Matt 25:14-30

Big contrast is between

Wise servants and wicked, lazy servant.

Read v. 14-15

How many talents to each?

1st 5

2nd 2

3rd 1

How did he decide how many to give to each?

According to each one's ability

And what did he do after giving the money?

Went on his journey

What does this tell us about the man?–5characteristics revealed in these few words.

What does the fact that he distributes his goods tell us about man?
1.	He does entrust His property to others.

characteristic?–trusting, empowering

What does the way he distributes tell us–to each acc'ding to ability?

2.	He knows their abilities

3.	He's fair, not expecting more than any one is able to do.

What does it tell us about him that he leaves after entrusting it?

4.	Interested in the growth of His servants–perhaps all of his possessions? That's why He leaves–so they can grow.

5.	Unselfish–more interested in their growth than His own control.

vv 16, 17, 18

What do they do with it?

First two Immediately invest and double it.

What did the wise servants understand about the character of the Master that caused them to go out immediately and invest? This is particularly significant in light of what the Master didn't say. Did anyone notice what he didn't tell them?

He didn't say to invest. So why did they invest?

1.	They must have felt safe to take the risk

2.	They felt trusted by Master.

3.	Maybe they knew the master liked increase.

4.	They weren't scared to invest because they'd been 'invested in.' They figured that he wasn't setting them up, trying to get them in trouble. They knew that the master would understand even if the return was not high because He had given the funds to them according to their own abilities.

Third 1. went away and 2. dug a hole in the ground and 3. hid (4.) his master's money.

What does it mean to 'put money to work?' Invest. What is investing?

It is taking completed work and letting it work for you, instead of laboring yourself. How much work is1Talent worth?

15 years of work.

What has he buried, then?

15 years of work. Whose work? The master's

How much sense, then does, it make to bury 15 years of work–especially someone else's work money when you could have it laboring for you?

Not much

Notice what happens when Master returns to settle accounts:

facts: v 19, 20

What do the first two servants do with the money they had?

They come up and bring the earnings saying, "Master, you entrusted x to me. See I gained x more!"

(other side of chart)

What does the 1 talent servant do?

Says master I knew you were a hard man, reaping where you've not sown, and gathering where you've not scattered seed.

And I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground

See, here's what is yours

What kind of statement is his first statement?

Judgment about the master's character.

How has he judged it?

Negatively. Why, what character flaws is he accusing the master of? Being unfair, cheat, stingy, unreasonable. You gather what someone else scattered.

How accurately has he judged it?

Not very, for the Master didn't give him more responsibility than he could handle.

How accurate is it to say the master is gathering where he hasn't sown? (COL 362)

not accurate at all

Why would he be afraid and hide the talent if he knows that the master is a 'hard man' reaping where he hasn't sown, etc.? Why wouldn't he be quick to get extra?

He thinks the master is going to come and reap the benefits of his hard work, so he's not too excited to do anything for fear that his part in the investment won't be recognized or that the gains he makes will be taken from him by the master, so he wants to not lose anything that isn't his, but doesn't want to put any work into what isn't his either 'cause he doesn't think he'll get to keep it.

So how does he view the money given to him?

he thinks he's been given a loan that he needs to repay w/ interest and he didn't want it (I wouldn't like that)

So what does he do w/ it?

Here's your stuff, take it back. I didn't want it anyway. I haven't lost any of it.

He thinks he's a barn instead of a field

How accurate is his understanding of why this money was given? Was it a loan a loan that he needed to pay back? Let's look at the Master's response to find out.

How does the master evaluate the character of each servant?

Well done, good and faithful servant	wicked/lazy servant

What two actions does the master take after evaluating of each one's of character?

faithful in few, receive responsibility for many

enter into the joy of your master

you knew I reap/gather where I haven't sown, then you ought to have used the bank and I'd have received my money back w/ interest. Take talent from him and give to the 10

-cause everyone who has will get more, but everyone who doesn't will have it taken

throw out the worthless slave into outer darkness–weeping and gnashing of teeth

We want to know why the money was given. The lazy servant thought that the Master had unreasonable expectations, so let's make a list of what the master expects and does not expect.

1. Expects goodness and faithfulness (which meant what?) investment

2. Does not expect a specific amount of return

3. Does not expect them to give it back

4. Expects them to enter into His joy

5. Expects them to take on more responsibility

So to understand what's going on here, we need to know a few details.

Facts v 14

1.	Who is the man? Jesus.

2.	what is the journey? Going to heaven to receive kingdom prior to 2nd coming.

3.	Who are the servants? Those left behind here and entrusted with gifts.

4.	What are the possessions/talents given? Ability to do stuff, but remember we said that Talents are a way of storing work that someone has done. So what are they?

Jesus life work which He has done. It is given to us even though we did not ask for it. It is not given as a loan which we must pay back. But it is given to us with the expectation that we put it to work. What is it that we receive from God that we don't ask for? justification. When people receive justification–all heaven, a person moves immediately into sanctification. What's doing the work? The money is. What's the money? Portions of Jesus' life? One got five fingers, another got two wrist bones–one is more, but another is bigger.

What does it mean to say "To everyone who has more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away." How can a person 'not have' but still have it taken away?

The man had received it, but didn't believe it was his, so he acted like it was someone else's and thus didn't 'have' it. That's why it was taken away. Imagine not believing that Jesus' life is mine and burying/hiding, protecting and guarding it in order to give it back to him. Thanks, but no thanks! He did not even see that God had sown! He was not appreciating that God had given him anything. He didn't think it was his own! He left it in God's territory. When one understands what he's been given, Christ's death, he immediately moves into Christ's life/ministry.

What would it mean to not 'have' the life work of Jesus that has been given to me?

What would it mean to bury it? Have you ever seen someone bury it?

What would it mean to invest it?

So what kind of a transaction was it?

It was a gift, but what kind of gift? One that He expected them to invest. (Friend gave his kids their inheritance when they were young to see what they'd do with it. They all invested it and he was glad, but he's heard of others whose kids spend it all on Corvettes and such.)

In essence then, why was the money given?

For the growth of the recipients and

It was given as a means of testing, to find out what was in the hearts of the servants. Would they use the power of money well? Would they use the power they had wisely or sit on it.

What is significant about the fact that they went out immediately and traded?

If you won't use it, at least give it to someone who will! You don't have to be converted to lead one to Christ (Phil 1:15-18)

How many of you are sharing in the master's happiness tonight?

Anyone need to own this? Anyone got a new picture of God–as one who is not giving you responsibility in order to get you in trouble.

Anyone need to let Jesus live His life in you? You need to act even though you might not do it perfectly (tell story). I guarantee double returns if you only act. Give to someone the gift of love–agape love, face to face love.