Matthew 25:14-30

TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Parable of the Talents

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. Faithful servants will be rewarded in the kingdom of Christ.

  2. Professing servants will not enter the kingdom of Christ.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. If you don’t use it, you will lose it.

QUESTIONS

  1. Why did Jesus give the Olivet Discourse?

  2. What is the kingdom of heaven as described in these parables?

  3. What are talents? What do they represent?

  4. What were the servants’ rewards based upon?

  5. What rewards will faithful believers receive? When will we receive these rewards?

  6. Who does the one-talent servant represent?

ANSWERS

  1. To answer the disciples’ questions about the future

  2. It is the present form of the kingdom, Christendom.

  3. A talent was a considerable amount of money. They represent responsibilities in the kingdom.

  4. The servants were rewarded for their faithfulness, not their amount of success. The servant who earned two talents was rewarded the same as the servant who earned five talents, because they were both faithful with what they were given.

  5. Faithful believers will receive the joy of the Lord and the privilege to rule over many things. We will reign with the Lord during the earthly millennial kingdom. Our reward in the kingdom is determined by our faithful service now.

  6. He represents the professing Christian. Even professing believers take on responsibility in the kingdom, but their unfaithful performance is evidence of their false profession. Note also his heretical view of the master.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. In the parable, the servants were given amounts of money, “each according to his own ability.” In the same way, believers are given responsibilities today according to our own ability. Discuss the responsibilities the Lord has given you. If you are a mother, God has given you the responsibility to raise your children well. If you are a husband, you are responsible to love your wife sacrificially. Be encouraged to know the Lord will not give you more than you can handle by His strength.

  2. Discuss the divine principle in Matthew 25:29. If you are faithful to carry out the responsibilities the Lord gives you, you will be rewarded with more responsibilities and opportunities to serve the Lord. The responsibilities of unfaithful servants will be given to faithful servants. Are you fulfilling your God-given responsibilities?

CHALLENGE

  1. In this parable, the servants are rewarded for their faithfulness not their amount of success. Will you be found faithful with the responsibilities the Lord has given you? Strive to hear from your Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

KEY VERSES

  • “And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability.” Matthew 25:15

  • “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.” Matthew 25:21

  • “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.” Matthew 25:29

Matthew, New Testament, TalksDeb HarmsMatthew 25:14-30