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8/25/02
FAITH BIBLE CHURCH - www.faithbiblechurch.net RAY RUSS - PASTOR-TEACHER MATTHEW: THE KING HAS COME, WEEK 169 TITLE: THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS, PART I TEXT: MATTHEW 25:14-23 INTRODUCTION: (1) THE TRAGEDY OF WASTED OPPORTUNITY BEFORE CHRIST RETURNS IS THE THEME OF JESUS’ PARABLE OF THE TALENTS. * IN FACT, THIS PARABLE AND THE TWO THAT COME BEFORE IT AT THE END OF MATTHEW 24 AND THE BEGINNING OF MATTHEW 25, ROUND OUT THE FULL PICTURE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE READY FOR CHRIST’S RETURN. ** LET ME EXPLAIN. THE PARABLE OR ILLUSTRATION OF THE TWO SERVANTS TEACHES US TO SHOW OUR READINESS FOR CHRIST’S RETURN WITH AN ATTITUDE OF EXPECTANTLY WATCHING FOR HIM. *** THE PARABLE OF THE VIRGINS OR BRIDESMAIDS URGES US TO PROVE OUR READINESS FOR CHRIST BY PATIENTLY WAITING. **** AND THEN THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS, OUR STUDY TODAY, TEACHES US TO REMAIN READY FOR HIM BY DILIGENTLY WORKING. (2) SO WHAT SHOULD BELIEVERS BE DOING IN VIEW OF CHRIST’S RETURN? * WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING. ** THESE THREE PARABLES ENCOURAGE BELIEVERS TO LOVE HIS APPEARING, LOOK FOR HIS APPEARING AND LABOR FAITHFULLY UNTIL HE COMES. *** AND PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS ARE THEMES. **** AND SPECIFICALLY IN MATTHEW 25 THE PARABLE OF THE VIRGINS IN VV. 1-13 FOCUSES ON READINESS MANIFESTED IN WAITING. (3) WHEREAS THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS IN VV. 14-30 FOCUSES ON READINESS MANIFESTED IN WORKING. * AND TOGETHER THE TWO PARABLES DEPICT THE BALANCE OF BELIEVERS LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRIST’S COMING WITH ANTICIPATION WHILE LIVING IN PREPAREDNESS FOR HIS COMING THROUGH FAITHFUL SERVICE. ** AND FREQUENTLY ONE OR THE OTHER OF THOSE PRECEPTS EITHER IS LOST OR OVEREMPHASIZED. *** BELIEVERS ARE TO REJOICE CONTINUALLY IN THE PROSPECT OF THEIR LORD’S COMING AGAIN, BUT THEY ARE NOT TO SIT BACK IN IDLENESS AND DO NOTHING. **** SAVING FAITH IS SERVING FAITH. (4) ON THE OTHER HAND, BELIEVERS ARE NOT TO BECOME SO CAUGHT UP IN SERVING THE LORD THAT THEY FORGET TO CONTEMPLATE AND REJOICE IN HIS RETURN. * AND THAT IS WHY IN MATTHEW 25 IN THE BEGINNING TWO PARABLES, CHRIST TOOK SUCH CARE TO ILLUSTRATE EACH OF THE NECESSARY BALANCING PERSPECTIVES. ** AND BALANCE IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT KEY IN LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. *** FOR MANY CHRISTIANS GET SIDETRACKED ON THINGS AND BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN THEIR SERVICE OF CHRIST. **** IT TRULY IS A DANGER. IN FACT TRUTH OUT OF BALANCE CAN LEAD TO HERESY AND MANY FALSE DOCTRINES AND PRACTICES. (5) WHEREAS SOUND DOCTRINE SHOULD LEAD TO RIGHT BALANCED BELIEF AND PRACTICE, BELIEVING RIGHT AND LIVING RIGHT. * AND PROPER BALANCED THINKING ABOUT CHRIST’S RETURN SHOULD LEAD TO READINESS MANIFEST IN WAITING AND READINESS MANIFEST IN WORKING. ** AND WORKING AND OPPORTUNITY ARE THE KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING OUR PARABLE TODAY