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Matthew 25:14-30 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Her art to point both pagans and hypocriticals to hypocrites to Christ at the same time.
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! She comes with a trigger warning.
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! She always comes with shock.
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But that's the point.
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I think I like her, and I think she's also misunderstood for precisely the same reason.
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It's because she was picking up the same thing as the biblical prophets and Jesus.
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And I'm going to share a quote from her, the reason I tell you that story.
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It's because she was asked one time, why does she write such graphic and absurd stories?
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She said, when you can assume that your audience holds the same beliefs you do,
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you can relax a little and use a more normal means of talking to it.
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You can assume.
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When you have to assume that it does not, that they do not share your same beliefs,
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then you have to make your vision apparent by shock.
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To the hard of hearing you shout, and for the almost blind, you draw large and startling figures.
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And I think she was a close reader of scripture, because this is exactly what the prophets were doing,
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and this is exactly what Jesus is doing in these parables that we will be looking at.
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So here's my challenge to you.
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Do not let our cultural familiarity with these parables blind us to the shock Jesus originally intended.
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We are so familiar with these stories.
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Let us not forget that they were shocking then, and they should shock us back into belief today.
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Let us not be the hard of hearing.
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Let us not be the almost blind, as O'Connor says.
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But let us hear these words of Jesus anew, and let these words shock us back into a better understanding of the truth.
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So that's my challenge to you in the next four weeks.
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Take these parables, read them, let them shape you, let them draw you closer to Christ.
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So, to our parable, the parable of the talents.
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I will read it, and then we'll do a closer reading, and then we'll sum up.
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So, read with me.
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Verse 14, chapter 25 of Matthew.
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For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
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To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one.
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To each according to his ability.
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Then he went away.
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He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.
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So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more.
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But he who received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
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Now, after a long time, the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
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And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying,
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Master, you delivered to me five talents.
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Here, I have made five talents more.
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His master said to him,
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Well done, good and faithful servant.
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You have been faithful over a little.
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I will set you over much.
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Enter into the joy of your master.
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And he who had the two talents came forward, saying,
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Master, you delivered to me two talents.
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Here I have made two talents more.
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His master said to him,
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Well done, good and faithful servant.
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You have been faithful over a little.
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I will set you over much.
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Enter into the joy of your master.
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He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying,
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Master, I knew you to be a hard man,
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reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.
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So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.
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Here you have what is yours.
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But his master answered him,
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You wicked and slothful servant.
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You knew that I reap where I have not sown
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and gather where I scattered no seed.
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Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers.
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And at my coming, I should have received what was my own with interest.
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So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.
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For to everyone who has will more be given,
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and he will have an abundance.
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But from the one who has not,
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even what he has will be taken away
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and cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.
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In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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So the reason I open up with,
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we're going to talk about eschatology,
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is because if you want to study eschatology,
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the study of last things,
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what will be in the future,
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the best books to read,
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and write this down if you want,
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there's three.
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It's Revelation, Daniel, and these two chapters, and Matthew.
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Good books are good.
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But as an aside,
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you can read good books.
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They're great.
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But do not neglect the scripture.
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We have the spirit,
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and we have his word.
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And we should do well
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if we have questions about
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what is to come,
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then we should go to the source.
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And so,
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obviously,
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Revelation and Daniel are good resources.
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I can, like,
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commend you to read it over and over
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with the cross-references.
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That's where you should begin.
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But in Matthew 24 and 25
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is a concentrated
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vision of what is to come
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when Jesus is asked that same question.
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So,
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if you look with me
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in the beginning of chapter 24,
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for context,
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we'll start in verse 3.
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As he sat on the Mount of Olives,
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Jesus,
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the disciples came to him privately,
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saying,
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Tell us when will these things be,
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and what will be the sign of your coming
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and of the close of the age?
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And Jesus answered them,
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and he goes on.
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And he has several things to say,
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a lot, comparatively,
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two whole chapters.
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And,
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and particularly,
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he ends it,
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at the very end,
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with our parable today.
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But,
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I want to,
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I want you to notice that
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this is the third
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of a series of three
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parables
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that almost have the same point.
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So,
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look with me at the very end
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of chapter 24.
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From 20,
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from verse 45
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to the end of the chapter,
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that's a small parable
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that actually is not
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titled in your
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English Bibles.
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But we can count that as one.
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It has a lot of similarities
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to the one we have
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today,
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the talents.
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And then the second parable
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in the series
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is the parable
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of the ten virgins.
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And,
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obviously,
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ours today,
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the parable
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of the talents.
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Now,
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I'm pointing this out
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because they have similar points,
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and they're all answering
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the question,
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what does it mean
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to be ready
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for the Lord?
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What does it mean
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to be ready for the Lord?
