2819 Church Podcast: ENTRY & END TIMES | Don’t Waste Your Talents

Speaker: Philip Anthony Mitchell
Scripture Focus: Matthew 25:14-30
Date: September 15, 2025

Overview

This episode centers on the parable of the talents from Matthew 25:14-30, as delivered by Philip Anthony Mitchell in the ongoing “Entry and End Times” series. The message challenges listeners to live with a sense of stewardship, purpose, and urgency, especially in light of Christ’s imminent return. Mitchell passionately urges every believer not to squander the gifts, resources, and opportunities God has entrusted to them.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Importance of Urgency and Mortality

• Salvation is urgent; tomorrow is not promised.
  • (00:00 – 02:34) Mitchell opens by addressing everyone physically present and the digital audience, emphasizing the unpredictability of life and the necessity of immediate repentance and faith in Christ.
    • Quote: “Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to repent. Today is the day to trust Christ with all of your heart.” (01:47, Mitchell)

Loving and Valuing Christ Above All

• Scripture and Christ’s words should be central to our lives.
  • (03:19 – 05:27) Mitchell discusses the tendency to idolize people or leaders rather than Christ, urging deep, personal engagement with the Bible.
    • Quote: “We value the words of people more than we value the words of the one who saved us.” (04:13, Mitchell)

Introduction to the Parable of the Talents

• Faithful stewardship is the heartbeat of Christian living.

  • (05:27 – 08:26) Mitchell sets up the context of Matthew 25:14-30, sharing from personal ministry experiences about wasted potential and the tragedy of unfulfilled callings.

• Real-life illustration:

  • (08:26 – 11:40) He tells a moving story about taking teens to a graveyard, emphasizing that the richest places on earth are graves filled with unrealized dreams and spiritual potential.
    • Quote: “I see unfulfilled potential. I see ministries that were never started... That is the wealthiest place on earth.” (09:10, Mitchell)

Signs of the End Times and Urgency of Stewardship

• (11:40 – 15:45) Mitchell describes teaching his own children how the current world events (rise of digital currency, global alliances, growing monotheistic religions) reflect biblical prophecy. He warns against spiritual complacency and insists on the importance of living on mission, not just consuming sermons.
  • Quote: “While you just want a sermon, don’t want to live on mission... God called you to be on mission.” (15:10, Mitchell)

The Parable of the Talents: Exposition

• God entrusts resources according to ability.

  • (15:48 – 24:28) The “man” in the parable represents Christ, and the servants are us. No one is the owner—everyone is a steward. Talents are resources, opportunities, assignments, and relationships.

• Breaking down the allocation:

  • (24:28 – 27:17) God gives talents “according to ability,” so we should not envy others’ assignments or feel inferior. Faithfulness, not comparison, is what matters.
    • Quote: “The Lord is not asking you for more than what you can give. He just wants you to be faithful on what you want.” (26:48, Mitchell)

• Multiplication and growth as expected fruit.

  • (27:37 – 30:23) The faithful servants multiply what they have; spiritual maturity should produce visible change—better character, relationships, obedience.

The Tragedy of the Unfruitful Servant

• Activity ≠ Fruitfulness.

  • (30:32 – 33:01) The servant who buries his talent is busy, but not productive for God’s kingdom.
    • Quote: “The brother is busy, but he’s not fruitful... We are busy bodies, but we’re not fruitful bodies.” (31:24–31:38, Mitchell)

• Call to self-examination:

  • (33:18 – 34:10) Are your activities aligned with what God has tasked you to do?

Accountability at Christ’s Return

• Everyone must give an account for their stewardship.

  • (34:10 – 36:17) Christ’s commendation—“Well done, good and faithful servant”—is not a given for all believers, but for those who were faithful stewards.
    • Quote: “Well done, my good and faithful servant is not an empty platitude... it was attached to good stewardship.” (38:50, Mitchell)

• Little on earth, much in eternity.

  • (39:16 – 40:54) Even the largest earthly achievements are “little” to God; faithfulness here leads to greater responsibility in eternity.

Excuses, Fear, and Unfaithfulness

• Common excuses: Accusing God, paralyzed by fear.

  • (41:44 – 44:20) The unfaithful servant’s excuses include bad theology (“I knew you were a hard man”) and fear. Mitchell pleads: Don’t wait to feel ready—obey afraid.
    • Quote: “You need to just obey and do it afraid.” (43:05, Mitchell)

• God expects a return on His investment.

  • (44:20 – 46:41) God wants you to multiply, not just return what He gave you. Passivity, excuses, and hiding gifts are tragic failures.

God Transfers Assignments

• Unfaithful servants lose what they had—even their assignment.
  • (48:03 – 49:08) Sometimes God gives someone else the assignment you squandered.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Stewardship and Comparison:

  • “Why condemn somebody if that’s the limit of what God gave them?... Be faithful on your level.” (27:06, Mitchell)

• On Money as a Revealer of the Heart:

  • “Money is amoral… but when it lands in the hands of a human being, it takes on a personality.” (21:53, Mitchell)

• On Busyness and Calling:

  • “You can be busy and not fruitful... Lay down that shovel that you’re always busy doing everything other than the Father’s business.” (32:41–33:41, Mitchell)

• On Living on Mission:

  • “I want you to be men and women that live with a sense of purpose, live with a sense of assignment, live with a sense of mission.” (36:03, Mitchell)

• On Dying Empty:

  • “I want everybody, under the sound of my voice, you die empty. You arrive in glory, not carrying anything that God intended for you to pour out in this life.” (50:22, Mitchell)

• On Personal Application and Repentance:

  • “We go to our houses tonight… we say, ‘Lord, I repent. I’m sorry for every place I’ve been a mismanager of your resources.’” (50:02, Mitchell)

Personal, Vulnerable Moments

• Sharing about wanting to be a better husband and father, cutting sermon prep short to spend time with his children. (52:19 – 53:49)
• Admitting struggles and praying for improved stewardship. (52:33 – 54:03)

Actionable Application

Mitchell’s heartfelt plea:

• Lay down the “shovel” of busy but unfruitful activity.
• Embrace your level of gifting and be faithful with what you have—don’t be paralyzed by fear or jealousy.
• Repent for areas of poor stewardship and commit to dying empty, having poured out all God deposited in you.
• Evaluate your time, resources, relationships, and assignments—are you managing them for God’s glory?

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 – 02:34: The urgency of salvation and mortality.
• 04:13: Loving Christ above all else.
• 09:10: The graveyard as the wealthiest place (unfulfilled potential).
• 15:10: Signs of the times and the need to live on mission.
• 21:53: The amoral nature of money and stewardship.
• 26:48: Stop comparing—faithfulness matters most.
• 31:24 – 31:38: Busyness vs. fruitfulness.
• 34:10 – 36:17: Christ’s commendation to faithful stewards.
• 38:50: “Well done” is for stewards, not just any believer.
• 43:05: “Do it afraid”—don’t let fear paralyze obedience.
• 50:22: Mitchell’s closing plea—for all to “die empty.”

Tone & Style

Mitchell is passionate, direct, and emotionally invested. He combines stern warnings with deep pastoral care, using personal anecdotes, relatable language, and scriptural exposition. The call to action is direct and deeply rooted in the text.

Final Takeaway

Be a good steward. Die empty. Don’t let the talents, gifts, and callings God entrusted you with die unused. The Master is coming—will you give Him a worthy return on His investment in you?