Your Place in Eternity (Matt. 25:14-30)

Matthew 25

INTRODUCTION:
“Why am I here?” Have you ever asked yourself that question?
“What am I supposed to be doing?”
“How am I supposed to serve God?”
“Am I pleasing God?”

As many of you know, I have a Master’s degree in education. When I graduated from college, I was certified to teach biology and middle school science. I enjoy teaching. I think if I had stayed on that path, I would have enjoyed being a biology teacher. Does God want me to be a preacher? If I had stayed on the path to be a teacher, would I have sinned against God because I did not become a preacher? Those are questions that we (I) don’t really have an answer for. “What am I supposed to be doing?” We all might have asked ourselves that question at some point. The Bible, of course, does not answer that question for each individual Christian. It seems to me that if we go down a path that utilizes the talents, skills, abilities, and education we have, then we can serve God faithfully in that respective area.

Back in 2002, the famous preacher from California, Rick Warren, wrote a bestselling book named The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth am I Here For? It has sold about 34 million copies. That illustrates how much people want to know what they are on earth to do. But I can save you $20 by telling you what we are here to do: honor Jesus Christ by doing the things that Jesus tells us to do in the NT.

If I had been a biology teacher, I would be honoring God in much the same way I am doing now. Not as a full-time preacher, perhaps, but still living a Christian, godly life to the best of my ability.

The key to pleasing God - what am I on earth for - is to be good stewards of whatever it is that God has placed in our hands. That is the message of the parable we will study today from Matthew 25: “My place in eternity.”

This chapter is easily divided into three large sections with the first two being parables (25:1-13; 14-30). Jesus had said that no one knows when the heavens and earth will pass away (24:35-36) so He gives several illustrations of the need to be prepared, despite our ignorance of that time frame (24:37-41; 42-44; 45-51). The chapter concludes with Jesus discussing the final judgment using the metaphor of sheep (representing the righteous) and goats (representing the wicked): 25:31-46.

The talent was, originally, a measurement (58-80 pounds). It could be the weight of gold, silver, or bronze. In this context, it seems to refer to silver. As a unit of money, it was valued at 6,000 denarii, which was one day’s salary. Five talents would be worth about 82 years’ salary. Two talents would be worth nearly 33 years’ salary. One talent (6,000 days’ wages) would be just over 16 years’ salary.

GOD GIVES “ACCORDING TO ABILITY” - 25:14-18:
The second parable in this chapter begins with an abbreviated introduction: “For like a man…” That is, the “kingdom of heaven” (ver. 1) is “like a man…” This wealthy master desired to go on a long journey and called his slaves to himself and entrusted them with his possessions, perhaps all of his possessions. To one of the three, he gave possessions equal to five talents. This would have been an incredibly large sum of money, but it is not necessary for the details of the parable to be taken literally or realistically. It serves the purpose of illustrating the high degree of trust the master had in this particular slave to use “according to his own ability.” To a second slave, he gave two talents, and to one slave, he gave one. Then the master left.

The first two slaves immediately set to work to increase their profit, and increase it they did! These men earned 100% profit! It does not matter what the business venture was; it is irrelevant to the parable. Yet, the one who had only been given one talent (“according to his own ability”) dug a hole in the ground and hid the money. He did not waste the talent; he did not gamble; he was not careless. He just did not use it at all. This was a safe decision, but it brought no profit.

You and I have talents with which we were born. Are we using those talents in service to God in His church? If not, why not?
You and I have some form of education which has enhanced our natural talents. Are we using our education in service to God in His church?
You and I have years of experience which has deepened and broadened our natural talents and education. Are we using our experience in service to God in His church?

Reflecting the idea that no one knows when Jesus will return (24:36, 42, 48; 25:10), the master delayed his coming for a long time. When he arrived, he decided to settle his accounts with his slaves. There is nearly complete similarity between the response of the “ten-talent” man and the “four-talent” man as well as the response of the master to each one (ver. 20, 22).

AND IS PLEASED WITH GOOD STEWARDSHIP - 25:19-23:
The master (ver. 21, 23) commended each one for being “good and faithful,” having done well, and supervising “a few things.” As a reward, he would put each one over “many things” and they were invited into the “joy of their master.”

BUT ABHORS POOR STEWARDSHIP - 25:24-30:
The longer section of this parable (25:24-30) deals with the one-talent man, who was given according to his ability. He first describes the master in harsh terms, as a “hard man.” The master would reap where he had not sown and would gather where he had not scattered. Whether this was a true assessment of the master’s behavior is not relevant to the point of the parable. It was his perception of the master’s nature that inspired fear in this slave and caused him to be lazy (ver. 25). He gave the talent back to the master, but without any income from it.

The master is furious and accuses the slave of being “wicked” and “lazy.” He assumes as true the accusation of the slave (ver. 26), whether it was true or not is not relevant. If it were true, it should have compelled even more the slave to do something with that investment! At a minimum, he should have put the money in the hands of money-changers who could have paid in interest. In that case, the master would have gained something.

Instead, he gained nothing. The master takes the one talent from him, giving it to the one with the ten, stating a general principle in verse 29 (the point of the parable) that rewards will be distributed, to some degree, based on one’s willingness to use what he is entrusted with. There is no reason to speculate why the master gave the extra talent to the ten-talent man rather than the two-talent, or even to divide between the two. The purpose was to show that if one works, he will be blessed. While Christians wait for Jesus’ return, they are to be busy staying faithful and producing fruit (cf. John 15). The fruit will be illustrated in the judgment scene which follows (25:31-46). Finally (ver. 30), the master commands other slaves to cast that “worthless” slave into the outer darkness, a picture of hell, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

APPLICATION:
1) Jesus had stated verse 29 substantially the same in 13:12. The Scriptures teach that God gives, and expects out of us, proportionate to our ability: Romans 12:3, 6; 1 Cor. 4:1-2; 12:4-7; Eph. 4:7-8; 1 Peter 4:10. God does not tolerate laziness in anyone: Prov. 6:6-9.

2) Peter will argue in 2 Peter 3:14-16 that Christians should keep themselves “in peace, spotless and blameless” until Christ comes again. Then, Christians will enjoy the presence of Christ: Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:11-13; Heb. 12:2; Rev. 19:7.

3) Stewardship (1 Cor. 4:1-2) involves:
a) a master (spiritually speaking, Christ),
b) a steward (humans),
c) something entrusted (our lives, our energy, our money, our hearts),
d) and a reckoning (the final judgment).

Take home message: Heaven awaits those who are faithful stewards. Let's use our talents and resources wisely for God's kingdom.