WHICH I’VE TITLED, “THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS, PART I.” *** AND IT IS PART I BECAUSE IT IS TOO LONG FOR ME TO COVER ON ONE SUNDAY, SO WE’LL LOOK AT VV. 14-23 TODAY AND LORD WILLING VV. 24-30 NEXT TIME. **** AND SPECIFICALLY TODAY WE’LL LOOK AT 3 THINGS AS WE STUDY VV. 14-23, NO. 1 THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SLAVES, VV. 14&15; NO. 2 THE RESPONSE OF THE SLAVES IN BEING ENTRUSTED WITH THE TALENTS, VV. 16-18; AND NO. 3 THE RECKONING OF THE TALENTS AND HOW THEY WERE USED IN VV. 19-23. (6) AND ONE QUICK REMINDER BEFORE WE GO TO V. 14, AND THAT IS, THOUGH THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS HAS RELEVANT TO EVERY GENERATION, THE LORD WAS STILL SPEAKING DIRECTLY ABOUT THE GENERATION THAT WILL BE LIVING JUST BEFORE HIS RETURN IN GLORY, MATTHEW 24:34. * AND THE EXACT TIME WILL NOT BE KNOWN IN ADVANCE, BUT IT’S IMMINENCE WILL BE MANIFESTED BY SPECTACULAR AND UNMISTAKABLE SIGNS IN MATTHEW 24:3-29. ** AND WITH THAT IN MIND, LOOK AT MATTHEW 25:14 WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE RESPONSIBILITY. I. THE RESPONSIBILITY, (READ V. 14) A. NOW IN V. 14, JESUS IS CONTINUING TO TEACH ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN OR THE KINGDOM OF GOD, THE SPHERE OF GOD’S DOMINION IN CHRIST. * AND AS HE DID IN MATTHEW 25:1, JESUS COMMUNICATES A PARABLE TO GIVE AN ILLUSTRATION OF A TRUTH ABOUT HIS RULE, THE WAY HE DOES THINGS, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PREPAREDNESS FOR HIS 2’D COMING MANIFESTED BY WORKING. ** AND WE SEE THIS BY THE WORD IT IN THE NAS, AND THE NIV AND THE PHRASE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IN THE KJV AND THE NKJV. *** FOR NOTICE THAT THE WORD IT IN THE NAS AND KINGDOM OF HEAVEN APPEARS IN ITALICS. **** AND WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING IN ITALICS IN TRANSLATIONS, IT IS A REMINDER THAT THE TRANSLATORS HAVE ADDED A WORD OR A PHRASE FOR CLARIFICATION. 1. AND SPECIFICALLY HERE IN V. 1 TO MAKE THE CONNECTION CLEAR, MAKING IT OBVIOUS THAT JESUS IS CONTINUING TO TEACH ABOUT THE KINGDOM, WHICH HE STARTED IN V. 1 AND CONTINUED THROUGH V. 13 ABOUT THE PARABLE OF THE 10 VIRGINS, AND NOW IN VV. 14-30 IN THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS. * SO WE HAVE ANOTHER CLEAR PARABLE OF WHAT THE RULE OF GOD IS COMPARABLE TO IN REGARDS TO CHRIST’S 2’D COMING AND WORKING FOR HIM UNTIL HE COMES BACK. ** NOW THE IMAGERY IN THIS PARABLE IS CLEAR AS WE’LL SEE IT UNFOLD. *** THE MAN GOING ON THE JOURNEY REPRESENTS CHRIST. **** THE TIME HE IS AWAY ON HIS JOURNEY PICTURES THE TIME BETWEEN CHRIST’S ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN AND HIS BODILY RETURN TO EARTH. 2. THE SERVANTS OR SLAVES ARE PROFESSING BELIEVERS, TWO OF THEM BEING TRUE BELIEVERS, ONE A COUNTERFEIT BELIEVER, ONE WHO HAS PROFESSED FAITH BUT DOESN’T TRULY KNOW CHRIST SHOWN BY HIS ACTIONS OR FRUIT. * AND THEN THE TALENTS REPRESENT A WIDE RANGE OF SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITIES, PRIVILEGES AND RESOURCES, INCLUDING NATURAL ABILITIES, SPIRITUAL GIFTS, MATERIAL THINGS, MINISTRY RESPONSIBILITIES AND OTHER BLESSINGS GOD HAS GIVEN BELIEVERS AS STEWARDS. ** AND THE LORD WILL EVENTUALLY CALL US TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT STEWARDSHIP. *** AND WE WILL SEE ALL OF THIS UNFOLD AS WE STUDY THIS PARABLE. **** NOW AS WE GO BACK TO V. 14, THE PARABLE PICTURES A MAN (EVIDENTLY A WEALTHY MAN) WHO IS MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR A LONG JOURNEY. 