The Talents

00:00:01 Speaker 1: To whomever much is given of him, much will be required, And to whom much was entrusted of him, more will be asked. Luke twelve forty eight. Heavenly Father, we recognize the great responsibility that comes with the blessings you have bestowed on us. With humble hearts, we acknowledge our duty to use these gifts for your glory and service of others. Grant us the wisdom to steward our resources, talents, and time with care and compassion. Fill us with a passion to serve diligently, remembering that to whom much is given, much will be required. May our actions reflect our gratitude for your abundant grace, and may we always be mindful of the needs of those around us. Help us to live not as masters of our gifts, but as faithful servants, eager to do your will in every aspect of our lives. In Jesus's name, we pray with a spirit of humility and passion. Amen, Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast. Remain here for a transformative story told by Jesus. If this podcast has brought value to your faith, we'd love it if you left a review and shared it with a friend. We want the story of Jesus to be known throughout the world, because when Jesus' story is told, lives are transformed. The wind picked up and Jesus rose his face to the sun. It was beginning its descent over the valley, painting the garden and brilliant, huge use of amber and purple. He looked at his disciples sternly. 00:02:06 Speaker 2: Nobody knows the day or the hour. Do not be caught off God. 00:02:12 Speaker 1: He paused and leaned back on a stone. He looked at Matthew, frantically writing every word he said. He looked at Thomas, brow furrowed with deep thought. He looked at Peter, Oh, Peter. Peter was looking at everyone else to make sure they were paying attention. Each of his chosen disciples had unique personalities, quirks, and gifts to offer the Kingdom of God. He prayed they wouldn't squander their opportunity. He desired for each of them to invest all they had in the kingdom. 00:02:50 Speaker 2: It is time I tell you another parable, Jesus continued, a parable of a man who went on a journey and entrusted his servants talents. 00:03:03 Speaker 3: We've all been given gifts. We've been given talents, resources, and opportunities. Yet there is no greater gift than the Gospel. What have you done with that gift? Have you invested time and passion into it? Or have you buried it and hidden it from the world. This is the Jesus Podcast. I'm zachwpray dot com here to guide you through another story inspired by Jesus's parables. If this podcast has been blessing you so far, we would love it if you shared it with a friend. We want as many people as possible to immerse themselves in the story of Jesus. These dramatized gospel stories have a way of impacting people with the message of Jesus and introducing them to the Bible when maybe they wouldn't have otherwise. Thanks for making the mission possible. Today's parable is another punch to the jaw from Jesus as he warns us about neglecting the gifts and opportunities and trusted to us. This story is meant to inspire us and be people of action instead of inaction and anxiety. The Gospel requires that we take risks sometimes. Are you willing to step out in faith, or will you let opportunities pass you by? 00:04:12 Speaker 2: In the heart of the ancient sun drenched city of Cana, where air was rich with the scents of spices and the bustling sounds of commerce, three servants, Elias, Joram, and Seth, walked into the opulent hall of their master with Lord Adriel. The halls were adorned with tapestries depicting legendary conquests and triumphs. Adriel sat at his desk under the high ceilings of his great halls, watching his three servants walk in. He was a figure of immense power. He had amassed his wealth through sheer force of will. His family and friends adored him greatly, and his enemies feared him in even greater measure. The three young men bowed to their master with fear and love. Adre tapped on his desk and pointed to the map hanging from the wall to his left. 00:05:05 Speaker 4: I am going on a journey north. I have businesses to take care of and family to attend to. I do not know when I shall return. Rather than allowing my will to stagnate in my treasury while I am away, I will entrust it to you. Each of you will be given a different amount. 00:05:28 Speaker 2: Andrew clapped his hands, and his accountant brought in bags of gold. 00:05:33 Speaker 4: These bags hold eight talents worth of gold. 00:05:38 Speaker 2: Elias, Jurham, and Seth trembled when they saw the money. A single talent was worth over ten years of wages. Most men of their stature wouldn't see that much money in their entire lifetime. Helias step forward. Elias had sharp features. He was quick to respond with enthusiasm. Despite his humble beginnings, Elias rose in the ranks because of his attentiveness to the Master's will. He spent hours poring over his ledgers and journals, soaking in every ounce of knowledge he could. He knew that when the time came, he would prove himself to be a faithful and trustworthy servant. The Master placed five bags of gold in Elias's hands. 00:06:23 Speaker 4: Five talents will go to you. Seward them well. 00:06:27 Speaker 2: Elias's eyes beamed with anxious excitement. 