THE TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST August 11,14 & 15, 1999

St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church - Watertown, WI

GETTING READY FOR THE END Matthew 25:14-30

Last year when we were discussing a summer sermon series for the summer of 1999, I suggested that we do something that would focus people's attention on the end of the world. I wrongly assumed that many people's attention would be drawn to the end of the world and Jesus' return for judgment. This is what occurred when the world entered the second millennium at the year 999 and 1000. However, one thousand years have passed and the world has become more ungodly and further removed the Lord and his Word, the Bible. In fact, surveys and questionnaires have shown that a goodly number of people in our own country haven't the slightest idea what the year 2000 means. They don't know that this date marks the two thousandth year since the birth of Jesus Christ. And I guess that should not surprise us. For we live in a culture that continues to deny the truth of God's Word and remove the Bible and Jesus Christ from every aspect of history and daily life. If you do any reading in history text books today, you will note that the terms BC (before Christ) and AD (anno dominium - in the year of our Lord) are no longer being used. Oh, the term BC is still being used. But our children are being taught that means "before the common era". The new term that is being used in dating is AC which means "after the common era" What the common era is, I haven't found out. Because we are living in the post-Christian era, there has not been much said about Jesus' return. Occasionally you will read or hear about some off the wall group that is selling everything and heading for Jerusalem to be there when Jesus' returns, but there hasn't been that much interest in the ending of the second millennium and the dawning of the third. Except when it comes to Y2K. On Sunday as we were returning from the Twin Cities, I saw mowed in the side of a hill along I-94 this message Y2K?. Now almost everyone of us has heard of the Y2K problem. That has to do with computer systems being able to interpret that we are entering the year 2000 and not 1900. We have read and heard the doomsday prophets telling us that the power plants will all shut down. We will lose our electrical power. We have been told that our bank accounts will become screwed up and we'll lose all our money. We are also being told that our credit card balances, our mortgages and any other debts we may have will be inflated with huge amounts of interest because the computer won't know what the real date is. So what should we do about this? We are told that we need to stockpile food, buy a generator, make sure you have lots of cash in your possession on December 31st. Even many churches are holding seminars on the Y2K problem. One writer made the observation that others are getting rich off of the panic and concern of people who are afraid that life as we know it will cease to exist as of twelve midnight, December 31, 1999. As the author went on to note, we can live without computers. We have in the past. We may encounter some inconveniences, but it is not the end of the world.

As we conclude our end of the millennium summer sermon series today, Jesus talks about GETTING READY FOR THE END. After talking to his disciples about the signs of the end of the world and his return for judgment, Jesus tells us to be faithfully using his Word, that's what we heard about last week. This week Jesus continues with the parable of the talents. Here our Savior reminds us that I) God Has Prepared Us. He then concludes the parable by setting before us II) Our Responsibility.

GOD HAS PREPARED US

Are you ready for the end? What end? The end of the world and the end of your own life? In the parable before us Jesus is talking to his disciples. These are the people who believe in him as their Savior and Lord. In this parable of the talents our Savior first notes that God has equipped us for the end. He has given us the faith we need and he has supplied us with the abilities and gifts that each of us needs to do the work that God wants us to do in this life.

God has given us the faith that we need. This is the most important treasure that we possess. It is that trust and confidence that we have that our sins are forgiven because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. No matter what wrongs we have done or good we have failed to do, God has pardoned us for our sins and gives us eternal life with him in paradise.

Now as we live here on this earth, the Lord has also equipped each of us with special talents. In the story that Jesus told, he speaks of a master who is about to leave on a long journey. Before he departs, he calls in his slaves and he gives to each of those slaves a certain number of talents. A talent in Jesus' day was a silver coin. These coins were very precious. They were worth almost $2,000 a piece. One slave received 5 coins, another two and the third slave received one coin. Each received the number of coins according to his abilities.

What's the point of this part of the story? God equips each of us with what we need for our life. He gives us what we are able to handle. That includes financial resources, mental and physical gifts, as well as special talents and skills. He gives to each of us according to our abilities.

How many people have wasted their lives comparing themselves with others and wishing they could do what someone else does? Or be like someone else? How many parents haven't said to one of their children, "Why can't you be like your brother or sister?" How many teachers haven't compared the children of one family and thought or even said, "Your son is certainly not like your daughter that I had two years ago?" Of course that child is not like the other child. Why not? Because God has given to each person the talents that they need and can handle. He does not give each of us the same gifts. We should not expect that. There are people who can handle millions of dollars and there are those of us who do not have those abilities. That's why God has not given us that amount of financial wealth. In the parable the master gave each slave a different amount of money to take care of. To one he gave five talents, to another two and to the last one. And we note that Jesus said each according to his ability. The slave owner knew the capabilities of his slaves. So God knows the capabilities of each of us. The amount of financial resources that we have, the mental gifts that we possess, the physical abilities that we have, the special talents and abilities that we enjoy are all given to us by our gracious and loving God.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY

