Risky Business
Moody-Leon United Methodist Church
Moody First United Methodist Church
Rev. Eddie Smart
Matthew 25:14-30
“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Parables — What are they? What do they mean? How do they relate to us? In this parable, who is the master? Who do we relate to in this parable? Are we the master? Are we the one given 5 talents? Are we the one given 2 talents? Are we one given 1 talent?
How many of us have heard this parable before? How many have heard a sermon preached on it? How many of us have been taught its meaning?
Well you see the talents were money, but they represent the gifts God has given us. Some of us have many gifts. Some of us have average gifts. Some of us are only slightly gifted. It’s not important how many gifts God has given us. It’s important that we use the gifts God has given us. Have you ever heard that explanation?
THIS PARABLE GOES MUCH DEEPER THAN USING THE GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN US. Think about it for a minute. Who is this master? Could it be God?
“Master, I know that you are a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. I was afraid of you so I hid your talent. Here it is.”
Is this parable about a harsh God who reaps where he does not sow? A God who gathers where he does not scatter? The third servant described the master in these terms. Who is this master?
Is the master as described by the servant? Or is the master an extravagant, risk-taker, whose faith in his servants is exceeded only by his generosity?
He gave one 5 talents. He gave the next one 2 talents. He gave the last 1 talent. What is a talent? It is a measure of weight. It then became the name of a coin weighing 1 talent. So how much is a talent worth? A talent was equal to between 5000 & 6000 denarii. A denarii was about a day’s wage for a laborer. That would make a talent equal to about 15 years wages. Endnote
Let’s get some perspective on this. If you think of a modest wage as $10k / yr. A talent in today’s terms would be $150,000. That means this master entrusted 3 slaves who made no salary with the equivalent of $1.2 million. The first servant took $750K and doubled it. The second $300k & doubled it.
The master said they were good and faithful servants and gave them what they earned as well as the original principle. Does that sound like a harsh man who reaps where he does not sow? Or does that sound like an extravagant, risk-taker? Who is this master?
Before we are too harsh ourselves toward the last slave, think about it for a minute. What if you are approached by a wealthy man, given $750,000 & told to take care of it. He says he will be back some day to check on his money. How confident do you feel that you could manage $750,000? Or even $150,000?
The third servant said, “As you can see, I have been very careful, very prudent, very cautious — just like you.”
“Just like me!” roars the master. “You are not at all like me. You are a little, miserly weasel. If you knew I was so tough, why didn’t you at least try U.S. Savings Bonds at 5%. Haven’t you learned anything from watching me?…I asked you to be faithful, which is a fancy word for trust.
I didn’t ask you to make money. I asked you to do business, to wheel and deal, to trust enough to risk! But what did you do? You played it safe, kept it all to yourself, stashed in your back yard.”
“I am going to give your portion to that guy over there who already has more than he knows what to do with.” “Do you know why?”
“First : to remind you what you have is a gift I expect you to do business with it not just keep it buried. I’m sick of your puny, low-risk living.”
“Second: I’m giving your gift to another to show that I don’t really give a hoot about what you earned with it anyway.
We began with the Master who took so very much and risked it all on his servants. What did the Master expect?
Does he expect his servants to perform up to some certain level? Does he expect them to double gifts?
NO! He expects his servants to be half as reckless & extravagant as he is.
Maybe this parable is not so much about how we use what God has given us. Maybe this parable is more about following the Master’s example of extravagance and risk-taking.
The Master was extravagant. He gave all he had to the servants. He trusted the servants with his wealth. The Master was a risk-taker. Servants who had never handled money were entrusted with the equivalent of millions. The Master expected the servants to follow his example.
As Fred Craddock put it, “The major themes of the Christian faith – caring, giving, witnessing, trusting, loving, hoping CANNOT be understood or lived without risk.” Endnote
When we care extravagantly for others we take a risk.
When we give extravagantly for others we take a risk.
When we witness extravagantly to others, we take a risk.
When we trust extravagantly in others, we take a risk.
When we love others extravagantly, we take a risk.
When we hope extravagantly, we take a risk.
Was Jesus a risk taker? He died on a cross trusting 11 disciples to continue his work. He died on a cross to save us for all eternity. That’s quiet a risk.
To be a Christian, one must be an extravagant risk-taker. Followers of Christ follow the example of Christ. We risk moving out to the edge of our comfort zone. We give as extravagantly as Christ gave. We risk being Christ-like.