Given & Taken

So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:28-30

Consumption vs. Contemplation
quick/easy/gone vs. harder/enduring/impactful

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Matthew 25:29 (a proverb)

Use well what you are given vs. do nothing. “even more will be given” –> enter into the presence of the Father.

And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:30

Verse 30 uses “hell language” where “outer darkness” is separation from God forever, “weeping” is regret, and “gnashing of teeth” is anger & resentment.

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

1 Corinthians 3:10-23

We all have a purpose and an end date. In 1 Corinthians, Paul is talking to the church. With the Parable of the Talents in Matthew, Matthew is talking to the world.

There are two kinds of people on the last day:

  1. The servant who worshipped God, used his talents, and gains abundance.
  2. The servant who worshipped other stuff, didn’t use his talents, and lost everything.

If you have Jesus, you have everything, and you belong to Jesus.

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