Trust Him
Matthew 25:25, “And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast gthat is thine.” [1]
I. Whose
A. Return
B. Rely
II. Hid
A. Remember
B. Refuse
III. Had
A. Release
B. Reply
Introduction: The title of today’s message is “Trust Him.” It is difficult to trust in that which you cannot see. When the world is telling you that there is no hope against what you dread, the natural thing to do is fall into that which seems to be inevitable. Might as well!
Clyde Watson and I would go to the farm to see his mother and brother. We would have something to do with the livestock or the pastures when we went. There was an aggravating dog that would bark without ceasing. Clyde would holler at the dog to hush. The dog always kept barking. So, Clyde would then say, “Go ahead and bark then. You will mind, one way or the other.” It seems that’s how many people feel. Like the adage, “If you can’t beat them, join them.”
Not everybody in this life reacts to pressure that way. There are some who learn to play the game and prosper even when those who set the rules don’t follow the rules and fail. When that happens the ones who make the rules that even they cannot follow cry foul. Meanwhile the sly ones prosper doing what they have learned from those who would rather keep them from succeeding.
When we started this series of Jesus’ parables of what heaven is like, there was no predisposition of the things that have been made real in my life through this journey of preaching these messages. As my journey through the Bible continues, it always amazes me how alive it is. There are many who say that the Bible is old and obsolete. They don’t read it intently each day.
Each year I set out reading a prescribed Bible reading plan that someone else has generated. Each year I read a different translation of the Bible. Each year I am amazed at how those things that I read correspond with the things I feel compelled to preach and things that have been made real in my own life. Each year brings me closer to the truth that God is watching me read His written word.
People wrestle with the old English in the KJV and even the NKJV. Some of the words have been changed to have different meanings than they first meant when the KJV was translated. Today we will hear one of those words. Talents was the currency of money that was traded way back when Jesus walked here. Here in this nation now it is dollars. What do we think of when we think of talents? A natural talent is something that God gives which allows a person certain ability. When you stop and think about it, money does that too.
Without money it would be hard to fill up your car with gas or charge your car with electricity. If you don’t pay your property taxes for that house, someone else will soon be living in it and they will pay the tax. Then you will understand the truth that everybody is only leasing what they hold in this life. Money gives us ability in this life and so do talents. When we get to heaven we will need neither. We will have ability to do all that God has for us to do and nobody will ever take away from us again.
I recently watched others showing me things that bother me. They bother me because I do them. The talents that God gave me are less important to me than they once were because something better has been gifted to me. Recent decisions happened during a time when the weather was very harsh. It was a Romans 8:28 moment for me. God took away my desire to perform my talent and then He prevented me altogether. Through it all, Rachael was safe, and she never got sick. God led me to where He wanted me. What am I to do with the talents that God has given me? Use them for His glory in His time in the place where He leads. When God says yes, I will and will keep going until He says stop. When God says no I won’t. When He says stop I will. When He says go I will wait until He tells me where.
Scripture: The scripture for this message is Matthew 25:25. Please Stand Under the reading of God’s word.
Prayer: Please be seated and keep your Bible open to the text.
Message: This is a rather long read this morning so follow as we hear Matthew 25:14-18. “14 sFor tthe kingdom of heaven is tas a man utravelling into a far country, who called his yown servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five ||talents, to another two, and to another one; xto every man according to his yseveral ability; and straightway utook his journey. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and ztraded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.” [2]
Rachael’s parents would come to see us every Sunday after church. Bo would try to get me to the basement where I would play music. I enjoyed it and cherished the memories. When Chelli was just a baby I would come home at midnight and take her out of the crib. Sure did upset Rachael who had just gotten her to sleep. I’d hold Chelli on my lap and play the organ and sing. Chelli would get so excited that we would have to take her for a ride in the car to get her back to sleep again. People really seemed to like to hear me play and sing. They paid me well to do it.
There came a time that I had to make a choice. Either be a husband and father or a Rock and Roll performer. I sang in the choir and went around singing and playing the bass in blue grass gospel bands. After a while I buried my talent.
I was given the opportunity to preach at Holly Springs once when Jerry was to be on vacation. There was a death in the congregation, and he was unexpectantly at church. He listened to me. I sang a song first and then preached the message. Afterwards he and others came and said that I had been holding out. Maybe I still am. My assumption has been that God wanted me to back off from music. Maybe I am the third guy in this message today. Maybe now He is chastising me?
