Lesson 25 – Talents, Part 2

“Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity cap- tive, and gave gifts unto men.” Ephesians 4:8.

“Talents used are talents multiplied. Success is not the result of chance or of destiny; it is the outworking of God’s own providence, the reward of faith and discretion, of virtue and persevering effort. The Lord desires us to use every gift we have; and if we do this, we shall have greater gifts to use. He does not supernaturally endow us with the qualifications we lack; but while we use that which we have, He will work with us to increase and strengthen every faculty. By every wholehearted, earnest sacrifice for the Master’s ser- vice our powers will increase. While we yield ourselves as instruments for the Holy Spirit’s working, the grace of God works in us to deny old inclinations, to overcome powerful propensities, and to form new habits.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 353.

STRENGTH AND MONEY FOR GOD’S WORK

1.What should be the purpose of every faithful Christian? Why is the sixth talent–physical and spiritual strength–important?

2 Corinthians 5:15. And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Deuteronomy 6:5. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Isaiah 40:31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

“There is need of businessmen who will weave the grand principles of truth into all their transactions. And their talents should be perfected by most thorough study and training. If men in any line of work need to improve their opportunities to become wise and efficient, it is those who are using their ability in building up the kingdom of God in our world. Of Daniel we learn that in all his business transactions, when subjected to the closest scrutiny, not one fault or error could be found. He was a sample of what every businessman may be. His history shows what may be accomplished by one who consecrates the strength of brain and bone and muscle, of heart and life, to the service of God.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 350.

2.What happens when an entire talent given by the Eternal One is not used? What three fatal errors caused Samson, one of the strongest men in the world, to lose his strength?

Matthew 25:28. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

Judges 16:4, 5, 17. And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. ⁵And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver…. ¹⁷That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

“But God will not accept the greatest talents or the most splendid service unless self is laid upon the altar, a living, consuming sacrifice. The root must be holy, else there can be no fruit acceptable to God.

“The Lord made Daniel and Joseph shrewd managers. He could work through them because they did not live to please their own inclination but to please God.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 350.

3.In another of Jesus’ parables, what did a man entrust to his servants before travelling “into a far country”? What is important for God’s children to do?

Matthew 25:14. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

Deuteronomy 8:18. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

“Money has great value, because it can do great good. In the hands of God’s children it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, and clothing for the naked. It is a defense for the oppressed, and a means of help to the sick. But money is of no more value than sand, only as it is put to use in providing for the necessities of life, in blessing others, and advancing the cause of Christ.”–Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 351.

4.What can happen to this divine gift? What frequently prevents the development of the seventh talent?

1 Timothy 6:10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

James 5:1-6. Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. ²Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. ³Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. ⁴Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. ⁵Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. ⁶Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

“The more means we expend in display and self-indulgence, the less we can have to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. Every penny used unnecessarily deprives the spender of a precious opportunity of doing good. It is robbing God of the honor and glory which should flow back to Him through the improvement of His entrusted talents.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 352.

KIND FEELINGS OF BLESSING

5.Who gives people a spirit of kindness for their own blessing as well as for that of their fellowmen?

James 1:17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; be- hold, all things are become new.

“Kindly affections, generous impulses, and a quick apprehension of spiritual things are precious talents, and lay their possessor under a weighty responsibility. All are to be used in God’s service.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 352.

CALLED TO BE FAITHFUL STEWARDS

6.What does God want to do with His children? According to the apostle Paul, what does the Master want Christians to do?

Acts 9:5, 6. And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. ⁶And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

1 Corinthians 4:2. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

“But here many err. Satisfied with the possession of these qualities, they fail to bring them into active service for others. They flatter themselves that if they had opportunity, if circumstances were favorable, they would do a great and good work. But they are awaiting the opportunity.” –Christ’s Object Les- sons, p. 352.

7.How did the faithful servants manage the talents that were entrusted to them? What happened when they were called to give an account of their stewardship?

Matthew 25:16, 17, 19-23. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. ¹⁷And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two…. ¹⁹After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. ²⁰And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. ²¹ His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. ²²He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. ²³His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

“But when we give ourselves wholly to God and in our work follow His directions, He makes Himself responsible for its accomplishment. He would not have us conjecture as to the success of our honest endeavors. Not once should we even think of failure. We are to cooperate with One who knows no failure.

“We should not talk of our own weakness and inability. This is a manifest distrust of God, a denial of His word.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 363.

For Additional Study

“Many who profess to be Christians neglect the claims of God, and yet they do not feel that in this there is any wrong. They know that the blasphemer, the murderer, the adulterer, deserves punishment; but as for them, they enjoy the services of religion. They love to hear the gospel preached, and therefore they think themselves Christians. Though they have spent their lives in caring for themselves, they will be as much surprised as was the unfaithful servant in the parable to hear the sentence, ‘Take the talent from him.’ Like the Jews, they mistake the enjoyment of their blessings for the use they should make of them.

“Many who excuse themselves from Christian effort plead their inability for the work. But did God make them so incapable? No, never. This inability has been produced by their own inactivity and perpetuated by their deliberate choice. Already, in their own characters, they are realiz- ing the result of the sentence, ‘Take the talent from him.’ The continual misuse of their talents will effectually quench for them the Holy Spirit, which is the only light. The sentence, ‘Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness,’ sets Heaven’s seal to the choice which they them- selves have made for eternity.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 365.