Talent & the Kingdom (3)

The very last parable Jesus shared before His crucifixion was the parable of the talents and the Kingdom. I believe His disciples really got that message, because after Jesus went back to heaven to be with the Father, they went on their way to build God's Kingdom.

With us, things are often different. We can hear so many sermons preached on such a parable that we tend to forget what it is all about. Let's look again at the introduction Jesus gives: Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey (Matthew 25:14-15). The man calls his servants. That same calling goes out to all of us. Each person who gives heed to the call of God to put his or her life in His hands automatically receives the call to build the Kingdom.

To build the Kingdom means to tell other people about Jesus, using whatever means you have been given. It is written about Paul that boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 28:31). Jesus came to earth to announce the coming of His Kingdom. He talked about it all the time, even for forty days in a row after His resurrection (Acts 1:3)! Can you image your pastor teaching about the Kingdom for forty (Sun)days :) There is definitely a lot to learn about this subject!

Maybe you do not see how God's invisible Kingdom and our visible work come together. Maybe you're just waiting for good things to happen, or maybe not? The Bible clearly teaches that we are co-laborers with Him and that there is work to do (which we have so beautifully called 'the great commission). Paul writes in his letter to the Colossians (4:11) about this kind of co-laborers: These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me. People who work for the Kingdom of God are a comfort for their spiritual leaders, not a danger.

Just try to imagine that Jesus calls you and some of your friends, as in this parable. He entrusts you with something, he gives you something you can work with... let's call it tools. Money, talents, opportunities... it doesn't really matter what we call it. The question is... are we willing to use it?

3) Building God's Kingdom is not an option!

Moving forward...

Discouraged? Disappointed? Tired? Writers block?

Great! You're on the right track.

No sweat, no glory.

Talent & the Kingdom (2)

I ended my previous blog post with the words: 'The advancing (expanding) of the Kingdom is an assignment for the believers'. I am using the term 'the advancing of the Kingdom' to describe the growing amount of believers in Jesus Christ (here on earth).

It is God's desire that every person will welcome King Jesus in their heart and so become a member of God's family, a citizen of the Kingdom. Jesus explains it this way: The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it (Luke 16:16).

As workers, or co-laborers, in the Kingdom of God we have received tools: spiritual gifts, but also natural abilities/talents. Jesus tells a great story to emphasize our assignment to work for this Kingdom in Matthew 25. Let me highlight His introduction: Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.  It doesn't really matter whether this parable is about money, talents or opportunities, the main point is that God entrusts his people with something for a bigger purpose.

Jesus starts this story with the announcement that the man is going on a journey. If Jesus would have left after speaking these words, we still would have learned a spiritual truth: the man does not go away for ever, he is coming back! We also live with the expectation that Jesus is coming back to check on our work, to ask what we have done with the very things He entrusted us with.

2) Jesus will ask us what we have done with the talents he gave us

Talent & the Kingdom (1)

Later this month my husband and I will give a workshop Talent & the Kingdom in a church in Holland. In preparation for this service, we have been reading the parable of the talents, as found in Matthew 25, and it is amazing what we can learn from the words of Jesus about this subject. It doesn't really matter whether this parable is about money, talents or opportunities, the main point is that God entrusts his people with something for a bigger purpose.

Why do we teach on this subject? Well, many people

• presume that natural talents cannot be used for Kingdom purposes, that only spiritual gifts matter
• are not aware of the talents God has given them
• do not use their talents for the Kingdom of God

Let's be honest, most of us use our God given talents in a secular job, so we can have worldly success, which enables us to buy earthly possessions. That may be a harsh truth, but it is the answer to the question: if I do not use my talents for God, for what or whom do I use them? It will be a real eye opener to take a closer look at the words of Jesus as found in Matthew 25:14-15. These two verses are the introduction to the parable: Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. I have written down several principles based on this introduction and I will share them on this blog in the next couple of weeks. I hope you will enjoy reading with me and be inspired to use your talents for His glory. (At the end of this series I will write more on how to discover your talent.)

It is clear from the context that this parable is about the Kingdom of God. When Jesus says 'it will be like', He is talking about the Kingdom. He uses this and previous parables to explain that the Kingdom of God can only grow and expand when the workers are alert and do their job. The workers are the ones who have received His message. Jesus gave the keys for this (spiritual) work to his followers: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19).

Many books and commentaries have been written about these instructions, but I want to emphasize the fact that the Kingdom cannot be separated from the assignment to bear fruit. The Kingdom (the spiritual realm where God's will prevails) is not something we live in while reclining on the couch, watching t.v., and eating popcorn. There is work to be done; God wants everyone to enter His Kingdom. In Matthew 21:43 Jesus says to the religious people: Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

1) The advancing (expanding) of the Kingdom is an assignment for the believers

Are you financially secure?

It's funny! I stumbled upon an old post, written back in 2008, about the financial crisis and I found it hard to believe that the headlines are still talking about the exact same thing today. We haven't come very far since 2008...

The media is crying crisis and financial disaster, day after day. Tiring really, if you ask me. I cannot help but think that if the world suffers, the Kingdom is thriving! Jesus warned us for unwisely investments a long, long time ago. He said: Do not store up riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. Instead, store up riches for yourselves in heaven... (Matthew 6:19). How simple can it get? If we would have listened to Him and invested our money and time in faith-based programs and charities, we have no reason to worry. This time should be our greatest victory!

God promises us an abundance off all kinds of good things in return for 10% of our income in Malachi 3:10 and I don't care if that is Old Testament, because He is the same yesterday, today and forever! The Bible is full of financial advice, but do we want to see it? Of course life is more than money. Jesus went on to say, So do not start worrying: where will my food come from or my drink or my clothes? (These things are the things the pagans are always concerned about). Your Father in Heaven knows that you need all these things! Now, THAT is a very encouraging thought that I will take with me this week.

By the way: Have you changed the way you spend or invest your money since the so-called financial crisis broke out?