When we walked into the art show of that basement of a church in Nashville, TN, I fully admit that I wasn’t really there for the culture that night. It was one of those “throw away” evenings of your early 20’s, when everything seems already too boring, and yet one of my friends had read in the paper that there was an art show at one of the churches downtown. Well, we had nothing else planned so by default, this art show event had won. It won for several reasons. Partially, because it was billed as an unusual art show. See, it was an art show that featured only the paintings of men and women who were homeless in downtown Nashville. Somebody had gone around and passed out paints and canvases and later collected them and invited the artists to be part of the show. This edgy/social justice aspect had gotten our attention. But, truthfully, I remember the real deal-clincher had been the free appetizers. (Did I mention I was a "starving" Divinity School student in my early 20’s?)
As we got out of our cars, we passed a man at the door. Thick beard, wild eyes, tattered clothes, but also a glimmer of recognition. I had seen this man before. Most recently in the alley by my apartment during a rainstorm. He stood outside yelling at the rain. He hated it. He denounced it. He screamed that he wanted to kick the rain. But I had seen him other times as well; times that were much more placid, neighborly, and peaceful. Once at the bus stop, we’d chatted and he’d offered me a sip of his beer. I declined, not for health reasons, but because it was only 8am. I recognized him because he was not easily forgotten after seeing these mood swings (or what I realize now, was likely his schizophrenia). Kicking the rain or sharing a beer at the bus stop… you didn’t know how or who he would be. He was always just that “unstable man” gathering cans in the alley.
I nodded to him and he looked at me, then I went inside. I still wasn’t sure what to expect (minus the free appetizers), but what I saw came as a true surprise. The paintings he had created were intense, demanding of the viewer, and wild. Perhaps being given the freedom and supplies to paint had been freeing to him because he had used a lot of wild colors and broad strokes. The canvas seemed to barely contain the chaos. Where I expected images of rough houses or even bowls of fruit, this man had given himself. His experience, even. I just remember my surprise. My surprise, not only because I had expected something different, but mostly because I likely hadn’t expected anything at all.
I continued to see him around town and in alleys until we moved a year later, but from that night on, I thought about him differently. In fact, I started to think about many things differently - substantial things. Somehow, a weird moment in a church art show had started to change how I thought about mental illness, homelessness, and the systems of care in America. And while I didn’t necessarily have new answers or ideas, I also knew that many of my previous assumptions had been wrong. I began to ask new questions, and look for new answers. Questions and answers that even now refuse to let me be too settled about how I think of those who scream at the rain. But the change happened because I was surprised.
This week, I invite you to be surprised. Allow yourself to see something differently, and for it to ask you questions. Come to worship on Sunday and hear what I think is one of the most surprising twists in the Bible, in a story called “The Parable of Talents.” Leave with surprise and new questions. See you on Sunday, and if you would like to read the Scripture passage before then you can find it here.(Pastor Brent)
Scripture Text:
Matthew 25:14-30
Matthew 25: The Story About Investment
14-18 “It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money.
19-21 “After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’
22-23 “The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’
24-25 “The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’
26-27 “The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
28-30 “‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.’
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary:
Matthew 25:14-30
Verse 14
[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.
Our Lord proceeds by a parable still plainer (if that can be) to declare the final reward of a harmless man. May God give all such in this their day, ears to hear and hearts to understand it! The kingdom of heaven - That is, the King of heaven, Christ. Mark 13:34; Luke 19:12.
Verse 15
[15] And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one — And who knows whether (all circumstances considered) there be a greater disproportion than this, in the talents of those who have received the most, and those who have received the fewest? According to his own ability - The words may be translated more literally, according to his own mighty power.
And immediately took his journey — To heaven.
Verse 18
[18] But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
He that had received one — Made his having fewer talents than others a pretence for not improving any.
Went and hid his master's money — Reader, art thou doing the same? Art thou hiding the talent God hath lent thee?
