“Who is Accountable?

Pr. Tom Schoenherr

Matthew 25:14-30

Nov. 15-16, 2008

      The Monday Night Bible Study group had a lively discussion about this text. Where is the Good News? It seems to only hold us accountable.

      I believe this reading is saying something to us about our relationship with God. What do you believe about God? How is your relationship with God? Is God approachable? I wonder how our relationship with God may be influenced by our relationships with significant people in our lives, or also by the experiences we have had in our lives.

      My relationship with God when I was growing up was significantly influenced by my grandfather, who was a Lutheran pastor. I liked him, but he was a stern man, and my image of god was of a stern, intelligent, but not so approachable God. My relationship with God has since changed and grown much closer through my study, my relationship with my wife and children, and my experiences of God’s grace in my life.

      A main point of this parable in Matthew that Jesus tells has a lot to do with how the servants think of God. The first tow servants seem to believe that the Master, whom we will consider God, is gracious, trusting, inviting and generous.

      The third servant takes his gift, but because he believed God to be harsh, tough, exacting, fearsome, he reacted out of fear, and dug a hole to bury the gift. He doesn’t trust God, and turning away from God’s generosity and graciousness, he lives in darkness and fear.

      What is the gift of the talents? One talent was equal to over 75 pounds of silver. For our understanding of the parable we might first look at Matthew 7 where Jesus says, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” The talent could be more than silver or money, more than even our own talents, gifts and abilities, but it may be a gift that God gives to each of us, the gift of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. God gives each of us the Good News of his grace and mercy, and he calls us to risk using it, living in God’s promise.

      God does hold us accountable for how we share the love of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, God’s mercy and love for his people. If we don’t trust that God is a loving God and we keep the Good News to ourselves, like burying the gift in the ground, living in fear, then we don’t treasure his gift or the Giver. We end up living in darkness and fear.

      When I listen to the news these days, I am hearing about jobs being lost, houses being foreclosed, hunger in many parts of the world, food prices going up and stock prices going down, and a general sense of gloom. I see people crying and living in darkness and fear. There is a lack of trust at all levels of society, but especially lack of trust in God.

      But we have been given a gift in Jesus Christ. He is the one who goes into the outer darkness where there is weeping and pain, gnashing of teeth; places that we know. Jesus Christ points us to a God who loves us and the world. We nailed Jesus Christ to the cross, and we buried the gift of God, but by God’s grace he rises from the dead and is alive in us. Jesus brings light to our darkness, hope to overcome our fear. He shows us that God comes to love and forgive us, to heal our broken lives. He gives us a new picture of God as trusting and trustworthy, generous, gracious, inviting and approachable.

      Through faith in Jesus Christ God says to you and me, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.” We may respond, “But I don’t deserve that. I buried your gift. I have held the Good News of Jesus Christ to myself. I don’t deserve to enter into your joy.” God says, “My joy is surprising you and the whole world with the love of my Son. I want you to enjoy surprising others with the forgiving, living, healing gift of Jesus. He frees people from fear and brings light and hope in the midst of this darkened, fearful and broken world.”

      Who is accountable for the use of this gift? You are. I am. God empowers us to risk using the Good News. We get to be merciful, forgiving. We get to treasure the people God leads us to serve, rather than focus on fear when we hear the news of a struggling economy.

      When we see this amazing display of food and blankets (at the altar) to share with people in need, it is a sign to those who receive them of our gracious and generous God.

      Rather than getting caught up in what we may be losing in investments, we get to celebrate the abundant, gracious gift we have received. When we share Jesus Christ, we are amazed that unlike the stock market right now, this gift continues to grow, and even more will be given by our generous God. Amen.