The talent of the Gospel - Pentecost 25A Proper 28A 19th November 2023

2023  11  19   Proper 28A   Pentecost 25 A

Ahhh the parable of the talents.  A parable with so many applications.  To start with, the very obvious fact that if you have a talent, let’s say for playing the piano, it gets better when you practise.  Practise increases and grows that talent exponentially.  But to not practise… well the talent dwindles. So our Biblical story explains the whole “Use it or you’ll lose it” principle.  However this is a story with an important message. 

To begin with we need to understand the original context.  A “talent” in the Bible is actually a unit of money.  A Talent was seen as 6000 average daily pays.  If we calculate that a person worked every single day, except the Sabbath, it would take 20 years to earn this amount of money.  Therefore, one single “talent” is an astronomical amount of money.  Even the person put in charge of only one talent, was put in charge of a massive sum of money.  

With this realization in mind, what is the Holy Spirit telling us today?

Firstly, we need to understand what was going on and why Jesus is telling this story.  This story follows on directly after the reading that we had last week about the Ten women with their lamps, waiting for the bridegroom.  

Both that parable and the one we read today is part of the private conversation that happened between Jesus and His disciples - Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, when the disciples came to him privately, saying “Tell us, when these things will happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”  - This story is part of Jesus message about end times.

Before telling the two parables, Jesus mentions the rising up of false prophets, persecutions his followers would face, earth quakes, famines and wars.  Jesus also talks about the prophecy of the end times as described in the Old Testament book of Daniel.

Then Jesus tells the parable of the Ten women with their lamps.  It is an obvious encouragement to stay focused and connected to the mission and ministry to which God has entrusted us, and He follows on to explain it further by telling the parable of the talents.

Does this make any difference to the way that we view the parable?  In essence, the parable is about being a reliable and trustworthy servant of God, who is a good steward of the treasures entrusted to them.  It is a message for Jesus disciples.  A disciple is a learner… one who learns the ways of God…. That means; All of us here today. 

So…. What is it that God has entrusted to us?

Each of us individually has some power and authority.  Some of us may perceive ourselves to have more or less than others.  The amount is not the issue, the issue is whether or not we live to grow God’s Kingdom.  Aaaaaaand do we comprehend the treasure to which we’ve been entrusted? 

When I calculated the worth of the “talent”, the first thing that occurred to me, is that I had seriously underestimated what a “talent” was worth.  Along with this thought, was, “what “talents” has God given me that I have also underestimated.  God has given me an astronomical number of blessings – and I generally take them for granted.  

God has given us all an incredible, astronomical “treasure”.   I suspect that I am not the only one who underestimates the “treasure” he has given us.  He has given us a beautiful country to live in.  Are we rejoicing in it and doing our best to contribute to it, keeping it a beautiful, friendly and hospitable place to live?  God has given us a treasure in the scriptures.  Do we safe guard that treasure?  Do we read those scriptures aware that they contain the message of our God? And guard it for the treasure that it is?  

Do we consider the great treasure that God has given us, in the priceless gift of Salvation, through the giving of Jesus? Living in a land of blessing, we give thanks for and appreciate the gift of Salvation, but we may be so busy and caught up in the demands of this life, or so comfortable with the here and now, that we don’t actually treasure our eternal life in the same way that others, who have not had those demands or comforts, might do.

We have been given this treasure of salvation, and we come to church to continue keeping God our focus, and to continue strong in our faith – or in other words; we are filling our lamps with oil – Which it a good thing! We are doing well, but are we growing the treasure that God has entrusted us with, or are we simply maintaining it?  ARE we growing God’s Church?

Sometimes it isn’t until we are hard pressed that we realize the treasure we have in God.  If we look back to our first reading, we find that it is the time of Judges.  This is the time before the nation of Israel had any Kings.  The way the story generally went is that the nation would go well for a while and then they would forget the ways of God and do evil, and then they’d be subjected to another nation who gave them such a hard time that they turned back to God.  God would raise up another Judge for them and this Judge would turn the nation back to the ways of God and the nation would be freed from the oppression of their enemies. 

