Entrusted with His Grace

Good morning again everyone…It is so good to be here. Whether you are here live in the room or joining us online, I want to thank you for being a part of the LRBC Spiritual family. It is so good to get to worship week in and week out together and grow in community and Biblical wisdom with everyone here!

Right now we can let our kiddos go out and join their teachers back in the back for a time of learning so that they will continue to grow in their knowledge and relationship with God. Our kids classes strive to come alongside our you as a family and assist you in teaching and discipling your kids about Scripture. You have entrusted your kids to us and so we want to steward that time well. Parents, I want to encourage you to take advantage of that and talk to your kids over lunch about what they learned so that they will continue learning and growing through your leadership.

Now, for everyone else we are starting a brand new series this week called, “Entrusted”. We will continue to be look at the Parable of the Talents over the next 2 weeks and see what it is that God has entrusted to us as believers. Now, last week we saw that God entrusted his possessions to us and that we are called to steward those possessions to advance his mission, not our own. So the next two weeks we are going to look at how God entrusted his grace and his mission to you and that it is our responsibility as a church to steward these well, but more importantly it is your responsibility to steward those things well.

You know, our culture disciples us to believe we own everything…It’s our time—our money—our plans—even our very identities. We talk about the idea of people haing “my truth”—”my rights”—”my future”.

The thing is…Jesus tells a very different story. It’s a story were everything that we see as “ours” is actually simply entrusted to us…not owned by us.

The entire message of the Gospel is that you are not your own, you were bought with a price.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

So, the question for the Christian becomes, “What will I do with what the Master has placed in my hands? Then answering that question knowing that it all started with God’s grace.

Now—last week we looked at what it means that God entrusted his property to his people. Today we are going to move a bit deeper than the physical property—beyond what he places in our hands to what he places in our hearts. You see, before God ever entrusts us with his resources, he entrusted us with his grace! That means that Godly stewardship is simply a response to God’s grace.

Now, just like last week we are going to look at the whole story that Jesus told his disciples so that we can all understand the full context of what we are looking at today.

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.’

That’s the story that Jesus told in full context. Now, remember Jesus is telling this story in a time when he was preparing his disciples for a time that he would leave for an extended time, but that he would return one day. So this story is not just a story that is being told to his disciples, this is a story that is being told to you and me this morning—so listen to what the Master is telling you today.

That’s the whole story, but this morning we will be focused in on vs. 19-23. The first thing we see there is

The Master’s return reveals True Faithfulness.

Matthew 25:19–20 ESV

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.’

The master has returned highlighting that there is accountability to do what he has left them to do…or not do. Here’s the deal though

Faithfulness begins with small obedience

Remember in vs 21 where the master said that they were faithful in a few things. Your faithfulness starts when you wake up making a decision to serve the Lord today. Then you move on to the next step of faithfulness, and the next step and the next step, and then you mess up and you repent and you make a decision to be faithful again.

What I love here is that your faithfulness if not measured by results, but by obedience. It is measured by you being found faithful with what God has entrusted to you.

1 Corinthians 4:2 ESV

2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

Our culture, the places you work and shop and the movies and TV shows you watch, they all measure worth by the output, by your “platform” and “followers”. The world measures your faithfulness by your accumulation. However, that is not how the Master measures your faithfulness. Jesus measures faithfulness to his grace that has been poured out for you through his blood.

Now, some people have bosses that make accountability scary. They are looking for things you did wrong in order to condemn you. That’s ot what the Master is doing here.

The Masters return is not for Condemnation, but for Shared Joy

The Master wants to invite his stewards into the joy of what he has going on. The Master is seeking to include you in his work, not condemn you for the results. You see, the results belong to him; our part is faithfulness, not producing outcomes.

There is a reality of our responsibility though. You see, there is another story that Jesus tells the disciples about him leaving and coming back and here is what he says,

Luke 12:48 ESV

48 …Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

As believers, make no mistake here—as believers, much has been entrusted to you. You have been entrusted with the grace of God that was given for your salvation and God’s glory.

