Being a Faithful Steward

Matthew 25:14–30 (NLT)

14 “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.

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:

A- Jesus’ parables of the Kingdom:

1. The wise and unwise virgins.

a. Emphasizes the importance of being prepared for eternity.

1) Must be born again. (John 3:1-7).

2. The Parable of the Talents.

a. Emphasizes the importance of being a good steward.

1) Required: faithful stewardship. ( 1 Corinthians 4:1-2).

1 Corinthians 4:1–2 (NLT)

1 So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries.

2 Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.

I. THE STEWARDSHIP ESTABLISHED. (Matthew 25:14-18).

Matthew 25:14–18 (NLT)

14 “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.

A. Servants and stewards. (Matthew 25: 14 ).

Matthew 25:14 (NLT)

14 “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.

Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ἀποδημῶν ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἰδίους δούλους καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ,

1. The master called “his own servants.”

a) The Lord calls his servants (δούλους), that is you and I, to do his work.

(1) He does not use his angels or other creatures to do his work, but calls upon the redeemed to do so.

2. That the master made his servants to be stewards over all of his possessions.

a) The Lord has entrusted you and I with all of His work and resources.

(1) The resource of the Holy Spirit.

(2) The resource of his word.

(3) The work of the Ministry of Reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 (NLT)

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

B. Stewardship according to ability. (Matthew 25:15).

Matthew 25:15 (NLT)

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.

1. Each servant was entrusted with a different amount.

a) God has entrusted each of His servants with a different amount of gifts and responsibilities.

2. The amount of responsibility given was determined by the ability of the servant.

a) God has given each of us different responsibilities according to our abilities.

(1) We have the ability to do well whatever he asks us to do.

3. Collectively, the servants were entrusted with the whole task.

a) Together, we are entrusted with the task of taking Christ to the world as we individually perform the responsibilities. Which he has given us.

(1) If any of us fail to do our best, it means that there will be an overall deficiency in the work.

C. Stewardship exercised. (Matthew 25: 16-18)

1. Exercised wisely. (Matthew 25: 16-17).

a) The servants who invested their talents and put them to work reaped a harvest of plenty.

2. Exercised unwisely. (Matthew 25: 18).

a) The servant who buried his talent was fruitless.

3. Exercise needed.

a) “What God claims, I yield; What are yield, He accepts; What he accepts, he fails; What he feels, he uses; What he uses, he blesses.”

II. SETTLING OF ACCOUNTS THAT IS REQUIRED. (Matthew 25: 19-30 ).

Matthew 25:19–30 (NLT)

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.’

A. Date of accounting. (Matthew 25: 19 ).

Matthew 25:19 (NLT)

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.

1. That date is sure.

a) It took the master “a long time” to return, but he did return.

(1) No one knows when Jesus will return, but He will return.

2. The accounts will be settled.

a) Judgment is sure.

(Hebrews 9: 27 ).

Hebrews 9:27 (NLT)

27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,

( 2 Corinthians 5: 10 ).

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NLT)

10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

B. Faithful stewardship reaps its rewards. (Matthew 25: 20-23).

Matthew 25:20–23 (NLT)

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!’

1. Faithful stewardship will be rewarded with responsibility and prestige.

a) We will rule and reign with Christ.

b) Joys in heaven will abound.

c) We will be rewarded with crowns: Righteousness, joy, life, soul winners, etcetera.

(2 Timothy 4:7-8)

2 Timothy 4:7–8 (NLT)

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

C. Disaster is the end of slothfulness. (Matthew 25: 24-30 ).

Matthew 25:24–30 (NLT)

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.’

1. No excuse is acceptable.

a) The only reasons for a lack of stewardship are laziness and wrong priorities.

2. No reprieve, dash, only sorrow.

a) Our faithfulness will be tested by fire. ( 1 Corinthians 3: 13-15 ).

1 Corinthians 3:13–15 (NLT)

13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.

14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.

15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

(1) Lost rewards.

(2) Lost friends and loved ones.

Conclusion:

What about you? What are you doing with the God-given abilities and responsibilities that are yours?

As I look at my own life, I must ask myself, “must Jesus bear the cross alone, and all the world go free.; There's a cross for everyone, and there's a cross for me.

And the commitment that I must make is this:

The consecrated cross Albert, till death shall set me free; Then go home by crown to wear, for there's a crown for me”

What about you, Dash, when you bear your cross as a good steward of the gospel?