Matthew 25: 14-30

THE 25^TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST | NOVEMBER 19, 2023 | Matthew 25: 14-30 | David Zersen |

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.’

BOLD CHRISTIAN LIVING

Most of us are happy giving gifts that have a finite quality to them, something the receiver can appreciate and treasure, perhaps even remembering who gave it. At Christmas or on a birthday, we may wonder if the recipient ever read the book we gave or played with the toy. By and large, however, the reflection ends there. We gave, someone received. We hear of other kinds of giving, however. My wife, typically, asks that money be given in her name to the Heifer project, an agency that places a duck or a goat in the hands of a financially challenged farmer. He or she may use such a gift to provide food for a family or develop a small gaggle or herd that can earn a greater profit as time moves along. Another person might give a package of seeds, a cookbook, a weekend vacation trip or a favorite magazine—items that are often referred to as a “gift that keeps on giving.” Typically, there’s something about certain gifts that allow one’s generosity to advance in some way with the usage of the gift.

         More boldly, perhaps, would be a gift of money to a child or grandchild with the encouragement that the money be invested. It would be a way of seeing how creative the earning power of a young entrepreneur might be. Something like that idea is at work in the parable in today’s text. Quite apart from the details and the context, it’s a story about an individual who gives generously to an associate and we learn whether the gift kept on giving or whether it reached a dead end. And the impact of the story, depending on how we interpret it, can influence the way in which we who listen interpret our own gifts or blessings.

         For a moment, let’s consider the context of the parable. It falls in a setting in Matthew’s Gospel following the Parable of the Wedding Feast that is addressing rather final matters. The bridesmaids who did not come prepared with oil for their lamps are not allowed to enter the wedding banquet. And in today’s text, the beneficiary of a trust (a talent could be as much as a million dollars in today’s money) who doesn’t risk investing and earns no profit is dropped from the master’s employ and thrown out on the street. Jesus’ stories certainly catch off guard those who heard some of the lovelier words in other contexts and point hearers in the direction of ultimate things, final things, “last judgement” kinds of things!

         I lead tours for children and adults as a volunteer docent at the Milwaukee Public Museum. At today’s meeting, the staff person in charge of the docents told us that a treasured pair of mukluks from the Artic exhibition would have to been thrown in the garbage because they were covered with mold. It was not certain how this could have happened, but some thought it was the result of the mukluks being improperly cared for, not being preserved in a way that could lead to their being properly exhibited and appreciated in value. That could be a reason, but it is also true in the museum that some artifacts are sequestered in places where meandering fingers can’t touch them—and they may deteriorate from neglect.

         Does it stretch our imagination—or our spiritual insight—too much to see a relationship between the abandoned mukluks… or the talent of the person in the parable… or the gifts that we don’t boldly lift-up or multiply? And does this happen because we lack an adventurous mind, a creative ingenuity or a fear of doing the wrong thing? Admittedly, the word “talent” in the text is referring to money—a large amount of it. But we won’t stray far from the parable’s truth by allowing talent to refer to abilities, gifts, sensitivities or cleverness. All of us have received many of these items from our own spiritual Lord and Master and the parable is encouraging us to be bold in using them. We are not to use them because of fear. The choice of the third person in the parable is always a dead-end street. Nothing comes from a life in which people are afraid to take risks, to avoid options, to disparage advantages. Much can result from a life in which people who are already blessed allow their giftedness to overflow for their own sakes and for the sake of others.

         A recent Netflix film, “All The Light We Cannot See”, one of my favorites of all time, is a parable of its own. A young orphaned boy, played by German Louis Hofmann, discovers that he’s technically gifted in a way that allows him to create a primitive short-wave radio through which he hears hopeful messages from distant lands. The Nazis realize that the messages are being sent from a transmitter in Saint Malo, France, and they want to use the talents of the young man to capture and destroy the transmitter and the person who operates it. Long interludes of destruction and mayhem follow, but finally Werner arrives at the destination, meets the beloved transmitter of his messages of hope along with his grand-niece and—after more difficult episodes– lives happily ever after. The film is regarded as hollow by some, although the novel on which it was based won the Pulitzer Prize. And as a modern parable, it tells us that nothing should stand in the way of seeking the prize, as St. Paul would have said, “of the high calling of God in Christ”. (Phil. 3:14). No matter the fear or the oppression, we are confidents because, in the end, “the one judging us is the one who loved us and died for us.” (1 Jn. 4: 17)

         We should be asking, as we consider stewardship themes at this time of year, not to mention the general challenge of “rising up to the full stature of Christ” (Eph. 4:13), what it would take to ask ourselves how we might increase the interest that is earnable on the capital that we’ve received– how we can make a profit for ourselves and for others from the many talents that each of us has. What stands in our way? Whom do we fear? Who suggests that we’re not capable?

         Take a moment to do some self-evaluation. Ask yourselves what your uniqueness is? What makes you… “you”? What has held you back from using some of your strengths—insights—orientations? It strikes me that we ought to organize small groups in congregations that explore “Bold Christian Living”. It would be interesting to learn what others think we might be capable of. Might we be missing out on making changes or taking new directions that earlier we might have considered impossible?

         One of my favorite scenes in literature is the moment when Nikos Kazantzakis in The Last Temptation of Christ has the devil encourage Jesus to come down from the cross, live a normal existence, get married, have children and experience a basic carefree, unchallenged life.  We know that Jesus rejected this last temptation that only the fear of death could have encouraged. Instead, as the author of Hebrews wrote, “for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God.” (Heb. 12:2) In other words, Jesus capitalized on the possibility of a servant life, took what God had placed at his disposal, and ignored the fear of death and failure. In his self-sacrifice for others he showed how our own talents can be magnified through an unconquerable love.

         Living now in Christ through our baptisms and believing that our talents are his gifts, life, let us boldly confess that we want a richer future for ourselves in every way. We want to avoid fear and build on the faith that “with God all things are possible” (Mt.19:26). We who will now build on our blessings walk forward confidently, knowing that “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 38:39).

         “Bold to witness, serve and share”! It’s written on your T-Shirt. Can you see it?

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David Zersen, D.Min., Ed.D. FRHistS

President Emeritus, Concordia University Texas

zersendj@gmail.com