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The parable of the talents is another very popular teaching story from Jesus, but it’s meaning often becomes skewed as church leaders try to encourage believers to volunteer or as Christians try to evaluate the success of their spiritual lives. In this episode, Gary Wilkerson and Joshua West explore the misinterpretations of this parable. Together, they delve into Christ’s intended meaning for this story that is so intricately linked to other parts of the gospel.
Key Points from the Podcast
• This parable has often been misinterpreted to discuss people serving more in church, but that misses the heart of why Jesus told this teaching story.
• This parable is part of the Olivet Discourse where Jesus gave organized instruction to his followers about how to think about the future and what God entrusts to his children.
• When we read about the different servants receiving different amounts of the talents, it can be tempting to start comparing ourselves against other believers. God’s measure of worth is different than ours, and it’s important to remember that as we study this parable.
• The core of the story seems far more concerned with the servants being faithful with what they were given, regardless of the amount they had to start.
• The most important gift as a believer is God’s presence in our lives. God’s presence and his love makes all other forms of service possible. All other gifts are an overflow from fellowship with God.
• The last servant who buries the coin has a wrong view of God that ruins is ability to use the talent he was given. If we examine the accusations that he levels at the master, we will see that the opposite of each complaint is true.
• Ultimately, this parable is about the gospel. Everyone has been given a life by God, and everyone is called to use this great gift for God’s glory, but some bury their life in order to ‘save’ it only to lose it later.
Bible Verses Referenced in the Podcast
Matthew 25:14-30, Mark 8:35
Additional Episodes in this Podcast Series
About Joshua West
Joshua West serves as the Church Leadership Network Director at World Challenge helping equip and empower pastors all over the world. Joshua’s desire is to raise up ministers who will correctly and boldly preach the word with passion and integrity. The point of all his work and writings is to preach the gospel, glorify God and to teach sound doctrine.