A holiday and guest preacher has kept me out of the pulpit for a couple of weeks. So the notes restart wirth some thoughts on The Parable of the Talents or the Three Servants or the Ruthless Master or a Story of Investment.

Matthew 24:14-30
How much risk do we like to take? It’s the question the Financial Advisor will ask and the answer will determine whether we invest in a savings account, a safe managed fund or a risk-taking fund.

At various time in our life we will wonder how much risk? Where has such a question taken you?

How do we wait? - passively or actively - is it a gender thing? - some will always find something to do as they wait others will stand at the bottom of the stairs saying “you look great - let’s go”

Continuation of the bridesmaid story - what is readiness? It is not a matter of passively waiting, but of responsible activity, producing results which the coming master can see and approve - a period of opportunity.

Jesus belittled the prudent man and praised the extortionist as the image that revealed the Kingdom. Jesus uses dramatic irony to commend the sort of passionate risk-taking and commitment that he expects of the disciples during the time of waiting. This is not a time for prudent burying. The kingdom is not for a small, select group like the Essenes, who waited in the desert, withdrawing from society and keeping themselves “pure” and untainted. The gospel is supposed to be salt and light and yeast. The followers of Jesus are not to be withdrawn from society and the world, but to “get out there” and do the job of sowing the seed – or investing the money – so that it will yield huge increases. (Borrowed from http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/A/33-a/A-33-a.html and http://disclosingnewworlds.blogspirit.com/archive/2005/11/07/pentecost-26.html

Matthew 25 continues - feed the hungry - God offers salvation - restoration - life - through faith - but our faith will be revealed through the way that we use it - through our active waiting - through our active concern for justice.

Jesus invites us to risky living - in fellowship with God, within the body of the the people of God -