At the time of our story, the Judge that God raised was Deborah.  As you might have already noted, this Judge was a female and a leader of the nation who led them back to God and to victory over their enemy.  I don’t want to get side-tracked on this issue, but please note that female leadership is not new and is not against the word of God…. Remembering that in the New Testament we note that there is neither male nor female in God’s eyes, but all are one in Christ Jesus.

Back to the main point; The key to the nation’s victory was actually that the people cried out to the Lord.  Deborah was a prophetess.  She delivered the word of God to the people and she sent for Barak to let him know that God would give Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army into his hand.

Now this Sisera was a fearsome man with an incredible army… so much so, that Barak wouldn’t go unless Deborah went with him.  I guess he doubted the word of God and wanted to make sure that it was truly God’s message and not someone’s wishful thinking.  Deborah didn’t hesitate.  She knew that God, who said He would deliver them, would be true to His word.

Deborah went to the battle front confident of God’s deliverance.  The points we need to take note of here are that 1 – we should cry out to the Lord for deliverance.  2 – When the Lord says that He will deliver us, we need to know that we should trust in him when He tells us to act … and that action to which we are called, could well be to face situations that are possibly intimidating to say the least. 

We are currently living in times of unrest.  There are many of our regional towns where people are in fear of youth crime.  There are also strong opinions and protests about how we should be responding to the wars overseas.  In all this what do we learn from our scriptures that we should do?   

1 – Cry out to the Lord for His deliverance… 2 – Have such faith in God that we take the action to which he calls us.  Remember that we have an incredible treasure – God is our treasure.  We are called to grow this treasure, like those talents, in all our situations – even in this time of unrest.  

Saint Paul tells us that the day of Jesus coming will be like a thief in the night.  However, we are children of the day, not the night and that time shouldn’t catch us unawares.  It reminds me of the saying;  “Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose today and is coming again tomorrow.”  

The parable of the talents was told to explain about, and encourage us in the end times.  In the end times it is likened to a Master who entrusted these great treasures to his servants.  The parable tells us that after a long time the Master returned.  Although I have mentioned that our great treasure is the gift of salvation, and our great treasure truly is God himself, when I ponder about the great treasure of God, I’m actually pretty adamant that I know what treasure is most dear to God’s heart.  It is the treasure that He laid down His life to save.  That treasure is you and me.  The people that Jesus died for, are the treasure of God…. The priceless treasure.

In what ways can we be faithful servants nurturing the people that God loves so that the reality of God’s love, eternal life and the salvation of God can grow?  Our talent is the Gospel itself; the Good News about Jesus Christ.

What action should we take so that we can bring life and this Good News to our community?  How can we let the light of Christ so shine in us that people turn to God, knowing that His way is goodness and love?  This is a question for each of us to take to prayer, crying out to God for His solutions…. And then whatever it is that He calls us to, we put into action.  

I’d like to end with our prayer of the day; “Everliving God, before the earth was formed, and even after it shall cease to be, you are God.

Break into our short span of life and show us those things that are eternal, that we may serve your purpose in all we do; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  AMEN

Entering the promise through a sacred place 5th Nov 2023 Pentecost 23A Proper 26A

 2023 11  05     PROPER 26A  Pentecost 23A

Joshua 3:7-17 and Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37  •  1 Thessalonians 2:9-13  •  Matthew 23:1-12

 

 

A common thread in the readings today is the concept of being, “Exalted” or humbled.  In our first reading, God says that He will exalt Joshua in the site of the Israelites.  In our Gospel we find that the Pharisees were exalting themselves and Jesus teaches His followers that all who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.  Jesus also says that the greatest among them will be their servant.  Jesus was among them, serving them and He is the greatest.  He lived the example for us to follow.

