“What will you do with your gifts” – Nov 13, 2011 Sermon
Nov 13, 2011
Scripture: Matthew 25: 14-29
Jesus said, “For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’
But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
Sermon: by Rev. Doreen Oughton
Does anyone know what a “talent” is in this story? …. It is a large sum of money, very large, in fact. About 20 years of wages – and that’s just one talent. So the man going on the journey entrusted his servants with vast amounts, even the servant who received just one talent. They were given amounts, as the scripture says, each according to ability. I wonder what is meant by that. I guess it would be the ability to increase what is given, in this story, money.
But I’m guessing Jesus isn’t making a point about money. Though some prosperity-focused preachers might argue the point, I don’t believe Jesus was concerned that people be skilled in increasing their material wealth. And the over-the-top amount of money he uses in this examples indicates that the money is symbolic.
So he is making a point that we have all been given incredible gifts from God. Even when we look around at the people who have two or five talents to our one, we still have been given one talent – abundant blessings, each and every one of us. We have been entrusted with them by the One we serve.
I have another thought as to what is meant by “each according to his (or her) ability.” What that doesn’t refer to intelligence, perseverance, skill, savvy or luck, but instead means response – ability – the ability to respond in a positive way to gift and blessing? This idea helps me to understand so much about free will and God’s role, so to speak, in our lives. Now I don’t think God is a micro-manager, or has hard and fast plans for what we are “supposed” to do with our lives. But I do think that God wants us to make a true positive difference in the world – to build up, somehow, the kindom, the world in which our interconnectedness is understood and honored. Where we truly “get” that we are One with everyone else.
But we have been given free will, and we come into this life that has been compromised by generation after generation of people not getting the connection. And so life presents threats and dangers and hardships. But still, we have a choice at every moment to see and act in an endless variety of ways. I believe God always ensures that there are choices that lead to something positive, if not for a particular individual, perhaps for someone else, for a principle, for something that builds up the kindom. I believe that the more positive choices we make, the more enlivening and upbuilding options become available. And the more negative choices we make, the fewer upbuilding options are available. There’s always a chance to move upward again, but there will but we sink deeper and deeper with each destructive choice.
− Examples,
− Role of fear, fearfulness of 3rd steward, interferes w/ ability,
− Natural progression that he would end up with nothing, others with more
− Even then he had a choice. What will he do with the talent taken away? What will you do with your gifts?
