Matthew 25:14-30 “You see, the kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a journey. He called his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. 15To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to still another one talent, each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The servant who had received the five talents immediately put them to work and gained five more talents. 17In the same way, the servant who had received the two talents gained two more. 18But the servant who had received one talent went away, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
19“After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20The servant who received the five talents came and brought five more talents. He said, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’
21“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’
22“The servant who received the two talents came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more talents.’
23“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’
24“Then the servant who received one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter seed. 25Since I was afraid, I went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’
26“His master answered him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter seed? 27Well then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers so that when I came I would get my money back with interest. 28Take the talent away from him and give it to the servant who has the ten talents. 29Because everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 30Throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:3) Amen.
Sir Michael Costa, the celebrated conductor, was holding a rehearsal. As the mighty chorus rang out, accompanied by scores of instruments, the piccolo player – a little pint-sized flute – thinking perhaps that his contribution would not be missed amid so much music, stopped playing. Suddenly, the great leader stopped and cried out, “Where’s the piccolo?”
The sound of that one small instrument was necessary to the harmony, and the master conductor missed it when it dropped out. To the conductor there are no insignificant instruments in an orchestra. Sometimes the smallest and seemingly least important one can make the greatest contribution and even if it doesn’t seem to make that big a difference to the audience at large, the conductor knows it right away.
In the Christian Church, the players and the instruments are diverse — different sizes, different shapes, different notes, different roles to play. But like the piccolo player in Sir Michael’s orchestra, we often decide that our contribution is not significant. Our contribution couldn't possibly make a difference. So, we quit playing. Stop doing that which we’ve been given to do. We bury our talents. We don’t use our gifts. We drop out. But the Conductor immediately notices. From our perspective, our contribution may be small, but from God’s perspective, it’s crucial.
Are you a piccolo player who has dropped out of the orchestra? Why? Perhaps pain, exhaustion, criticism, busyness, laziness, fear, or pride. For whatever reason, you’ve buried your talent in the ground.
For all piccolos who won’t play, or at least aren’t playing, Jesus has something to say. For all the tiny piccolo players, the grand brass players, the soloists or supporting cast, Jesus has something to say to each one of us, “You are my gifted servant.” He says, “I am leaving you, but I’m not leaving you unprepared. You are blessed. You are equipped. Because I have blessed you generously, now you will invest your gifts to my glory generously.”
Jesus tells a story to teach us about using our gifts. There was a man who was going on an extended journey. This man was rich — very rich. While he was gone, he wanted to give his servants an opportunity. So, he entrusted his property to them. He knows them. He has seen them at work. He knows they have his best interests in mind.
The rich man gives his servants a specific amount of talents. Each talent was worth 6000 denarii. A denarius was one day’s wages. At $25 an hour for 8 hours of work, that’s $200 a day multiplied by 6000. That equals $1.2 million dollars for one talent! So, the first servant was given about $6 million, the second over $2 million, and the third servant merely $1 million. The rich man gives to each according to his ability. He gives each servant what he can handle.
The man was even generous in his response to his servants after his return. He praises them, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.” He’s saying, “You did well! You did the best with what you I gave you! You were faithful, and now I will give you even greater things. You thought I was generous before! My joy is yours; your place is at my side. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
What is the point Jesus is making here? As our Lord and Master, God is generous beyond belief with his blessings. We have personally experienced his generosity. He has replaced the depraved acts of our sinful nature with the fruit of his Holy Spirit. He has not only made us his servants, but also his heirs through Holy Baptism. In his Word God has taken us from spiritual death to spiritual life. He has given us peace that is beyond human understanding. He has forgiveness in his absolution and blessing in his benediction. He comes to us personally and individually in his body and blood hidden under the blood and wine of his divine supper. He gives us called workers to preach his Word from our pulpits and teach his precious truths to our children in our classrooms. He unites us as brothers and sisters in the Christian faith. He has blessed us generously.
In addition to all of these spiritual blessings, God also gives us mental gifts, physical abilities and material blessings. Notice how each servant was given something. No one was left idle. Realize that God has generously given each of us talents. You may not be a five-talent person, but you have some talent. We all do. God expects a return on his investment.