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Now,
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we could take
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three Sundays
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and these three parables
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and exegete,
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and they would be
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very profitable.
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But I only have
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one week with you,
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so I'm going to choose
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the third one.
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So,
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why this parable
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besides that?
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I'm going to say
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something personal
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and something textual.
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So,
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personally,
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this,
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there's some text
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in the Bible
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that haunts you.
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And this one,
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particularly,
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has haunted me.
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And I believe
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haunted is the best word,
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maybe there's another word,
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but the best one
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I could think of
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because it sticks with me.
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As you go through
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your Bible reading plan,
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there's always some
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portion of Scripture
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that you can't
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just leave
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there.
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It always follows you.
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And I hope that
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this parable
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also does the same
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thing for you today
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in a good way.
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That it will
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go with you
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and you dwell on it.
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Dwell on these words
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that Jesus
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has given us.
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And it's probably
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because
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they were in my
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marriage vows,
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which is kind of
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a big deal,
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and we'll get to that
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later.
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But it always
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follows me
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and always
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haunts me.
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And I hope it
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does the same
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for you.
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And contextually,
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it's interesting
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that this is the
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last parable
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that Matthew
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records for Jesus
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in the Gospel
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of Matthew,
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and it's
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connected to
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the first parable.
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So,
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turn with me
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to chapter 13.
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Chapter 13
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of Matthew
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is the first
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parable
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that Matthew
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records.
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And a structure,
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the normal structure
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of a parable
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is that there's
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a story,
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there's a point,
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we could say,
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and then
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there's a result.
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And we'll see
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that in ours.
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But the point,
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the four at the
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very end,
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is repeated
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word for word
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in ours,
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but it was first
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recorded in
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chapter 13
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in the first
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parable.
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The parable
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of the sower,
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we won't read
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that,
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but someone
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asks him,
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his disciples,
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ask him,
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why do you
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speak to them
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in parables?
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In verse 11,
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chapter 13,
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and Jesus
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answered them,
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to you it has
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been given
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to know the
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secrets of the
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kingdom of heaven,
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but to them
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it has not
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been given.
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For,
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here it is,
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for to the
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one who has,
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more will be
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given,
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and he will
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have an abundance,
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but from the
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one who has
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not,
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even what he
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has will be
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taken away.
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Sounds familiar.
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Now,
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I would love
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to dive deep
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in how Jesus
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is using that
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there,
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but I just
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want to point
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that out.
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There are
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bookends,
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and I just
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want you to
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see,
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one,
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it's beautiful,
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but there's
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also something
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pointed by
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he begins
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his parables
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with this,
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and he ends
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with this.
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And we'll get
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there at the
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end,
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in verse 29.
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So,
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there are two
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different readings
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we can have
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this.
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A quick reading
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of this parable,
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and you can be
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forgiven if you
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have only read
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it this way,
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because I have
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for a long
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time.
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Maybe that's
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why it bothered
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me so much,
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is that I
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think it's
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more than
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punishment and
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reward.
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A flat or a
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quick reading of
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this parable would
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be, it'd be
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punishment,
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reward,
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and God
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rewards the
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faithful and
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punishes the
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wicked, which is
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definitely there.
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But I think I'm
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going to challenge
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us to have
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maybe a closer
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reading of this
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parable.
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And I submit
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to you that
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maybe a closer
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reading would
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reveal that the
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point of this is
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more on how to
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answer the question
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how to be ready
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for the day of
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the Lord.
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It is by daily
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faithfulness.
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Daily faithfulness.
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Faithfulness is
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the key difference
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between the
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differences between
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the faithful servant
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and the wicked
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servant.
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And so I submit
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to you that the
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point that he
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is driving at
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through this
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parable is daily
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faithfulness in
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the light of
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being ready for
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the day of the
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Lord.
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So some details
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before we deeply
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dive into reading
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it together is
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that just to keep
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you on track
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in the characters,
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it's always good to
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write down the
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characters of a
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parable if you're
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confused.
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There is one
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master and there
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are three servants.
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One master,
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three servants.
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And the servants
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are divided into a
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five-talent servant
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who makes five,
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he doubles,
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five talents more.
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So there's a five-talent
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servant.
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There's a two-talent
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servant who doubles
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two talents more.
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And then there's a one-talent
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servant who hid his
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talent.
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So he just has one.
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So five, two, and one.
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It's always good to write
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down the details of the
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parable to help you read
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it.
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So let's read.
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So I actually want to
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begin us a verse above.
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So if you look at
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chapter 25, verse 13,
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the very end of the
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parable of the ten
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virgins, he says,
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Watch therefore, for
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you know neither the
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day nor the hour.
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I think this explains the
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for and the it in verse
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14.
