Matthew 25:14-15a “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.”

Talents or resources given to individuals from God come in many forms. In this teaching, the common denominator is how they are used or not. According to Jesus, what is given is to be used for the good of God’s kingdom. The form they take is between each person and our Lord. How or if we use them in honor and service to God is up to each of us.

One thing made clear in the story of talents is that we can’t hold onto them. While they’ve been given to us personally, in God’s kingdom, they must be spent, used, or given away to do the good work of the Lord. It has never been just about the individual. God is and always has been interested in the community or the kingdom of Heaven on earth. Think of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” This makes our faith both a gift and a responsibility. As you may know, the giving of our talents to the Lord brings its’ own unique joy.

Therefore, in the story of talents, to try and hold on to them is to lose them. To use them is to receive more, that we may give more away. Sometimes the talents may not look like a gift to be used but used they must be.

The talent in the story is a form of currency. Often, the first thought is of our financial resources as the gift to give. This is certainly a true and important understanding of the teaching. A church and all the good it does simply cannot exist without money. The tithe or offering has always been part of the story of God’s people. From Israel to the Church, to give is to bring a sacrifice to the Lord. As Jesus states in his teaching, “each to his own ability.”

We also have gifts of ability. These gifts work well with the story Jesus tells in Matthew. A church depends upon people to carry out the good work it does in the greater community and in the church. People are needed to teach about Jesus and to create a worship service that allows everyone to honor the Lord our God. While all three are vital, it seems the last two receive the least of our gifts. We like our church to do God’s work in our community and we like to be able to gather in an organized manner to worship, all this requires the giving of our talents. Unfortunately, worship and the work of the church are often the least we give when it comes to our time, creativity, and other talents. Even though we want ministries to look and feel just as we believe they should, suggestions are often the only contribution made. Suggestions are important, especially when followed up with some of our own talent. We know that not all gifts are the same, but all people are given the opportunity to participate in the kingdom of Heaven and what God is doing through us.

I believe that a healthy church is an active church. However, the good health gained from the activity can have a negative effect if the burdens are not shared. Over the years I’ve seen many good volunteers leave because the only help they get is in the form of criticism without an offer of help. There is always something we can do and may we never forget the gift of praying for the church and the work being done. So, does the use of our talents which often includes our time matter? Yes. Can any of us make a difference in the world through serving God in the church? Yes. Does it matter to God if we participate in His kingdom work? You may want to read again the story of the talents. I believe you will find how serious this is to Jesus. If it is serious to Jesus, then it is serious to each of us. It is also comforting in that Jesus makes it clear he is talking about what has been given to us. Be it money, time, or physical or mental talents, we are all blessed to be part of what God is doing through the church. And we can trust the Lord sees and knows what we do and take comfort in knowing that we make a difference.

I want to point out an often unintentionally missed talent. Another way to see what makes for a talent is to look at what God has done in our lives. The Lord continuously does wonderful acts in the lives of people, some of which we call miracles. Life, healing, and redemption are all gifts of the greatest magnitude, given, not earned. Like dominoes falling, one divine act shared with others can help countless people see the goodness of the Lord. In sharing our stories of God in our lives, others will know of His love for us. In this way, the work of the Lord is multiplied. When our stories are shared, they become like those of the servants who use what is given and make more for the master as they invest in the Kingdom. The challenge comes when they are of a personal nature. We don’t feel people want to hear about them, or we are shy about some of our more desperate situations. That said, there are some things that are best not shared. We just don’t want to be like the servant in the story who buries his talent.

How is sharing what God has done in our life part of our giving to the Lord? Consider the Gospel of John. In John’s telling of Jesus’s miracles, he doesn’t use the word miracle. Instead, he calls these acts signs. Signs that point to the love and power of God. Will some scoff if we share? Maybe? Jesus certainly had his share of scorners, even critics of his wonderful healings. Of all the signs God has worked in our lives, how many are we keeping to ourselves?

If Jesus sounds harsh in this story, then it must be important. This is not about beating ourselves up over what we don’t do, it is about the opportunities we have to serve God. That my friends is another blessing from the Lord our God. Join us on Sunday, and together let’s worship the Lord and think of God’s gifts.

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Pastor Rick