The Parable of the Talents
Matthew 25:14-30

I. Introduction – This parable goes beyond the first three parables of the Olivet Discourse
(24-25) in that it expects the watchfulness of the servants to manifest itself during the
master’s absence, not only in preparedness and performance of duty, even if there is a long
delay, but in an improvement of the “talents” given until the day we have to give an account.
II. Observations
A. Talents – A talent was worth about 20 years wages. The average U.S salary today is
$66,622. Today 1 talent would be worth $1,332,440
B. “According to his ability” – Given according to what they can do.
C. The only one that complained was the one who received 1 talent.
D. Jesus emphasized in these parables his “delay”
E. Jesus emphasized in these parables what we should be doing during this delay.
III. What has God given you? Everything!
A. Time – Some of you have a lot of time on your hands and some don’t.
B. Talent – Some of you have talent that know one else has.
C. Treasure – Some of you have treasure that other people don’t have.
D. Let’s not compare ourselves with others! Everybody is different with different capacities.
IV. What are you doing with what God has given you?
A. We should be stewards of what God has given us and not owners.
B. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Christians should strive to do all things in a way that honors God
and demonstrates their faith.
C. 1 Timothy 5:8 Christians should provide for their family and household demonstrating
stewardship of resources.
D. Genesis 1:28 This verse establishes the initial human stewardship mandate, calling for
care for the creation and dominion over it.
E. Let’s not mistaken this call to duty for salvation.
1. The only reason the servant who received 1 talent didn’t respond to the master was
because he didn’t know his master. (verse 24)
2. Maybe there’s no profit/fruit come out of our Christian lives is because we don’t know
our master. This toil should be a response to what God has done for us.
3. James 2:14-26
V. What do you want God to say to you when you see him face to face?
A. The faithful started as servants but their Lord promoted them to rulers. They were faithful
with a few things so the Lord trusted them with many things. Their faithfulness gave
each of them a capacity for greater service and responsibility. What did their master say
to them? “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master!”
B. As for the unfaithful, verse 26-30.

Luke 19:13
ESV “Engage in business until I come”
NLT “Invest this for me while I am gone.”
KJV “Occupy til I come”