better. In verse 27 we see that the actions the servant labled as "responsible" action wiere in fact, irresponsible, lazy actions.

Consequences: There are actions which warrent reward and actions which warrent judgement (28-30).

Key point: The grace of God.

Reveral of Expectation (v28)

In verse 18 we could get into a lot of theological debate but I am not sure that is the point. I think the point here is what expositors call Reveral of Expectation. Jesus uses a literary device to emphasize God's grace. The master has already given away his 5+5=10 talents and his 2+2=4 talents. Such a decision would have been striking and unheard of in the ancient world. Now, even further the master gives away his remaining talent. I think when we read this we are to understand the bountiful grace of God in giving away all that he has.

God is our judge but a judge is not neccesarily a bad thing. A judge is only bad for a guilty party. For the one who does well, the judge is the a great thing, the judge brings justice and for the one who is obedient, justice means blessing.

Key point: The judgement of God.

Reveral of Expectation (v30)

Verse 30 is terrifying and I believe it was supposed to be terrifying. Just like we had a reversal of expectation in verse 28 I think we also have a reversal of expectation here in verse 30. We tend to think of failure to do one's job as resulting in being fired or losing responsibility. Why is this the case? Because in our society we "promote to failure" if one fails to do one's job it is because we asked too much of them. However, here we see that for those who pretend to serve Christ while actually living for themselves, the judgement is severe.

Image: Legal Judge Verse Olympic Judge, the Perfect 10.

when I hear the word judge I tend to think of a courtroom and the legal consequences of a judgement. However, this is not the perfect example of a judge. Consider sports,

In gymnastics there is the notion of "A perfect 10" for a single routine, this score was once thought to be unattainable—particularly at the Olympic Games—under the code of points set by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). However, in 1976 Nadia Comăneci a Romanian gymnist scored a Perfect 10 on the uneven bars. The scoreboard was actually not able to display her score because nobody believed it was possible. In fact, because the hardware could only display 3 digits the scoreboard showed 1.00. After 1976, Nadia couldn’t stop earning perfect scores and would go on to accomplish the feet 6 more times. For Nadia, judgement was not somethign to dread but something to look forward to.

Conclusion:

Jesus is coming again. We need to live as if Jesus could come at anytime.

I want you to remember that the wicked servant does not seem to have disobeyed an explicit command from the master but rather to have not had the faith to invest in what mattered. If we have the faith to invest in what matters I am convinced God will reward.

Image:

I read a story of a lady who once asked John Wesley what he would do if he knew that he would die at 12:00 midnight tomorrow. This woman wanted to know how would he spend his remaining time. His reply is striking: "Why madam, just as I intend to spend it now. I would preach this evening at Gloucester, and again at five tomorrow morning; after that, I would ride to Tewkesbury, preach in the afternoon and meet the societies in the evening. I would then go to rend Martin's house, who expects to entertain me, talk and pray with the family as usual, retire to my room at 10 o'clock, commend myself to my heavenly Father, lie down to rest and wake up in Glory."

Hmm that is what I want in my life. I want every momment of my life to be worth being the last momment before I see my Lord. How can I possibly live that way? I am convinced the answer is Stewardship.