Verse 24
[24] Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
I knew thou art a hard man — No. Thou knowest him not. He never knew God, who thinks him a hard master.
Reaping where thou hast not sown — That is, requiring more of us than thou hast given us power to perform. So does every obstinate sinner, in one kind or other, lay the blame of his own sins on God.
Verse 25
[25] And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
And I was afraid — Lest if I had improved my talent, I should have had the more to answer for. So from this fear, one will not learn to read, another will not hear sermons!
Verse 26
[26] His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Thou knewest — That I require impossibilities! This is not an allowing, but a strong denial of the charge.
Verse 27
[27] Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Thou oughtest therefore — On that very account, on thy own supposition, to have improved my talent, as far as was possible.
Verse 29
[29] For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
To every one that hath shall he given — So close does God keep to this stated rule, from the beginning to the end of the world. Matthew 13:12.
Verse 30
[30] And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Cast ye the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness — For what? what had he done? It is true he had not done good. But neither is he charged with doing any harm. Why, for this reason, for barely doing no harm, he is consigned to outer darkness. He is pronounced a wicked, because he was a slothful, an unprofitable servant. So mere harmlessness, on which many build their hope of salvation, was the cause of his damnation! There shall be the weeping - Of the careless thoughtless sinner; and the gnashing of teeth - Of the proud and stubborn. The same great truth, that there is no such thing as negative goodness, is in this chapter shown three times: 1. In the parable of the virgins; 2. In the still plainer parable of the servants, who had received the talents; and 3. In a direct unparabolical declaration of the manner wherein our Lord will proceed at the last day. The several parts of each of these exactly answers each other, only each rises above the preceding.
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Sermon Story "Do Not Play It Safe" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 5 September 2014
Many people either love this story that Jesus told His disciples and other people about this Owner who left on and extended trip, but before he did he gave his three servants each an amount of talents or money compared to their own personal gifts. Jesus share that the one who was given much went out and invested the money and earned twice what he started with. The second servant was given a lower amount and still took his money and invested it earning twice what he was given. The third servant was given an even lesser amount and was sacred of his hard-driven owner and took the money and hid it in the ground or maybe his sleeping mat. A time went by and the owner or master came back asking for the money he gave them as well as what they earned with it. The first one came and gave the money and the profit and the master said good and faithful servant be given much to reign over. The second came and gave what he was given with the profit and the master said good and faithful servant be given much to reign over. The third servant came and gave what he was given with nothing else saying that he was scared because the master is a hard master reaping what is not sowed. The master took the money and gave it to the one who earned the most and said to the third servant go away and be cast into the utter darkness where there will be wailing and nashing of teeth. The master said to much is given much is expected, but those who do little will be destroyed.
Many times we look at this in terms of money and how society looks at wealth and how much a person earns in a lifetime, but what happens if this actually is teaching us how we actually take care of the poor, the homeless, the immigrants, the immigrant children with no parents, the LGBTQ and the acceptance or rejection in the church, the human traffickers and the people who are human tranfficked, or how about how we truly take care of the people who are differently abled. Let us take a look at the last one for today concerning the people who are differently abled. What happens if God is watching parents to see how they have treated their children who are differently abled as well how the church of included them in the full and active participation of the church. Yes, there are parents who have fully embraced their children with differently abled abilities and seen their children grow into interdependent adults while being rejuected by the church, then there are parents who have kept their children who are differently abled but listened to the current education methods and only allow them to realize how dependent they are on them and others for their whole life with the church excluding them from any activities without their parents after they become adult age. There is a third group of parents who take advice from medical professionals, spiritual leaders, educators, and even government officials by placing them in the care of the government to live in institutions such as hospitals or group homes. How do you think God would look at these three groups of people? Where are you in these characters? How do you want God to deal with you after this life on earth or the judgment day?
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San Diego, California, United States - The Normal Heights United Methodist Church with Reverend Brent Ross, Senior Pastor, "This Week in Worship: The Power to be Surprised" for Thursday, 2 October 2014
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