00:06:31 Speaker 5: I will not let you down, my lord. I already have plans swirling round my head. We can invest in tall roads and new building projects. I promise I will not let you down. 00:06:43 Speaker 4: I have trusted you with much, Elias, to whom much is given much is required. You've told me your intentions to rise among the other servants. Your words are like silver, but let's see of your actions are gold. 00:07:02 Speaker 2: Adriel took two bags in his hand and gestured for the second servant, Durham. 00:07:08 Speaker 4: Here you are. 00:07:11 Speaker 2: Joram stepped forward and received the two talents worth of gold. Joram was a man of few words. He was the eldest of the three and had served faithfully at Adriel's house since he was young. Joram stood solid and dependable, like the ancient oak trees that lined the master's estate. His hands, calloused from years of diligent work, received the two bags of gold with a reverent touch. 00:07:35 Speaker 4: Jurham, your loyalty has been the quiet backbone of my affairs. Use this gold to extend our reach. 00:07:46 Speaker 2: Joram was an uncomplicated man with a simpler mind. Although he did not possess the intellect of Elias or the youth of Seth, his strength was in his heart. With a nod more potent than any oath, Joram replied, as you wish, my lord. Lastly, there was seth adreel gesture for him to step forward. He reached for his last bag of gold one single talent's worth, and placed it gently in Seth's hand. Seth held the bag with trembling hands. His timidity overshadowed his youth, and his anxiousness often kept him from realizing his potential. Adriel stood up and steadied Seth's hands. 00:08:28 Speaker 4: One talent, Seth, I trust you to take care of it. 00:08:33 Speaker 2: A subtle hint of encouragement threaded through his words, but Seth was too paranoid to hear it. His fears drowned out every whisper of positivity. Seth's voice barely made it to his master's ears. 00:08:47 Speaker 6: Thank you, my Lord, I will God this treasure with my life. 00:08:53 Speaker 2: Andrew nodded and raised his arms to his servants. 00:08:56 Speaker 4: The day and hour of my return is still unknown. We will settle our accounts when I am back. God be with you. 00:09:08 Speaker 2: The master dismissed his servants and prepared for departure. The next morning, he ventured north. The day and the hour of his return a mystery. Seth awoke that morning with an anchor of fear on his chest. He held the bag of gold close, unsure what to do. Alias was given five talents, which meant he had more room to fail. Jorham had two, which meant he could invest one talent and saved the other, but Seth only had one one talent. He watched Elias leave before the sunrise. He plunged into the city's vibrant heart, ready to change the world. With this opportunity. Elias navigated the maze of markets with the agility of a seasoned trader. His name would soon become synonymous with success. Seth was envious of Elias. 00:09:59 Speaker 6: If I had five talents, then maybe I could do what Elias does. Seth murmured if I had his charisma and energy. 00:10:09 Speaker 2: Seth daydreamed about what it would be like to be like Elias. 00:10:14 Speaker 6: I only have one talent compared the five. That's worth almost nothing. I have to keep what I have save. I can't lose it. 00:10:24 Speaker 2: Seth hid the sack of gold under his tunic and left the house. Joram was in the courtyard speaking with a blacksmith and tailor. Seth watched Jorham give each of them a bag. One talent went to the blacksmith and the other to the tailor. Each of them bowed and departed. 00:10:42 Speaker 6: Joram, what are you doing? That's all the talents you have, why not save at least one, just in case the master comes back soon. 00:10:53 Speaker 2: Joram scratched his head and shrugged. 00:10:56 Speaker 4: The blacksmith does great work. He saw have to buy many craftsmen in town. I figured if he had more money to invest in his business, he would grow and we would see some of that money back. The tailor is a friend of mine, his family is sick, and that money will keep his business afloat until he can pay me back later. 00:11:20 Speaker 2: Seth was vibrating with angst. 00:11:24 Speaker 6: But what if the blacksmith injures himself and can't work. What if the tailor gets sick and can't pay you back, then the Master's money will be gone. I'm you afraid he's a harsh man. 00:11:38 Speaker 2: Joram shrugged and walked away, content to leave Seth in a puddle of his own stress. The weight of responsibility haunted Seth. He couldn't imagine the look of disappointment on his master's face if he failed to Seth failure was the greatest blemish on a man. Seth meandered the fields all day, kicking up dirt and pacing with frenetic energy. The sun had set and the frigid evening air only added to Seth's shaking. 00:12:08 Speaker 6: I don't have enough to invest like Elias, and I'm not foolish enough to give it all away like Jorham. It's better to do nothing. At the very least, my master will have what he gave me no harm done. 00:12:22 Speaker 2: There, under the watchful eye of the moon, he buried his master's gold. It was a decision born of fear, a hope that preserving the status quo would be enough. As seasons changed and months slipped by like sand through fingers, Lord Andrew's return sent ripples of expectation through the estate. The three servants stood once more in the Grand Hall, a place unchanged yet entirely different. Adriel entered, beaming with anticipation. 