Matthew 25:14-21 Christian Standard Bible
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents,[a] to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately 16 the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. 17 In the same way the man with two earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’
21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Remember God’s Faithful People?
One morning I gathered with some people from a group of small churches in a fairly rural area for breakfast, bible study and worship, I could not help but be impressed by the faithfulness of God’s people.
The people who came were volunteers, some of them from churches that I know were struggling to keep going.
There was little opportunity for growth because of limited resources, limited congregants – mostly elderly with travel concerns from far remote locations.
But these people did not come for recognition.
They were not looking to be thanked.
They came because they love the Lord and his church.
They came for they are faithful to the God who has always been faithful to them.
And someday these faithful members will hear the words
“Well done, good and faithful servants! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.”
Why Our World Needs More People with an Active, Quiet, Steady Faith?
Since the advent of social media and YouTube, our culture has become obsessed with the idea of instant fame.
In our new world, the lottery is just a few clicks away!
We can gain riches and fame as easily as having a post go viral.
The allure is so compelling that it eats away at our ability to focus on what really matters, which is a quiet, simple, and faithful life.
The idea that we need to document all we do, continuously strive to gather influence, and obtain the lifestyle of the rich and famous distracts us from the real-life important stuff God has for us to do.
Unfortunately, many times when believers gain the riches, influence, and fame of this world, moral failings are common.
We must be cautious of the great temptations that so easily lure our souls towards destruction when we have more power than others around us.
Why Faithful Presence Matters More Than Ever
Faithful living happens in the day-to-day, unglamorous showing up.
Our world is in desperate need of people willing to faithfully show up for their families, for their friends, at their jobs, churches and in their communities.
The research shows that our world is struggling to remain faithful to its goals and commitments; fewer of us are remaining steady.
The percentage of U.S. kids growing up in single-parent households nearly tripled between 1960 and 2023.
There are 360,531 kids in foster care in the United States.
About 17% of us are leaving or losing jobs rather than staying put.
The divorce rate remains between 40 and 50% of all first marriages.
About 40% of college students have not completed their degrees within eight years of starting.
As a culture, we have a serious problem sticking with it.
Why Does Faithful Living Matter to Us as Christians?
Much of the Christian faith is centered on being faithful, steady, and present in daily life. The Bible emphasizes how God desires for us to live humbly, given to self sacrifice for the service of others and to the Lord.
Here are a few Scriptures that point us towards a quiet, steady faith:
“Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you” (1 Samuel 12:24).
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much” (Luke 16:10).
“A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 28:20).
“Because of your little faith,” he told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (https://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/matthew/17/20)
“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’” (Matthew 25:21).
“And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
Why Obedience in the Quiet Moments Matters Most
Matthew 6:5-8 Christian Standard Bible
How to Pray
5 “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.[a] 7 When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.
The quiet, simple, private and unseen moments matter to the Lord.
I’d venture to say they even matter the most to Him.
One day, he allows you to speak his word to the crowds, but that opportunity does not come without him seeing you show some grit with the little tasks.
Truly, when we meet God in Heaven, his assessment of who we are and how we have used the life we have been given has almost nothing to do with the actions we might have taken in the limelight; we are almost solely judged on the things we did when no one was looking.
How did we shepherd our children?
Did we continue to forgive our spouse, or did we shut them out?
Were we willing to serve others at work, or were we only looking out for ourselves?
Did we guard our hearts from lust, addiction, pride, and other temptations, or did we let secret sins fester in our lives?
Did we pray loudly for all to see, or were we willing to quietly seek the Lord for the strength required for life?
Are our actions defined by the fruits of the spirit or do we let anger, resentment, wrath, jealousy and selfishness dominate our lives?
These are the questions that matter for a believer.
None of them has anything to do with going viral, owning a mansion, or even having a large ministry.
That’s not to say God never uses those things, but when they happen, they are still things to be faithfully stewarded.
What God cares about most is how you are faithfully engaging those outlets.
They do not define you, and they definitely are not your ticket to Heaven or even to a good life.
The life we are called to seek after is a life willing to daily take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24).
Suffering and Service
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him and said, “Teacher, we want you to do whatever we ask you.”
“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them.
They answered him, “Allow us to sit at your right and at your left in your glory.”
Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
“We are able,” they told him.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with. But to sit at my right or left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John. Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. But it is not so among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/mark/10/35-45)
A life that encourages others (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
We are to live as lights in the darkness (1 John 1:7).
We are called to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13).
The people that need to see this from you are the ones that live in your home, work alongside you, attend church with you, and live in your neighborhood.
When we are so distracted from the example we set for the people who know us, the world starts falling apart.
You are where you are on purpose and for a purpose.
Don’t forget that.
Your child, your neighbor, your pastor, and your friend needs you.
When we are faithful to the lives we’ve been given, God wins.
His light shines brightly through us through the love we offer our communities.
Don’t let the world distract you from the true Holy work ahead of you today.
Let me invite you to gather with God’s church this coming Sunday.
Take a good look around at your fellow worshipers, and thank God for the willing people who give of their time, talents, and resources.
You are part of a growing congregation, remember to pray for smaller churches that faithfully continue to serve their Lord wherever he has placed them.
And if sometimes you feel like giving up because no one ever seems to notice, remember God does notice–someday we will hear the words “Well done!”
In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ….
Praying ….
Psalm 100
A psalm of thanksgiving.
Be Thankful
1 Let the whole earth shout triumphantly to the Lord!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God.
He made us, and we are his[a]—
his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever;
his faithfulness, through all generations.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 