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So if we read verse 14,
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For it will be like a
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man going on a journey
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who called his servants
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and entrusted to them his
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property or possessions.
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What is the for?
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The for links it to the
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previous parable in the
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ten virgins, like we just
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read, Watch therefore,
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for you know neither the
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day nor the hour.
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But what is the it?
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The it is the kingdom of
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God or the kingdom of
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heaven, used
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interchangeably in Matthew.
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The for and the it is
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linked to the kingdom of
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God.
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Verse 15, read with me.
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To the one he gave five
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talents, to another two,
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to another, to another two,
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to another one, to each
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according to his ability or
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capacity.
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Then he went away.
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So what is a talent?
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Talent comes up here for the
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first time.
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It's a very large sum of
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money, which is interesting.
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It's almost inconceivable.
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One talent equal to roughly
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what a laborer might hope in
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to earn in half a lifetime.
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One talent.
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Think about how much you make.
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Think about when you're
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middle age, what you think you
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make, and that's one talent.
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That's a lot of time.
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That's a lot of wealth.
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But think about five
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talents.
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This is an enormous,
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almost inconceivable
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amount.
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So that helps.
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This points to something
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greater than what he's
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actually.
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It's not about the
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talents.
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It's about something else.
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So verse 16, he who had
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received the five talents, went
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at once, and traded or
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conducted business with them,
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and he made or they gained
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five talents more.
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Went at once highlights his
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eagerness for the work.
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Notice the five-talent servant
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went at once his eagerness to
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do the work of his master.
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And traded is to engage in
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activity that involves effort,
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and it involves work, obviously,
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but if we stop and meditate on
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this, it involves risk.
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Trading involves risk.
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And this servant was eager to do
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the master's work, and he was
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eager to jump in the work,
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knowing the risk.
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Now this is contra to the third
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servant, and we'll get to him.
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Verse 17, so similarly,
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the one who received or had the
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two talents gained two others,
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but he who had received the one
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talent went, going away, and dug
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up the ground and hid his
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master's money.
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Now after a long time, the master
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of those servants came, or comes,
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and settled, or settles, accounts
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with them.
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I highlight the long time is a
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reference to 24, 48, when
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Pastor, in the previous chapter,
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verse 48 says, but if that wicked
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servant, this is the first parable in
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the three series of parables, but if
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that wicked servant says to himself,
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my master is delayed, and that was
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the wicked servant.
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That was his first question, if you
16:50
go back and read.
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The delay is a long time, so even
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after a long time, these servants
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worked.
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So I highlight also those servants
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came.
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When you see came, it can actually
17:05
be rendered comes, because it's in
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the present tense.
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I only highlight that because in
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English, it makes more sense to say
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it came, past tense.
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But I think Jesus is making this
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intentional.
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This is present because this
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anticipates the master's return.
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This shows that not only the third
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servant, but all the servants, all
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three servants, anticipated their
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master's return, even after a long
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time.
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This is a key moment of the parable,
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gospel.
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And this is where the theme of daily
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faithfulness comes in.
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Because they were anticipating the
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master's return, they knew he would
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come back, even if it was a long time.
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They still did the work.
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Some.
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The two first servants, they did the
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work and with risk.
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How much more should we reflect on
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that today?
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Verse 20.
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And he who had received the five
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talents came forward, bringing five
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talents more, saying, Master, you
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delivered or handed over to me five
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talents.
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Here, I have made five talents more.
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His master said to him, Well done,
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good and faithful servant.
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You have been faithful over a little.
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I will set you over much.
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over a few things you are faithful.
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Over many things I will set you.
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There's another way you can render
18:41
it.
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Enter into the joy of your master.
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And he also who had the two talents
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came forward, saying, Master, you
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delivered or handed over to me two
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talents.
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Here, I have made you two talents more.
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His master said to him, Well done,
18:58
good and faithful servant.
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You have been faithful over a little.
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I will set you over much.
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Or it can be rendered over a few
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things you are faithful.
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Over many things I will set you.
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Enter into the joy of your master.
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There's a couple of things I want you
19:13
to notice here.
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We'll camp out here for a little bit.
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Notice that the master's response to
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the five talents servant is the same
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as to the ten talent servant.
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The one who ended up having, or the
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five talent servant, sorry, originally,
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is the same response as the two talent
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servant.
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That was a mistype.
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And over a little or over a few
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things is
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is
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is at the front of this
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because it is there by emphasis.
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So over a few things,
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over a little,
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you have,
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they have set you over much.
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See, it's contrast.
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Jesus loves contrast.
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And what's repeated twice,
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I want you to
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see is that
20:06
enter into
20:07
the joy of your master.
20:10
Enter into the joy of your master.
20:12
Here,
20:13
faithfulness,
20:14
daily faithfulness,
20:15
leads to joy
20:17
in the Lord.
