Signs of Christ's Return

The Tragedy of Wasted Opportunity--Part 1
by
John MacArthur
All Rights Reserved

(A copy of this message on cassette tape may be obtained by calling 1-800-55-GRACE)
Matthew 25:14-19    Tape GC 2376

Introduction

God calls us to make the most of the spiritual opportunities available to us. He wants us to maximize our privileges. Ecclesiastes 11 says, "Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.... In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, either this or that" (vv. 1, 6). We are to aggressively pursue our opportunities. Proverbs 10:5 says, "He that gathereth in summer is a wise son, but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame." Gather the harvest when it's there; don't wait until it's too late. In Psalm 69:13 David says, "As for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time." Isaiah wrote, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near" (Isa. 55:6).

Jeremiah says this: "The stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming, but my people know not the law of the Lord" (Jer. 8:7). The animals know how to take care of themselves in certain seasons, yet some people don't know what God wants them to know. Psalm 95:6-8 says, "Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart" (cf. Heb. 3:7-8). Paul wrote, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).

Even the Lord Jesus called us to make the most of our spiritual opportunities. In John 12:35-36 He says, "Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not where he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the sons of light." Nineteenth century American poet John Greenleaf Whittier wrote, "For all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: `It might have been!'" (Maud Muller, 1.105). The tragedy of wasted opportunity--that's the theme of the parable in Matthew 25:14-30.

Lesson

Let's read the parable of the talents so we can construct a picture of what's happening before we examine it in detail. Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

"After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 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. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou 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. 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. His lord said unto him, Well 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.

"Then he that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee, that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not spread, and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth; lo, there thou hast what is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not spread? Thou oughtest, therefore, to have put my money to the exchangers, and then, at my coming, I should have received mine own with interest. Take, therefore, the talent from him, and give it unto him who hath ten talents. For 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. And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 25:14- 30).

That is a parable about wasted opportunity. It is not the same parable that our Lord taught in Luke 19:11-27. That parable was taught several days earlier, before Christ's triumphal entry, and is distinctly different. As we examine Matthew 25:14-30, I'd like to break it down into four basic points that illustrate what we need to know about spiritual opportunity: the responsibility we receive, the reaction we have, the reckoning we face, and the reward we gain.

I. THE RESPONSIBILITY WE RECEIVE (vv. 14-15)

Verse 14 begins with the phrase "the kingdom of heaven." Some Bibles have that in italics. That's restates what verse 1 says: that these parables teach what will happen when Christ's kingdom comes to earth. In the Greek text, the transition that appears between the two parables indicates Jesus is still talking about the same subject he had been in verses 1-13.

In Matthew 25 Jesus teaches two parables about the kingdom. Basically the kingdom is the sphere of salvation and all that it entails. But more specifically, the kingdom of heaven can be understood in two ways:

1. Its internal, invisible sense

Sometimes the phrase "the kingdom of heaven" refers to the body of redeemed people who live on the earth. God rules in the lives of His people. In Matthew 18:3 we read, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." A person cannot enter the kingdom of heaven unless he becomes a believer. In Matthew 25:34 Jesus again speaks of the kingdom in that manner: "Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

2. Its external, organizational sense

The phrase "the kingdom of heaven" also refers to all those who identify themselves with Christ. Some are true believers and some are false. The parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13 illustrates that (vv. 24-30). In Matthew 13:47-50 the kingdom is compared to a drag net that picks up both good and bad creatures from the sea. The good ones will be kept, and the bad ones thrown away.

In the parable of the ten virgins, we saw that five of the virgins possessed God's saving grace, but five didn't. They all identified themselves with Christ externally, but only five were really believers. Thus that parable talked about the external aspect of the kingdom. The parable of the talents does likewise.

The word church is used in the same two ways. Sometimes when we talk about the church, we are talking about the collective body of those who are truly redeemed. Other times we are talking about everyone who identifies themselves with the church as an organization. In every church you will find a mixture of true believers and those who profess to be believers but aren't.