3. AND HE CALLS 3 OF HIS SLAVES TOGETHER AND ENTRUSTS HIS POSSESSIONS TO THEM. * IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE 3 TRUSTED SLAVES WHO ARE GIVEN STEWARDSHIP OF SOME OF THIS MAN’S MATERIAL WEALTH. ** AND THEY ARE TO HANDLE HIS AFFAIRS, HIS WEALTH WHILE HE IS AWAY. AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT HE GIVES THEM IS IDENTIFIED IN V. 15. LOOK AT V. 15 PLEASE. B. READ V. 15. NOW HE GIVES THESE 3 TRUSTED SLAVES TALENTS. AND TALENTS IN THIS CONTEXT REFERRED TO MONEY, BUT THE WORD ITSELF SIMPLY REPRESENTED A MEASURE OF WEIGHT, NOT NATURAL ABILITIES THAT WE HAVE AS HUMAN BEINGS. * AND THERE WERE GOLD TALENTS, SILVER TALENTS AND TALENTS OF COPPER OR BRONZE. AND IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT KIND OF TALENTS WE HAVE HERE, SOME SUGGEST SILVER TALENTS WHICH WOULD HAVE THE 2’D MOST WORTH UNDER GOLD. ** BUT REGARDLESS OF EXACTLY HOW MUCH THEY WERE WORTH, MOST LIKELY A LOT, ONE SLAVE GETS 5 TALENTS; ONE GETS TWO AND THE THIRD SLAVE GETS ONE. *** AND WHAT DETERMINED THE AMOUNT THEY RECEIVED WAS THEIR ABILITY. **** AND THERE WOULD BE COMMON ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DIFFERING LEVELS OF RESPONSIBILITY BASED ON INDIVIDUAL ABILITY. 1. THE MASTER OBVIOUSLY KNEW HIS SLAVES INTIMATELY, AND HE CAREFULLY GAVE EACH MAN ONLY THE LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY HE KNEW HE COULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR. * AND AFTER THE MASTER GAVE OUT THESE TALENTS, HE WENT ON HIS JOURNEY, HE LEFT. ** NOW WHAT THE SLAVES DID WITH THE TALENTS THEY WERE GIVEN, THE STEWARDSHIP THEY WERE ENTRUSTED WITH IS GIVEN BEGINNING IN V. 16, WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE RESPONSE OF THE SLAVES. LOOK AT V. 16 PLEASE. II. THE RESPONSE, (READ V. 16) A. NOW THIS FIRST SLAVE WAS EAGER TO SERVE HIS MASTER, FOR HE WENT OUT IMMEDIATELY, “AT ONCE”, ACCORDING TO SOME MANUSCRIPTS AND INVESTED THE TALENTS AND DOUBLED HIS MASTER’S MONEY. * HE WAS FAITHFULLY WORKING FOR HIS MASTER WHILE HE WAS GONE, LONGING FOR HIS RETURN. ** IN FACT, IN THIS CONTEXT, THE WORD “TRADED” CARRIES THE BROAD CONNOTATION OF DOING BUSINESS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. *** THE SLAVE DID NOT SIMPLY MAKE ONE GOOD INVESTMENT AND THEN SIT BACK, BUT RATHER TRADED AND RETRADED AS LONG AS HIS MASTER WAS AWAY. **** HE MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL VENTURES, SOME OF THEM SIMULTANEOUSLY. 