20:19
You see
20:20
the work,
20:21
you see the risk,
20:22
you see
20:23
yes reward,
20:25
but
20:25
it is
20:26
joy
20:27
in the master.
20:29
So,
20:30
let's ask.
20:32
Faithfulness,
20:33
faith.
20:34
It's a really big,
20:35
it's actually a small word,
20:37
but it's a really big
20:38
Bible word.
20:39
It is everywhere.
20:40
It is everywhere in Paul,
20:42
and
20:43
sometimes
20:44
it's,
20:45
we would do well
20:46
to stop,
20:47
to think,
20:48
what is
20:49
this faith?
20:50
I think we
20:51
use it so much.
20:53
Let's stop and
20:53
think about what faith is.
20:55
So if you were asked,
20:56
what is faith?
20:59
By your child,
21:00
or even an unbeliever,
21:01
what would you say?
21:02
It would be a hard
21:03
question to answer.
21:06
But,
21:07
I want to
21:08
share with you
21:09
something that
21:09
has helped me
21:10
in this,
21:11
is that
21:12
the Heidelberg Catechism
21:13
is something that
21:15
I read in college,
21:17
and
21:17
actually,
21:20
very college of me,
21:21
printed it out
21:22
and put it on my
21:22
dorm room door,
21:24
like on the outside.
21:26
I guess I thought
21:27
it was Martin Luther
21:28
or something,
21:28
but
21:28
I don't remember
21:31
which
21:32
question or answer
21:33
I put on there.
21:34
I wish I did,
21:35
but this one
21:36
has always stuck with me.
21:37
There's a few questions
21:38
and answers that have
21:38
really stuck with me
21:39
with the Heidelberg Catechism,
21:41
and I
21:41
encourage you to read it.
21:43
But in question 21,
21:45
Catechism is a question
21:47
and there's a prescribed answer.
21:49
And the question 21 comes,
21:51
what is true faith?
21:53
So what is true faith?
21:56
And I guess
21:56
when I first read this,
21:58
I didn't expect this answer.
22:01
True faith
22:02
is not only
22:04
a sure knowledge
22:05
by which I hold as true
22:07
all that God
22:08
has revealed
22:09
to us in Scripture.
22:10
It is also
22:12
a wholehearted
22:13
trust.
22:15
And I'll read the whole thing.
22:16
With which the Holy Spirit
22:17
creates in me
22:18
by the gospel
22:19
that God
22:20
has freely granted
22:21
not only to others,
22:23
but to me also.
22:25
Forgiveness of sins,
22:26
eternal righteousness,
22:28
and salvation.
22:29
These are gifts
22:30
of sheer grace
22:31
granted
22:32
solely
22:33
by Christ's
22:34
merit.
22:35
So,
22:37
I'll point you to
22:38
the first two lines.
22:40
True faith
22:41
is like a two-sided coin.
22:44
One side.
22:46
You have to have both.
22:47
One side
22:48
is a sure knowledge
22:49
by which I hold as true
22:53
all that God
22:53
has revealed to us
22:54
in Scripture.
22:55
Sure knowledge
22:56
through Scripture.
22:58
But it is also
22:59
a wholehearted
23:01
trust.
23:02
A wholehearted
23:03
trust.
23:05
True faith
23:06
is one coin,
23:08
two sides.
23:09
You have to have both.
23:11
Sure knowledge
23:11
and wholehearted
23:13
trust.
23:14
I hope that helps you
23:16
understand
23:18
what faith is.
23:20
And faith
23:20
is everywhere
23:24
in the New Testament.
23:25
And I encourage you
23:26
to hang on to that
23:27
when you see that
23:28
and think about that.
23:29
the one coin,
23:30
the two-sided coin
23:31
of sure knowledge
23:33
and wholehearted
23:35
trust.
23:38
So,
23:39
I'm going to stop
23:39
here,
23:40
pause here,
23:42
and
23:42
because of
23:44
the line,
23:47
well done,
23:48
good and faithful
23:49
servant.
23:49
this came up
23:53
in my marriage
23:54
vows.
23:54
And I just want to
23:55
share this with you
23:55
because
23:56
maybe many of you
23:58
actually have been
23:59
married by
24:00
Nathan,
24:01
our pastor,
24:02
and he,
24:03
if I understand it
24:04
right,
24:04
he wrote these
24:05
vows.
24:07
And they're very good.
24:08
And I will not read
24:09
the whole thing to you.
24:10
But I will read you
24:11
the first four
24:11
of what he gets
24:13
the man
24:15
to affirm.
24:18
There are four
24:19
questions.
24:20
And so,
24:20
for Father's Day,
24:21
I know fathers,
24:23
but if you're a father,
24:24
you're probably
24:24
married.
