Nov.16, 2008
NPMC
Matthew 25:14-30
Wendy Harder
Voices of Influence
Parables of the talents – drama
Thank you to those that helped with the drama this morning. It is a timely
piece because we too are out in the world, left alone to wait for when Jesus
will return, and so we wait, and wait and wait. We live our lives and wait. As
we wait we have to decide who we will listen to.
Who has the greatest voice of influence in your life? Is it someone that has
already passed away? Is it one of your parents, or a sibling or a close friend
or Oprah or the music of Abba or the voice that comes after stillness and
silence as you reflect on God’s word, or a pastor or your accountant, or weight
watch consultant? Each of these persons are the voices in our head guiding us as
we decide what to ingest into our bodies, how we spend our money, how to make
decisions, whether or not we do our homework, what kind of vehicle to drive or
to drive at all. What influences us translates into how we live our lives –
structured or reckless or with joy or in fear.
In the parable of the talents, three servants are given the honour of looking
after their master’s property. They are each given a certain amount according to
their abilities. Some scholars compare the talents to Christian service.
Spreading the love of God in the world through tangible means. They are not told
how to look after what they are given but just that the master will return.
So what to do in the mean time? The first two servants figure out a way to
double what they are given. Why did the first and second servant decide to use
their gifts? Were they trying to please their master? Did they know there would
be a reward after their master returned? All we know is that they trusted that
the master will return and so they set out to make their master happy. The third
servant lives a fearful life. He is worried what the master will do to him if he
does not have the same amount of money that he was given to start with. It is
like he was paralyzed with the gift that he was given. Instead of embracing it
and using his imagination to dream up ways of what he can do with the money – he
goes and buries it in a field. Maybe he sat and waited and was paranoid that
someone would find it and so couldn’t do anything but watch and wait, fearful of
everything and everyone around him. We don’t really know but the scripture
passage does tell us “I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground.”
One author, Archibald M. Hunter writes that the parable was directed at the
Pharisees that knew all about the Word of God but they were just sitting on it
and not sharing it with anyone. How are we like the Pharisees, sitting on a good
thing in our life and not sharing it with others?
The third servant is called unfaithful and lazy by the master. Instead of
examining himself and wondering why he did nothing with the talent but hide it,
the servant blames the master for making him this way. He does not take
responsibility for his actions and instead said it is as a result being afraid
of the master and what might happen. There is no gratitude on behalf of the
servant for being entrusted with these gifts. The servant is wrapped up in his
own self-interest and being safe. More worried about being safe then he is about
being faithful. What we can gather from this parable is that we are expected to
take some risks, we are expected to step out of our comfort circle and share
what we have and it will come back to us double of what we gave out. The focus
is not on the amount of what is gained for the master but on the servant’s
attitude of serving the master to the best of their ability.
The master uses words of encouragement to affirm those that have done what is
pleasing in his eyes – good, faithful, come and share in the master’s happiness.
The master would have accepted anything from the unfaithful servant, even by
just putting the money into the bank and gathering interest. (Believers Bible
Commentary) That requires very little effort on the part of the servant. So it
seems to me that the message is as long as you try, there is no option to fail –
we are invited to come and share in the master’s happiness
The master is a hard taskmaster, as stated by the third servant but yet the idea
of servant and master is turned on its head when the master invites the servant
to come and share in the master’s happiness. That is treating the servant as an
equal. According to Robert Farrar Capon in his book “Parables of Judgment” one
of the themes of this parable is of the divine party. And I quote “it is the
party that lurks below at the surface of history and calls only for recognition
by faith. It is the fatted calf served up for a prodigal who did nothing but
come home in faith. It is the free champagne and caviar for wedding guests who
did nothing but trusts the kings insistence on providing fancy costumes and
party hats. It is the full pay for next-to no work-at all given to grape pickers
who just said yes to a last minute promise. The only reason that judgement comes
into it at all is the sad fact that there will always be dummies who refuse to
trust a good thing when it’s handed to them on a platter. That is indeed a grim
prospect.” End of quote (p.168)
Are we the ones that have got it because we are sitting here in church? What
about those of you who have been dragged here by someone else and you have only
stepped into church a few times? Or those of you that have been sitting in the
same pew for a long time? That is exactly what God’s love is all about. We just
need faith that God love us no matter how long we have been here. When you turn
and walk out that door, you take the gift of God’s love with you. No matter who
you are or what you have done up until this moment in your life. Will you be
motivated and influenced to share this talent that you are given? Are you going
to be paralyzed by fear and do nothing? Or do we live because we are loved and
we can’t fail?
God’s love is such that we can’t fail. God’s love is so different from the conditional love that we put on each other such as “I will love you if you do this for me.” God’s love is a love of sacrifice and giving with no strings attached. 1 Peter 4:7-11 speaks to this kind of love. “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen”
The third servant was paralyzed by his fear. He allowed too many voices from
the edge to influence how he conducted his business. How are we going to be as
we leave this place? Do you take your talent and allow it to multiply, allowing
God to be your center, your strength? Or are you going to remain rooted to your
pew, fearful that someone may take the one talent that was given to you?
Go and share what God has given you!!
Game of Bamboleo – Are you sometimes told what to do? There are people that
sometimes tell us what to do because they think it is good for us. These voices
motivate us to do certain things. Like your parents telling you to eat your
vegetables because it is good for you and your body needs vegetables to grow. Or
God telling you through reading the Bible that you should love your friends and
the people that hurt you. So what is the most important voice to listen to?
(Place a big block in the center of the circle)
What are the other voices that we listen to? (place more blocks)
What about the people that tell us to do bad things – like if that person takes
your cookie you are can go and hit them. (place the blocks on the edge)
If we listen to people that are helping us be a good person, we are stable and
well grounded. If we listen to people that make us feel bad about ourselves or
others, the board tips and everything falls apart. Today I will be talking to
the parents about a story that Jesus told to encourage us to share what we have.
To be influenced by sharing God’s love with others instead of hiding it for no
one to see.