1. BUT THE POINT IS, NOT THE PARTICULAR TYPE OF WORK HE DID BUT IN THE FACT THAT HE USED TO FULL ADVANTAGE ALL THE RESOURCES HIS MASTER HAD GIVEN HIM. * HIS WORK FOR HIS MASTER GAINED 5 MORE TALENTS, DOUBLING THE AMOUNT WITH WHICH HE STARTED. ** AND THE SECOND SLAVE DOES THE SAME THING. LOOK AT V. 17 PLEASE. B. READ V. 17. NOW ALTHOUGH THE SECOND SLAVE WAS GIVEN LESS THAN HALF AS MUCH TO WORK WITH, HE PERFORMED JUST AS FAITHFULLY AND INDUSTRIOUSLY AS THE FIRST. * AND HE, LIKE HIS FELLOW SLAVE, DOUBLED HIS MASTER’S MONEY. ** AND BOTH MEN DEMONSTRATED SUPREME COMMITMENT TO THEIR MASTER BY MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT THEY HAD, BY MAXIMIZING THEIR OPPORTUNITIES. *** THESE WERE GOOD SERVANTS THAT SHOWED LOVE AND COMMITMENT TO THEIR MASTER. **** FOR YOU SEE THE NOBLEST MOTIVE IN THE HEART OF A FAITHFUL SERVANT WOULD BE TO ACCOMPLISH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR THE SAKE OF HIS MASTER DURING THE MASTER’S ABSENCE. 1. BUT THE ACTIONS OF THE THIRD SLAVE SHOW THE OPPOSITE OF THIS, LOOK AT V. 18 PLEASE. C. READ V. 18. NOW THE THIRD SLAVE SIMPLY BURIED HIS TALENT, HE WASTED HIS OPPORTUNITY. * AND YES HIDING VALUABLES IN THE GROUND WAS A COMMON PRACTICE IN THE ANCIENT WORLD, WHERE THERE WERE NO BANK VAULTS OR SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES. ** IT WAS A SIMPLE WAY TO PROTECT SUCH THINGS AS JEWELS AND COINS. *** AND WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE DID THAT IN THAT DAY FOR WE SEE IT ILLUSTRATED IN THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE IN MATTHEW 13:44. **** BUT, IN THE ILLUSTRATION IN MATTHEW 25, HIDING WORKING RESOURCES IN THE GROUND WAS HARDLY A SENSIBLE WAY TO CARRY ON A BUSINESS AND EARN A PROFIT. 1. FOR THE SLAVE HAD NOT RECEIVED THE ONE TALENT TO PROTECT IT, BUT TO USE IT WISELY FOR HIS MASTER’S PROFIT, WHILE HE WAS AWAY. * AND ALTHOUGH HE HAD BEEN GIVEN FEWER RESOURCES THAN THE OTHER TWO SLAVES, HE HAD THE SAME OBLIGATION AND RESPONSIBILITY TO USE WHAT HE HAD TO HIS MAXIMUM ABILITY. ** AND WE WILL SEE AS WE MOVE ON THAT THIS THIRD SLAVE’S RESPONSE WILL SHOW HIS TRUE CHARACTER. HE DID NOT DO WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO AND HE WILL NOT PLEASE HIS MASTER WHEN HE RETURNS. *** AND THE MASTER WILL RETURN AND RECKONING WILL TAKE PLACE, AND THIS STARTS IN V. 19 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR THIRD POINT TODAY, THE RECKONING. LOOK AT V. 19 PLEASE. III. THE RECKONING, (READ V. 19) A. NOW THE EXACT LENGTH OF TIME THE OWNER WAS GONE IS NOT MENTIONED, EXCEPT THAT IT WAS A LONG TIME. * AND IN THE CONTEXT OF THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, IN WHICH JESUS REPEATEDLY STATES THAT HIS SECOND COMING WILL BE AT A TIME WHEN HE IS NOT EXPECTED, THE IMPLICATION IS THAT THE MASTER OF THOSE SLAVES CAME BACK UNEXPECTANTLY. ** BUT ALSO THIS STATEMENT THAT THE MASTER WAS GONE A LONG TIME MAY POSSIBLY COMMUNICATE THAT JESUS WAS INDIRECTLY TELLING THE 12 THAT HIS COMING BACK WOULD NOT BE AS SOON AS THEY ANTICIPATED. *** FOR REMEMBER THE DISCIPLES WERE LOOKING FOR JESUS TO RETURN RIGHT AWAY. AND THAT THE DISCIPLES THOUGHT THAT IS COMMUNICATED IN LUKE 19:11 IN ANOTHER SIMILAR PARABLES WHICH SAYS: “AND WHILE THEY WERE LISTENING TO THESE THINGS, HE WENT ON TO TELL A PARABLE, BECAUSE HE WAS NEAR JERUSALEM, AND THEY SUPPOSED THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD WAS GOING TO APPEAR IMMEDIATELY.” **** NOW JESUS WAS NOT GOING TO APPEAR IMMEDIATELY, IT WOULD BE A LONG TIME UNTIL HE RETURNED. 