Manager Part 4: Double or Nothing

Make Room Update

Pledges Make a major difference.

Memorial Day moment: Today’s enjoyment is based on yesterday’s sacrifice. Today we honor those that gave it all so that we could enjoy all.

Matthew 25:14–30 ESV

14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

couple of things i want you to notice here: learning from the passage

1.Position & Posession.

Called & Entrusted:

calling & duty

appointment and trust

Placed in the care of the servant

Matthew 25:14 ““For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.”

I love that in Matthews account these two words are used,. And they are GOOD WORDFs:

Calling to a position….Ref last weeks message:you have to believe that God has pt you in a position as manager,. This is a calling.

He wants to give you part of the family business, will you take on the manager mindset? Or will you live according to the world and its own mindset, one of striving and earning and thinking like a slave instead of a son

Entrusted with posession. Given something to take care of. Take a look around your life now you will see that to some extent there is possession / things that have been given to you

A job

A set of finances

Possibly some form of assets

Maybe its a business you run

A career you have

You may be a stay at home mom and thats your season but what about seeing what your husband does for work as just as much as apart of your calling as it is his… and vice versa.

Q: do you realise that you have been anointed, appointed and entrusted to play a vital part in the kingdom?

In Christ, We are ALL called positioned, entrusted with some of the master’s possessions.

Here is point #2

2.No one has everything, But everyone has something.

Everyone is resourced, each According-to His ability:

Matthew 25:15 “To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.”

He gave you a talent. A God-given resource. A unique profile of investment by GOD

Talent is simply the name of a (very large) sum of money, in modern terms equivalent to several thousand pounds. It is this parable which has given the word a metaphorical meaning in English, as it has been applied to the God-given gifts and abilities which we are responsible for using. This is probably a valid application of the story, but we should not imagine that the Greek word in itself conveys anything more than its literal monetary meaning.

France, Richard T. 1994. “Matthew.” In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 4th ed., 938. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

He has given you something based on your own ability. Don’t get mad if you dont have more, get honest. God wants to give you more but he wont do that until he knows he can trust you with what he’s given you right now.

Are you content with what God has placed in your hand today, this season?> to be faithful and attentive to his plan for your life.

You are not responsible for what others have, or what they do with what they have: Only uyours!

Different amounts (though all very large) were given to each servant, according to his ability, and the return expected was in proportion to the sum entrusted. God recognizes that we are all different and expects of us only what is appropriate. It is significant that the two successful servants receive identical commendations from the master (21, 23), even though the scale of their original responsibility, and therefore of their achievement, is different.

France, Richard T. 1994. “Matthew.” In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 4th ed., 938. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

Write this down: “Active Management is rewarded, Passive Management is not”

In the kingdom what is rewarded is conscious, prayerful stewardship and effort for the MASTER (jesus(

There is no set it and forget it in the kingdom of God.

God doesnt just encourage you to do something with your money (or your life), he expects it

Because He expects a return on his investment in you

God has deposited his own interest in you, its not about you believing in yourself, is about your belief and trust in WHAT HES DONE IN YOUR LIFE

The New Bible Commentary 24:1–25:46 Fifth Discourse: Judgment

But to have a lesser ‘gift’ does not excus

Jesus cursed the fig tree because when the fruit was needed, there was none. When someone comes by your life, interacts with you - will you have something you can help with?

(here comes my favourite part tho)

3.Whatever we add, He multiplies

Here is the principal with Godly stewardship

We are called to do something with what we have

do what you can, with what you got (and remember everyone has something)

But know today that whatever we do in our endeavours, God does his work in and through us to bring forth a return for Jesus.

OUR NATURAL ABILITIES BECOME SUPERNATURAL ABILITIES WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADS US

So what does he do?

he multiplies whatever we add

**here is the point of the story: its a miracle that there was this kind of return. but the one who had no faith had no faith in the master not the economy, or teh stockmarket or the business world. He didnt trust that the master KNEW what HE WAS DOING.

God knows what he is doing when you go off to that Job, to that busiuness, invest in that thing

But when you do it for him

When you set out to be a good faithful steward in Jesus name - He breathes on whatever you do

HERE IS SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO RECOGNIZE: when you decide, not your will but mine, i trust you i am going to devote this work to you: ALL OF HEAVEN IS BEHIND THAT DECISION

Thats faithfulness.

The New Bible Commentary 24:1–25:46 Fifth Discourse: Judgment

The reward for faithful service is greater responsibility

4.He Will Be Back

This should make you sit up and pay attention:

When we don’t know… but Jesus is teaching us that the father knows and the father cares how we are prepared for it and how we posture towards it

What is your attitude towards this part of your spiritual life?

(This I believe is something we could benefit from talking about MORE. Why? Because its causes is to live more present, aware and READY.

God is coming back.

Matthew 25:19 “Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.”

FAITHFULNESS AND TRUST GO HAND IN HAND. If we trust him, we will do what he says. If we have faith we will work according to his will. We will want to do what pleases him.

Matthew 25:25 “25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’”

Have it back, i didnt trust that you with my life.

notes

The New Bible Commentary 24:1–25:46 Fifth Discourse: Judgment

It is, however, impossible to live life on constant alert. So vs 45–51 explain in a parable what ‘being ready’ means. When the master leaves a servant in charge during his absence, he does not expect to find him waiting at the door when he returns, but rather getting on with the job entrusted to him. Neither of the two servants portrayed has advance knowledge of the master’s return;