Entrusted with His Mission

Good morning everyone…I know it looks so cold outside this morning, and I want to truly thank those who are out clearing and salting the roads for us. I am so grateful for the men and women who are out working in various hard conditions, like the cold this morning, that allow me to serve the Lord and study so I can share with you what the Lord has given us through the Scriptures.

Listen, today is going to be a little different. We’re all at home…or maybe you’re at work, and we’re going to just spend some time focused on the Lord together, while we’re apart. Mrs. Beth is even going to pop in and share for a short time for the kidos so you can understand what we are looking at together this morning. So, that will be super fun.

Now, we’ve been in a series called Entrusted, walking through the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25.

—In the first week, we saw that the master entrusted his servants with his property — reminding us that God owns everything we think is ours.

—Last week, we saw that the master entrusted his servants with his grace — picturing how God calls us to extend the grace we’ve received to others.

Today, we are finishing up by looking at the mission the master entrusted to his servants. Jesus told this story to prepare His disciples for His departure. Two truths stand at the center of this story:

—He will return — a day all believers long for.

—Until He returns, His people are to be about the Master’s work while he’s away.

Now, I want to paint a picture for you this morning. Imagine a mechanic who has all the tools needed to fix any car — tools that could help dozens of people get back on the road. The thing is— he’s afraid he’ll mess something up. He’s unsure if he’s qualified to really fix anything, or if he’ll brake it more. So he leaves the toolbox closed. Day after day, people call him for help… and he always says the same thing, ‘I’m not sure I’m ready to take on that responsibility.’ The tools stay shiny, untouched, and hidden. The people who needed those tools — the ones who could have been helped — remain stranded. Now, the tragedy isn’t that he was unskilled. It’s not that he didn’t care, he wanted to help. It’s that he hid what could have helped. He buried what he had that was meant to bless others. He kept the tools to himself.

In the parable we have been looking at, Jesus describes a servant who does the same — hiding what the Master placed in his hands. Not neccesarily because he didn’t care, but because he didn’t trust what the Master could do with it. Jesus invites us to see the cost of hiding what was meant to be shared.

Let’s read the whole passage again. As we do, for those who’ve been with us through this series, listen closely for the mission the Master gives His servants.

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.’

Now, let’s welcome Mrs. Beth to come and have a little talk with the kids this morning.

Beth

That was great…I love seeing how God explodes out of us when we simply use what he has given us...

Now remember, in this parable, every servant receives something different. But thats not all that Jesus wants us to see. The thing is that the real issue isn’t how much they received — it’s how well they knew their Master.

The third servant’s failure didn’t begin when he buried the talent. It began long before that, with a belief about the Master that was completely wrong.

So that’s where we need to start today.

The Servant Misjudges the Master (vv. 24–25)

Let’s relook at vs. 24-25

Matthew 25:24–25 ESV

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.’

“Master, I knew you to be a hard man…”

The servant immediately begins with excuses. His claim is that the master is harsh, demanding, even unsafe. With a view of the master like this, it makes sense that fear would replace faith. If you believe your master is waiting for you to fail, then hiding feels safer than risking obedience.

This reveals something deeper: the servant’s failure didn’t begin with what he did with the talent — it began with what he believed about the master. A distorted view of the master always leads to distorted obedience.

Here’s what this really shows us,

Wrong Theology leads to wrong activity.

When you believe something untrue about the gospel — or about the Father, Son, or Spirit — your actions will eventually show it. Wrong belief always produces wrong behavior.

A few years ago, at Bethel Church in Redding, CA, a tragic event happened. A worship leader’s young daughter passed away. But because the church embraces a theology that claims God is obligated to heal if we “declare it by faith,” they believed God would certainly raise her. When she wasn’t healed, some questioned leadership. But the leaders doubled down — publicly declaring God would raise her from the dead after forty days, refusing to bury her, and calling the church to extended fasting and worship for that outcome.

But they weren’t worshiping the God of Scripture — they were pleading with a god of their own making, a god who is bound to obey human declarations.