A. The Picture

Jesus began the parable of the talents by saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods." In Bible times, going to a far country could mean a trip of up to one or two years in length. When a person was to be gone that long, he would entrust his servants with his personal and business matters. And just as this man a group of servants, there are different kinds of servants in the external kingdom.

The way the servants managed their master's assets while he was on his trip showed what kind of servants they were. This parable can be applied to all who externally identify themselves with Christ's church. The way they use the resources God has given them will show if their hearts are right or not.

1. The recipients of responsibility

Notice in verse 14 that the master "called his own servants" (emphasis added). He is familiar with these servants; they identify themselves with him. Yet they could be either good or bad servants. For example, just because Judas was a disciple of Jesus didn't mean he was good.

2. The rendering of responsibility

Verse 14 concludes by saying that the master "delivered unto them his goods." Because he will be gone for a long time, he needs to make sure his business matters are taken care of. He needs to make wise investments so his money will keep up with the economy, and he needs to make sure his crops are sown and harvested. Everything has to be cared for.

The word translated "servants" in verse 14 is the Greek word doulos. Although doulos can refer to servants who are slaves, that's not always the case. The Greek word doulos can be translated "employee" in this parable. The servants in the parable were most likely artists, craftsmen, traders, and people who had a good mind for business. Those are the kind of people a householder would entrust his estate to when he went on a trip. In those days, servants were frequently given a certain amount of goods with the idea that they would earn a profit or interest on the property by the time the master came back.

B. The Portioning

Verse 15 says that "unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his ability." Since the master is familiar with his servants, he gives each one what he thinks they can handle.

1. Explaining what was apportioned

In English, we use the word talent to refer to someone's skills. But in the Bible, a talent was a specific weight. In Revelation 16:21 we read of hailstones "about the weight of a talent." The value of each talent depended on what kind of metal it was. A talent of gold would be worth a lot of money. A talent of silver would be worth less, and a talent of copper even less. The talents in Matthew 25 were most likely made of silver, since the word "money" in verse 18 is translated from a Greek word that was frequently used to refer to silver coinage.

2. Examining how it was apportioned

The talents were probably put in bags. One bag weighed five talents, another two talents, and another one talent. The servants were to invest the money and get a return on it. By doing so, they would show they were faithful stewards. And it's not really important how much money each servant was given. What's important is how each servant handled the money. They were given an amount according to their ability. The one who got five talents apparently had greater capacity to handle a large amount of money than the other two servants.

C. The Parallel

In the parable, the master represents our Lord. He is currently away on a journey: He is waiting in heaven until His second coming. We who are in the church are the servants who have been entrusted with bags of money. We are to use what we are given the way God wants us to until Christ returns. We have varying amounts of resources entrusted to us because each of us was created with different capabilities and we exist in differing circumstances. Some Christians have doctorate degrees from seminaries and others know only the gospel message itself. That we're all different is OK; it's by God's design. Some of us have been given five talents from the Lord, and others, one.

If a servant really loves his master, he's going to take advantage of his opportunity to bring a return on his master's resources. The Lord gives everyone in the church the opportunity to use His resources. The issue is how you use that opportunity. Among the many resources God has given us are the abilities to teach, evangelize to the lost, and minister to the needy. Do you utilize them? Do you take advantage of all that God offers to you for the sake of His kingdom?

Those of us who go to good churches with extensive ministries carry a heavier bag than those who live in places with little or no opportunities. We need to use the resources God has made available to us. There are some Christians who don't know any other Christians in their family or community. There are even some towns, cities, or countries in the world where Christians are few and far between. Wherever you are, God has put you there because He knows what your capabilities are. He will give you responsibilities that match up with them.

Just because we are given differing abilities doesn't mean we are limited to the results we can produce. In verses 16-17 of the parable we learn that the servants with five and two talents each received a 100 percent return on their investments. The point is that the Lord wants us to be faithful with what He has given us. And every time you learn something new or a new opportunity comes your way, your bag becomes heavier.

