Your Call Is Waiting: Matthew 25:14-30 - 24th Sunday after Pentecost

[Jesus said to the disciples:] ¹⁴“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; ¹⁵to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. ¹⁷In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. ¹⁸But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ ²¹His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ ²²And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ ²³His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; ²⁵so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ ²⁶But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. ²⁹For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ³⁰As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ”

Expecting a Call by lioliz.  Creative commons image on flickr.

I never play games of chance, because I never ever win…

I knew this when my college friends convinced me to drive them to an out-of-state casino.

While they hit the tables, I wondered over to a bank of machines labeled “Nickel Slots.” I took out a nickel, deposited it into the slot—and when I pulled the lever, it wouldn’t move.  Within seconds, two large men dressed in bright red suits with Secret Service-style earpieces came to me and said, “can I help you?”

I said, “I put in a nickel, but it got stuck.”

“You can’t put nickels in there!”  It takes tokens!  Read the sign!” 

I stood there and watched as the man angrily tech took out his keys to open up the machine I’d jammed.  Unsure of what else to do, I quietly walked away and spent the rest of the night hiding out in the food court.  Meanwhile, my one friend won over $2,000 but couldn’t spare a five for gas money.

So as someone who is “risk-averse,” I identify greatly with the slave who buries his master’s money, rather than trading them in the market as the first two had done.  Sometimes, it’s best to play it safe. 

But when the master returns, he’s furious at the slave.  He didn’t lose his master’s money, but on the other hand: when nothing’s ventured, nothing’s gained…

Remember: the master hadn’t given his three slaves a task they couldn’t complete.  Jesus says us quite plainly that the master entrusted his property to his slaves, each according to their ability.  All three were capable and worthy of their master’s trust. 

So the problem wasn’t that “he couldn’t.”  It’s an issue of “he wouldn’t.” 

You face the same dilemma when Jesus calls you to discipleship in God’s kingdom.  You’ll find no reasons to say yes—and a million reasons to say no. It’s not that you can’t; it’s that you won’t. 

§  One good reason is that you’re busy.  Why answer a call from God when you don’t have enough time for everything already on your plate?

§  Another reason is that obeying God never guarantees other people’s approval. 

§  Another reason is that it’s difficult.  Why should God call you out of your comfort zone, to do things you’ve never done; to serve people you’d prefer to avoid; to give what you do not have; and to labors for which you cannot control the outcome?

Whether you realize it or not, your most basic needs are for security, approval, and control.  Answering God’s call means putting these needs in God’s hands (which is not easy to do). 

On the other hand, you can be doing godly things—like participating in church, helping the needy, or leading a ministry.  But you’re doing it all for yourself, and not for Jesus. 

And it’s easy to let fear and guilt drive you, especially as Jesus’ parable paints a very harsh picture of God.

But as is the case with all the judgment parables, we must interpret them by the cross.  You are not called because you must prove yourself worthy of God by your obedience and your success. 

God’s call is a promise of grace that is not to be taken lightly.  God’s will is not to be taken lightly. 

Yet when you answer God’s call, you entrust your needs and vulnerabilities into God’s hands.  Grace takes over—and the old rules no longer apply.  

When you think, “I can’t,” God says, “you will!” because you are called.

When you answer God’s call, everything changes!  You see that you were created by God to be a bearer of God’s salvation!  You are drawn into the Body of Christ, where God’s people will inspire you and empower you to live out your calling.  Your talents and possessions become spiritual gifts, through which God can accomplish far more than what is humanly possible.  God will lead you to places you never thought you’d go, to people you’d gone to great effort to avoid, and you become the presence of Jesus.  You will persist against all the people who reject and condemn you for your obedience.   Your exhaustion, your weakness, and your fear melt away—because grace has taken over.  You are a new creation, claimed by God to make all things new.

In other words, you don’t need to be a savvy entrepreneur, a shrewd investor, or a slick gambler to make ten talents out of five.   Just trust God! 

If you’re not living God’s call, you are not living a resurrected life!  But know that you have a calling—because you are loved and because God is love.  God’s call may happen in a split second to defend someone against an injustice.  It may be an invitation to make some much-needed changes so that you life may be centered on Christ.  It may be a call that changes your whole life. If you don’t know what your calling is; if you do know it but you’re afraid to obey it; or even if you’re not ready to be called, pray for God to lead you into it.   And if you are having a difficult day, and if you’re not finding any joy in where God has led you in this life, know that God will still be doing great things for you and through you. 

Your calling is not a burden, but a gift.  You’re called because you are loved.  You’re called because God wants you to be at the front of the new creation coming to this earth.  You’re called so that you can see what grace can do.  Be of good joy—because your call is waiting!