IDEA: When the stake is great, the loss is great. TEXT: "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents beside them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth' " (Matthew 25:14-30).

PURPOSE: To help listeners understand that the use of God’s gifts is not an option but an obligation.

We may read about a lonely recluse who died and his body was found in a shack filled with garbage and clutter. Used paper pizza trays are stacked in the kitchen and newspapers are stacked in the living room. Only some old cats kept him company. Then, after his death, the police find a very large sum of money stashed in the closet or buried under the floor boards of the house or stuffed in a mattress.

How do you feel when you read a story like that? What do you think about that recluse?

I. There is a story that Jesus told about a servant with one talent.

Do you feel the same way about the last servant in Matthew 25:14-30?

Does the conclusion take you by surprise?

Does it seem like a bit much?

II. We may be startled by the conclusion of the story because we have made judgments about the talents.

There are many who think that the story is about wise financial management.

Imagine how this parable might be used as a devotional talk for the American Bankers Association. What lesson would they draw out of it?

The lesson they draw is that it is poor management to keep your money in a deposit box when you could deposit it in your bank and let the banker give you some interest on it.

For failure to do this, should someone be cast into outer darkness?

You’d have to be obsessed with money to think that such a punishment fits the crime.

Others think that the story is about using our talents.

We should sing or play the piano or develop our tennis game or whatever talent we may have.

Would outer darkness be the punishment for people who didn’t develop their potential?

We can’t read our word "talent" back into the story. In fact, our use of the word "talent" is based on this parable, not the other way around