Lesson Nineteen

USING OUR TALENTS FOR JESUS

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Memory Verse: Matthew 25:40
Further Study: Matthew 25:14-46; The Desire of Ages, pp. 637-641, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 325-365; The Bible Story, vol. 8, pp. 183-192

A “hurricane party” is a social event that is organized to take place while a hurricane is coming ashore. It’s something that has become fashionable on the east coast of the United States anywhere between Florida and Maine. The idea is that people choose to “ride out” a hurricane despite warnings to evacuate. Those that opt to stay, gather in one person’s home or apartment, pool their supplies often including alcohol, and face the storm with celebration instead of warning. Unfortunately, these parties don’t always end well, as hurricanes have been known to hit harder than expected and people who have chosen not to heed the warning to evacuate have died.

Last week we focused on the last parables Jesus told. The first three warned us to watch, be faithful, and be ready. Each parable had consequences if the warning was ignored. This week we learn about the last two parables—about talents and the sheep and goats. These two are the most serious. 

These two are the most serious.

The first parable about the thief—the owner’s house was robbed (Matt. 24:43). The second about the faithful servant was considerably more serious as it was said about the unfaithful servant: “cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites” (verse 51). In the third, the five virgins who were unprepared were left outside of an eternally shut door by Jesus who rejected them (Matt. 25:12). These endings are all challenging, but just as the warnings for dire weather increase, and the urge to evacuate becomes stronger, Jesus pressed forward with these last two parables.

We might think the parable of the talents is about using our gifts for God, and it is. We shouldn’t ignore that we are given much and therefore we should give to others in ways God has blessed us. But to stop here is to miss the urgency of the parable. It’s just like the ones that precede it. The individual who does not use his talent is judged “wicked and lazy” (Matt. 25:26) and cast into “outer darkness.” In other words, forever lost.

Finally, Jesus told the last parable about the sheep and the goats. What is interesting is the two groups of people represented by the sheep and goats are both surprised by what Jesus says. Those on the right hand (sheep) are given their eternal inheritance because they served others. Those on the left (goats) are given eternal damnation because they did not. Yet, both ask a question: When did we do this? (sheep) or, There were opportunities? We didn’t see them! (goats). Both groups thought they were doing right as did those in the other parables, but one group or person was forever lost because while they thought they were living right, they were not.

Five warnings, five strong consequences. 

Five warnings, five strong consequences. Weather forecasters sometimes get it wrong. The big storm ends up breaking up at the last minute or it veers more in a different direction. When forecasters miss their predictions enough times, we might be tempted to ignore their warnings when they urge us to get to the grocery and hardware stores or to leave town. But Jesus is not a weatherperson. He’s the King of the universe, the ultimate Forecaster, who will come back to claim His own. His counsel is real and needs to be followed. He loves us and wants us all to be saved.

Let us heed His warning, run into His arms of safety, and be renewed.

Digging Deeper 

The punishment of the servant given one talent seems harsh. Let’s look at why he was treated as he was.

1. What the servant does is deliberate and intentional (Matt. 25:24).
2. The servant accused the master of being harsh, which wasn’t warranted (verse 24)
3. The servant only thought of material reward, not the reward that comes from simply being faithful (v. 21, 24)
4. When the servant accepted the one talent from the master, he agreed to do something with it. It was implied that he wasn’t to keep it but help it to grow. He was afraid anything he did with it would be held against him, so he wasn’t willing to carry the responsibility (v. 25)
5. He offered the master nothing but excuses. The master hadn’t imposed on him great responsibility, but what he thought the servant could handle (v. 27).

God gives us according to what we can handle. Some of us carry great and varied talents and God has an expectation that we will take those gifts and use them in His service. Some of us are given one or a few, but the same expectation exists.

Making it Real

Make a list this week of your talents. If you’d like to include your family, do this at family worship. Help others in making their list, identifying what they can do. Is there an infant in your family or a toddler? Talk as a family of what their talent might be? Is there an elderly individual or handicapped person in your family? What is their talent?

After listing the talents, write how they are being used for Jesus. If they are not, how could they be?

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Merle Poirier writes from Silver Spring, Maryland, where she works as the operation manager for Adventist Review and Adventist World magazines as well as the designer for KidsView, a magazine for 8-12-year-olds. She enjoys spending time with her family including being a grandmother to two active little boys, who greatly enjoy Starting With Jesus, and a granddaughter, who’s delighting everyone with her smiles. She is blessed to have all three living close by, continually bringing joy and delight.