00:12:54 Speaker 4: My friends, I've missed you. 00:12:58 Speaker 2: He shouted as he walked through the large double doors. His warm voice filled Seth with relief. Lord Adriel sat at his desk and smoothed out a large piece of parchment. On it were the accounts. 00:13:13 Speaker 4: Let's begin, Elias, I gave you five talents. What do you have for me? Now? 00:13:21 Speaker 2: Alias approached with his shoulder set back. He wore a humble smile. He knew he had done well, but he also knew that it was his master's money and not his. 00:13:31 Speaker 5: My lord, you gave me five talents. We were able to invest in land and have made double the amount through our tenants. Here are ten talents for you. 00:13:41 Speaker 2: Alias placed ten bags of gold on the table beside his master. Adriel stood up and placed a hand on the gold. 00:13:48 Speaker 4: Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with some of my wealth, so I will put you in charge of much more. Come and share in the happiness of your master. 00:14:04 Speaker 2: Adriel gestured for Lias to sit beside him. Lias held back tears and humbly bowed his head before sitting beside his master. Adriel turned to Joram and said. 00:14:15 Speaker 4: Joram, what have you done with the talents I gave you. 00:14:20 Speaker 2: Seth watched Joram carefully. What was he going to do? Did he ever recoup any of the money he gave away? Joram quietly approached the table and set down four bags of gold. Seth couldn't believe his eyes. Jorham cleared his throat and said, Master, you gave me two talents. I have doubled that amount. We also got to help some kind folks in the process. Here are your four talents. Adriel laughed and extended a hand to Joram. 00:14:51 Speaker 4: Ha ha ha, Well done, my good and faithful servant. You are faithful with a few things, so I will put you in charge of much. Come share in my joy and enter the rest of your master. 00:15:10 Speaker 2: Then came Seth, his figure shrunken, his hands empty save for a soiled bag of gold. Seth took the dusty bag and placed it on the desk. It looked quite sad beside the piles of gold his fellow servants had just acquired. Andreel wiped some of the dirt off the bag and looked at Seth. 00:15:30 Speaker 4: Oh, what is the meaning of this? Why is the bag dirty? 00:15:35 Speaker 6: Well, my lord, it's because I buried it in the field. You what? 00:15:43 Speaker 2: Andriel's tone was equal parts confusion and rage. 00:15:48 Speaker 6: I know you are a hard man who doesn't revel in losing money. You harvest where you have not sown, and gather where you haven't scattered speed. I was afraid to lose what's yours and received judgments that I was fearful of her. I was afraid too. 00:16:06 Speaker 4: You were afraid to fail. 00:16:09 Speaker 2: Adreel finished with flared nostrils. Yes, but look, Seth held up the soiled bag of gold. 00:16:17 Speaker 6: I have your gold here, perfectly, perfectly safe. It take what belongs to you. 00:16:23 Speaker 2: There was a long drawn out pause. The great halls of Adriel were silent for what seemed like eternity. Finally, the Master picked up the sack of gold and emptied it in front of Elias and Jorham. Then he turned to Seth and shouted, you wicked and lazy servant. His words shook the halls. Seth fell back and looked up at his master with terror. Andreel stomped towards Seth as he back pedaled. 00:16:52 Speaker 7: You knew that I harvest where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered. You know my will and desires, Yet you still did nothing. You didn't even do the simplest tasks, like investing the money with the bankers. At least then I would have received something back with interest. You have let fear rule and stagnation win. This is worse than failure, Seth. You didn't try. You have squandered the most precious of resources, her opportunity. 00:17:30 Speaker 2: Turning to Elias, he decreed. 00:17:32 Speaker 4: Take his bag of gold. For those who show initiative, the world offers abundance, but those who succumb to inaction shall find even their small lot in life. Take him away. 00:17:48 Speaker 2: Seth's eyes waded in dismay. His worst fear had been realized. He had hoped that by doing nothing and avoiding failure, he would dodge the judgment of his master. Yet the opposite had happened. His unwillingness to take risks showed his lack of care. He had an opportunity to run with confidence, but his anxiety kept him tethered to the floor. 00:18:10 Speaker 6: Master I I. 00:18:16 Speaker 2: Seth's words were lost in a flurry of emotion. Andrea waved to the guards and said. 00:18:22 Speaker 4: Throw this worthless servant outside. Let him be thrown into darkness, like the hole he buried his talent in. Let him wallow in the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. 00:18:36 Speaker 2: Elias and Joram both rose to prominence, even though Elias earned far more than Joram, and both were held in honor not because of what they brought to the master, because of their faithfulness to seize the day. They had invested what they had and were diligent to respond to the call of their master. As for Seth, he learned a valuable lesson about life, faith and failure. Doing nothing rarely gets you nothing in return. Often those who sow to the wind will reap the whirlwind. 