STOCK MARKET 1: PARABLE OF THE TALENTS
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Investment
a) Should Christians invest in the Stock Market? Is there a conflict of interest if they do? What does the Bible say about investing?
1. Investmenta) Should Christians invest in the Stock Market? Is there a conflict of interest if they do? What does the Bible say about investing?
2. Parable of the Talents
a) We realize that the Parable of the Talents is not about money necessarily but more about what a Christian should do with the gifts that they have received from the Holy Spirit. However are there principles that we can draw from this.
b) First, Jesus Christ appears to be this man who went on a journey (Matthew 25:14) and that He gives each and every one talents that they are to use. One servant received 5 talents and doubles his return while the one with 2 talents doubled his return but the one who was given only one talent buried it. That is, he did not use what he was given.
c) Jesus says of this one who didn’t use the talent but buried it “He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For 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” (Matthew 25:14-29).
b) Jesus has grim news for the one who didn’t invest or use his one talent but buried it saying, “cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30). This place of outer darkness is believed to be hell and the person who received a talent may not have been saved. It could have been that the man who buried his talent was ashamed of his gift and burying it would indicate that he denied Christ before others by not using his God-given talent.
d) Jesus said that “whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). Whether this parable was talking about money or our gifts from God, the result is the same. We are to invest or use what God has given us to His glory.
e) There are three books to check a person’s heart whether they are for God or not; the first book is the Bible, the second book is the hymnal and the third book is the checkbook. If a person doesn’t sow into the Kingdom of Heaven, which promises returns, then they are sowing for their own purposes and ultimately all of this will be burned up as wood, hay and stubble.
The End ...
a) We realize that the Parable of the Talents is not about money necessarily but more about what a Christian should do with the gifts that they have received from the Holy Spirit. However are there principles that we can draw from this.
b) First, Jesus Christ appears to be this man who went on a journey (Matthew 25:14) and that He gives each and every one talents that they are to use. One servant received 5 talents and doubles his return while the one with 2 talents doubled his return but the one who was given only one talent buried it. That is, he did not use what he was given.
c) Jesus says of this one who didn’t use the talent but buried it “He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For 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” (Matthew 25:14-29).
b) Jesus has grim news for the one who didn’t invest or use his one talent but buried it saying, “cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30). This place of outer darkness is believed to be hell and the person who received a talent may not have been saved. It could have been that the man who buried his talent was ashamed of his gift and burying it would indicate that he denied Christ before others by not using his God-given talent.
d) Jesus said that “whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). Whether this parable was talking about money or our gifts from God, the result is the same. We are to invest or use what God has given us to His glory.
e) There are three books to check a person’s heart whether they are for God or not; the first book is the Bible, the second book is the hymnal and the third book is the checkbook. If a person doesn’t sow into the Kingdom of Heaven, which promises returns, then they are sowing for their own purposes and ultimately all of this will be burned up as wood, hay and stubble.
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