Invest Against Mammon: The Talents of Matthew 25

Introduction

In our churches, money is already a taboo subject. Investing is even more so. Yet this Momentum message dares to ask the question directly: how can we invest against Mammon? Quentin already pointed this out in previous messages: the love of money and the Christian life are incompatible. And yet Jesus himself encourages us to invest. The text is Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents, spoken by Jesus on the Mount of Olives to prepare his disciples for the time that would pass between his ascension and his return. What you'll discover in this article is that the real problem is never having little, it's doing nothing with what God has entrusted to you.

Outline of the Message

1. The Master Entrusts a Fortune to His Servants

• A rich man goes on a journey and entrusts his property to his servants (doulos): five talents to one, two to another, one to the third, each according to their ability.
• The word "talent" isn't a skill: it's a unit of measure. One talent equals about 6,000 denarii, or 6,000 days of work, around 20 years of wages, roughly €600,000 for someone earning France's minimum wage (the SMIC) today. That's no small amount.
• The master is good: he adjusts the amount to each person's ability. He doesn't put anyone in a difficult position, he empowers his servants to make what's entrusted to them bear fruit.
• Direct parallel: Jesus's departure is an opportunity for you. He sends you out on mission and gives you everything you need to bear fruit.

2. God Expects the Same Commitment from Everyone

• God's expectations are the same for everyone. The kingdom isn't reserved for an elite: rich or poor, young or old, healthy or sick, everyone bears the responsibility of giving their best for Christ.
• No room for fatalism. Even the little you've received, you can give in the best possible way.
• "Abilities" refers to resources or aptitudes (cognitive, physical). The three servants have the same ability to accomplish God's will, but not the same ability to manage what's entrusted to them.
• These resources don't belong to them: they belong to the master. Mammon tells you your money is your own. Jesus, on the other hand, reminds you that you're a steward, not an owner.

3. Why Invest: Two Non-Negotiable Reasons

• You belong to Christ. He redeemed you with his blood. Everything you have belongs to him. God didn't make you an owner but a steward, and that's why he asks you to invest.
• The master is coming back. Verse 19: "After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them." A good boss is glad to pay wages, it's a sign the work has been well done.
• The first two doubled their investment. A "small matter" of 3 million euros... Jesus is being ironic. A successful career, a thriving business: to him, that's nothing much. God is always preparing something bigger for his Kingdom.
• Remember Peter and Andrew, fishermen, whom Jesus caused to catch so many fish that their net began to break (Luke 5:1-11). Then he told them, "I will make you become fishers of men." You will see even greater miracles.

4. God Rewards Faithfulness, Not Performance

• There is no difference between the first and second servants: the same words, the same reward, "enter into the joy of your master."
• God doesn't focus on the fact that the second servant made two and a half times less profit. He sees that, relative to what he had received, he did his very best.
• What God desires is the best of what you've received. Even if you received little, even if your responsibilities are different.
• Investing means wanting Jesus to be proud of us at the end of our lives and at his return, and being ready ourselves to meet him and present what we've done with the life he gave us.

5. The Third Servant: Excuses, Fear, Accusation

• A stark contrast: the first two arrive proud of the fruit of their labor. The third arrives with an excuse and an accusation. On the defensive, he attacks his master.
• He didn't steal, didn't spend it on sin, didn't waste anything. He buried it, kept it, protected it. Humanly speaking, you might excuse him. But Jesus is severe.
• For Jesus, the problem isn't just the wrong you do: it's also refusing to do the good he's given you the means to do.
• We sometimes have a culture of mediocrity, refusing to invest generously for the kingdom. A Christian life that boils down to "I'm not worse than others, I haven't stolen, I haven't cheated on my wife, I haven't killed" isn't the Christian life God desires. He wants transformation. He wants action.
• The theologian Albert Schweitzer (a 20th-century theologian and missionary doctor deeply committed to social causes) said that we shouldn't be a religion concerned only with not doing harm. Being ready for Jesus's return means taking action, committing to active, responsible, long-term faithful service.

6. The 3 Blockers That Keep Us From Investing: Owner, Lazy, Fearful

• The Owner. You behave like the owner of your possessions and your life. Confess to God that you're too much of an owner, that your life doesn't belong to you, that God has made you a steward.
• The Lazy One. Laziness breeds excuses. The lazy person does nothing and develops a negative opinion of the master, the boss, the church, the sermons, because criticizing removes responsibility. How many times have you left church on Sunday with something to apply, but instead you look for excuses: "that's just my personality," "I grew up that way," "I'm not really capable of it"? That's called idleness, and God takes it seriously.
• The Fearful One. The servant used fear as a valid excuse. But a true disciple can't see Jesus as a tyrant who demands everything and offers nothing. The greatest danger isn't having little, it's doing nothing with what Christ has given you.

7. The Master's Return: Reward or Judgment

• In the Bible, it's usually the rich who pay a heavy price. But here, it's the poor person who stays poor out of laziness who is punished.
• The church's mission is to help those in need, not the lazy person who just waits.
• "To everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." The worthless servant is thrown into outer darkness, "in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth," the text is speaking of hell, and it's addressed to Christians.
• If your life bears no fruit, there's a real risk. Jesus is coming back not only to reward, but also to judge.