This left the family to wrestle with impossible questions: “Does God not love us enough?” “Did we pray the wrong way?”

Their theology set them up for despair, because it wasn’t biblical.

Bad beliefs will always lead to bad behaviors.

That’s exactly what we see in the Parable of the Talents. The servant’s false view of the Master led him to hide instead of invest — to shrink back instead of steward. And we fall into the same trap, don’t we?

You see,

Fear is Often Disguised Unbelief.

When I was younger, I remember wondering why the master responded so harshly to the third servant. After all, he didn’t lose the money. He protected it. Isn’t that responsible?

But the servant knew the Master’s expectations. He knew the Master multiplied what He entrusted. He knew the Master delighted in fruitfulness. To bury the talent wasn’t caution though — Where the servant hoped his master would see this as humility, the master saw it for what it truly was…disobedience.

Some of you see God the way this servant did — as someone you can disappoint more easily than you can please. That kind of fear never produces obedience; it produces hiding. Hiding we see all the way back in the garden.

Genesis 3:10 ESV

10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

Adam was afraid because of what he had done. He knew he was not worthy of being in God’s presence and so he hid…Today, our culture increasingly describes God as restrictive, harsh, or irrelevant. Most Christians would never say those words out loud, but if we’re not careful, we can take on that cultural suspicion about God instead of trusting biblical revelation from God.

And churches begin shrinking back when they start thinking small thoughts about a big God. Here in Leaf River, the vision for a family pastor and even the vision for a pavilion isn’t about buildings — it’s about believing God is generous and powerful enough to entrust His mission to us here, now.

Of course that requires faith.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

True faith believes God is who He says He is. If a distorted view of the Master leads to inactivity, then a right view of Him should lead us to engagement.

The question is no longer, ‘Who is the Master?’ but now, ‘What does the Master expect of His servants? So let’s answer that question…

The Master Expects His Work Continued (vv. 26–27)

Matthew 25:26–27 ESV

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.

You ought to have invested…

The issue in this parable is not the size of the servant’s return — it is the absence of participation in the Master’s mission. The faithful servants acted in line with the Master’s character and activity. They simply continued doing what the Master Himself did. This is exactly what He expected.

There are two important truths here:

The Masters Mission did not end when he Departed.

The master left, but he expected his servants to continue his work, his business, his mission. Two servants joyfully did that. One did not. Why? Because fear and unbelief had replaced trust and obedience.

The master was not asking them to invent something new. He was asking them to continue what He had already begun. Continue to take care of his mission.

But the third servant responded with a familiar excuse: “I’m scared I’ll mess it up.”

Ive been in ministry for over 25 years and I’ve heard that same phrase hundreds of times. I’ve also heard some other phrases that are pretty similar: “I’m not gifted that way.” “You don’t want me, I’m not qualified” “I’m nobody.”

You know who else said something like that?

Exodus 4:10 ESV

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”

Moses said, “Don’t choose me, God — I might mess it up.”

Maybe that just hit someone just a bit, or maybe your still wondering about your part in this mission. But listen, God wasn’t asking Moses to start the mission. He was asking Moses to join the mission.

Which leads to the second truth:

We do not invent the mission — we join it

For three years Jesus walked with His disciples. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and most importantly taught them the message of the Kingdom. He didn’t ask them to build their own kingdom. He sent them — and us — to continue His.

John 20:21 ESV

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Jesus’ followers were called to go and share Jesus’ mission…and so are we.

Evangelism isn’t a program — it’s obedience. So let me ask: When is the last time you told someone about Jesus?

Now remember earlier in the parable: The faithful servants went at once (v. 16). The unfaithful servant did nothing.

Why? Because the unfaithful servant valued comfort over calling. He chose safety over obedience.

So what does it look like for us to continue the masters work? Well first of all we should sharing the Gospel with those around us. That’s the easy answer. Then we should be building bridges into the community to be able to share the Gospel. We should be investing our time, gifts, and presence in the community with those who need to hear the Gospel. Finally we should be continuously preparing for the next season of ministry right here in Leaf River—including viewing tools like a family pastor or pavilion as instruments for the Father’s mission — not ends in themselves.

