Did you know that God is a businessman?

Did you know that God is a businessman investing his resources to make a profit? He is what we today would call a ‘venture capitalist.’

In this morning’s Gospel, in the parable of the talents, Jesus explains how life is like a rich man going on a long journey who called together his servants. He gave them each a sum of money with instructions to trade with it until he returned. After the passing of years, he did indeed return to settle accounts with his employees. Some were rewarded. Others were punished.

So how is this edifying? Well, first, we must understand that all things are owned by God.

A lawyer in Louisiana was once asked to do a title search for a piece of land being acquired by Fort Polk, a U.S. Army post. He ran the search back to 1803 and sent the title in. The post commander was not satisfied and asked the lawyer to run the title search back still further. In complying, the attorney wrote, “Said parcel of land was purchased in 1803 by the Thomas Jefferson administration from France, the land commonly known as the Louisiana Purchase. The French acquired it by military victory from Spain; Spain acquired it from the Indians by conquest; and the Indians came to own it from God the Creator. I hope this complies with your request.”

All that I have came from God, it is God’s now, and it will return to God (Hebrews 1:1ff). This is true for my car. It goes for my clothing, my furniture, my bank account, even my very flesh and blood. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “For we brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out” (1 Timothy 6:7). You don’t see any boat hitches on hearses, do you?

The second point the parable teaches is that, since all ownership is God’s, faithful management is ours.

The parable says that the rich man divided his property among his servants. He commissioned them to work with the resources entrusted to them until he returned. This is what theologians call ‘stewardship.’ In the Greek it is the word ‘economia.’ The English word ‘economics’ comes from this. Stewardship means I am out of ownership and into management. It means that life is like a great ship loaded with a rich cargo to be delivered to people in many places. Christ is the owner, but I am the captain.

In Romans 1, the Apostle Paul is clear about his charge from God. He uses three “I am” statements. “I am under obligation.” “I am eager to preach.” “I am not ashamed” (Romans 1:14-16). It’s as if God had given Paul a great wealth that he was in turn to pass along to others.

The New York Times once ran an article about a college graduate who moved to the big city bent on making his fortune in banking. He was driving a very nice car, a graduation gift from his older brother.

One day, as he was getting into his car, a poor inner city child of twelve stood admiring the car. “My brother gave it to me,” the young banker explained.

The kid said, “I wish….” And immediately the banker thought he was going to say, “I wish I had a car like that!” But the boy said, “I wish I could be a brother like that!”

“Do you want a ride?” the banker asked.

“Wow! Sure I do,” the lad said and got in. Soon the boy asked if he could stop in front of an old building while he ran upstairs. Thinking the kid was going to fetch a friend to gawk at his car, he was amazed when the boy came down carrying his severely handicapped brother. “Just look at this car! Isn’t it fine? Some day I’m going to buy you a car like this!”

Now that’s biblical stewardship! Not how much of my money am I going to give to God, but how much of God’s money do I keep for myself? Not me, mine, I-focused, but God-and-others-focused. Yes, the compassionate use of wealth. When we get to heaven, Jesus won’t ask your net worth; he’ll ask your net giving, about your generosity in helping others.

God, you see, has richly invested in you! Time, talent, money – it’s all his! But to you he has entrusted a sum. And now he has strategically placed your life where you can express his love by your kindness in Christ-centered ministry.

So, if all ownership is God’s and faithful management is ours, then one final truth yet remains in the parable. And that is: accountability is coming.

The text tells us the businessman returned and called in each of his employees to see what they had done with his venture capital, and the reward for work well done was more work. But the punishment for lack of vision, laziness, and selfishness was that even what they had was taken away.

In every team game (except baseball, of course) there is a buzzer, a whistle, a horn that sounds signaling the end. Then the winners and losers are announced. So will come a day in each of our lives. A trumpet will sound from on high. We will cease all commerce. We shall stand before the Lord, and we will give an account of our stewardship.

The Gospel says some of us are given five talents, some two talents, some one talent. We’re not all equally endowed. But a person shows who he is by what he does with what he has.

In the parable, the five-talent man told the businessman, “Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.” He was commended. The same with the two-talent employee. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!”

Ah, but one employee took his stewardship to the master and sourly complained, “I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.” Translation: “I resent your lordship over me. I’m into possession, not management. I’ll work to put money into my pocket, but I won’t do it to put it into your pocket!” In short, he rejected his boss. He rejected the entire concept of stewardship. Jesus called him “wicked,” “slothful,” and “cast him into outer darkness.”

Ownership belongs to God. Faithful use of resources for ministry belongs to us. And judgment day is coming.

By some reckoning, Jesus told around 48 parables. Five deal with God’s character. Eight deal with history. Four encourage us to “watch” faithfully for Christ’s coming. Three bid us pray and not lose heart. Eight deal with obedience. And nine deal with stewardship. Nine.

Why did Jesus talk so much about possessions, about management of material blessings? I think he did so because he knew money was his chief rival for the soul of man. After all, what was it that caused the rich young ruler to walk away from Christ? Money. What was it the prodigal son wanted from his father, and getting it, ran away to live the fool? Money. What was it Judas received for betraying Christ? Money.

No, there must be no divorce between business and God, between faith in Jesus and how we manage money, between the Lord’s Day and the work week. Remember: Ownership is God’s. Faithful management is ours. And the time of judgment is coming.