November 15, 2020
Them That’s Got Shall Get
Judges 4:1-7
Matthew 25:14-30
So Billie Holliday wrote and sang:
“Them’s that got shall get,
Them’s that not shall lose”
So the Bible Says.
I have heard that line or variations of it over the years and it seems to indicate that those who have much will just keep getting more and those that have little will get less. Now, just what folks are talking about gaining and losing is not clear to me. Was Billie Holliday talking about money or time or love. Are people who quote this line talking about money, possessions or love?
I don’t know.
But let’s read Matthew 25:29
For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but for those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
What IS Matthew talking about? Money, time, possessions, intelligence, or faith?
Faith. Faith is the key here. For those who have faith…it will increase…they will have an abundance. For those who have little or none…they will still have nothing.
Are you following me? Now let me give you another key word which you will have to put with the first key word. The first key word is “Faith.” The second key word is “Risk.’
I’ll tell you a story.
A number of years ago I was visiting a minister friend in a church in Wisconsin. It was a fine church, it was a fine church building. (Now, let me stop…do I have to tell you the difference between a church and a church building?)
So, I am visiting with my friend. He shows me the sanctuary and we are admiring the big round window behind the pulpit. Up until recently there was no window. It was just a big, dark, high wall behind the pulpit. Someone got the great idea to knock a hole in the back wall and install this glorious window, which looked out onto the trees and the heavens. It was controversial. It would ruin the sanctuary. It would cause disruption and dissention within the congregation. Women and children would run screaming into the streets. But others said it would open up the place. It would provide light and lift the eyes of the congregation.
It would change things!
What to do? A committee was formed. The committee recommended the remodeling. The church council and the congregation voted to install the window.
But it was a risk. A risk can increase things. A risk can decrease things. This risk would alter the light and the wall and the sanctuary. This risk would alter the way people sat and gazed and worshipped. This was not a risk which few would see or which would affect few. This was a risk that would affect all. This risk would increase or decrease
Them that’s got shall get
Them that’s not shall lose.
So the Bible says.
So Billie Holliday says.
For to all those who have, more will be given,
but for those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
Writes the Gospel of Matthew.
And so we turn to the essence of the Parable of the Talents.
In short. The property owner gives 5 talents to one worker. He gives 2 talents to another worker. He gives 1 talent to another worker. He leaves and in the meantime those three workers go about managing those 5, 2 or 1 talents.
The master returns. He calls his workers to account for their actions. The one managing 5 now has 10. The one managing 2, now has 4. The worker managing one talent has…one talent.
So there. This is a classic case of the Bible telling us to invest our money and get more. Wrong. This is a parable. It is not talking about money. It is talking about that key word of faith. Indeed, it is talking about a form of risking. It is talking about risking faith. It is not talking about risking our money. I will leave that to another person in another line of work to talk about money. Matthew and Bob Tussing are talking about risking faith. Those are THE two key words for this morning.
There can be no religion. No faith, without adventure, without risk. This parable tells us that God gives us differing gifts.
If I were good at setting broken bones, I suppose that is where I would be but I am not and here I am in the pulpit and in hospital rooms visiting the sick.
This parable tells us that the reward for work well done is more work. Did you notice that for the two servants who increased their talents, they were given even more to be in charge of? Those who take their faith, their religion and risk it for the increase of more faith and more life within their religion, they will be given even more to work with.
And we see that the one who is punished. And in this case the man is punished by being tossed into the outer darkness…now remember, this is a parable. Punishment is given to the man, but in reality, not utilizing our own faith is the punishment that we inflict upon ourselves. This is a parable, folks.
Writes William Barclay..
It is a lesson of life that the only way to keep a gift is to use it in the service of God and in the service of our brothers and sisters.
What about the risk of the window in the Wisconsin church?
As for that window in the Wisconsin Church…it got installed and everyone, absolutely everyone was delighted. It gave light and raised the eyesight of all and lifted the thoughts and prayers of the entire congregation. It was a risk and that risk paid off. Amen