Tag: matthew

What Are You Waiting For? 10 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 10 of 10

The Talents

Matthew 25:14-30 NLT… “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

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19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ 21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ 23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ 26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Introduction: When God gives a gift, we bare the weight of using it for maximum multiplication.

Transition: When Jesus told this parable, it was understood opposite of the way we understand it. We compliment what in Jewish antiquity would have been condemned, and vice versa.

Exposition: Jesus labels those who bury their talent instead of being multiplying it…

-Wicked (verse 26)

-Lazy (verse 26)

-Useless (verse 30)

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? Whatever God has given you, use it! Splurge it, invest it, risk it, spread it, for the glory of God and the growth of God’s kingdom!

Reference Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

What Are You Waiting For? 8 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 8 of 10

The Wicked Servant (Pulpit Notes)

Matthew 24:45-51 NLT… “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. [46] If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. [47] I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. [48] But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ [49] and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? [50] The master will return unannounced and unexpected, [51] and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

What’s most concerning to me about this parable, is that the use of the word wicked/evil is not associated with an outhouse sinner but with an in-house servant/a trusted steward. Jesus informs us in this end time description, that sometimes our enemy isn’t without but sometimes the threat to decency and order, is an inside job.

The problem presented in this prophetic parable is that a trusted servant of the house can defect to evil/to wickedness/to disobedience, which results in permanent judgment.

Why? Why would a servant of such a kind/trusting master decide to go rogue/defecting to wickedness? Jesus gives us the answer in verse 48 in the words evil and thinks. Evil introduces a cancerous infection of the heart, while thinks implies the cancer has spread to the head. The servant has this false sense that the master will be gone so long that essentially this is my house now, and I can allow all of my perversion/dysfunction/arrogant opposition to the master a loose on everybody and everything in the house.

Brothers and sisters, Galatians 6:7 is clear “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”. You just can’t give God your posterior to kiss and think you’ll get away it! This Christian life is not a childish game, nor is it an opportunity for you to come up at God’s expense. It’s either all or nothing!

What are you waiting for? There is no time for the exertion of our will, only the execution of God’s will! Why? He’s coming back one day just like he said he would, but we don’t know when. So we must be ready for his return.

What Are you Waiting For? 2 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 2 of 10

Wheat and Tares

Matthew 13:23-30 NLT… Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

Introduction: “Your perspective will either become your prison or your passport.” ~Steven Furtick

Transition: Theodicy is the theological construct resolving the omnipotent and benevolent God, in relation to persistent evil in the world.

Exposition:

-You can do it right and wrong still happens

-You can mean right and do it wrong

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? Don’t allow problems to prevent progress!