April 01, 2025 | Be God's Family
The Parable of the Trusted Money
Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30(NIV)
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Devotional
At first, this parable appears to be about the gifts with which we have each been entrusted--and that message is surely here. But why does the servant who has the most get even more? And wasn’t the third servant just being trustworthy? Sure, he didn’t increase his master’s fortune—but he didn’t risk any of it, either.
But this parable answers: If you don’t use your gift, you lose it. Another, deeper message is here, too. A point that Jesus repeatedly made: You are being given the gift of salvation. If you hear it, understand it and share it, more will be asked of you. If you hide it or don’t share it, then you will lose it because you don’t truly understand it.
This parable is not just about our talents and the unique ways in which we are each called to serve God. It’s also about who God is and what he wants from us. The servant who hides and protects his money represents the Pharisees and Scribes of Jesus’s time. They wanted to keep the faith for themselves, believing it was theirs and theirs alone. Jesus references this earlier in the book of Matthew:
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. (Matthew 23:13)
Luke emphasizes this message further in Acts:
The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
“Therefore, I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” (Acts 28:26-28)
Jesus makes it clear that God’s intention was for all of us to know him, and for all of us to share the message of His love for us. The first two servants understood this, they took the risk and invested their money with great rewards. We are being asked to do the same. We have heard the Good News! Do we risk living like it? Do we risk sharing it? If we do, then we will be asked to do it more. Are you ready?
Poem
You Have Given Me
Psalm 90
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90:17
You have given me…
A weight from Your possession
A measure from Your storehouse
A gift from Your Spirit
Shall I let it be destroyed by mocking
Shall I let it be swept away by scoffing
Shall I let it become dead by neglect
Temples crumble
Sheep wander
Flowers fade
Return, O heart, confess your secret sins
Return, O man, remember your days are numbered
Return, O God, call us to account
Shall the weight from Your possession be doubled?
Shall the measure from Your storehouse be increased?
Shall the gift from Your Spirit be fruitful?
Return, O Lord, in Your mercy!
Return, O Lord, in rejoicing!
Return, O Lord, in glory to Your children!
You have given me…