1. AND AS WE GO BACK, THE MASTER RETURNS, AND THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS UPON HIS RETURN WAS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE SLAVES HAD DONE WITH HIS ASSETS. * SO HE SAT DOWN AND SETTLED ACCOUNTS WITH THEM, THE DAY OF RECKONING HAD COME. ** AND SETTLING ACCOUNTS INDICATES THAT THE MASTER HAD EXPECTED HIS SERVANTS TO MAKE MONEY WITH HIS MONEY. *** AND THE FIRST SERVANT COMES FORWARD IN V. 20. LOOK AT V. 20 PLEASE. B. READ V. 20. NOW AT THE TIME OF ACCOUNT, THE DAY OF RECKONING, THE SERVANT WHO HAD BEEN GIVEN 5 TALENTS CAME UP TO HIS MASTER AND BROUGHT 5 ADDITIONAL TALENTS TO HIM. * AND HE SAID MASTER, YOU’VE ENTRUSTED 5 TALENTS TO ME, WHICH WAS A BIG DEAL, A LOT OF MONEY, A HUGE TRUST, A BIG STEWARDSHIP TO HANDLE. ** BUT THAT STEWARDSHIP WAS HANDLED VERY WELL. FOR HE SAYS MASTER, LOOK, SEE, I HAVE GAINED 5 MORE TALENTS. *** AND HE APPEARS TO BE EXCITED. WILLIAM HENDRICKSEN AT THIS POINT IN HIS COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW SAYS THAT THE EMPHASIS ON THESE CLAUSES IN THE TRANSLATION EXPRESS THAT THIS “MAN’S EYES ARE SPARKLING. HE IS BUBBLING OVER WITH ENTHUSIASM, IS THOROUGHLY THRILLED, AND, AS IT WERE, INVITES THE MASTER TO START COUNTING!” **** AND NO DOUBT THIS SLAVE WANTED TO PLEASE HIS MASTER UPON HIS RETURN AND HE DID, LOOK AT V. 21 PLEASE. C. READ V. 21. NOW THE MASTER IS PLEASED WITH HIS SERVANT’S WORK. FIRST OF ALL HE SAYS, “WELL DONE” WHICH CAN ALSO BE TRANSLATED, “EXCELLENT”, “WONDERFUL” AND “GREAT”. * HE IS REALLY HAPPY WITH HIS WORK, AND NEXT HE CALLS HIM A GOOD AND FAITHFUL SLAVE. ** AND THE REASON THE MASTER COULD SAY THAT WAS HE WAS FAITHFUL OVER THE FEW THINGS HE HAD ENTRUSTED HIM WITH, THE 5 TALENTS. *** AND FAITHFULNESS IS ALWAYS THE ISSUE FOR A PERSON WHO IS ENTRUSTED WITH ANY KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY. **** BEING RELIABLE, DEPENDABLE, TRUSTWORTHY WITH RESPONSIBILITIES IS A KEY, SOMEONE YOU CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE IN. 1. LET ME ILLUSTRATE THROUGH SCRIPTURE, READ PROV. 25:19, THEN PROVERBS 28:20, PROVERBS 11:13, LUKE 16:10-12 AND I CORINTHIANS 4:2. * AND FAITHFULNESS IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE WITH WHAT WE ARE ENTRUSTED WITH, BEING RELIABLE, DEPENDABLE, BEING TRUSTED AS GOD’S STEWARDS. AND I WILL DEVELOP THAT MORE IN A FEW MINUTES IN OUR WRAP UP. ** BUT GOING BACK TO V. 21, BECAUSE THIS SERVANT WAS FAITHFUL HE WAS WHAT? *** HE WAS REWARDED, IN TWO WAYS. NO. 1 BY BEING PUT IN CHARGE OF MORE THINGS FOR HIS MASTER, FAITHFULNESS LEADS TO GREAT RESPONSIBILITY AND USE, TO PROMOTION. **** AND NO. 2 JOY, THE JOY OF HIS MASTER. HE WOULD SHARE HIS MASTER’S JOY. AND IT DOESN’T SPECIFICALLY SPECIFY WHAT THIS IS, BUT IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE MASTER’S PRESENCE, MOST LIKELY HEAVEN WHERE OUR MASTER WILL BE AND WE WILL BE WITH HIM FOREVER, READ PSALM 16:11. 