24:26
So,
24:27
as an aside,
24:28
I want to speak to
24:29
specifically husbands
24:30
because this is
24:31
something that we
24:32
should dwell on
24:32
and be reminded of.
24:35
So,
24:35
Nathan's
24:35
marriage vows
24:37
that he has
24:38
required
24:39
most of us
24:40
to
24:40
take
24:42
is
24:43
very good.
24:44
But the fourth
24:45
question is
24:46
specifically the one
24:47
we want to
24:47
keep up with.
24:47
I'm going to read
24:48
the first four
24:49
to keep context.
24:51
So,
24:51
the first question,
24:52
husband,
24:53
do you affirm
24:55
before God
24:58
that your marriage
24:59
is appointed by God
25:00
and is ultimately
25:01
for God
25:02
by serving
25:03
as a representation
25:04
of Christ's love
25:05
for his bride,
25:06
the church?
25:07
Ask yourselves
25:08
this side of marriage,
25:09
these questions.
25:10
do you promise
25:12
to love Christ
25:13
above your wife
25:14
and your wife
25:15
above all others?
25:18
Third,
25:19
do you,
25:20
husband,
25:20
recognize that
25:21
you have been
25:22
given a divine
25:23
call to unconditionally
25:25
love your wife
25:26
by pastoring her,
25:27
providing for her,
25:29
and protecting her,
25:30
and that you are
25:31
to lay down
25:32
your life for her
25:33
just as Jesus Christ
25:34
died for the church?
25:36
The fourth question,
25:37
do you commit
25:40
to love your wife
25:42
by seeking
25:42
her spiritual growth
25:43
in Christ
25:44
that she may
25:46
one day appear
25:47
before God
25:48
clothed in Christ
25:50
and have it said
25:51
of her,
25:52
well done,
25:53
my good
25:54
and faithful
25:55
servant.
25:57
That fourth question
25:58
always gets me.
26:00
I think about that
26:01
every time I read
26:01
this parable.
26:02
I think it's a good
26:04
question for us husbands
26:05
to ask ourselves
26:06
regularly.
26:08
I'll read it one more time.
26:10
Do you commit
26:11
to love your wife?
26:13
Are you committing
26:13
to love your wife
26:14
by seeking
26:15
her spiritual growth
26:17
in Christ
26:17
that she may
26:19
one day appear
26:20
before God
26:21
clothed in Christ
26:22
and have it said
26:23
of her,
26:25
well done,
26:26
my good
26:26
and faithful
26:27
servant.
26:28
what can you
26:32
change
26:32
in your daily
26:33
life
26:34
to seek
26:35
her spiritual
26:35
growth?
26:37
Husband,
26:38
maybe making
26:40
time each day
26:40
for her to read
26:41
or meditate
26:42
on scripture,
26:44
forcing that time,
26:46
making that space
26:47
for her,
26:48
maybe making
26:49
the effort
26:49
to ask her
26:50
intentional questions
26:51
about what
26:53
she is thinking,
26:53
not what you're
26:54
thinking,
26:54
but what is
26:55
she thinking,
26:56
which is
26:56
extremely difficult.
26:57
I understand
26:58
that.
26:59
And not
27:00
immediately
27:01
attempting
27:01
to problem
27:03
solve.
27:04
Are you
27:05
laying your
27:05
life down
27:06
in that way?
27:09
Let's,
27:09
let's,
27:10
husbands,
27:10
let's,
27:11
let's think
27:11
about how
27:13
one day
27:13
we will present
27:14
our wives
27:15
and we
27:17
hope
27:18
that we can
27:19
present her
27:19
in a way
27:20
that is said
27:21
of her,
27:22
well done,
27:23
my good
27:24
and faithful
27:25
servant.
27:27
that haunts
27:28
me,
27:29
I hope
27:29
it haunts
27:29
you,
27:30
husband.
27:30
So happy
27:31
Father's Day.
27:33
Verse 24.
27:35
He also,
27:36
who had,
27:37
he who,
27:37
he also,
27:38
who had
27:39
received the
27:39
one talent
27:40
came forward
27:41
saying,
27:42
Master,
27:43
I knew you
27:44
to be a hard
27:45
or harsh
27:46
man,
27:48
reaping where
27:48
you did not
27:48
sow and
27:49
gathering where
27:50
you scattered
27:51
no seed.
27:52
so I
27:56
was afraid
27:56
and I
27:57
went and
27:57
hid your
27:58
talent in
27:59
the ground.
28:00
Here you
28:01
have what
28:01
is yours.
28:03
Verse 26.
28:04
But he,
28:05
but his
28:05
master
28:06
answered him.
28:08
Notice
28:09
that he
28:09
repeats his
28:10
own,
28:10
the servant's
28:11
own,
28:11
own words.
