SERMON NOTES (Dec 6, 2015): Christmas Stewardship: Managing the Men - Matt 25:14-30

Some Common Misconceptions about this text:

1.      1. NOT about creative talent; it’s about weight. It’s about monetary “talents”;  a silver talent, worth about 6,000 denarii (gold talents were worth about 30 times as much). A talent was not a coin but rather a weight (about 75 lbs) used as the basis of monetary exchange. Modern Silver Talent= $1000; Gold= $30,000

2.       2. NOT about individual salvation; it’s about the Kingdom.

There are no differing weights of people’s salvation; you cannot work to keep your salvation and you won’t lose it. This parable about the Kingdom was to distinguish believers who KNEW God from Israel who no longer KNEW or recognized God’s character in Jesus.

Stewardship of what God has entrusted: “OIKOS”- People. Basic unit of society. It referred to a line of descent from father to son from generation to generation. It referred to everybody living in a given house: the head of the oikos, along with his immediate family and his slaves. Large oikoi also had farms that were usually tended by the slaves, which were also the basic agricultural unit of the ancient economy. (Circle of Relationships)

•       In Matthew, Jesus uses this word oikos 10 times prior to this parable:

•       10:6; 15:24- “oikos of Israel”: Ethnic people

•       12:4- “oikos of God”: Chosen people

•       21:13- “oikos of prayer”: Intercessory people

•       These are people groups within a relational set.

Application #1: I will be held accountable for a certain “weight” of relationships  that God knows I can handle.

(5, 2, 1) “each according to his ability”

- Leading them to Christ

- Reproducing them into disciples

Application #2: I can lose my entrusted relationships if I am unfaithful with the gospel.

“wicked, lazy slave” “take the talent from him”

- Loss of influence

Loss of friendship

Loss of ministry (“removed candlestick” Rev 2:5)

Application #3: I can increase my “weight” of relationships through faithfulness.

“faithful with a few, in charge of many” “everyone who has, more will be given”

Jabez’ Prayer (“enlarged territory” 1 Chr 4:10)

Paul’s Practice (Speak, Encourage, Help 1 Thess 5:14)