Main Idea
What if your life was being audited, not by the IRS or a doctor but by Jesus Himself? What if He opened a spreadsheet and said, “Let’s talk about what you’ve done with what I gave you”? This parable in Matthew 25 is not about fairness, but faithfulness. God doesn’t expect the same from everyone, but He does expect something.
Scripture
Matthew 25:14-30
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,[a] 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.’
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: What’s something valuable someone once entrusted you with? (Money, a pet, a secret, a task?) How did that feel?
- The parable shows three servants receiving different amounts “according to their ability.” How does that challenge or encourage you in your current season of life?
- Read Matthew 25:24–25. The third servant was afraid. What are some common fears that keep people from using what God has given them?
- When you think about your own life, what’s one gift, opportunity, or responsibility that you might be burying? What’s one step you could take to activate it this week?
- This parable paints a picture of God as a generous but intentional Master. How has your view of God shaped how you use (or don’t use) what He’s entrusted to you?
Moving Forward
What if Jesus did an audit of your life today, not to judge you, but to help you grow? Remember, the issue isn’t how much you have. It’s what you do with what you’ve been given. Start small. Start scared. Start now. But whatever you do…don’t bury it.
