Seek First: The Economy of the Kingdom (Matt 25:14-30)
• The context here is that Jesus has been telling parables about what the kingdom of God is like.
• Jesus is talking about money. So, we are going to look at it from the stand point of money.
Verse 14 The word “man” used is Anthropos, the very generic term for man.
• The man of course represents Jesus.
• Jesus is talking about the time period between when He is speaking and when He returns, now.
Verse 15 A talent is not an actual amount of money. It’s unit of measure, by weight.
• It was the amount of weight a solider could carry on his back. It was generally an amount of 75 pounds.
• Verse 18 tells us that the amount given here was given in Silver.
o In their day gold and silver generally traded for the same price.
o Given today’s price of gold, for the five talents, this would be just shy of 7.8 million dollars.
o This would have been 375 pounds of silver. More than they could have carried away by themselves
• Now it says that the “man” gave according to their ability.
o The word “ability” in Greek is the word dunimas or the word power. Think Luke 24:49
Verse 16 This is a hundred-fold return. Not usually possible.
• Jesus is expecting the kind of return that will take super natural intervention.
Verse 18 Most English translations miss it, but the Greek is clear that it was silver.
Five Observations
First, fear: Jump to verse 24, he is responding in fear, fear of the master,
• Possibly fear of success or failure, fear of risk, fear of faith, fear of loss.
Second, perspective:
• The first two servants in giving their report only mention the returns and the not the initial capital.
• Whereas the last servant only mentions the capital.
Third, minimal and misguided effort:
• It says he buried it in the ground. This would certainly constitute minimal effort.
Fourth, no stomach for risk, and misplaced risk:
Fifth, no vision for a future: With hope and vision for the future they worked forward.
• The one talent servant could only see what might go wrong.
So what do I do, if I am one talent person? How do I Seek First?
1. Repent of fear and pray to break it off
2. Repent of Jealousy, bless others
3. Take action
4. Grow comfortable with risk.
5. Become generous in giving
6. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide
7. Adopt an attitude of joy
8. Tithe
9. Get a coach, ask a five or a two to coach you (You can grow)
Seek First: The Economy of the Kingdom