 

Saint Paul was originally known as Saul, and he was a man exalted among his peers.  He was both a Roman citizen and a Jew, and he was exalted in both communities as a man with high intellect and learning, who kept the law – both of God and man.   As Saul, this man was proud and passionate, to the extent that he zealously sought out the Christians to destroy them.  He thought he was righteous in his actions.

 

On the road to Damascus Saul encountered the risen Lord Jesus and the light of that encounter struck him temporarily blind.

 

There is a subtle and important difference between receiving God’s word and receiving God’s word as if from God himself.

 

If there is anyone who knew that difference between receiving the word of God, as from God himself, and receiving the word of God, as from humans, it was Saint Paul.  In Saint Paul’s pre-Christ encountered life, he lived according to the word of God as if it were an intellectual and lifestyle choice – one which he believed zealously.  After he encountered Christ, Saint Paul realized that he had encountered the living God and it made all the difference.

 

The Pharisees of Jesus time had the same problem as Saint Paul before his encounter.  They received and taught the word of God, but they didn’t actually follow it all, because it was more an intellectual, cultural and lifestyle choice.  As much as they believed what they taught, there was a sense that they hadn’t grasped the reality and magnitude of God.  Without this … we could say “Fear” of God, they manipulated the word of God so that it suited themselves.  I suspect that most of them didn’t mean to do anything wrong by God, simply that, without that sense of God’s reality and presence, they tended to work the interpretation of the commands of God to suit themselves. 

 

In all of this we need to understand that this Gospel is written as a warning to it’s readers, us, to not fall into that same error.  Therefore, we need to be examining how this might look in our own context.

 

The scriptures and the commandments from God give us great guidelines for wholesome living.  Many people on the streets will tell you that they agree, the commandments of God are good, and many will tell you that they live by them, but a quick look at their lives will tell you that they have a loose and personal interpretation of those commandments. 

 

When Jesus is asked which is the greatest commandment, he says; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. ' This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

 

We tend to give lots of attention to the second commandment, not really being sure what to do about the first.  I’d go so far as to say that we have built a good society on those commands – those about loving our neighbour.  In fact, many Australian laws are drawn from our Judeo-Christian heritage, as contained in the Bible.  The culture that most of us has grown up in, is one that acknowledged the values of the commandment of God to love your neighbour as yourself.  Not every culture has this.  For example, in places where the caste system is part of their culture, it is quite acceptable to have no pity for your neighbour, because that is their Karma.  In their belief it is Karma that a person is suffering.  -Meaning, that in the past life that person had done some evil and so it is only right that they should suffer now.

 

It is a fact that the Gospel has had a huge impact on society – whether it is acknowledged or not, and it must also impact our life…and not just our intellect and private life.

 

One of the impacts of the Gospel, needs to be on our attitude.  There is a really important message in our Gospel.  The Pharisees were allowing themselves to receive honour.  They were called “father” and “teacher”.  Jesus says – don’t do this.   But we do.  So, what is going on?

 

These terms were terms of honour and they were used in Jesus’ time and they are still used in ours.  It is not the actual terms which are a problem, but that the people in those positions were desiring the honour rather than desiring to do the will of God.   We all feel good when people treat us with honour… and it goes hand in hand with respect.  Jesus didn’t put down the fact that people were to treat the pharisees with the honour/respect of being on the “seat of Moses”.  Jesus was simply speaking about the pharisees out of proportion sense of themselves.   Somewhat like a child’s drawing of a person with a super large head. 

 

Jesus tells them, “The greatest among you will be your servant.  All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

 

How do we keep a proper balance so that we stay properly proportioned?  Easy!  We seek to do God’s will most of all, and God will arrange it so that he keeps us balanced.

 

Joshua was the leader of the Israelites after Moses died.  He was quite a unique character in that he was a leader in battles, but also the servant of Moses for many years.  In our reading today the story begins with the word of God to Joshua; “The LORD said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses.”

 

Why did God exalt Joshua? 

 

Moses had been the people’s leader and they had many times grumbled against him and criticised him.  Right from the start of Moses’ interactions with the people, God was performing wonders through which he proved that He was with Moses, and yet we mostly see those wonders as God’s work for the people and not as a means to exalt Moses.

