Small Group Discussion Guide
Sermon Series: Parables
Sermon Title: The Talents
Break the Ice:
- If someone left you ten million dollars and you could only do one thing with it, what would you do?
Transition:
- Say: In this weeks parable, we looked at the parable of the talents. Not to be confused with our English use of the word, a talent was simply about 20 years worth of an annual salary. It was a large sum of money to be entrusted!
Bring the Word:
- Read Matthew 25:14-30
- Why do you think the master entrusted different amounts to different servants? (“Each according to his ability.”)
- How well did the master know the servants? (Evidently, pretty well!)
- What two words did the master use to describe the first two servants, and what do they mean? (Good and Faithful)
- What two words did the master use to describe the third servant, and what do they mean? (Evil and Lazy)
- Stephen asked several times, “How well are you managing your life?” How would you answer this question?
- Say: You can’t manage what you don’t inventory. In other words, the first step to managing something well is understanding what you have been given.
- What are some things God has entrusted to you? (Lead people to think of many things of which God has entrusted to them: family, job, spiritual gifting, time, money, talents, friendships, car, home, area of expertise, etc.)
Bring it Home:
- Read Luke 12:48
- What is to be required and/or expected of those who have been entrusted with so much? What do you think that means?
- Read 1 Thessalonians 2:4
- If we have been entrusted with the gospel message, what should we do with it?
- Why is it good to remember that one day we will give an account for what we have been entrusted with?
- How can we battle the temptation to regard our stuff as mine?
- What are some good metrics to evaluate if you’re stewarding well or not?