“Talents”

At a time when watching the stock market fall, and stagger back up a little, only to plunge again has become something of a national pastime, and the sight of our 401 uh… make that 201ks vanishing like smoke from burning leaves on a crisp fall day makes hearts flutter, Jesus tells us a timely little story about how you handle the gifts given to you. This one should hold your attention…

It is so tempting for me, only slightly tongue in cheek, to note from this story that Jesus would seem to be an equity guy when it comes to the cash vs. equity debate that grips so many today. After all, it’s the traders in His little story today, the guys who go all in the market with their five and two talents who get a 100% return on their talents, while the cash only guy, who hides it in a coffee can in the backyard is the one chastised by the Lord for being both wicked and lazy—and who loses everything he has. Warren Buffet is not keen on cash these days either. Of course, it was “a long time” before the Lord returned in the story. I’m sure there were ups and downs along the way for our “equity guys”. Let the reader understand…

Of course, we know Jesus never had much use for money, mortgages, or government bonds. Our life does not consist in the abundance of these things, and they did not concern the Lord overly much. But make no mistake—there is investment advice in this story of the most serious sort!

So what are the talents in this parable and what is the “trading” that Jesus commends? Hmmm? Where should we be invested in these troubled times?

As usual, the clue is right in the first line. Jesus isn’t telling us a story about Wall Street, Main Street, equity markets, or government bonds. He’s telling the story of the kingdom of heaven. It’s an earthly story He tells, but with heavenly referents. A common mistake with Jesus’ parables is to take the earthly elements and apply them to earthly things (as I was tempted to do at the outset). It’s not what He intended.

He says the kingdom of heaven is like this man traveling to a far country. If you read this story in its context in Matthew’s Gospel, it comes just after our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem for Holy Week, where, He has told His disciples, He will suffer, be crucified, and raised from the dead the third day. He has just told His disciples of the trials and tribulations of the end times which are upon them even as He speaks, and He has warned them to watch and be awake—for the Last Day will come suddenly and surprise everyone, even the wise virgins who have their lamps filled with Christ’s own oil.

Right after the story of the 10 virgins, Jesus tells this story of a man traveling to a far country. Well, it doesn’t take a genius to see that the man taking the journey must be Jesus Himself. This is the Exodus of which He spoke on the mountain of transfiguration with Moses and Elijah as Peter, James, and John cowered beside Him. Jesus has told them the Shepherd will be struck and the sheep scattered. So clearly, Jesus is the man going away for a while, and the disciples are the servants. That needs no explaining if you’ve been reading the previous 24 chapters of Matthew’s Gospel.

So, the disciples know Jesus is going to be out of sight for a while. But He does not leave them destitute. He gives gifts always to His own. In this case, He gives “to each according to his ability”. When Jesus distributes His wealth to His disciples, it is not equal shares. Some get five talents, some get two, some get one. He loves us all with an infinite love. But He is not constrained by our ideas of “fairness” or “equity”. Jesus gives as He pleases; some get more, some less, but all receive just what they need, exactly what they can handle.

We might bristle a little at this, but there’s no need for unease. You can trust that Jesus is more than fair. The talents in this case would seem to be shares in the kingdom of heaven. Stock, if you will. One guy gets five shares of heaven. Another gets two. Another gets one. But remember—just one share in the kingdom of heaven brings infinite joy and bliss. Better just one day in the courts of the Lord’s house than a thousand elsewhere; better to be a gatekeeper in the Lord’s house than a ruler elsewhere, as the Psalms remind us. So five times, two time, ones times infinity is still… infinite joy. The joy cannot be measured in any case. It is part of the fun our Lord has with math.

The important thing is not whether you have five shares of heaven, two, or one. The important thing is how you handle the gifts you are given. The five talent guy is thrilled to have five shares of such a marvelous stock. He goes out and “trades” with them. Now how do you think you “trade” with shares in heaven? Again, Jesus gives the answer plainly if you read carefully. Look how He commends the five talent guy (whose “trading” made him another five talents for a total of ten): The master says “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”

Did you get it? Did I emphasize it enough? The servant was faithful. “Trading” with the talents is simply faith in the shares of heaven we are given in Christ Jesus. The talents, really, are Christ Jesus Himself, for it is His body and His blood that give heaven. It is communion with Jesus that is the joy of heaven. More Jesus is what we are given, and faith alone is the instrument that receives Jesus, that lives off Jesus, that throws His gifts around with happy abandon, knowing Jesus will always give more and more of Himself to us…

Same with the two talent guy. The more He lives by faith in Jesus, the more Jesus he gets, the more his joy increases. But our one talent guy—sad story! He is not called faithful, but wicked, lazy. He did not believe his talent was a real share in Jesus and His kingdom. So he buried it in the ground as worthless. Since he did not believe Jesus was for him, did not yearn for a place in His kingdom, the share is taken from him and given to the ten talent guy. For to everyone who has, more and more will be given—more Jesus that is, more shares in heaven’s kingdom, its infinite joy.

You have been given many talents this morning, many shares in Jesus and His kingdom. By holy absolution, holy preaching, holy communion, the talents are showered upon you, as they were in your Baptism. In Baptism you got your share in Jesus’ cross and that gives full shares in His heaven.

Now, like certain equities markets today, the world does not value the cross as a high performing investment. You’ll take your lumps invested in the cross; suffering and hardship cannot be avoided. People will urge you to sell out your Jesus shares. But, with His cross, with the talents, with Jesus, the Spirit grants faith to hang in there, to trade on this, to put all your eggs in Christ’s basket, all your heart, all your hope, all your joy. If your portfolio is, at the end, all Jesus, your joy will also be complete. So, go long on Jesus, always, by His Word and Sacraments, and the Peace that surpasses understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Forever. Amen.