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The Parable Of The Talents
• Matthew 25:14-30

• Introduction
• Parables are stories with physical characteristics that are used to explain what has not been seen or understood.
• Jesus used word pictures to describe the kingdom of heaven and other principles that will be important to His followers.
• At that time when the parables were spoken, none of the application was understood.

• Introduction
• Even though the disciples said they understood what Jesus was talking about, we later learn that they did not comprehend the message until after Pentecost.
• These parables are written for our instruction.
• We need to study them to gain insight into the world of Jesus.
• We should take life application lessons from these parables.

• Matthew 25:14-30 (read)

• The Master
• This time the depiction of the master is not God, but the Son, Jesus Christ.
• As we saw previously, the Master wants His servants to serve Him, and work in His vineyard.
• Jesus said in John 14 that He was going to go away and prepare a place for us when he returns.

• His Own Slaves
• Calling the servants of another is a waste of time.
• These slaves had a duty to their master.
• Jesus does not call the people of the world to evangelize His cause, but He expects it from His own.
• Those who have obeyed the gospel and committed their lives to serving Jesus.

• Entrusted Possessions
• These possessions have value.
• A talent is a great deal of money.
• Apparently the master liked his money and wanted to acquire more.
• This money depicts the souls of mankind.
• Jesus entrusts us with the gospel message, and it is our duty to gain more souls for Christ.

• According To Their Ability
• Everyone is different.
• The master saw potential from all three of his servants.
• God/Jesus sees potential in each of His followers.
• God expects us to work for His sake, not our own.

• Immediately
• Two of the servants did not wait around.
• They saw the need
• They got busy increasing the Master’s holdings.
• Notice the one-talent man is later described as lazy and wicked because he did not work for the master.
• He did not even try.

• A Long Time
• We are in this long time right now.
• Our Master has gone to prepare a place for His faithful ones.
• He will return (and only God knows the hour),
• So we must be expecting Him, and be prepared for Him to arrive.

• Will Settle Accounts
• He will settle accounts with each of His servants.
• This is facing the judgment in the end.
• We will each stand before God and give an account of our actions.

• Well Done
• The good and faithful slaves will be rewarded with entrance into the joy of the Master.
• Just knowing that Jesus is pleased with our actions will bring joy to our hearts.
• Each one of us must decide if we are the good and faithful servant God wants us to be.
• Have you done anything to increase the Master’s holdings?

• You Should Have Done Something
• The wicked lazy slave should have put the money in the bank to draw interest.
• That would have been something, and would have pleased the Master.
• But the slave did nothing at all.
• Are you doing anything at all?
• Just showing up to church does not qualify you to be called a Christian. You must prove yourself a doer of the word (James 1:22)

• Take Away
• The great privilege of serving God cannot be taken lightly.
• Or done out of fear (being afraid).
• We are to serve God with (reverential) fear, or honor and respect.
• If we do not, God will remove the blessing of the hope of salvation in heaven from us.
• Do you want that to happen?

• More Given
• Those who serve the Lord will have abundance.
• Even more than they expect.
• These two servants were happy and proud that they increased their Master’s holdings.
• They did this because they loved their Master.
• They did not do it expecting a reward or any accolades or bonuses.

• Outer Darkness
• Another description of Hell as given to us by Jesus.
• Darkness is terrible.
• Only the wicked and lazy will go there.
• You cannot find any other class of people who will end up in that place.
• We couple this description with the other descriptions of hell, and figure out hell is not where we want to be.

• Conclusion
• We each have abilities.
• Whatever those abilities are, God expects us to use them to increase His kingdom.
• If you were to examine yourself as commanded in 2 Corinthians 13:5:
• Would you be found good and faithful?
• Or would you be found wicked and lazy?
• You have a chance to redeem yourself while you live; after that it is too late.

By Carey Scott

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