What talents has God given you? Just like the servants in Jesus’ parable, God has given each of us different gifts. Maybe it’s a talent to work with numbers, with computers, with music, with children, with teaching. Maybe it’s being able to lead or to support those who lead. Maybe it’s just offering a smile or a kind word or an intercessory prayer. It could be just being available to serve. How easy it is for Satan to convince us that we aren’t talented people! We often make the mistake in thinking that because I’m not the best in a certain area or have a lot of time to give, that I’m worthless. But that simply isn’t true! Whether our gifts take the main stage or serve in the background, God has generously given them to us – given them to us to use.
In the parable, there are two very different responses to the master’s generosity. Two servants are very similar. “The servant who had received the five talents immediately put them to work and gained five more talents. In the same way, the servant who had received the two talents gained two more.” These two sprang into action “immediately.” They were faithful. They made the most of their gifts, both their abilities and the money entrusted to them. When the master returned, they considered it a privilege to return the profit to their lord, who says “Well done, good and faithful servant!” Notice what they are commended for! For their faithfulness, not for what they earned!
The third servant is a different story. He was unfaithful in every respect. He “went away, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.” This action took more work than just putting in the bank. He earned nothing because he did nothing with his abilities or the generous gift of his Master.
Compare Jesus’ parable with his Father’s words in Isaiah 1. “What do your many sacrifices mean to me? says the Lord. I have more than enough rams as burnt offerings and enough fat from well-fed animals. I am not pleased with the blood of bulls or the blood of lambs and male goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked for this from your hands: this trampling on my courts? Stop bringing worthless offerings! Your incense is an abomination to me. I cannot stand your sinful assemblies on the new moons, Sabbaths, and holy days.” God despises going through the motions, apathy, indifference. The indifference to bury God’s gifts in the ground, not to use them, to consider them worthless offerings to the Lord. You can tell that God is ticked!
Your house is God’s. Your phone is God’s. Your vehicle is God’s. Your kids are God’s. Your abilities are God’s. Your financial assets are God’s. When you are kind and helpful to others, those actions came to you from God. When you are loving to your spouse, children, and parents, that feeling of love came to you from God. When you are compassionate to others when they’re hurting, that gift came to you from God. The God who has given you everything wants you to use all of it – every bit of it – to honor him. That is part of your faithful worship.
But if you’re not using God’s gifts – let’s be honest – there is hell to pay! Seven times in the New Testament Jesus repeated that hell is a place of eternal darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth for those who rebel and turn away from God. The wicked servant’s rebellion was not dealing drugs, or addiction, or murder. His rebellion was doing nothing. It was inactivity. Indifference. Not using God’s gifts for God’s glory. His rebellion was, “Leave me alone so I can do what I want!”
And the Master’s response was, “Throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Take inventory of every good thing the Heavenly Master has given you and figure out the answer to this question: How much of what God has given you have you buried in the ground? Maybe you’ve buried it because of busyness or self-enjoyment or self-advancement. Ask yourself, “How will the Master respond when he returns?” Will he be pleased with your faithfulness or displeased with your inactivity?
Today we begin a brief stewardship sermon and Bible class series called 10 for 10. We are asking you to consider returning 10% of your financial gifts back to the Lord of the Church in your offerings. Consider giving 10% for 10 weeks in a row.
Imagine what the Lord of the Church will do with an increase of financial gifts here at Water of Life, WLS, and the WELS. Now imagine what the Lord of the Church will do with an increase of activity from his faithful servants for his kingdom work. It staggers the imagination!
Our unfaithfulness, laziness, indifference, and excuses are like scarlet before God’s eyes. Yet through the scarlet blood of Christ, we are washed and made white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). Jesus, our Lord and Master, has taken away all of our sins. His blood covers our unfaithfulness, along with our excuses and our lack of gratitude and generosity. He paid the purchase price for all our laziness. He served us by saving us. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus has made us more than his servants. Paul says, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:16-17).
How generous our Master is! How gifted we are as his servants! How many wonderful opportunities for giving offerings, supporting ministry, and serving the Lord and his Church that God presents for you here at Water of Life! Let us respond in using the gifts he entrusts to us with joy. When we do, we will never have to regret what might have been. Whether your instrument is a piccolo or tuba, a hammer or computer, your voice, smile, or quiet prayers, let’s all be eager to hear our Master say upon his return, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Amen.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and in his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and establish you in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16–17) Amen.