MATTHEW 25:14-30 | BLACK FRIDAY, SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, CYBER MONDAY, GIVING TUESDAY

BLACK FRIDAY, SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY,

CYBER MONDAY, GIVING TUESDAY

MATTHEW 25:14-30

NOVEMBER 19, 2017

WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY IN THE RUN UP TO THE THANKSGIVING/CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SEASON, AND IT’LL BE IN FULL EFFECT BY WEEK’S END, WHEN WE HEAD IN TO ALL THOSE “SPECIAL DAYS”.

YOU KNOW THE ONES I’M TALKING ABOUT: BLACK FRIDAY – WHICH NOW, AT SOME RETAILERS AND ONLINE SITES, BEGINS ON THURSDAY NIGHT.

THERE’S SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY – MEANT TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD A BIT BY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE NOT TO FORGET THE “LITTLE GUYS” IN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY.

CYBER MONDAY – IS WHERE ONLINE RETAILERS AND THE BEHEMOTHS LIKE AMAZON, WALMART, AND EBAY DROP PRICES TO RIDICULOUS LEVELS TO TRY TO CORNER THE MARKET ON CHRISTMAS.

PERHAPS LOST IN THE MIX, BUT EVERY BIT AS IMPORTANT IS GIVING TUESDAY – WHEN NON-PROFITS, CHARITIES, AND ALTRUISTIC ORGANIZATIONS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MAKE DONATIONS IN PEOPLE’S NAMES, RATHER THAN BUYING THEM YET ANOTHER GIFT.

I READ SOMEWHERE THAT 79% OF AMERICANS WOULD RATHER PEOPLE DONATE IN THEIR NAME THAN GIVE THEM ANOTHER GIFT THEY DO NOT NEED, BUT, IT WAS A MAJOR CHARITY THAT WAS MAKING THAT CLAIM.

IF YOU ARE A BIT OVER-IT-ALL WHEN IT COMES TO ALL THE CONSUMERISM OF THE WEEK, OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS HAVE ENCOURAGED ALL OF US, TO SPEND A DAY OUTSIDE, RATHER THAN IN THE MALL, OR AT HOME BEHIND OUR COMPUTER SCREENS ORDERING THINGS ONLINE.

I DON’T KNOW IF THERE’S ANY REAL CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR PARABLE FROM JESUS THIS MORNING, AND THE ALL OUT CONSUMERISM OF CHRISTMAS, BUT SINCE BOTH ARE ABOUT HAVING, AND GIVING, AND RECEIVING, I SUSPECT THAT THERE’S A CONNECTION IN THERE SOMEWHERE.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PARABLES, ON THE FACE OF IT, THAT WE DON’T MUCH LIKE, I THINK, AND MOSTLY BECAUSE WE FEEL SORRY FOR THE GUY WITH THE ONE TALENT, WHO EVEN LOSES THAT IN THE END.

BUT AS WE DID LAST SUNDAY, WITH THE PARABLE OF THE WISE AND FOOLISH BRIDESMAIDS, I’D LIKE TO RE-IMAGINE THIS PARABLE A LITTLE BIT THIS MORNING, AND TAKE IT IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION; ONE, I BELIEVE, THAT IS STILL IN KEEPING WITH JESUS’ INTENT, JUST DIFFERENT THAN HOW WE USUALLY THINK OF IT.

SO, WE’RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT TALENTS IN TERMS OF MONEY, WHICH IS WHAT A TALENT OF SILVER WAS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT; A TALENT BEING WORTH 6000 DRACHMAS; AND A DRACHMA BEING WORTH, I HAVE NO IDEA…

AND WE ARE NOT EVEN GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE TALENTS IN TERMS OF HOW WE WOULD USE THE WORD TODAY – IN TERMS OF OUR TALENTS, GIFTS, ABILITIES, SKILLS, ETC.

INSTEAD, I WANT US TO THINK OF THE TALENTS MORE BROADLY, MORE GENERALLY, AS THE LIFE WE’VE BEEN GIVEN; OR MADE FOR OURSELVES;

OR THAT IS THE RESULT OF OUR DNA; OR OUR EDUCATION; OR WHERE WE WERE BORN; OR OUR UPBRINGING;

OR THE HAND WE’VE BEEN DEALT; OR ACCORDING TO THE STARS; OR BY GOD’S FAVOR; OR BY FATE…

TRUTH IS, WE DESCRIBE OUR LIVES IN ALL THESE WAYS, AND MOSTLY, IN SOME COMBINATION OF SOME OR ALL OF THE ABOVE.