00:19:12 Speaker 3: Jesus paints us a picture of a master who gave three of his servants money to take care of while he was away for a while. One servant was given five talents, another was given two, and then another was given one talent. A talent was worth a lot of money back then. This was more than a servant would probably make in about twenty years of labor. A servant would work their entire adult life and still never make an entire talent. So it's a lot of cash. I want you to imagine your boss is going on some sort of trip. He comes up to you and says, I'm going away for a while. I don't know when I'm going to be back, but here's twenty point five million dollars. Could you take care of it for me? Can you invest it, buy some land, maybe flip some businesses or some houses. I'll be back and give an account of how you handled my money. That would undoubtedly shake me to the core. That's a lot of pressure, especially since it's not my money to begin with. What am I going to do with that much money? Am I going to be responsible for it? Or am I going to somehow waste it? All these servants were all given a different amount of money, no doubt because of their capabilities or their relationship to the Master, but that's not actually as important as what they do with their money. I want you to notice that never once was it about the amount of money that they were given or the amount of money that they accumulated, but it was about their faithful stewardship over what was given to them. The first servant technically made more money than the second servant, yet their faithfulness was counted the same by the Master. This reveals something about the heart of God that he measures according to being a good and faithful servant, not a more talented and fruitful servant. I want to tell you a story about the worst sermon I ever heard in my entire life, and I'm not joking about this. It wasn't because the pastor fumbled on his words. It wasn't that he stammered or forgot what he was saying. It was the content of his message that really got me. Riled up. He painted a picture for the audience. He said, I want you to imagine you're in heaven. I want you to imagine that you're sitting at a dinner table or by a fire in heaven with Moses, with Elijah, with David. I want you to picture yourself listening to David as he tells stories about how he vanquished Goliath and led the armies of Israel into victory. I want you to imagine you talking to Moses and hearing him talk about how he got to walk through parted seas and see mana fall from heaven. I want you to imagine yourself listening to Elijah talking about how he summoned fire from heaven and how he got to watch the prophets of bail bow before the God of all creation. That pastor went on to say that you don't want to be hearing the story from David, hearing the faithfulness of Moses, and looking at the exploits of Elijah and feel insecure about what you did here on this earth. What story are you going to have to offer David. Are you going to have an impressive thing to show Moses? Are you going to be able to tell Elijah about all the wonderful feats of faith that you had in your life. You don't want to be caught with a bad story when you're in heaven. Right, You see that Pastor had a profoundly inaccurate picture of what heaven is actually like. We're not going to be looking at the exploits of David and Moses and Elijah and then somehow feel insecure and a shamed that we didn't do nearly as much as them. In fact, we're going to be too enamored by Jesus to even care about that. I'm going to tell you something right now, I'm going to be too enamored by the holiness in the person of Jesus to care too much about David in his stories. That message also reveals a misunderstanding and what God considers as faithful stories. Look at the reward of these two servants. In verse twenty one of this passage, it says, well done, good and faithful servant. 00:22:51 Speaker 4: You have been. 00:22:52 Speaker 3: Faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your Master. Notice how even at the end the reward for the faithful servant, it wasn't that he received more money or status, but that he entered into the joy of the Lord. God has given all of us different measures of gifts, talents, and positions. But at the end we're not going to compare exploits with one another. In fact, all of the talents are going to be given back to God. Anyways, the wonderful reality of heaven is that we get to be in the joy of our Master. It's not that we get to brag about our exploits to David, Moses, Elijah, Peter. It's that we get to be in the presence of God. And in the presence of God there is fullness of joy. We need to realize two things here before we continue. One, we are going to give account of our lives and what we did with the Gospel that was given to us. We're going to be held accountable to how we used our time and our talents and our treasures. But ultimately we are going to give an account of what we did with the gospel, what we did with the story of God that was in our hands. Did we allow the gospel to affect our hearts in the way that we treat our friends and family. What we do with the gospel matters how we invest the treasure that is the gospel matters. But the second thing here is that God is in the business of bringing us into his joy. This means that it isn't about begrudgingly obeying Jesus because you don't want to be uninvited to the wedding feast. We aren't jumping through miserable hoops so that we don't miss out on a party. No, this is an invitation to joy. God is in the business of offering us joy, and our faithfulness to him comes from a place of desiring to enter into that joy. The pleasure for us in heaven doesn't come from getting to brag about what we did. It doesn't come from getting extra from our neighbor, the people that are beside us. It comes from being in the presence of Jesus. That is what the third servant was lacking. Ultimately, he was lacking this understanding that the Master was going to be kind and compassionate to him. Whether he ten xed his investment or it remained the same. Let's dive into the passage that our story was inspired by. It says this in verse twenty four. All 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. So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours. But the Master answered him, you wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gathered where I scattered no seed. 