II. THE REACTION WE HAVE (vv. 16-18)

A. How a True Believer Will Respond (vv. 16-17)

In verse 16 Jesus says, "He that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made other five talents." Apparently the servant immediately put his master's money to work. An immediate response is a sign of true salvation. The servant's heart immediately responded to the privilege of serving his lord.

The servant "traded with" his five talents. He went out and did business. The parable doesn't tell exactly what he did. It may be that he bought a field, cultivated it, and produced a crop worth twice as much as he paid for the field. He may have bought a piece of land, then turned around and sold it at a profit. It's possible he used the money to buy and trade some kind of commodity. The key is that he gained another five talents. The word translated "made" is the Greek word kerdaino, which means "to profit." He gained five more talents, thus doubling his master's money. He showed maximum commitment in caring for his master's resources. Likewise we are to make the most of our spiritual privileges.

Matthew 25:17 tells us that the man who received two talents also gained another two. He made the most of what he was given. He didn't have as much as the man with five talents, but he got a 100 percent return. Likewise, some of us may not have as many opportunities as others, but we can still give God a maximum return on the privileges He has given us. Regardless of how much you are entrusted with, the point is to maximize your opportunities.

B. How an Unbeliever Will Respond (v. 18)

In Matthew 25:18 we read that the servant who received one talent "went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money." In those days it was common for people to store money in the ground. Matthew 13:44 gives a parable about a man who found a treasure in a field. Apparently the money had been hidden for safekeeping. An Israelite named Achan took some treasures from the conquest of Jericho and hid them in the ground under his tent (Josh. 7:21). The servant in Matthew 25 buried the one talent entrusted to him, and wasted the opportunity to make a return on his master's money.

Jesus wasn't saying that those who are entrusted with little things will be unfaithful. He's saying that even if you only have a little entrusted to you, you are responsible for it. No matter how much God has given you, you're responsible to give God a return. There are some people whom God has given privilege after privilege, yet they let it all go to waste. Some people with five talents envision themselves as true servants yet are really doing nothing for God. Others have been given very little but use it well. Perhaps Jesus used the man with the one talent to represent the wicked servant to show that the master's anger wasn't related to how much money was lost. The master was angry because the servant wasted his opportunity.

We are all equally responsible for the spiritual privileges God has given us. We have been given different kinds of opportunities, but we are to do our best to get a maximum return.

III. THE RECKONING WE FACE (vv. 19-27)

A. The Return (v. 19)

1. What the Master will do when He returns

Jesus says in verse 19, "After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them." The word translated "reckon" is a commercial term meaning "to compare accounts." The master of the household returned from his trip, and looked at his records to see how his servants did with their resources. That's what will happen to all people when the Lord returns. He will take a look at the books to see what men have done with their opportunity to serve the Lord. What are you doing with the spiritual privileges you have? Are you serving the Lord as you should?

2. When the Master will return

Notice that verse 19 says the master returned "after a long time." Again the Lord was trying to tell the disciples that His second coming will not happen as soon as they thought it would. That's what He implied in Matthew 25:5 in the parable of the ten virgins when he said that the bridegroom tarried late. Jesus didn't tell the disciples how much of a delay there would be; He didn't want them to stop serving in anticipation of His coming.

In the 1970's many people in the evangelical church became preoccupied with the second coming of Christ. I remember talking to some people who had sold their property. One man in particular liquidated $500,000 worth of assets to buy New Testaments, little praying hands that glow in the dark, and pictures of Jesus. He shipped them all over the world. He ended up going bankrupt as he prepared for the second coming. We shouldn't go overboard like that. Paul rebuked the Thessalonians for neglecting their earthly responsibilities while they awaited the Lord's return (2 Thess. 3:6- 13). That's what was happening a few years ago. People didn't plan for the future because they thought the Lord would return any minute. However, we don't want to be guilty of going to the other extreme and saying that the Lord won't be returning for some time to come.

When the Lord returns, He will separate the true from the false. And He will look at the books to see how we managed His assets. Let's take a quick look at what the master of the household did when he reckoned with his servants.