The reality is that what we do with our resources is not a measure of success, but of trust. Let me say it this way…

Biblical Stewardship is Trusting God

Now, as a church we truly believe God has entrusted to us various opportunities. One of those is being realized in the construction of a pavilion that will serve families, and the community at large. Another opportunity is the calling to bring on a Family Pastor who will come alongside you as parents to shepherd the next generation of believers.

When we look at both of these opportunities, the question we should ask is not, “Do we have enough?” We’ve already answered that and the answer is no we do not…The question is, “Will we be faithful with what God has entrusted to us?”

Here’s the deal—Jesus doesn’t only evaluate our stewardship—He reveals the heart behind it. Faithfulness is not a burden—it’s a response to his grace, not a means to earn it. And that takes us to one of the most amazing part of the passage.

God’s Commendation is Pure Grace, not Merit

Matthew 25:21–22 ESV

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.’

Well done, good and faithful servant—Enter into the joy of your master.

Listen, the masters praise and the reward he gives is an outpouring of his generosity, not the servants merit.

Theologian R.C. Sproul drives home the point that our obedience is an echo of his grace. That our obedience, and our faithfulness should not be in an effort to earn the Master’s grace, but a response to the grace that has already been given. In other words,

We do not earn God’s favor; we express it.

The Master’s joy here is a shared joy—a joy between the master and the servant. The Master’s grace invites us into fellowship with him, not into servitude.

Look at what Paul wrote to the Ephesians

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

You were created for good works…Good as defined by the master, not be you. So when we think about sacrificing and giving towards the pavilion, or earnestly seeking the Lord in prayer over the new Family Pastor, these are not burdens—this is what it means to enter into the joy of the Master.

Look at this passage in

2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Biblical Stewardship is based in Grace—not Guilt

We give to him because he gave to us first…not in order to gain his favor. You see, when we think about Christ generosity towards us, that becomes the model and motivation for our own generosity.

Let’s look at LRBC. You and I don’t tithe, or give to various project because the church “needs your money”. We give because we are being shaped by his grace, and we are called to be stewards of his grace.

That means that if God’s commendation is grace filled, then his call to steward his mission is also grace filled. This idea leads us to why he entrusts anything to his people in the first place.

God Entrusts us with Grace for the sake of His Mission

Matthew 25:23 ESV

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.’

You have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much.

Jesus is telling this story to His disciples so that they will understand exactly what they are supposed to be doing after He is gone.

They call Him “Master.” They’ve walked with Him, watched Him teach, watched Him forgive sinners, watched Him heal the desperate and welcome the outcast. For three years they’ve seen firsthand what His mission looks like.

And now, through this parable, Jesus is preparing them.

He’s saying: “When I ascend into glory, you will continue what I started. You will carry My mission forward. You will do the work of the Master.”

So when we read this parable and see the servants multiplying what they were given, we need to understand something very important:

The increase of talents was never about personal gain…it is an expansion of the master’s work—the master’s mission.

This is Jesus showing us that everything God places in your hands— time— words— influence— relationships— resources, and most importantly, his grace is meant to be used to advance his mission, not ours. In other words—

Everything we have is for God’s Glory—not ours

Now I get it…I really do—we live in a culture that is shouting at us all day long: “You need to do more. You need to have more. You need to upgrade your car, house, life—so everyone knows how successful you are”

According to the world we live in, our goal is to make OUR NAME great—to build our kingdom—our comfort—our image.

Jesus deals with this head on. Look at what he says in

Matthew 6:33 ESV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Seek the Kingdom of God FIRST.

Not your name

Not your comfort

Not your kingdom—His kingdom!

So, when the world says, “Build your kingdom”

Jesus says, “Build mine”

When the world says, “Put yourself first”

Jesus says, “Put his kingdom first”

Then…when we seek his kingdom first, we begin to realize something profound:

God hasn’t just entrusted us with resources—he has entrusted us with his grace.

That means that stewardship is not only financial—it is deeply relational, deeply spiritual, and deeply personal.

Thats when we realize…

The Mission is urgent…Because Grace is Urgent!

Paul wrote to the Galatians about the day they were living in:

Galatians 1:4 ESV

4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

If the age and day Paul lived in was evil—what word can we use to describe our own?

Today we have broken families, confused kids, exhausted parents, and a culture that is discipling your kids faster and louder than most church ever can. Today we have people that are desperate for hope—desperate for forgiveness—desperate for grace.