 

It is said that Moses was a most humble man.  Numbers 12:23 tells us; “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” 

 

Joshua was the epitome of a perfect servant.  He was faithful and courageous.  He and Caleb were the only ones who brought back a good report of the lands around them when they and others were sent to spy on the land.  They only difference being that they trusted in God’s promise to give them the land.

Joshua was humble, but not meek.  I think sometimes we get a bit confused with what humbleness looks like.  Joshua had complete trust in God.  This is where his courage came from and this is also where his humility came from. 

 

Moses and Joshua both experienced the majesty of God.  In fact, so did Saint Paul.  The experience of God, changed their lives and shaped who they became.

 

I love the story of our first reading.  It was Moses who led the Israelites out of the slavery of Egypt, but it was Joshua who led them into the promised land.  Both of these events involved the miraculous parting of waters.

 

A Jewish commentary about the splitting of the waters explains that there is an implication in these events beyond and deeper than the incredible miracle.  The waters conceal those things beneath and symbolize a spiritual realm that is inaccessible.  When God parts the waters, he is inviting the nation of Israel to enter into a spiritual place – a sacred place.

 

These events also, symbolize a baptism.  In baptism we become one with God.  We enter into a spiritual and sacred place formally unknown. 

 

“Since water conceals everything beneath its waves, the sea represents the realm of that which is hidden, a spirituality so distant from ours that it is hidden from us. Splitting the sea and revealing the dry land on which the Jews could walk expresses the idea that the hidden realms become in some way revealed and accessible.” https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/246647/jewish/Parting-of-the-Red-Sea.htm

 

That nation on the banks of the Jordan entered a mass baptism.  Probably the only one ever where no one got wet…. However, all must have known the symbolism of God taking them into his sacred, and formally unknown place.  God was, in that act, taking them into the secret place only known by God.  God was taking this nation into His confidence.  The people were not “Storming” heaven… or breaking in.  This was God’s doing… God’s invitation and there could be no doubt about it, or misunderstanding.  These people were figuratively passing through the valley of the shadow of death and fearing no evil because it was God leading them/ encompassing them.

 

 

What impact would an event like this have on the people?  This was a little different from the Red Sea, where the people were in fear of their life and desperate for rescue.  This was an invitation to enter into a reality.  The reality of the Kingdom of God.

 

To enter into the Kingdom of God requires us to say “Yes” to God’s invitation.  To enter into the Kingdom of God involves stepping out in faith, trusting that God will protect us.  To enter into the Kingdom of God is to step into the holy place of God and answer God’s call to become the person, the people, the nation that God originally intended us to be.

 

We can not be the people that God intends us to be without stepping into the river.  By this, I mean that those Pharisees were living in a comfort zone where they and their comfort, and honour from humans was the most important factor.  They didn’t step out to help the people, except to make a show of how great they were.  

 

 

Joshua wasn’t a showy person.  He simply followed the call of God.  It is the call of God that matters and God has called us also.

 

In all the mess of this world, it feels very much like a river in flood.  The Jorden River was in flood when the Israelites crossed over.  It must have seemed like an inopportune time to be crossing that river.  Sensibility would have been to cross when it was in the dry season…. But no… God calls them at this time…. and right now, God calls to us in to the mess of our world and invites us to step out.  BUT we don’t rush in zealously like Saul who persecuted the Christians, thinking he was doing the right thing.  We can be really great people, honoured by our community and still get it really wrong.   So, we first must enter that sacred place where God invites us.  It is a place where we realize the majesty, awesomeness and magnitude of God….. the place of God’s presence …  then, knowing that we walk in the presence of God, we step into all that chaos and we bring the love, the light and the reality of God to our world.  There will be battles against powers and principalities in the spiritual realm as we go, but that is why we really need to know that we are walking in God’s presence.  We step into His sacred place and in this way, as a servant, we enter the promised land.