Talents for Others

Summary

Living in the Northern hemisphere at this time of year, especially as far North as we do, really helps set the mood during these Sundays in November when we finish out the church calendar in preparation for the start of the Advent season and then Christmas.

During these weeks we read scripture after scripture having to do with Jesus departure and return.  Last week it was the parable of the ten bridesmaids and their lamps, and this week it is the parable of the three slaves or servants, and the talents they are given.

Each of these parables we must remember were told by Jesus to his disciples to prepare them. Though they didn’t understand it at the time, Jesus was preparing them for his death, resurrection, ascension and then the wait for his return. We, of course are still awaiting Christ’s return.  In regards to these parables, I suppose that it was not until later that the apostles, and the other disciples, really came to know what Jesus was teaching them.

So, how is it that we modern disciples are supposed to understand this parable of talents; given, used, hidden and then received?

I have heard, and I have preached of them as being the talents that we innately receive from God, and either use or don’t for Christ’s kingdom.  I have heard, and I have preached of them as being the physical talents of money, things, power, etc. that we receive from God, and either use or don’t for Christ’s kingdom.

Both of these interpretations are good ones to ponder upon, and learn from, but as I was thinking over, and praying about this scripture again this week, another possible interpretation came to mind.

To introduce this idea, let me expand upon one manner in which Jesus presented himself to the world, and then tried to teach his disciples to copy, or emulate.

Right from the start Jesus’ teachings of faith were all tied up in service to others, were they not?

So, when we read today’s parable, and we read words such as slave, or servant depending upon which translation one might read, we must think back to the arc of Jesus teachings and actions.  Jesus was the Servant Teacher, and Jesus is the Servant King.

Remember Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law, and him sitting down to eat with the slaves whom were tax-collectors and prostitutes, or Jesus picking fishermen as his apostles and women as his disciples.  Ponder upon how Jesus cleansed the wild, gentile man whom had been chained amongst the tombs and the crowd of lepers in the fields, all untouchables.  Think of Jesus’ feeding the thousands, or preparing the fish upon the shore for his friends whom had been up through the night with an empty net.  In each of these stories we see the actions of a man whom cared more for the people, than people’s perceptions of him.  In these actions we see a man sharing his wealth of talents, his active faith in the world.

The penultimate expression of this was Jesus doing the work of a servant or slave by washing his disciples’ feet at the last supper, teaching, “Now that I , your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”

Then the ultimate expression of this kingly servitude was shown the very next day, when Jesus suffered a criminal’s death in order to give the gift of salvation to those whom would believe in him. In these acts we come to understand that Jesus came to be a servant, a Servant King.

As his disciples we can be no more than he, and so, we are called to be servant disciples.  Our faith is not simply about us, but simultaneously about our relationships with Jesus, and all of God’s creation, each other.

Sadly though, the church has too often lost track of what Jesus calls us to, which is our faith in Jesus Christ lived for the other person.  We too often get caught up in thinking of ourselves only as individual Christians trying to find our way into heaven, rather than as members of the Christian community welcoming each other and the world into heaven.

I think one interpretation of this parable today might be that the talents used, and the talent hidden, are the gifts of active faith, or faith active in the lives of others.  Think of the examples that I just shared in regards to Jesus’ life and ministry.  Jesus was constantly active in other people’s lives being the good that they needed, acting as the humble servant.  Whether it was action or teaching, words or deeds, Jesus created relationships and thus, community.  And those times when he did step away from people, well then it was to spend time in relationship with his father, with God, in prayer and meditation.

In the parable today, Jesus is reminding his followers that they need to remember that the treasures that Jesus gives; his faith, his forgiveness, his love, are to be used, to be shared, to be given away that they might multiply, as Jesus meant for these gifts, in the lives of the world.

In contrast, this treasure is not to be kept to ourselves, or buried away in our hearts because we fear that we will do wrong with it.  Too often we fear, that Jesus is too hard of a judge, that our faith lives are wanting and so we keep it all to ourselves trying to perfect our faith before we can share it.  And so, we become like the servant who buried his talent, so that it would still be there upon his master’s return.

That is not living, or active faith though, is it?  We cannot hide away our faith from the world, and we cannot live as Christians scared that the Lord will condemn us, because we have messed up in our faith.  No!  Jesus promises us that even though we do mess up, for we are sinners, we are still forgiven, and we still are God’s forgiven and saved children.

Jesus wants us to be bold with his treasures, for they only truly live, when they are shared and given, as well as shared and received.  Don’t hide away your talents, don’t live in fear that you are going to do the wrong thing in your faith, for you will, and you do.  More importantly, remember that Jesus gives you his love daily, and in that love is daily forgiveness. Love lives when it is active.

Rather than fearing failure in your faith, fear not living actively in your faith.

What do I mean here?  Well, be the you, whom God has made.  Start relationships with people, inside of and outside of the church, inside of and outside of your faith.  We aren’t called to ‘bop’ people over the head with the Bible, but rather to honestly and genuinely share who you really are in their lives.  Try to be the good that they need, and let others be the good that you need.  Remember God works in many ways, and through whomever God wants to work, it’s not our place to judge through whom Christ works, but it is our duty to allow God to work through us.  We cannot do that if we are burying our talents, burying our faith, so that it might be found by Jesus untarnished and whole upon his return.

No, instead Jesus calls us to live our faith, live our lives in the world, and amongst the world’s people, for we are Jesus’ hands, Jesus’ feet, and Jesus’ voice in the world.  Let us live out what we have been given in our lives, in our days, and in our selves. Let the talents, the treasures that Jesus gives us, grow, and multiply, that everyone may have these treasures in their own lives too!

Amen.

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