The mission of our Master is every bit as urgent today as it was in the first century. Here’s the truth: You are not only a steward of your money, you are a steward of the grace you have received.

God did not save you so you could bury his grace in the ground. He saved you so that his grace in you would multiple into the lives of those around us.

That day that Jesus returns he isn’t going to ask, “How much did you accumulate?” He’s going to ask, “What did you do with the grace I entrusted to you?”

Biblical Stewardship is God aligning our hearts to His Gospel Purpose

Let’s make this make sense to us here in Leaf River today.

The pavilion we’re building isn’t a construction project. This is a tool for his mission.

This is a place where families can gather, talk, pray, and be strengthened. A place where the church can host outreach events and step further into our community, or invite the community closer to God’s house. This is a place where discipleship can happen naturally because grace filled relationships can flourish. The bottom line, this is a place where grace will be shared.

Let’s think about the vision for a family pastor. This is not simply an opportunity to expand our staffing. This is an investment into the next generation of disciples. We live in a world where children are increasingly being discipled by the secular culture, and we want to come alongside families, encourage parents, and shape kids with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So we aren’t building comfort here in Leaf River. We are building capacity for his mission.

Here’s the amazing part:

God’s grace compels generosity because God’s grace makes us more like the Master.

As believers, our participation is God’s mission is not guilt-driven, not pressure-driven, not fear-driven, it is an act of grateful worship to the Master.

Then—when the Master returns, he won’t say, “Show me your possessions.” He’ll say, “Show me your faithfulness.” He won’t say, “Show me what you’ve built for yourself.” He’ll say, “Show me how my grace in you multiple into others.”

Then…for every servant of the Master who pours our the grace they have recieved to others, He’ll say, “Well done…

Enter into the Joy of your Master

Here’s what we truly learn from this story. The grace of God transforms stewardship from a duty, into a delight.

You see, God entrusts us with property, grace, and mission so that we may reflect his generosity, participate in his work, and experience his joy.

And listen up because some of you are sitting there thinking, “I haven’t been doing what I should be doing”, or “I want to do more than I’m able” Well listen to this very carefully.

Paul sent a letter to a group of Christians in Philippi. He was thanking them for their generosity and their faithful stewardship of God’s grace. Here’s what he told them as he thanked them.

Philippians 1:6 ESV

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

When you faithfully steward what God has entrusted to you, He uses what seems small in our hands to accomplish what only he can do.

Just like the faithful child who gave 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, God will take your faithfulness and complete his work in your life and in the lives of those around you.

So church…I want to ask you to consider how you are stewarding your property and God’s grace in your life today. I want to ask you to prayerfully ask God, how he would have you invest the grace he has given you.

So, before we close today, let’s make this a little more personal—becuase the Master’s grace calls for a response from every single one of us.

To those who already know Christ. You’ve recieved his grace, you’ve been forgiven, you’ve been welcomed you’ve been entrusted with the riches of his mercy.

Consider that today may be the moment that you take that next step of faithfulness. You ‘ve been sitting on what God has entrusted to you…hiding it in the ground…playing is safe, and waiting for a better time. The call is Christ is simple—Return to me, walk with me, trust me, let me grace in you overflow to others.

Listen, that includes your service, your relationships, your gifts, your conversations, and yes, even your resources. Not because God needs anything from you, but because he desires something greater for you.

2. To those who do not know Jesus yet. Maybe you’ve been around church for a while, or maybe this is your first step of considering faith. Maybe you’ve tried to be on your own, or maybe you’ve given up all together. Listen to what I am saying today.

You cannot be a faithful steward until you first receive the grace of the Master. You don’t work your way to God. You cannot impress him. You don’t preform for him. You simply receive him. Remember,

2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

This is what Jesus offers for you today…stop running and stop denying, and just start receiving. All you have to do today is cry out to the Lord and say, “Jesus I need you. I’m yours. Forgive my sinfulness. Save me. Lead me.” If you pray that from your heart…then he will never leave you and never cast you out.

Whoever you are, whether you have been a Christian for decades, or just made a decision today, I want you to remember that stewardship is not about God getting something from you, it’s about God multiplying his grace through you.

Let’s pray