“19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and areckoneth with them. 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been aafaithful over a few things, bI will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into cthe joy of thy lord. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, dWell done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” [3]
We must keep in mind that this is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. This is not about getting more worldly stuff. This is spiritual. If we use the talents that God has given us for God’s glory to bring lost souls to Him, we will be rewarded with fruit untold. Sometimes it is hard to understand what it is that God wants us to do but when we see it, we must do it or we will lose it.
“24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, eI knew thee that thou art an fhard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast gthat is thine.” [4]
The guy made a grave error because He didn’t know the lord in this parable. The others trusted that lord and were rewarded with even more. Didn’t turn out so well for the untrusting one. Do you suppose that he later learned his lesson? I’m finally learning. Are you.
"26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and hslothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the iexchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 kFor unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And lcast ye the munprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." [5]
This is what happens when a person misuses that which God has entrusted him/her with. This is not a sermon to be preached by the preacher to someone else. This is my message. What is it that you have been holding back because you don’t fully trust The Lord? Only you can answer that.
We serve a forgiving Lord who came and died for the sins which we commit. Our Heavenly Father is a God of second, third, and limitless chances to make the right choice to trust Him. It is so easy to make up your own mind about what it is that you think He wants from you and what He wants you to give up. You wait for Him to understand you while He is giving you experiences to make your faith stronger so you can finally learn to stand under His Lordship.
He doesn’t want you to do less with what you have as if it were a sacrifice to give up. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice and then declared, “It is finished.” Yet He doesn’t want you to honor the talent more than Him either. Wait upon the Lord and He will make it abundantly clear in His time when you are ready to understand. When it is His time to shine through you, He will let you know. When it is His time to protect you so that you will be ready when He is ready, He will let you know that too. He will let you know if you will trust Him alone.
Prayer:
Invitation: We don’t know if the third guy ever decided to trust the lord in this story or not. We do know from Jesus what will happen to those who never use the talents that God has given them to bring interest from others to His glory. God wants others to be interested in what they see in us not so that they are mesmerized by us but so they see Jesus through us.
Don’t stop. Otherwise, you are burying the most important thing that God can use to bring others to Him, your faith. Show your faith in God to others by using the talents that God has given us. Not so that they can be mesmerized by us or so that we can be made idols by them for our glory. They may not understand what it is that you are standing under, but they will know that He is your Lord.
We can count on what Jesus said. He is still saying it. John 14:1 “Let anot your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In bmy Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. cI go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, dI will come again, and receive you unto myself; that ewhere I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” [6]
He is the way. You can count on what Jesus says. Do you know Him? Do you trust Him? Come to Him!
g ch. 20:14.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mt 25:25). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
s To ver. 30, Comp. Luke 19:12–27.
t Comp. Mark 13:34. Luke 19:11.
t Comp. Mark 13:34. Luke 19:11.
u See ch. 21:33.
y Gk. as in ver. 14.
|| A talent is 187l. 10s.ch. 18:24.
x So Rom. 12:6. 1 Cor. 12:11. Eph. 4:7.
y Gk. as in ver. 14.
u See ch. 21:33.
z Acts 18:3 (Gk.).
[2] Ibid, Mt 25:14–18). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
a ch. 18:23 (Gk.), 24.
aa So Luke 16:10.
b ch. 24:47. Luke 12:44. Comp. ver. 34. Luke 19:17. & 22:29.
c Heb. 12:2. Comp. Isai. 53:11. John 15:11.
d ver. 21.
[3] Ibid., Mt 25:19–23). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
e Construction as Mark 1:24. & 12:34 (Gk.). Luke 4:34. & 19:3. John 9:8. Acts 4:13. & 16:3 (Gk.). & 26:5. 1 Cor. 15:1, 2 marg.
f 1 Sam. 25:3 (Heb. & Gk.). Comp. Luke 19:21.
g ch. 20:14.
[4] Ibid., Mt 25:24–25). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
h Rom. 12:11.
i See ch. 21:12.
k See ch. 13:12. Comp. Luke 12:48.
l See ch. 8:12.
m Luke 17:10.
[5] Ibid., Mt 25:26–30). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
a ver. 27. See ch. 11:33. So ch. 16:6, 22, 33.
b Ps. 33:13, 14. Isai. 63:15.
c ch. 13:33.
d ver. 18, 28. So Acts 1:11.
e See ch. 12:26.
[6] Ibid., Jn 14). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