Your 4-Step Spiritual Investment Plan

Step 1: Take Stock of Your Capital

A finance maxim: "Know what you own." In our case: know what God has entrusted to you.

• The grace and abundant life received in Jesus Christ. That's the foundation: invest first in your relationship with God, stop sinning, forgive as Jesus forgave you, step into the mission.
• Your abilities. What are your natural gifts since childhood? What gifts have you received since your conversion? What are your spiritual gifts?
• Your time. What do you do with your lunch breaks, your time with friends, your evenings? How can you put them to use for God's glory?
• Your possessions. Your apartment, your car, your belongings: who do they really belong to? Can you lend them, share their use, offer transportation, host someone?
• Your money. We belong to God, so all our money belongs to him. When you decide to make a purchase, is it a spiritual decision?

Step 2: Choose Where to Invest

Maxim: "Know what you own and know why you own it." Know also why you own what you own.

• Invest in your priorities. Your spouse, family, children, church, work, neighbor. Your investments shouldn't revolve only around yourself.
• Target an audience. Who does God place on your heart? Does illness move you? Act with your time, your prayer, your money, maybe even by investing in research. Unemployed young people? Put your network to work.
• Aim for what's fruitful. Are you making your skills bear fruit for Christ, or only for your own personal success?
• Know when to stop. What areas of your life are costing you time, money, or energy on things that don't matter? Sometimes you have to stop, even something you built yourself.
• Be creative. In a sister church of the Vertical network in Har (Romania), a man gave his cow to the church; the milk it produced helped fund new construction. Talk to your GDM leaders or elders if you don't know how to make what you have bear fruit.

Step 3: Take Action, Starting Now

• "Time in the market beats timing the market." The best time to invest is now. Don't wait until you have everything, until you're perfect, until it's the "right" moment.
• "The biggest risk is not taking any risk." The biggest risk in your life is doing nothing for God with what he's given you.
• "Cash is trash." Money sitting idle and unused abilities are wasted. Piling up talents and doing nothing with them makes no sense.
• "Money sleeping is money dying." An ability or a talent left dormant dies. Are you devoting time and finances to growing in your talents (training, books, conferences like the Vertical Conference)?
• "Analysis paralysis." If you spend your time analyzing without ever acting, that's procrastination. Now is the time to serve.
• "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." Nothing is too late. Jesus enables you to redeem the time.

Step 4: Be Consistent, Persevere

• "Stay the course." Entrust your plans to God, pray, keep going.
• DCA, Dollar Cost Averaging. In finance, it's better to invest a little bit each time than to wait until you have a lot to invest all at once. Same thing with God: we're not going to wait until we're perfect to serve. Start with the little you have; God makes it grow.
• Proverbs 3:9-10: "Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine." Everything God gives you (life, grace), you want to give him back the firstfruits: a sacrifice of praise.

Key Takeaways

• The real problem is never having little, it's doing nothing with what you've received.
• You're not an owner, you're a steward. Your money, your time, your abilities belong to Christ, who redeemed you.
• God rewards faithfulness, not performance: the first and second servants receive exactly the same words.
• A Christian life that's "not worse than others" isn't enough for God. He wants transformation and action.
• Three blockers to confess: the Owner, the Lazy One, the Fearful One.
• The best time to invest for God is now. Start with the little you have.

Personal Application

1. Take stock this week: abilities, time, possessions, money, what has God really entrusted to you?
2. What "owner behavior" are you still holding on to over your life, your time, or your finances? Confess it to God.
3. On what subject have you been making excuses for too long ("that's just my personality," "I'm not capable of it")? Name it and surrender it to Jesus.
4. Where is God asking you to take action today, without waiting to feel "ready"?
5. What area do you need to stop, in order to stop scattering your energy on things that don't matter and free up time for God?

Verses Cited

• Matthew 25:14-30 · the parable of the talents
• Matthew 24-25 · Jesus's discourse on the Mount of Olives
• Matthew 6:24 · "No one can serve two masters: God and Mammon"
• Luke 5:1-11 · the miraculous catch of fish and the call of Peter and Andrew
• Proverbs 3:9-10 · honor the LORD with your wealth and firstfruits
• 1 Corinthians 10:31 · "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God"

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a talent represent in the parable of Matthew 25?

A talent isn't a skill but a unit of measure: about 6,000 denarii, or 6,000 days of work, close to 20 years of wages, roughly €600,000 for someone earning France's minimum wage (the SMIC) today. The master is entrusting his servants with an entire fortune, not a small sum. That's actually where the modern use of the word "talent" (meaning a skill or aptitude) comes from, but it's not its original meaning in the text.

Why is the third servant condemned when he didn't steal anything?

Because for Jesus, the problem isn't just the wrong you do: it's also refusing to do good with what he's given you. The servant hid his talent out of laziness and fear, and he accused his master of being unjust instead of taking action. A Christian life that settles for not doing wrong isn't enough for God, he expects fruit.

How do you start a spiritual investment plan today?

Follow the four steps in the message. (1) Take stock of your capital: the grace you've received, your abilities, your time, your possessions, your money. (2) Choose where to invest based on your priorities and the people God places on your heart. (3) Take action without waiting to feel "ready," the best time is now. (4) Be consistent, persevere, entrust your plans to God. And if you're not sure how, talk to your GDM leader or the elders of your church.