A Life-changing Gift

24th Sunday After Pentecost

Today's Readings: 1 Thes. 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30

(you may need to at least read Matthew to understand the sermon - click on the scripture to read)

Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We have been given a great gift; a life-changing, world altering gift. We have been entrusted with this extremely important gift and we have been asked the critical question – “what will you do with it?” In the parable this gift is portrayed as money, but we would be selling Jesus short if we thought he was actually trying to teach us a lesson about the economy. Rather the money in the story is just a metaphor for this life-changing gift. A ‘talent’ was equivalent to a years salary; this was no ‘chump change,’ this was real power entrusted to these servants! They could make a substantial difference in the world with these ‘talents.’

We too have been entrusted with a life-changing gift that can make a substantial difference in this world. This gift is the reason we are all here today – this gift is a relationship with God, our Creator.. this gift is salvation, forgiveness, and life through Christ who lived, died, and rose again.. this gift is the invitation to die and rise with Christ.. to be transformed by this gift and use it to transform the world around us.

We have done nothing to deserve this gift, God has done all the work and presents it to us like a giddy parent on Christmas morning as they hand their child the present of a lifetime. The gift is for us to enjoy, to use, to share.. what a shame it would be to put it on the shelf to collect dust.. or to bury it, hide it away for safe keeping.

Matthew has already told us, “Do not store up your treasures where moth and rust can consume and thieves can steal! Store up your treasures in heaven, for where your treasure is, your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:19-21). Matthew talks a lot about treasure actually, so it is no surprise he reiterates here how a man was given a great treasure, a talent, a life-changing gift and he buried it. He took this gift that could not only change his life, but the life of those around him and out of fear he buried it in the ground. Out of fear, he buried this gift of life and sat.. waiting.. paralyzed.. In a way, he buried his life and spent his time in a manner akin to death.

God created the world, created humanity, giving us life. Jesus, a great light, came to earth to literally show us what a gift we had been given and to show us the way to live fully into who we are, who we were created to be. The Spirit remains here with us, illuminating our days, keeping the spark of life burning in our hearts.. yet so often we DO take that little light of ours and hid it under a bushel rather than let it shine.

Beloved of God, accept this gift of life from the One who gave you life. There is no reason to fear the God who gave it to you, nor is there reason to fear the gift will run out as if it has limits. This gift is a wellspring of life meant to be used on a daily basis. Do not bury this gift and let it go to waste, rather let it transform you and overflow from you, transforming the world. Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify God in heaven! (Matt. 5:16)

This gift is the Good News that God created you for more than suffering, pain and death. The Good News that in Christ, God has redeemed that suffering and pain AND OVERCOME death! The Good News that God is not a God of wrath and punishment, but of tender mercy, compassion and forgiveness. The Good News that in Christ salvation is yours.. what will you do with it?

Amen.