Now what are we to do with these gifts? Discover, develop and use them. In Jesus' parable we are told that the man who had been given the five talents went out and put them to work and doubled what he had received. The man who had received the two talents also went out and doubled his gifts. But the man who received the one talent went and dug a hole in the ground and buried the talent he had received. After a long time the master returned home. He called his slaves before him. The slave who had received the five talents came and brought in not only the five talents he had received but also the five more he had gained. When the master saw this, he said, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness." (v. 21) The same thing happened to the man who had been given the two talents. He brought in the two along with the two that he had gained. Again the master was pleased and commends his slave. But when the man who had received the one talent came in he said, "Master, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you." (vv. 24-25) this man had done nothing with the talent that he had received. He buried it. He did not use it in any way.

How many people today never discover, develop and use the special gifts and talents that God has given to them? They never see the opportunities that the Lord places before them to share his Word of life, to help those who are in need; to support the spreading of the good news of Jesus with their time, their voices and their money. Just this past week I was again reminded how important it is to tell people the good news about Jesus. I met a young person in her early 20's. As we talked I asked about her spiritual and religious background. She indicated that she had no religious training or background. This is a young person who grew up in our area where there are dozens of churches. She knew little of anything about Jesus Christ. I had the joy of telling her the life of our Savior. When I left she said to me, "I liked the story that you told me, the story about Jesus." God is opening doors before us everyday. He has given each of us the gifts that we need to share his love and forgiveness. Don't neglect developing and using those gifts.

What happened to the man who buried his talent in the ground? Listen to the master's response to this slave. "You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will weeping and gnashing of teeth." (vv. 26-30) That man was cast into hell. Why? Because he had lost his faith. As the Bible tells us "Faith without deeds is dead." (James 2:26b)

What's the point of this story that Jesus told? God has given to each of us special gifts and talents. These talents may be in the area of physical abilities, financial wealth, mechanical abilities, musical gifts, speaking abilities. Whatever they are. God expects that you and I, his people, will discover our talents and then develop and use them for his glory, the spreading of his Word, and the assistance of our fellow human beings. When we hide our gifts and don't use them, eventually we will lose even the faith that God has given us and be lost eternally in hell. People of God, be faithful in using the talents that the Lord has personally given to you.

Amen

Heavenly Father,

You have freely given to each of us certain talents, financial wealth, physical and mental skills. You have given each of us what we are able to handle according to our capabilities. For this we thank and praise you. Now help and enable all of us to discover, develop and use our gifts and talents to share your love and forgiveness with our families, friends and those we come in contact with in our daily lives. This we ask in the name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Lord God,

You do not desire that anyone be lost, but that all come to know and trust Jesus as their Savior. As we, your believers, await your return for judgment, help us to faithfully use our resources, our people, our money, our talents and gifts, for the spreading of your saving Word. Help each of us to not only discover, but faithfully develop and use our special gifts for the good of your kingdom. That may be in faithfully raising and training our children, it may be in being and honest and faithful worker in my factory, it may be praying for the spread of your word, it may be giving of the many financial blessings you have given to me for the spreading of your Word of life and helping those who are in need. Remind each of us that you have given us our gifts and talents and you want us to faithfully use them.

We rejoice with Arvin & Gloria Duehring on the occasion of their 38th wedding anniversary and Frank & Joyce Fenz on their 43rd wedding anniversary. Lord, your brought these couples together and you have enabled them to remain together these many years. May their faithfulness to the promises that they made to each other decades ago be an encouragement for every married couple today to remain true and faithful to the promises that they have made. Continue to bless both of these couples. Keep them ever trusting and relying on Jesus their Savior and one day grant them their crown of glory with you in paradise.

We ask your same blessing on Tim & Melanii Kolaske who were married last month. Keep them true and faithful to you their Savior God and to each other. Bless their marriage with many joyous years. Be their strength and help through this life and one day usher them into your eternal mansions that you have prepared for them through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Lord, in your love and compassion you took to yourself the soul of our sister in the faith, Betty Damrow, the mother of JoAnne Von Rueden and Cheryl Witte, members of our congregation. Comfort these families in their sorrow and loss. Assure them that you do all things well and that their loved one is now at peace with you in heaven. Fill them with the certainty of a joy filled family reunion in heaven on the last day at the resurrection of all the dead. This we ask in the name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 28:18-20

Solomon speaks of the blessings of faithfully developing and using the gifts that the Lord gives to us.

PSALM 62 p. 88

The psalmist reminds us that all we have comes from the Lord and we should not put our confidence and trust in the things of this world.

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Paul stresses that we need to faithfully use what the Lord gives us.

VERSE OF THE DAY:

Lord you are great and marvelous. You give us all that we have. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Help us to faithfully use our gifts for your glory and the good of others. Alleluia!

Gospel - Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus tells us the parable of the talents. This serves as the basis for our sermon today.