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. The solution for the servant was to take this spectacular talent that was given to him and just bury it. Notice here, how he doesn't seem to be particularly unpleased with this either. He says, hey, at least I didn't gamble it away or lose your money. But the Master uses severe language with severe consequences attached to it. He says, you, wicked and slothful servant. Having given his servant a wonderful opportunity to be faithful, he came back to see it was buried. Here's a harsh reality that we all have to wrestle with. To do nothing is something hosea devon actually has a chilling verse that I'm always reminded by when I'm interacting with my kids or when I'm working for the Kingdom of God. Hoseah eight to seven says for you reap the wind, and you will sow the whirlwind. You see, many people think that if they invest nothing, they'll get nothing in return. If they put in no effort, they'll get nothing in return. And that's fine with them. But the reality is to do nothing is actually to reap chaos and destruction. To do nothing with the Gospel is actually a degenerative act of the soul. You can't get away with doing nothing. To do nothing is to go backwards. So why is the Master so severe here in his punishment. Here's the thing. You may not be antagonistic towards Jesus. In fact, you may love coming to church and learning about him. You love what religion can do for your family and your kids. You may have just gone to church your whole life and it's just a habit now and you like it because it encourages you to be a good person. And maybe it's fear, maybe it's bitterness or laziness or selfishness, but some of you might be living your lives, hearing the gospel yet doing nothing in response. This servant's sin was similar to the bridesmaids who had no oil. They were given an opportunity to enter into the joy of their master, yet they lived as though they didn't even care. Think about this for a second, God, the creator of heaven and earth, wholly filled with awe inspiring power and majesty. It directs the galaxy and causes the instincts of every animal in motion. The God who designed gravity and adorned the mountain range with meadows. He wants you and desires you so much that he would set his son on a cross to suffer, bleed and die for you. That, my friends, is a treasure, and it is a treasure not to take for granted. To take that reality and bury it away is ultimately a rejection of the Master himself, who so desperately wants you to enter into the joy of him, and not entering into that joy is what we see towards the end of this episode, where the servant is passed into outer darkness in a place where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth. The gospel is too glorious not to demand a response from you. The answer must be yes or no. It can't be maybe later. It can't be maybe when I have my life put together, and it can't be ah. I'm not sure. The Gospel is too radical an invitation, too joyful an experience to just remain neutral. Jesus says in Revelation three fifteen, I know your works. You are neither cold nor hot. I would rather that you would be cold or hot. Because you are lukewarm, though, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. In Matthew twelve thirty, Jesus says, whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me will scatter you. See, the Gospel is too radical and Christ's sacrifice too great for us not to respond. For those of you who have received the Gospel of Christ and said, yes, this is your opportunity to step out, take risks, invest in people, use your talents. Don't fall into the trap of a servant who, reeling in anxiety, didn't do what he was supposed to do with the gifts given to him. For those of you who have yet to respond to the invitation of Jesus, he is inviting you now the door is open. My exhortation to you is we conclude this episode is that entering into the joy of your Master would surpass anything else hindering you from him. Thanks again for listening to the Jesus Podcast. If this podcast has encouraged you in any way, we would love it if you left a review. If this podcast has impacted you and offered value to your faith, would you please share it with a friend so that they could experience that same exact joy. And if you've been waiting for new episodes to come out but have trouble seeing it, it might be because you haven't followed or subscribed to the podcast yet, so make sure to hit that follow button click subscribe on the platform you like listening to most. That way, you never have to miss an episode. Can't wait to see you next time as we figure out how to build a firm foundation that will outlast any storm. See you next time.