Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• The young:
• How do you respond to Church?
• How many have truly surrendered themselves to the Lord Jesus?
• You are here to please God
• What are your goals in life - what are you really living for?
• There are many challenges that you face
• The parable of the talents - what is it all about?
• The master is Jesus Christ - he gives talents to his servants
• It is about Christ who entrusts us with gifts as stewards
• Christ is coming again and there is a day when we must given an account
• There was judgment for the wicked servant
• It is about the kingdom of heaven (v14)
• Matt 24-25: the return of Christ
• Overview:
1. We are owned by God
2. You are responsible to God
3. There is a day of reckoning

We are owned by God

• The Greek word means slave
• It is about the relationship between master and slave or Lord and servant
• Slavery was different then - some were doctors and lawyers
• There were some protections for Roman slaves
• God has made us the way we are
• He has given us our family, our school, our friends
• Our time, talents and money are His
• All the opportunities that come to us are God given
• "Every gift is from above"
• Whatever opportunity you have (not just talents) - use it for God
• A talent was a weight - of silver or gold
• A huge amount of value
• The master wanted to see a return on his investment
• There was a distinction between quantity based on their own ability
• God has made us differently and entrusted us in different ways
• Think about what you have compared to someone in rural Africa
• You may have Christians parents, an education, a local Church, a young people's group, camps, books, sermons to listen to
• In the West: do we have the 5 talents or the 1 talent?
• Even your life comes from God
• God is our Master and Christ is our Lord

You are responsible to God

• JC Ryle - a talent is anything that brings God honour and glory
• We should think that our life is entrusted to God
• We should consider our decisions because we want to be responsible before God
• v16-17
• What about you?
• The lazy servant had no concern for his talent
• There are two types of people:
• Those loyal to God and who serve
• Do we pass the buck to others
• Phil 2:8
• Those who neglect God's word
• God takes this very seriously (v26)
• Consider Judas
• "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:20)

There is a day of reckoning

• v19-21
• When Christ returns there will be no more striving
• Through the curse we are to work by the sweat of our brow - in heaven this curse is taken away
• We are to serve Christ in heaven
• This was true of the servant with 10 and 5 talents
• The man with 1 talent
• Consider the parable of the virgins and the sheep & the goats
• cf Matt 25:31-46
• If a person is truly saved: they will serve, they will care and they will love
• Thought God was a hard task master
• People are fearful of Him, not seeing Him as a God of love
• He began to criticise God
• He was cast out - terrible words

Closing remarks