Jesus shows us the outcome of a servant who refuses to participate in the mission. Not to frighten us — but to reveal the seriousness of our calling and the greatness of our opportunity.

Neglecting The Mission Is Not Neutral (vv. 28–30)

Jesus ends the parable with a sobering command:

Matthew 25:28–30 ESV

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.’

This final servant represents a false disciple—someone who claims allegiance to the Master but refuses to participate in His mission.

The key issue here is not failure but refusal. Jesus does not condemn him for trying and failing. He condemns him for never trying at all.

Burying God’s mission is rebellion.

The Master calls him “wicked” and “lazy”. This isn’t harmless neglect—it’s rebellion. As Sproul notes, this servant illustrates the person who outwardly associates with Christ but inwardly resists His call.

Our culture celebrates the idea of “do your own thing.” But Jesus makes it clear: if you belong to Him, you’re not free to bury what He entrusted. Christianity isn’t self-direction—it’s mission-direction.

Do you know that if you are not doing what God has called you to do, that reveals an issue with your heart.

James 2:17 ESV

17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Luke 6:46 ESV

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

You see…

Faithful stewardship reveals salvation.

Those who truly belong to Christ show it by participating in His work, even imperfectly.

And hiding what God gave you doesn’t only affect you. It affects the people He intended to bless through you. The neighbor who needed encouragement. The coworker who needed an invitation. The family that needed prayer. The friend who needed hope. Opportunities are never accidents. They are assignments.And hiding what God gave you doesn’t only affect you. It affects the people God intended to bless through you:

This is why Jesus’ warning is so sharp. Passive discipleship is not neutral. Habitually withholding your gifts, your witness, your time, your compassion eventually shows that your heart is not aligned with the Master at all.

But hear this clearly: Jesus is not rebuking the scared disciple. He is rebuking the withholding disciple.

The one who says, “I’ll bury my witness. I’ll bury the mission. I’ll bury what God entrusted to me.” Let’s be clear that isn’t caution. That’s resistance. And according to Jesus, resistance is rebellion.

But in this parable there is hope: The Master does not delight in perfection. He delights in participation.

So don’t bury what God entrusted to you. Don’t bury your witness, compassion, or gifts.

Step into the mission— even if it’s messy, even if it’s scary.

Because neglecting the mission is not neutral. But stepping into the mission—even imperfectly—is faithfulness.

Jesus gives this parable not to condemn His church, but to wake it. Not to shame us, but to call us into the life we were made for— joining Him in His mission to seek and to save the lost.

So if neglecting the mission is not neutral…what then is Jesus calling us to?

He is calling us to—

Embrace the Mission the Master Entrusted

God has entrusted this church with his work in this community—real people, real needs, real opportunities. These are not projects to complete; they are stewardship. The Master has placed talents in our hands—gifts, moments, relationships—and He placed them there so that we would continue His mission.

Jesus can work with fear. He can work with trembling hands. He can work with small, imperfect steps of obedience.

But He will not work with buried faith.

Why can we embrace the mission entrusted to us? Because God acted first:

Romans 8:32 ESV

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

God did not withhold His greatest gift. He entrusted His Son to the world for our salvation.

That means, we do not need to fear what He places in our hands. The Master is not harsh—He is generous. He is not looking for perfection but for faithfulness. And when we step into His mission, even in weakness, He supplies the strength.

Now, this parable ends with an important reminder that neglect is not neutral. But it also ends with the joy of the Master—a joy given to the faithful. Jesus invites us into that joy by calling us to participate in His work.

So this morning, I want you to answer this question—you and God— answer this question:

“What has God entrusted to you—whether a relationship, a gift, or an opportunity—that you have been burying, and what is one faithful step you will take this week to use it for His mission?”

No general answers…no theoretical answers…

One thing. One step. One week.

Bring that answer before the Lord as we enter a time of prayer, and ask Him for the faith to act.

Let’s pray: