Parable of the Talents, #2 (Matthew 25:14-29)

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin begins by rereading the Parable of the Talents and reiterates its context within Christ's teaching on His return. He reviews the basic elements of the parable…

Martin quotes William Taylor's summary of the parable's elements, explaining the oriental context of a wealthy man leaving his affairs to servants for trading or money lending, and identifying the master, servants, talents, and master's return.

And therefore, any consideration of its truth that is detached from the reality of the Lord's return must to some degree lead either to misunderstanding or a skewed perspective with regard to the teaching of our Lord Jesus. And then having considered the setting of the parable, we then looked at the basic elements that are found in the parable. And what I did basically was to give a running commentary with a few little headings along the way, seeking to grasp the significance of some of the details of this parable set in the first century of Palestine, many things not being a part of our lives...

8:01 - 9:19 Read in full sermon

Driving home: you no man has more opportunities of service than he can veil himself of to the full and every man has just as many as he can use with advantage when this principle is clearly understood it takes away all the ground of p…

Martin quotes Taylor again, who explains that the diversity of talents is given 'according to his ability,' meaning opportunities are matched to natural abilities and providential surroundings, removing grounds for pride or discontent.

And here, William Taylor again, most helpfully observes, first of all, we have an explanation of the diversity which exists between individuals in the matter of opportunity for service in the cause of the Redeemer. We all observe the fact that there is such a diversity. Some have received five talents. Some two, and some only one.

14:39 - 15:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Remember the principle that each is endowed up to the measure of ability to use what he has received, to avoid pride or discontent.

Martin quotes Trench's analogy that 'each vessel can be full, though the vessels differ in size one from another,' illustrating that each person can fulfill their God-given sphere, regardless of its size, without jealousy.

Quoting from Trench, who spoke of each vessel can be full, though the vessels differ in size one from another. Here, each vessel is filled, and therefore there's no room for jealousy between different individuals or for dissatisfaction with our specific opportunities, for each is endowed up to the measure of ability to use what he has received. The man with one talent may not be able, will not be able, to fill so wide a sphere as he who has five. But he can fill his own sphere.

18:05 - 18:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Remember the principle that each is endowed up to the measure of ability to use what he has received, to avoid pride or discontent.

Martin quotes a poem that encourages sobriety, vigilance, and contentment within one's appointed sphere of service, emphasizing that serving God makes all circumstances joyful.

The practical result of both is uselessness, by reason, by reason of unfaithfulness. How important, therefore, that we should learn the lesson which this expression of the parable teaches and which the poet has put into the following lines. Be sober, then. Be vigilant.

19:09 - 19:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Don't idly wish and indulge alluring fantasies about having more talents or a different sphere of service, as this cripples usefulness and incurs the Master's frown.

Paul's contentment in want and abundance, even in Roman prison, is used as an example of accepting God's sovereign ordering of opportunities, from which the 'prison epistles' flowed, blessing the church for centuries.

indulge that that is only to cripple your usefulness and to incur the frown of your master think of the example of the apostle paul great apostle to the gentiles and when he's stuck in a roman prison and is experiencing periods of want when the bare necessities of life are not provided for him he can say in philippians 4 i have learned in whatsoever state i am there with to be content i know how to abound i know how to be in want i have learned this was a discipline of grace that it is god who sovereignly orders and directs our opportunities for service and out of paul's imprisonments which no...

33:34 - 34:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine if you have hard thoughts of God that preclude joyful service to Him.

The devil's lie to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, convincing Eve that God was a 'meanie' who withheld something good, is used to illustrate how hard thoughts of God lead to sin and disobedience.

That's exactly what the devil got Adam and Eve to think of God. And that's why they sin. You remember the temptation in Genesis 3? As God said, he says to Eve, You should not eat of all of the trees.

38:41 - 38:55 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Fourthly, the parable vividly illustrates that hard thoughts of God paralyze joyful service, as seen in the one-talent servant's fear-driven inaction. Martin passionately refutes…

Martin describes Christ's birth in Bethlehem, His life traumatized by sin, His compassion for lepers, harlots, and tax collectors, and His glory 'full of grace and truth' to counter the 'hard man' lie about God.

My God who is revealed in Jesus Christ. He who has seen me has seen the Father. Come with me and stand by Bethlehem's manger. See the Lord of heaven and earth.

40:16 - 40:32 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Fourthly, the parable vividly illustrates that hard thoughts of God paralyze joyful service, as seen in the one-talent servant's fear-driven inaction. Martin passionately refutes…

Jesus' agony in Gethsemane, His willingness to be beaten, mocked, and crucified despite being able to summon 'twelve legions of angels,' is presented as ultimate proof of God's love and self-sacrifice, not hardness.

Glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. And then we follow him through his life. On to. That garden scene.

41:56 - 42:07 Read in full sermon

The point: You need to hear him who is the truth, the one who said, come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Martin contrasts Jesus' invitation to 'come unto me... and I will give you rest' with Rehoboam's promise to make burdens heavier, highlighting Christ's gentle and easy yoke.

You need to hear him who is the truth. The one who said, come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will be like Rehoboam. Rehoboam, I will make your burdens greater. Is that what Jesus said?

46:07 - 46:23 Read in full sermon

The point: You have no right to use God's investment in you to your own ends. You were not made to live to yourself or expend God's deposit according to your own standards.

The hymn line 'nothing in my hands I bring simply to thy cross I cling' is used to distinguish saving faith (a 'do-nothing faith' in terms of merit) from the active, working faith of a 'do-nothing believer'.

And here in this passage, we learn that whatever we may profess, if we are not consciously, deliberately engaged in seeking to traffic, with our deposit of gift and opportunity, we've persuaded ourselves it's not so bad to be a quote do-nothing Christian. As I mentioned this morning, saving faith is a do-nothing faith. We come, in the language of the hymn writer, nothing in my hands I bring simply to thy cross I cling. But a do-nothing faith never, never results in a do-nothing believer.

53:51 - 54:31 Read in full sermon