28:14
You wicked,
28:15
evil,
28:15
and slothful,
28:16
or lazy
28:18
servant,
28:19
condemning
28:19
words.
28:19
You knew,
28:21
or you did
28:21
not know,
28:22
did you know
28:23
that I reap
28:23
where I have
28:24
not sown
28:25
and gathered
28:25
where I
28:26
scattered
28:26
no seed?
28:30
That's slothful
28:31
or lazy,
28:33
shrinking from
28:34
something,
28:35
holding back,
28:36
lazy,
28:38
idle,
28:40
passive.
28:41
These are
28:42
condemning
28:43
descriptions.
28:44
You wicked
28:45
and you
28:46
slothful
28:46
servant.
28:48
He goes
28:49
on.
28:49
The master
28:50
in verse 27.
28:53
Then you
28:54
ought to
28:55
have invested
28:56
my money
28:56
with the
28:57
bankers,
28:57
and at
28:58
my coming
28:59
I should
28:59
have received
29:00
or recovered
29:01
what was
29:02
my own
29:03
with interest.
29:04
So take
29:05
the talent
29:05
from him
29:06
and give
29:07
it to him
29:08
who has
29:08
the ten
29:09
talents.
29:11
Notice
29:12
the master
29:13
points to
29:14
the servant's
29:14
foolishness
29:16
in his
29:16
logic
29:17
of the
29:17
master's
29:18
character.
29:18
master's
29:20
character.
29:22
The master
29:23
is just
29:23
repeating
29:24
his own
29:24
words
29:25
to point
29:25
out his
29:25
foolishness.
29:29
God
29:29
makes
29:30
demands
29:30
on his
29:31
people
29:31
and this
29:32
involves
29:33
risk.
29:34
Notice
29:34
banking
29:35
back then
29:37
and today
29:38
we kind of
29:39
forget about
29:39
banking being
29:40
risky
29:41
today in
29:42
our context,
29:43
banking
29:43
would have
29:44
also been
29:45
a risk
29:45
then.
29:48
This
29:49
servant
29:49
tried to
29:50
play it
29:50
safe
29:51
for his
29:52
own benefit
29:52
because he
29:53
did not
29:54
want to
29:55
feel
29:55
uncomfortable.
29:57
He wanted
29:58
to play it
29:59
safe.
30:01
Now let's
30:02
stop and
30:02
think about
30:03
what that
30:03
mean,
30:04
what that
30:05
might mean
30:05
in the
30:05
larger context.
30:06
What's
30:06
Jesus
30:07
trying to
30:07
say by
30:08
pointing
30:08
this out?
30:11
Risk,
30:12
as one
30:12
commentator I
30:14
read
30:14
recently
30:15
said,
30:17
risk is
30:18
at the
30:18
heart of
30:19
discipleship.
30:22
Risk is
30:23
at the
30:23
heart of
30:24
discipleship.
30:26
And we
30:27
think of
30:28
discipleship,
30:29
let's just
30:29
think.
30:30
That may
30:31
mean sitting
30:31
down one-on-one
30:32
with another
30:34
guy.
30:36
But
30:36
really,
30:38
when we're
30:39
thinking about
30:39
daily
30:40
faithfulness,
30:41
your daily
30:42
life,
30:44
what risks
30:45
are you
30:46
taking for
30:46
the Lord
30:47
in the
30:47
areas that
30:48
the Lord
30:49
has given
30:49
you?
30:50
Think about
30:51
your circles
30:52
that the
30:52
Lord has
30:52
placed you
30:53
in.
30:53
Not what
30:54
you want
30:54
to be
30:54
in,
30:55
but where
30:55
are you
30:56
right now?
30:56
Are you
30:56
in a
30:57
marriage
30:57
that you're
30:58
playing it
30:59
safe in?
31:00
Or are
31:01
you taking
31:01
risks for
31:02
the Lord
31:02
of calling
31:05
out sin,
31:06
sin,
31:07
and
31:10
sacrificially
31:10
loving your
31:11
wife as
31:14
Christ loved
31:15
the church?
31:16
And that's
31:17
risky.
31:18
But think
31:19
about parenting,
31:19
maybe.
31:21
Many of us
31:22
are in
31:22
parenting
31:22
area of
31:24
our life,
31:26
deep in
31:26
it.
31:28
Are you
31:29
playing it
31:30
safe with
31:30
your kids?
31:31
things for
31:36
the Lord
31:37
in the
31:37
way you
31:38
discipline
31:39
them,
31:40
raise them
31:40
up in
31:41
the Lord?
31:41
Are you
31:42
opening up
31:43
scripture,
31:44
which is
31:44
risky because
31:46
it takes
31:46
effort and
31:47
it takes
31:47
sacrificial
31:48
love for
31:48
that?