EACH OF US HAVE A LIFE OF OUR OWN MAKING, AND OF THE MAKING OF OTHERS, AND OF THE MAKING OF SOME OR ALL OF THE REST OF THE ABOVE.

AND WHAT WE KNOW, IS THAT LIFE IS NOT EQUAL; NOT ALWAYS FAIR; THAT THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE THOSE WITH MORE OF LIFE, AND THOSE WITH LESS OF LIFE; WITH US, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIX OF THINGS.

THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE THOSE WITH FIVE, AND THOSE WITH TWO, AND THOSE WITH ONE.

AND EVEN FOR THE ONE, THE TWO, AND THE FIVE, THERE ARE GOING TO BE GOOD TIMES AND BAD; HAPPY TIMES AND SAD; JOYS AND SORROWS; GAINS AND PAINS;

BUT WHAT JESUS’ PARABLE IS ABOUT IS WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

SOME OF US HAVE FIVE, SOME OF US TWO, SOME, JUST ONE: WHAT DO WE DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE?  LET’S LOOK FOR A MOMENT AT THE CHARACTERS IN OUR PARABLE.

LIKE THEM WE CAN BASICALLY DO ONE OF TWO THINGS, MAYBE THREE: WE CAN EITHER TRADE WITH OUR LIFE; OR WE CAN BURY IT; OR AS THE MASTER SUGGESTS AT THE END, WE CAN, AT LEAST, INVEST OUR LIVES.

TRADING AND INVESTING ARE HOW WE MAKE MORE OF OUR LIVES;

BURYING OUR LIVES IS HOW WE END UP WITH LESS, AND POSSIBLY, WITH NOTHING.

WHEN WE TRADE, WHEN WE INVEST, WE GAIN; WHEN WE BURY, WE LOSE.

FOR A MOMENT, LET’S TAKE AWAY SOME OUTSIDE FORCE – THE HARSH TASKMASTER; OR GOD; OR OUR PARENTS; OR BUSINESS OWNERS; OR AUTHORITY FIGURES;

AND LET’S ALSO TAKE AWAY THE IDEA OF REWARD FOR GOOD AND FAITHFUL BEHAVIOR, AND PUNISHMENT FOR FAITHLESS BEHAVIOR.

LET’S JUST LOOK AT THE ECONOMICS OF LIFE; THE BASIC ECONOMY OF LIVING.

SO, THE GUY WITH THE ONE – TAKES HIS ONE – AND BURIES IT.  HE’S AFRAID.

HE’S AFRAID OF THE HARSH TASKMASTER; HE’S AFRAID OF LOSING WHAT HE HAS; FOR ALL WE KNOW, HE’S AFRAID OF HIS OWN SHADOW.

SO, HE DOES THE SUPPOSEDLY PRACTICAL, SENSIBLE THING, AND BURIES HIS LIFE IN THE GROUND; THINKING THAT HE CAN SOMEHOW PROTECT IT, PROTECT HIMSELF, FROM COME WHAT MAY.

ONLY, IN THE PROCESS, HE BURIES HIMSELF.  HE DIGS A BIG HOLE, AND JUMPS RIGHT IN IT!  THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE BURY OUR LIFE, OUR GIFTS, OUR TALENTS;

WHEN WE BURY OUR JOYS, AND EVEN OUR PAIN.

WHEN WE BURY OURSELVES, OUR LIVES, ALL WE CAN EVER KNOW IS DARKNESS, THE ABYSS, THE PLACE OF WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.

WHEN WE BURY, WE CUT OURSELVES OFF FROM ANY AND EVERY THING LIFE IS ABOUT.

WHEN WE BURY LIFE, WE GIVE UP WHATEVER GAIN WE MIGHT HAVE REALIZED; AND ANY WAY OF MAKING MORE OF LIFE THAN WE MIGHT HAVE KNOWN OTHERWISE.

IT’S NOT A PUNISHMENT, IT’S NOT A JUDGEMENT, IT’S JUST BASIC ECONOMICS;

WHEN WE BURY OUR LIVES, WE LOSE THEM; AND WHATEVER JOYS, SORROWS, GAINS, OR PAINS WE MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED, ARE ALL LOST TO US AS WELL.

