Hiding Your Talents?

 

Review

 

Romans 12:4-8

 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,

 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying (preaching), let him use it in proportion to his faith.

 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;

 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

 

We all have at least one gift from the Spirit given to us to work in the body of Christ. We all are called to show these qualities mentioned here, however, the Spirit has provided some special gifts in specific areas that we may all imitate what is good and encourage one another.

 

1-      We all are required to preach the good news (Acts 8:4[PGG1] ; Romans 10:14[PGG2] ), and there are some that have the gift of preaching (Forth telling), and they are to use this gift in proportion to their faith.

2-      We all are called to serve (Gal 5:13[PGG3] ); and some have been given the gift of serving.

3-      We all need to make disciples by baptizing them and teaching them to obey (Mat 28:19,20) ; and the Spirit has given some the gift of teaching.

4-      We all are called to encourage one another (1Thes 4:18[PGG4] ; 5:11[PGG5] ) and some have the gift of encouragement.

5-      We all are called to give freely and cheerfully (2Co 9:7[PGG6] ), and some have the gift of contributing to the needs of others

6-      We are all called to lead the lost to Christ and some have the gift of leadership. We are leaders in the world. Leaders of all that is good. If you are an adopted Son of God everyone should look to you for all encouragement and example in all that is good.

7-      We all should be merciful as our father in Heaven is merciful and some have the gift of showing mercy

 

A word about Compassion - how do you relate to those who have a mental or physical disorder, those whom you see to be different than you in some perceivable way?

 

If you react in a frozen way, stumbling and mumbling to yourself, showing signs of being uncomfortable, then you are showing a lack of ability to be sympathetic. You are showing how difficult it is for you to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. You really need to mature and grow up!

 

Learn to use touch and words to build up and not your facial and body language to put off. Jesus used touch and words to impact positively. People should leave your company changed.

 

Parable of the talents

 

Mat 25:14-30

 

14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.

 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.

 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.

 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

 19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

 21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

 22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

 23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

 24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. (This man seemed to have a judgmental attitude. Perhaps he didn’t understand the purpose behind entrusting*1, therefore he was critical of his situation and critical about the resources entrusted to him.)

 25 So I was afraid (Lack of trust, motive for judging) and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' (Didn’t’ have a sense of ownership, but of a hired hand)

 26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?

 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

 28 "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

 

*1 Entrusting

·  To give over (something) to another for care, protection, or performance: “He still has the aura of the priest to whom you would entrust your darkest secrets” (James Carroll).

·  To give as a trust to (someone): entrusted his aides with the task.

 

Faithfully is how you use your talents, otherwise you are lazy and wicked. Jesus is the man who went on a long journey and we are the servants entrusted to work in the church, using the talents He has given us.  If you are being lazy and wicked, which is primarily determined by your attitude, meaning not using your talent, then you are not a disciple. You might be busy, but not busy doing the Master’s work.

 

Those of you who have faith in Jesus and have given yourselves to the work, taking ownership of the ministries you know God has entrusted you, realizing the talents you have are God given; when Jesus comes, you will gladly want to show God how much you have done, without fear of retribution and without attitude.

 

Don’t think that if you are struggling with these attitudes now that on the last day you will be able to manage a hypocritical face and smile when Jesus comes to hear your account!

 

How and why is the talent taken away?

 

Good and Faithful servants:

1-      At once put their talents to work

2-      Gain more talents as the result of their work

3-      Are eager to show the Master the fruit of their work

a.       Are confident

b.      Are joyful

c.       Are thankful

4-      Faithful with a few things, will be in charge of many things

5-      Will share in the Master’s happiness!

 

Wicked and Lazy servants:

1-      Dug a hole in the ground

2-      Hid the Master’s money

3-      Are afraid to confront their Master

a.       Are judgmental

b.      Are critical

c.       Are afraid

4-      Will lose everything

5-      Are worthless

6-      Will suffer greatly in the end

 

Your attitude and your laziness opaque the good the Master has tried to sow in you and make you want to hide your talent and eventually loose everything!

 

Some of you have some talents, and you know it, but you are not used in the church because of your attitude.  That means you are lazy and there is wickedness in you!

 

Get rid of all bitterness (Ephesians 4:31), rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice! That’s what made that lazy wicked servant the way he was! 

 

An evil attitude will cause you to be neglectful, withdrawn, tardy, or indifferent and this will cause you to bury your talent. Diligence, alarm, readiness and the like are ways your talents will be used and multiplied.

 

Ephesians chapter 4 dispels the myth that you don’t have to imitate those who have gifts. Don’t exchange self-serving attitudes for authentic gifts.  Imitate the good! Remember you will reap what you sow!

 

Deut 8:18,19 [PGG7] says that all abilities come from God and you must glorify God with these abilities.

 

What to do if you want to be used in the Kingdom to the glory of God:

 

1-      Put all the negative attitudes away: bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander and any other bad fruit in your life. You cannot be worker in the Kingdom and bear these fruit.

2-      Be early, be alert and be eager to get a start on what needs to get done. The faithful servants at once put their talent to work. They was no time for complaining or being critical.

3-      Look for the good, see the positive in all you can do. God will supply your faith with added talents if He can see your eagerness and your dependence on Him.

4-      Accept the task you have been given. The man who hid the talent criticized the Master, probably because he was given something he didn’t think he deserved.

5-      A faithful servant is thankful and joyful because he is confident in the abilities and resources the Master has given him. He is confident of the timing and environment he has been placed, and is not in a hurry to carry out his own personal agenda but God’s. This is why he is strong, because he waits on the Lord (Lam 3:21-26[PGG8] ; Isa 40:28-31[PGG9] ).

6-      Be prayerful. You need to seek the face of the Lord if you want to be involved in His work! It is His work, therefore you need to believe He is directing you and that He is Lord! He will work through the church leaders to reveal His plan for you (Eph 4:11-13[PGG10] ). Do you believe that?