31:48
That's
31:49
risk.
31:50
Think about
31:51
the church
31:51
body,
31:52
another
31:52
that we're
31:53
all in.
31:54
are you
31:56
playing it
31:56
safe here
31:57
amongst
31:58
each other,
32:00
sliding in
32:02
and out,
32:03
or are you
32:05
one another?
32:06
It is a
32:07
risky
32:07
thing to
32:09
do.
32:12
Risk is
32:12
at the
32:13
heart of
32:14
discipleship.
32:14
I challenge
32:15
you to
32:16
think about
32:17
all the
32:17
other areas
32:18
of your
32:19
life and
32:20
ask that
32:20
question.
32:21
Are you
32:21
playing it
32:22
safe?
32:22
Are you
32:22
the third
32:23
servant
32:26
with a
32:27
shovel in
32:27
hand,
32:29
burying
32:29
and keeping
32:30
it safe?
32:32
Or are
32:32
you the
32:33
one of
32:34
the first
32:36
servants
32:37
where you're
32:39
taking risks
32:40
and working
32:42
for the
32:44
Lord?
32:45
Ask
32:45
yourself
32:45
that.
32:47
So,
32:48
we get
32:48
to the
32:48
point,
32:49
in the
32:49
center of
32:50
this
32:50
parable,
32:51
in verse
32:53
29.
32:55
For,
32:55
we know
32:56
that because
32:56
the for.
32:58
For,
32:59
and this
32:59
can be a
33:00
little confusing,
33:01
this is not
33:01
expected,
33:02
this is part
33:03
of the shock
33:03
value,
33:04
you don't
33:04
expect him
33:05
to say
33:05
this.
33:06
For,
33:07
to everyone
33:08
who has
33:09
will more
33:10
be given,
33:12
and he
33:12
will have
33:13
an abundance.
33:14
but,
33:16
from the
33:16
one who
33:17
has not,
33:18
even what
33:18
he has
33:19
will be
33:20
taken away.
33:22
Now,
33:23
this is a
33:24
bit hard
33:24
to understand,
33:25
but I
33:26
will give
33:26
you a
33:27
trick.
33:28
There,
33:29
this whole
33:29
thing is,
33:30
this whole
33:30
verse,
33:31
is,
33:32
there are
33:32
three verbs
33:33
here.
33:35
They're all
33:36
passive verbs,
33:38
meaning,
33:39
and they're like
33:40
passive,
33:40
and then future,
33:42
meaning,
33:42
all that
33:43
to say,
33:43
will be,
33:45
verb,
33:45
will be,
33:46
verb,
33:46
will be,
33:46
verb.
33:47
So,
33:48
will be
33:49
given.
33:49
The one
33:50
who has
33:50
will be
33:51
given,
33:52
the first,
33:53
will have
33:54
an abundance,
33:55
that's the
33:55
second,
33:56
and then
33:57
there's only
33:57
one,
33:58
with the one
33:59
who has
33:59
not.
34:00
The one
34:00
who has
34:01
not,
34:01
will be
34:02
taken away.
34:03
and the
34:07
four is
34:08
possibly
34:08
explanationary
34:10
aside by
34:11
Jesus,
34:11
so taking
34:11
us out
34:12
of the
34:12
parable,
34:12
taking us
34:13
out of
34:13
the story,
34:15
and
34:15
explaining.
34:17
God
34:18
gives,
34:18
through these
34:19
three verbs,
34:21
God gives
34:21
an abundance
34:22
to those
34:22
who serve
34:23
faithfully,
34:24
and God
34:25
takes away
34:25
from those
34:25
who serve
34:26
wickedly.
34:28
Now,
34:28
this reminds
34:29
me of two
34:30
things.
34:31
One,
34:31
you might have
34:31
seen that
34:32
evangelistic
34:33
track,
34:34
two ways
34:34
to live.
34:35
It's a
34:35
great
34:36
explainer
34:37
of the
34:37
gospel,
34:37
and we
34:39
see the
34:39
two ways
34:40
to live
34:40
in this
34:41
parable,
34:42
the wicked
34:42
and the
34:43
faithful.
34:44
But it
34:44
also reminds
34:45
me of
34:45
an early
34:46
document
34:47
that is
34:48
very
34:48
interesting.
34:49
It's called
34:49
the Didache.
34:50
You may
34:50
have heard
34:51
of it,
34:51
but it's
34:52
basically a
34:53
very early
34:53
church
34:54
manual,
34:55
church of
34:55
book order
34:56
for the
34:57
early church.
34:58
And it
34:58
has things
34:59
about,
34:59
like,
35:00
Lord's
35:00
Supper,
35:01
baptism,
35:02
all the
35:03
things.
