nothing to my name but a couple hundred bucks

but who's gonna make my mistakes

A sermon on the parable of the talents; Matthew 25:14-30

When you hear Jesus’ parables it’s important to remember you’re hearing a parable. Not a true story. Not a fairy tale. Not an illustration or an analogy.

A parable. 

In Greek “parable” just means sitting two things beside each other. 

Sort of like an illustration…

Only, whereas an illustration helps you grasp a new concept by comparing it to one you already know. Jesus’ illustrations set something you think you know, next to something you have no clue about!

Jesus’ parables aren’t meant to confirm our preconceived notions; they’re meant to upend them!

And the parable Jesus tells us today, doesn’t disappoint!

…The truth is, this is sort of a well-known parable. Isn’t it?

It’s actually, also in the Gospel of Luke. So you’re probably combined the two in your head. So, to help us let go of, re:lent of, our preconceived notions, we’re going to listen to it carefully. 

In fact, bust out your bulletins, pew Bibles, or the Bible you brought with you and turn to this passage; because we’re going to hear it closely in a sec. 

Now, the gist of the parable is that a master goes on a journey. But before he leaves, he summoned three of his servants, and gives them each a chunk of change.
And a chunk of change it was. A talents was worth around 20 years wages. So even the fellow who only gets one talent, still got a “goodly portion,” as we say.

Then, promptly, and without any instruction; the master leaves…

In the master’s absence, the gals who got five and two talents go off at once and traded with them. 

And apparently those talents have the “Midas Touch,” because they can’t lose! With little to no effort, they both double their money!

At this point, we expect the fellow who got the one talent to do the same…

But that’s not what happens!

Instead of trading with his talent, he goes off, digs a hole, and buries it…

Next thing to happen is that, after a long time, the master returns. 

And upon his arrival, he calls his servants to come and settle accounts.

On cue the gal that doubled her fiver comes forward, and tells her master she now has ten! Delighted, the master tells her if she thought the five talents was a lot, just wait and see what he had in store! 

Likewise, the gal the doubled her two talents comes forward, and tells her master she now has four!

At this point there are two important details! 

Two details that are as important, as they are easy to miss. 

So take out your bulletin and take a look. 

Whats the difference between the rewards of the first two servants? 

Because sure, they each doubled their initial investments; but there’s a big difference between four and ten talents; like a hundred and twenty years wages, or so! 

So take a look…

What do you see? What’s the difference between the two rewards???

…That’s right! There isn’t any! The both get the same reward, despite the big difference between their take!

Apparently, how well they do, or don’t do, with the talents is beside the point!

…Now, I know I said there are two details, but I want to save the other one… 

Next comes the fella who buried his talent…

And at this point our already knowing this parable isn’t exactly helpful. Because we already know his behavior was less than commendable. 

Which was not preconceived in the parable! 

The master getting upset is something of a punchline, actually! An unexpected reaction! 

After all, the guy kept the master’s talent, a healthy chunk of change, safe. What’s more, he seems to think he will be rewarded or at least understood for his behavior. That’s why he bothers explaining himself…

Of course, as in so many of Jesus’ parables in Matthew, things end worse than when they began. Because the speech doesn’t help the servant, does it? In fact, his speech sort of makes you cringe. Doesn’t it? It’s obviously an excuse. And worse, it’s an excuse that blames the master!

…He’s not doing much to ingratiate himself.

In reply, as we know, the master gives the a tell off to end all tell-offs.

And it’s here, in all truth; that it becomes so important to put away all our preconceived notions about this parable! Because here we want to suss out exactly why the servant is punished. 

Which is fine, except the reasons we tend to come up with are mostly wrong!

In fact, most of the reasons you come across try and blame the servant! Which is troublesome, because if entering into the joy of our master hinges on our blamelessness; we’re all in trouble. Aren’t we? Because we all have plenty of blame on our hands. Don’t we?

The biggest, most common interpretation of the servant’s problem is that he failed to make good use of his master’s gift. But, if you listen to Jesus’ parable closely, you’ll notice that’s not when the master gets upset!

When does the master get upset? What does the servant do?

Here’s a clue, it comes at the end of his speech…

(“Here, you have what it yours.”)

Yes! The master gets upset when the servant tires to returns the talent his master gave him!

The issue for the master isn’t that the servant didn’t make good use of the money! It’s that the servant refused to take the gift his master had given him! The servant refused to believe his master had actually handed the goods over to him; gratis; in the first place! 

And that’s what this whole parable hinges on!

In fact, if you’re not convinced, listen closely to what the master has done with the talent the servant tried to give back!

Go ahead, you have your scripture right there.

Where does that one talent go? 

…Yes, to the one with ten talents!

You see, the master was never going to ask for the money back!

The servants could double, triple, or even lose everything their master had given them! That was all beside the point! The point is, out of the sheer goodness, their master had handed over to them the whole jackpot, no strings attached!

And the only trouble for the servant with the one talent is, he refused to believe it had actually been handed over to him! That it was actually his all along; win, lose or draw!

But, and here’s where it gets real; how often do we act like that?

How often to we doubt that Jesus has really, has actually handed salvation over to us?

How often do we treat our salvation like something that isn’t really ours? Like something our master will take away if we mess up badly enough?

We all do. And it’s bean-counter our master isn’t interested in!

The servant with the one talent is afraid of an audit that’s never going to happen! 

Jesus’ parable is a warning. A warning of how foolish our fears about losing the salvation that’s been handed over to us are! 

You see all the ways our preconceived notions about God and this parable hinder us from seeing the shocking grace in this parable?!?! Our fears, our preconceived notions, they try and make God fit into an image that isn’t true. That’s an idol! God’s isn’t the great bean counter in the sky!

Because God is Jesus Christ in the flesh! God is the master who is foolish enough to give the likes of us, not ten talents, but even more! Salvation and eternity, too!

The best thing about the gift your master has handed over to you is that you can’t lose it! 

The only chance you have at losing it, is to try and give it back. But that’s to your own peril, and I don’t recommend it!

Rather than a warning, let Jesus’ parable be a clarion call! 

A call to the freedom YOU actually have in Christ! A call sounding the promise that at the cross, God actually handed over to you ALL the goods Jesus has to offer; life, peace with God and eternity, too!

Best of all, God’s not going to take back these gifts! No matter what! You CAN’T lose them!

…And when you know that, you’re ready to hear the last piece of insider trading about this gift your master has handed over you; it can’t lose! It has the “Midas Touch!” Go out there and put it to use! It will not disappoint! 

You can forgive sins with it! Comfort others with it! Tell folks about the love of God with it!

Don’t be a Chicken Littles, running around afraid of a sky that’s never going to fall! Instead; talk about how God has rescued you from that! 

Instead of going around just not trying to mess up; let your life be a witness to the God who isn’t interested in our performance, because he’s too busy handing out his goods!

In great mercy, God has handed over to you and me, and the rest of the world all the goods! In Jesus Christ, God has handed over everything, and eternity too! And God isn’t about to take any of that back; no matter what!

That’s the promise your life has been sealed in, in your baptism! Nothing can unseal it! Just try!