B. The Reckoning (vv. 20-27)

1. Of the faithful (vv. 20-23)

Matthew 25:20-23 says, "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. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou 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. 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. His lord said unto him, Well 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." Those two servants gave a full return on the opportunity given to them. They represent true believers--genuine servants of God. They are the sheep mentioned in Matthew 25:32-40.

2. Of the unfaithful (vv. 24-27)

a) The servant's remark (vv. 24-25)

After telling about the master's response to the two faithful servants, Jesus tells us about the exchange between the master and the man who was given one talent: "He that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee, that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not spread, and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth; lo, there thou hast what is thine."

b) The master's response (vv. 26-27)

When the master heard the servant's words, he said, "Thou wicked and slothful servant." The master was upset because the servant failed to take advantage of the opportunity that was given to him.

In the next lesson, we'll be taking a closer look at the significance of the servants' responses. But this much is clear: Two of the servants in the parable used their opportunity to serve the Lord, and by doing so, proved that their salvation was genuine. They were willing to spend their time for His sake. One servant didn't use his spiritual privilege. Instead, he hid it in the ground and spent his time doing what he wanted to do. He called himself a servant, but he wasn't one. He said he belonged to the master, but he didn't and ultimately was thrown out. Christ was warning us again about the importance of demonstrating that. you belong to His kingdom. It's not enough to just identify with it outwardly.

Focusing on the Facts

1. What exhortations are we given in Isaiah 55:6 and Psalm 95:6-8 (see p. 1)?

2. What two things can the phrase "the kingdom of heaven" refer to in the New Testament? In which way is it used in the parables of the ten virgins and the talents (see pp. 2-3)?

3.Why did the master entrust his servants with the care of his possessions? What did he expect the servants to do with them (see p. 4)?

4.Why were the servants given different amounts (see p. 5)?

5.What will a servant who loves his master do when he is entrusted with his master's possessions (see p. 5)?

6.Does having only a little to be responsible for limit us to the results we can produce? Explain (see pp. 5-6)?

7.What kind of return did the servants with five talents and two talents receive on their master's money (see p. 6)?

8.Regardless of how much we are ________ with, the point is _________ your opportunities (see p. 6).

9.What did the man with one talent do with the money? Was that unusual? explain (see p. 6).

10.Was Jesus saying in verse 18 that there is a relationship between being entrusted with little things and being an unfaithful steward? Explain (see p. 7).

11.According to Matthew 25:19, what did the master do when he returned from his trip? What does that illustrate (see p. 7)?

12.What did the master do to the servants who received a return on his money (Matt. 25:20-23; see p. 8)?

13.Why was the master upset with the servant who buried his talent (see p. 8)?

14. What warning is Christ communicating in the parable of the talents (see p. 9)?

Pondering the Principles

1. Read Isaiah 63:7-10. What do verses 7-8 say about the Lord in relation to Israel? What specifically did the Lord do for the Israelites (v. 9)? According to verse 10, what did the Israelites do, and how did the Lord respond? Scripture constantly affirms that God is patient and merciful. But as Isaiah 63:10 indicates, God's patience will eventually run out on those who rebel against Him. That truth brings up two principles worth thinking about: First, God gives everyone the opportunity to receive His mercy and love before He expresses His judgment; second, judgment is inevitable for all those who don't eventually subject themselves to God.

2.In the parable of the talents, Christ warns people to take advantage of their opportunity to enter into His kingdom. We can go a step further and state the importance of taking advantage of the little, daily opportunities we have to serve the Lord. What are some responsibilities the Lord has given you in the home, on the job, or at school? Are you satisfied with the quality of your stewardship over those things? What are one or two changes you would like to make? You might want to share your answers with a friend, and ask him those two questions as well. Then over the next few weeks, you can pray for one another and periodically check up on each other's progress. Accountability to others helps us grow toward greater Christlikeness.

Added to the John MacArthur "Study Guide" Collection by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 119
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
Websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com
Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986