Living in the Spirit
November 15, 2014
Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:14-30
‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. — Matthew 25:14-18
Someone forwarded me the report of a study regarding the Top Ten Sources of Discouragement of Pastors and Church Staff* and it was very insightful. They make sense when we stop and think about them. The first is conflicts/complaining/murmuring. The second is lack of fruit and spiritual maturity in church members. The third is apathy. Our scripture today speaks of the last two so I have to assume they were problems with which Jesus had to deal. Society, in general in the USA at least, is suffering from an epidemic of apathy. We just had one of the lowest voter turnouts this country has ever experienced.
Jesus envisioned the Kingdom of God as being a place where all had a stake in its success. Where the contribution of each citizen is essential and where all citizens live not just adequately, but abundantly. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b). Now, Jesus’ definition of abundance may be different from our definition for I fear that we sometimes limit living abundantly to material wealth. I think Jesus is talking about all aspects of life overflowing our expectations. More than financial wealth, we will each have more love, more kindness, and more justice. We will be whole and we will be one in the Kingdom of God.
I have always thought it interesting that the Greek word talenton that is a measure of weight for silver or gold and its sister Latin word talenta became our English word talent that is the abilities, powers, and gifts bestowed upon a man: natural endowments**. As we contemplate the use of our gifts in service to God, we certainly need to consider how we share our material wealth but just as importantly we need to use our gifts in service and in love.
Prayer: Lord, we praise you for the abundance of life you poured out on us in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Help us return your gifts in service to your Kingdom so that all can life in your abundance. Amen.
*www.thomrainer.com
**http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/Talent
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.