WE’LL SAY MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT.

NOW, CONTRAST THAT WITH WHAT THE FIVE AND THE TWO CHARACTERS DO – THEY TAKE LIFE AND TRADE WITH IT; THEY INVEST IT; AND IN SO DOING, YES, THEY RISK EVERYTHING, IN HOPES OF GAINING MORE.

TO TRADE IS TO GIVE WHAT WE HAVE IN RETURN FOR WHAT WE NEED.

SO, BY TRADING WITH THEIR LIVES, BY INVESTING THEM, THE FIVE GUY AND THE TWO GUY (OR GALS), USE THEIR LIVES TO GET MORE; TO GAIN MORE.

WHEN WE LIVE OUR LIVES, WHEN WE PUT OURSELVES OUT THERE, WHEN WE GO ALL IN, WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO GAIN MORE OF LIFE.

COULD WE LOSE IT ALL?  LOSE EVERYTHING?  YES, BUT THE RISK SEEMS WORTH THE REWARD.

AND THE TWO CHARACTERS WHO DO THIS IN OUR PARABLE FOR THIS MORNING SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THIS; IT’S WHY THEY ARE CALLED “GOOD AND FAITHFUL”; BECAUSE, WELL, THEY’VE ACTED GOOD AND FAITHFULLY;

AND WHATEVER REWARDS THERE ARE, WHATEVER GAINS ARE TO BE MADE, ARE IN THE FORM OF LIFE ITSELF, OF LIVING.

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR US.  BY TRADING WITH OUR LIVES, BY INVESTING THEM, WE GET MORE LIFE: IN THE EXPERIENCES WE HAVE; IN THE PEOPLE WE MEET; IN THE THINGS WE DO; THE WAYS WE GIVE OF OURSELVES; IN THE PLACES WE GO.

IT IS A LIFE LIVED, NOT BURIED.

SO, WHY AM I SAYING ALL OF THIS TO US IN THE RUN UP TO THE THANKSGIVING/CHRISTMAS SEASON?  IN THE WEEKS BEFORE WE GO FULL TILT INTO THE HOLIDAYS?

BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TIME OF THE YEAR; AN IMPORTANT TIME IN OUR LIVES; TO DECIDE IF WE WILL TRADE WITH OUR LIVES, OR BURY THEM.

INVEST IN OURSELVES, OR DIVEST OF OURSELVES.

GIVE INTO OUR FEARS, OR RISK PUTTING OURSELVES OUT THERE.

ACCEPT OUR LIVES – THE GOOD AND THE BAD, THE HAPPY AND THE SAD, THE JOYS AND SORROWS, THE GAINS AND PAINS; OR DIG A BIG HOLE, AND JUMP IN.

THIS PARABLE IS ABOUT THE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR LIVES, AND I DON’T JUST MEAN THE CRASS WAY WE MINISTERS HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO USING IT TO GET YOU TO GIVE YOUR TALENTS OF SILVER; AND YOUR TALENT TALENTS;

BUT IN THE SENSE OF WHETHER WE ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR OWN LIVES; OF ALL OF WE HAVE, AND OF WHO WE ARE.

SOMEWHERE IN THE MINDS OF THE TWO IN OUR PARABLE, THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT TO TRADE WITH ONE’S LIFE, TO INVEST IN IT, EVEN TO RISK IT ALL, MEANS TO BELIEVE THAT YOU’LL BE OKAY, COME WHAT MAY.

TRADING IS RISKY; INVESTING IS RISKY; AND LIFE CARRIES WITH IT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PAIN AND SORROW; BUT THEY’LL RISK IT!  WILL WE?

BURYING OURSELVES, OUR LIVES, OUR LOVE, OUR TALENTS, IT ISN’T RISKY AT ALL; THE ENDGAME IS ALREADY CERTAIN; IT’S DEATH!  IT’S THE END OF LIVING!  IT’S LOSING OUR LIFE FOR NO GOOD REASON AT ALL.

IT’S DIGGING OUR OWN GRAVE, AND JUMPING INTO IT PREMATURELY.

AND WE DO IT OUT OF FEAR, OUT OF SELF-PROTECTION, OUT OF SELF-PITY, AS AN ESCAPE.

