The End Times
Part 7 – The Talents of Gold
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 25:14-30 The Talents of Gold
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “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!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “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!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
INTRODUCTION
We began by speaking of what Jesus had to say about the signs of the end times. He spoke of what would happen, about the anti-Christ, tribulation and the rapture. Jesus spoke also of His second coming and the judgment of the wicked.
In Matthew 24:36, Jesus tells us that no one knows what day or hour the end will come, no man, no angels, only the Father.
In Matthew 24:44, Jesus again says Therefore, be ready, for the son of man will come at an hour you do not expect Him.
Jesus then began to talk about the faithful and unfaithful servants, and in Matthew 24:46 He said, Blessed is the servant whom the Lord finds being faithful when He returns.
Last week we talked about 10 virgins waiting to be married. Five of them were wise and five were foolish. Although they all had lamps (represents the light of Jesus), only the wise carried enough oil (Holy Spirit) to last until the bride-groom came.
Jesus telling us more than once in this chapter of Matthew that He will be gone a long time, and many will stop waiting, or expecting Him to return.
Today we are looking at the parable Jesus tells of the talents, to help the disciples understand what a faithful servant should be doing while the master is gone.
1 Talent is a unit of measure used in the first century, which was equal to 130 pounds.
130 pounds of gold was 1 talent, and it was equal to 20 years wage for a day laborer.
At today’s minimum wage, 1 talent would equal approximately $300,000, before taxes of course.
So in this parable, the man left approximately $900,000 with one servant, $600,000 with another, and $300,000 with the last.
Lets now look at what Jesus says the faithful should be doing while the master is gone away.
I. THE MASTER GOES ON A LONG JOURNEY
Jesus tells us many times in the scriptures that He will be gone for a long time. It should not be surprising to believers that Jesus has not returned as of yet. He promises that day will come when it is time, until then, we are not to go on with our lives as usual, ignoring the fact that we are given a task to perform while our Master is away.
1. HE CALLED HIS SERVANTS
1. We are all called to serve our Lord and Master.
2. If we are followers of Christ, then we are servants.
3. It's not a question of “if” you are called to the ministry, the question is, what ministry are you called to?
2. HE ENTRUSTED HIS WEALTH TO THEM
1. This “wealth” is represented by gold in this parable, but this parable represents Christ and the wealth He has left to His servants, us...which is not gold, but something far more precious!
1. Acts 3:6 “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
2. 1 Corinthians 3:11-13 “11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. “
3. James 5:3 “Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. “
4. 1 Peter 1:17-19 “17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
5. The wealth we have been entrusted with by our Master is the truth of salvation through the blood of Christ Jesus. This is what we have been entrusted with, and what we MUST return a gain on!
1. We CANNOT bury it!
2. We MUST get a return, for God's Word will NOT return void, but WILL accomplish what it is sent out to do!
1. Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. “
6. Every single believer, none excluded, is given a proper Ministry.
3. HE GAVE TO THEM ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITY
1. The talents, and responsibility that comes with them, were awarded according to the servants faithfulness.
II. HE WENT ON HIS LONG JOURNEY
1. THE MAN WITH 5 TALENTS PUT IT TO WORK AT ONCE
1. HE GAINED 5 MORE
2. He was faithful, he did not wait to put what the Lord gave him to work.
3. There are many ways to Minister...the faithful servant gets right to it!
4. He returned a gain on what the Lord gave him!
5. God's Word will always accomplish, we must sew the seed!
2. THE MAN WITH 2 TALENTS ALSO PUT IT TO WORK AT ONCE
1. HE GAINED TWO MORE
2. Another servant who is faithful!
3. Who gained more? This faithful servant or the first?
1. Neither...they BOTH doubled what was given to them!
4. We must STOP measuring what one does against another...we are all given different amounts, entrusted according to OUR faithfulness.
5. This thinking upsets Jesus...He says as much when the rich man gave of his wealth, but the widow gave all she had. It wasn't the MONETARY AMOUNT that was given that pleased God, but the fact that the widow gave all she had to God.
3. THE MAN WITH 1 TALENT OF GOLD BURIED IT AND HIS HIS MASTERS MONEY
1. Ask yourself, are you hiding what the Lord has given to you?
2. Or, are you using it to get the greatest return for your Master?
III. AFTER BEING GONE A LONG TIME, THE MASTER RETURNED
1. AND SETTLED ACCOUNTS WITH THE MEN
1. Our service to the Lord ends at death.
2. At this time, He will settle accounts with us!
3. Hebrews 9:27 “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, “
4. Hebrews 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
5. Romans 14:12 “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.“
6. 1 Peter 4:5 “they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. “
2. TO THE MAN 5 TALENTS WERE GIVEN
1. “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!’
1. This will take place at the Judgment Seat of Christ
2. It is FAITHFULNESS that is being rewarded here. Contrary to popular thought, God has NOT called us to be successful, but rather, to be faithful!
3. TO THE MAN 2 TALENTS WERE GIVEN
1. WELL DONE
2. BOTH received EQUAL rewards!
3. As stated, the criterion for rewards in heaven is FAITHFULNESS, nothing more.
4. TO THE MAN 1 TALENT WAS GIVEN
1. THE SERVANT SPOKE FIRST
1. The servant had excuses for not being faithful.
2. Excuses may work on earth, but they will NOT work on judgment day.
2. THE MASTER SPOKE LAST
1. You wicked, lazy servant!
2. The purpose of the talent was NOT preservation!
1. I have my salvation, that's all I need...I got Jesus, that's all that matters.
2. Wrong! You will be called a wicked and lazy servant on judgment day!
3. The purpose for the talent was MULTIPLICATION, NOT preservation.
4. Many Christians fall into this category of insolence.
3. THE MASTER REPLIED
1. “if you really believed what you just said to me, then you would have at least placed my money in the bank to gain interest...”
2. Lies will not work on judgment day.
5. EVERYONE WHO HAS, AND HAS NOT
1. 28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.
1. THIS is the law of the faithful! Light rejected, is light taken and given to one who already has an abundance of light! (No “once saved, always saved”)
2. Those who are unfaithful with what the Lord has given them, WILL LOSE THEIR REWARD!
3. WORSE YET...
1. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
2. They lose their souls...
This parable from Jesus is overly obvious, and completely refutes the unscriptural doctrine of UNCONDITIONAL security.
CONCLUSION
Jesus wants us to understand, while He is gone, we are to be faithful with what He has entrusted us with. Everything we have is HIS. What are we doing with it?
What you have, came from sources God provided and allowed you to obtain, by His hand.
Your skills and abilities, given to you when He formed you in your mothers womb.
The Word of God, written on your hearts, the light of Christ, given to you to SHARE!
Are you using what God has given you to get a return for HIM?
