What About My Talent? | The Playing Field
The Playing Field
What About My Talent?
John 4:35 (ESV) 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
Week 1 SOUL TATTOO: To play, I must leave the bench and join the game.
Week 2 SOUL TATTOO: The practice field prepares me for the playing field.
Week 3 SOUL TATTOO: Don’t leave anyone on base.
The Parable of the Talents
Parable: A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. An earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus’ parables were stories that were “cast alongside” a truth in order to illustrate that truth. After telling some of His parables, Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear”. This was a call to listen to the parables, not just as one would listen to an ordinary story but as one who is seeking the truth of God. May God grant us all ears to truly “hear.”
Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV) 14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
SOUL TATTOO: It is not about how many talents I have, it is about how I use the talent or talents that I have.
The Parable of the Talents teaches us to faithfully steward and invest the gifts and resources God has entrusted to us for the advancement of His kingdom and the anticipation of His reward.
1. God entrusts me with gifts, talents and abilities.
Psalm 24:1 (NIV) 1The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
The question is, what am I doing with the gifts, talents and abilities that the Father has entrusted me with?
1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) 10Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
2. I am accountable for how I use my talent/s for God’s kingdom.
Proverbs 27:23 (NIV) 23Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.”
How am I stewarding everything that God has given me?
Luke 12:48b (NIV) From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
3. I need to be like the servants who invested and multiplied their talents, not like the one who buried his talent.
Ecclesiastes 11:1 (ESV) 1Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
Am I storing up my time, talent and treasure here, or am I making a way to use them for eternal purposes?
Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV) 19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
4. If I am a faithful steward with the talent/s that the Master gives me, I will be rewarded for it.
Jeremiah 17:10 (NIV) 10I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.
Matthew 25:21 (NIV) 21“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”
However, the parable also warns of consequences for neglect or misuse of our talents.
Matthew 25:29-30 (NLT) 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
I’m not sure about you, but I want to “finish well”. I want to hear my Savior say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant”.
SOUL TATTOO: It is not about how many talents I have, it is about how I use the talent or talents that I have.