THE “PUNISHMENT,” THE CONSEQUENCES, THE OUTCOME IS BUILT RIGHT IN; THE RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT, OR LACK THEREOF, IS CERTAIN:

THE GUY WITH THE ONE BURIES IT KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT HE WILL END UP WITH: THE ONE HE STARTED WITH, AND THAT’S IT!

ONLY, HE DOESN’T REALIZE WHAT IT’S GOING TO COST HIM – EVERYTHING ELSE!

HE GETS ONLY WHAT HE ALREADY HAS, AND THAT’S IT; AND IN THE END, EVEN THAT, HE’S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE WITH HIM.

THE TWO AND THE FIVE GUYS (GALS) HAD NO SUCH CERTAINTY.  BY GOING ALL IN – THEY COULD END UP WITH MUCH MORE, OR NOTHING AT ALL;

BUT THEY BELIEVED THE RISK WAS WORTH IT; THAT LIFE, IS WORTH IT!

THE PROMISE OF MORE OUTWEIGHS THE FEAR OF NOTHING; AND IT IS THE CHANCE THEY TOOK.

AND MAYBE THEY FIGURED BY RISKING IT ALL – EVEN IF THEY FAILED – AT LEAST THEY’D GO DOWN SWINGING.

OR, PERHAPS, THAT THE MASTER WOULD SHOW THEM SOME MERCY;

OR THAT THEIR FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR CHURCH OR WHOMEVER WOULD RALLY AROUND THEM;

PERHAPS, THEY WERE FIGURING, MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, THE RISK WAS WORTH IT, AND THEY COULD DEPEND UPON GOD OR OTHERS, TO CATCH THEM IF THEY FELL.

THE TRUTH IS, WHEN WE RISK OUR LIVES, WE ARE ACTING FAITHFULLY, WE ARE DOING GOOD, BY BELIEVING THAT WE WILL GAIN LIFE BY TRADING WITH IT;

BUT ALSO, BY BELIEVING THAT EVEN IF WE WERE TO SOMEHOW LOSE IT ALL, GOD WILL BE THERE FOR US; AND, WE’LL BE THERE FOR EACH OTHER.

BLACK FRIDAY IS NAMED THAT, SUPPOSEDLY, BECAUSE IT IS BY ALL THE SALES ON THAT DAY, THIS WEEKEND, THAT RETAILERS FINALLY GET THEIR BOOKS IN THE BLACK FOR THE YEAR.

THE REST OF THE YEAR THEY RUN A DEFICIT, AND THE HOPE IS THAT THE HOLIDAY SALES WILL PUSH THEM OVER THE EDGE INTO PROFITABILITY.

I SUPPOSE THE SAME IS SUPPOSED TO BE TRUE FOR SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, CYBER MONDAY, AND EVEN GIVING TUESDAY.

BUT THIS IS NO WAY TO LIVE OUR LIVES!

OUR REWARDS, THE BALANCING OF THE BOOKS OF OUR LIVES, COMES IN TRADING WITH OUR LIVES; BY INVESTING OUR LIVES, EVERY DAY, ALL THE TIME, IN EVERY WAY.

“WELL-DONE-GOOD-AND-FAITHFUL-SERVANT” LIVING IS TO LIVE FAITHFULLY; ALL IN; RISKING EVERYTHING; GAINING; EVEN GAINING IN OUR LOSING – LEARNING FROM OUR MISTAKES; AND TRUSTING GOD, AND EACH OTHER, COME WHAT MAY.

BY BURYING OUR LIVES, THE OUTCOME IS CERTAIN; BY LIVING THEM, LIFE IN ANYTHING BUT CERTAIN; BUT THAT’S WHAT LIVING IS.

IT’S ALSO WHAT I THINK JESUS MEANS, IN THIS PARABLE, WHEN HE TELLS US TO: “ENTER INTO THE JOY OF OUR MASTER.”  TO TRUST GOD; TO DEPEND ON GOD; TO RELY ON GOD.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING, AND ARE NOW UPON US;

FOR YOU AND YOURS I WISH LIFE; LIVING; ABUNDANT LIFE; ETERNAL LIFE.

TRADE WITH YOUR LIFE; INVEST YOUR LIFE IN YOURSELF AND OTHERS;

FIND OUT WHAT “WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT” MEANS;

AND LET US ENTER THE JOY OF OUR MASTER.