35:04
But it
35:05
begins in
35:05
a very
35:06
interesting
35:07
way.
35:09
And it's
35:10
always stuck
35:10
out to me
35:11
too.
35:12
It begins,
35:13
early church
35:13
document,
35:14
early Christians,
35:15
think of this,
35:16
says,
35:18
there are
35:18
two ways,
35:20
one of life
35:21
and one of
35:22
death.
35:23
And there
35:24
is a great
35:24
difference between
35:26
these two ways.
35:28
Notice what
35:29
is not
35:29
there.
35:29
There is
35:30
no middle
35:31
way.
35:33
There is
35:33
wicked and
35:35
there is
35:35
faithful.
35:37
Even the
35:37
early Christians
35:38
saw this,
35:39
and I think
35:39
maybe they
35:40
were reading
35:40
this and
35:41
seeing that.
35:43
So think
35:43
about that
35:46
there are
35:47
maybe the
35:48
third way
35:48
could be
35:49
the third
35:50
servant.
35:52
So,
35:52
last verse.
35:54
Verse 30.
35:55
And here's
35:56
another shock.
35:57
You don't
35:58
see this
35:58
coming,
35:59
although it's
35:59
repeated.
36:01
And cast
36:01
the worthless
36:02
servant into
36:03
the outer
36:04
darkness.
36:06
In that
36:07
place,
36:07
they will be
36:08
weeping and
36:09
gnashing of
36:10
teeth.
36:11
Notice the
36:11
change of
36:12
description of
36:13
the wicked
36:13
servant.
36:14
A further
36:15
condemnation by
36:16
adding worthless
36:17
and useless.
36:19
He adds
36:19
condemnation by
36:21
adding a
36:21
description to
36:22
that third
36:22
servant.
36:23
The one
36:23
talent servant
36:24
was unready
36:25
to meet
36:26
his Lord.
36:28
At the end
36:28
of the day,
36:29
it ends
36:30
with the
36:31
one talent
36:32
servant,
36:33
the one
36:34
that refused
36:35
to take a
36:36
risk.
36:38
He was
36:38
unready
36:39
to meet
36:40
his Lord.
36:43
The one
36:44
talent servant
36:44
knew the
36:45
master would
36:45
return,
36:47
but chose
36:47
not to
36:48
make himself
36:49
ready.
36:50
It was a
36:50
choice.
36:52
He did
36:52
not choose
36:53
to live
36:54
by faith
36:55
in his
36:56
daily
36:56
life,
36:57
anticipating
36:58
the
36:59
master's
36:59
return.
37:01
Don't
37:01
forget that.
37:03
It's
37:03
connected to
37:04
the previous
37:04
two parables
37:05
and the
37:06
theme,
37:06
the second
37:06
coming,
37:07
the Lord.
37:08
It goes
37:08
back.
37:09
These
37:09
three
37:09
parables
37:10
have the
37:10
same
37:11
similar
37:12
conclusions.
37:14
What does
37:14
it mean to
37:15
be ready
37:16
for the
37:17
Lord?
37:17
Which is
37:17
really a
37:19
better question
37:20
when we
37:20
think about
37:20
eschatology.
37:21
not what
37:22
might
37:23
happen,
37:24
but what
37:25
does it
37:25
mean to
37:25
be ready
37:26
today?
37:28
I think
37:29
actually
37:29
concludes
37:31
in the
37:32
next verse
37:33
that's not
37:34
in our
37:34
parable,
37:34
which is
37:35
classic me,
37:35
right?
37:36
So,
37:37
ignore the
37:39
title between
37:41
verse 30 and
37:41
31.
37:43
We'll end
37:43
with 31,
37:44
because I think
37:45
this is a
37:45
better end.
37:46
I think it's
37:46
connected.
37:47
it says,
37:49
when the
37:51
Son of
37:52
Man comes
37:53
in His
37:55
glory,
37:56
and all
37:57
the angels
37:57
with Him,
37:59
then He
38:00
will sit
38:01
on the
38:02
glorious,
38:03
His glorious
38:04
throne.
38:06
This is
38:07
our hope,
38:08
this is our
38:08
encouragement,
38:10
that is the
38:11
foundation for
38:12
daily faithfulness
38:13
through the
38:14
work of
38:15
the Son,
38:16
past,
38:18
we can look
38:18
in the
38:19
future to
38:20
this,
38:21
when the
38:21
Son of
38:22
Man comes
38:22
in His
38:24
glory,
38:24
and all
38:25
the nations
38:26
with Him,
38:27
then He
38:29
will,
38:29
and that's a
38:30
promise,
38:30
He will
38:31
sit on His
38:32
glorious
38:33
throne.
38:34
And how
38:35
precious is
38:36
that truth.
38:38
Pray with
38:38
me.