2. WE WILL SHARE IN OUR LORD’S JOY. IT WILL BE A TIME OF CONSUMMATE ECSTASY. WHAT A JOYFUL PROSPECT, EARTHLY FAITHFULNESS RESULTS IN HEAVENLY REWARD. * AND THAT IS THE REWARD OF THE FIRST FAITHFUL SERVANT. SO NOW THE 2’D SLAVE COMES FORWARD. LOOK AT V. 22 PLEASE. D. READ V. 22. NOW THE SECOND SLAVE MADE THE SAME REPORT AS THE FIRST, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING THAT HE HAD DOUBLED TWO TALENTS INSTEAD OF FIVE, AND THEREFORE GAINED TWO TALENTS MORE. * SO THE MASTER’S RESPONSE TO HIM IS GIVEN IN V. 23. LOOK AT V. 23 PLEASE. E. READ V. 23. NOW THE MASTER’S RESPONSE TO THE SECOND SLAVE WAS ALSO IDENTICAL. * HE RECEIVED THE WELL DONE, AND WOULD BE REWARDED WITH INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY AND HIS MASTER’S JOY. ** AND OUR NEXT TIME IN MATTHEW, WE’LL LOOK AT THE 3’D SLAVE, WHICH WILL GIVE US A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PICTURE AND RESPONSE. BUT IN WRAP UP (1) THE APPLICATION OF WHAT WE’VE STUDIED TODAY IS OBVIOUS. * AS BELIEVERS WE HAVE A MASTER WHO HAS ASCENDED TO HEAVEN, HE HAS GONE ON A LONG JOURNEY, BUT HE IS GOING TO COME BACK. AND THERE IS GOING TO BE A DAY OF RECKONING. ** AND WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR HIS RETURN BY WORKING. TAKING WHAT HE HAS ENTRUSTED TO US AND USING IT FOR HIS GLORY. *** AND WHAT HAVE WE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH? **** THE ANSWER IS A WISE RANGE OF SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITIES, PRIVILEDGES AND RESOURCES INCLUDING NATURAL ABILITIES, SPIRITUAL GIFTS, MATERIAL THINGS, MINISTRY RESPONSIBILITIES, AND OTHER BLESSINGS GOD HAS GIVEN US AS STEWARDS. (2) AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THESE THINGS AND NEED TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR USE OF THESE THINGS. * AND WHEN OUR MASTER RETURNS AND THE BEMA TAKES PLACE, THE GREATEST THING WE CAN HEAR FROM OUR MASTER, AND WHAT WE SHOULD LONG TO HEAR FROM OUR MASTER IS “WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SLAVE.” ** WHAT JOY TO HEAR THAT FROM THE ONE WHO DIED FOR US, WHO RESCUED US, WHO SAVED US FROM THE FIERY WRATH DESERVED FOR OUR SINS. *** AND THE ISSUE IS FAITHFULNESS, TAKING WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US AND MULTIPLYING IT THROUGH USE FOR HIS GLORY. **** SO THE BIG QUESTION TODAY IS ARE YOU FAITHFUL? ARE YOU LIVING FOR YOUR MASTER’S RETURN BY WORKING, ALWAYS INVOLVED IN HIS WORK? READ I CORINTHIANS 15:58 AND JOHN 9:4. (3) BELOVED, HOW ARE YOU DOING IN THE USE OF YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS, THE ADMONITION IS USE THEM IN THE VISIBLE CHURCH, READ ROMANS 12:6-8 AND I PETER 4:10. * HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH HANDLING YOUR MASTER’S MONEY, THE POSSESSIONS HE’S GIVEN YOU, THE TIME HE’S GIVEN YOU? ARE YOU REDEEMING THE TIME OR WASTING ON SELF AND FRIVOLOUS THINGS, READ EPHESIANS 5:15&16. ** HOW ARE YOU DOING IN USING YOUR NATURAL ABILITIES GOD HAS GIVEN YOU? VOCALLY, INSTRUMENTALLY, TALENTS TO HELP OTHERS, TO DO PHYSICAL THINGS TO SERVE. *** IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO WATCHING, WAITING, WITNESSING AND WORKING UNTIL JESUS RETURNS. **** LOVING, LOOKING, LIVING AND LABORING FOR HIS RETURN. MAY WE BE FAITHFUL! |