- Matt. 25:14-30
Stewardship is the faithful responsible management of something that is entrusted to ones care.
It includes conducting (doing), supervising, or managing but the responsibility for getting it done is totally one's responsibility not somebody else's.
The parable talks about two types of people in the kingdom; One is faithful the other one isn't.
1st and 2nd persons are the faithful stewards who prepared for the return of their Master by diligently putting all resources or talents (abilities, gifts, time, possessions, money, etc.) that had been entrusted to them for the
3rd is the unfaithful servant that has no heart for the things of the kingdom. But has also been entrusted with resources and talents.
Notice; that all three were servants (all three Christians)
The question at hand is not weather any of them were saved or not but; "WERE THEY FAITHFUL WITH WHAT GOD ENTRUSTED TO THEM?"
Notice also that; Not all were expected to receive the same results but all were expected to be faithful with what the master entrusted to them. (He doesn't give you more than what you can handle. But he gave to each one of them;("according to their abilities")
In the parable set before us Jesus used something that was common to them and also very close to them, MONEY!!!
A TALENT WAS; A gold piece = $26,800 US dollars. Mucho dinero!, to someone in those days. The average person made that amount of money in 20 years or more.
- What Jesus was illustrating was that God entrusts His people with more than we can even imagine!!! (THE THINGS OF THE KINGDOM ARE WORTH MORE THAN THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD)
- It may be a musical talent or a natural ability to speak to people or to make money in an honorable way, or carpentry or anything else that you are good at.
God wants you to use your talents that he has entrusted to you for the kingdom.
- I know how to fix a car; I use it for the kingdom.
- I know how to fix or frame a wall; I use it for the kingdom.
- I know how to do landscaping, use it for the kingdom. Not to build your own kingdom but to build the
#2) The three people in the parable:
The 1st man, the master entrusted him with five talents
· A talent of gold was = to $26,280 in US dollars
· 5 talents is = to $131,400 US dollars = equivalent to100 years of salary for the average person living in those days. To some God gives much because he knows that they can handle it.
· He was found diligent. (In 2 Tim.1:6 Paul reminds Timothy; "Stir up the gift of God that has been entrusted to you". Also 1 Tim.4:14; "Neglect not the gift that is in you through the laying on of hands".
· Apparently Timothy was neglecting his pastoral duties because of discouragement. Being a young man people were not to fond of him.
· He was found working.(Eph. 6:7 says: "With good will doing service, as to the Lord and not to men")
· His master saw fruit. If we are doing everything we should then we should have fruit (Look at John
· In 2 Tim.1:6 Paul reminds Timothy to; "Stir up the gift of God that have been entrusted to him".
· Also in 1 Tim.
· He traded the five and got another five. (Another 100 years of wages) not for him but for the kingdom but no doubt that he would also profit, "SEEK FIRST THE
The 2nd man in the parable, the master entrusted him with two talents = $52,560 or 40 years of wages.
- "He gained another two". It doesn't say how. only that he gained another two.
- We can assume that the same way that the first man put the talents to use. This one did the same. Your talent may be singing, dancing for the Lord, landscaping, roofing, working with computers, carpentry. Everyone has talents that God has given them. Something that you are good at. Put it to work for the
- God has also gifts that He has given to the Church through you. ( look at Ephesians 12)
#3) The third man in the parable was entrusted with one talent and he buried it in the ground.
- His biggest mistake was that he misjudged the character of his master who had trusted him with 20 years worth of wages.
- Actually the master was a very generous man not a hard man the way that he painted him.
- He just expected his servant to be doing his job which he had paid him very well for. And to learn to be a good steward of what was entrusted to him.
Two things he is accused of; Being wicked and being lazy.
- Being wicked because he blamed his master for his shortcomings. People try to do this all the time (blaming others for what they didn't do.
- Being good stewards is knowing that it's your responsibility and no one else's.)
Once upon a time there was a little girl that was given two dollars by her dad. One dollar to buy anything that she wanted, but the other dollar her dad told her specificly to give it to the Lord on sunday at church. Very happily she took the two dollars and ran to the store to spend her portion thinking of everything that she could buy with her dollar bill. As she was running to the store she tripped and fell and the wind blew one of the dollars into a storm drain at the curb. Getting to her feet the little girl looked at the dollar that was still in her hand and then at the storm drain that had taken the other dollar and said; "Well, Lord, there goes your dollar".
Many christians have the same attitude towards giving of the talents that God has entrusted to them. First me, and if there is anything left maybe the kingdom.
Close with Luke 12:48