Matthew 25:14-30
Notes
Transcript
Handout
The Reward to Come
The Reward to Come
Recap:
Okay so last time that we were in Mat
we talked about chapter 25:1-14
the parable of the foolish and wise virgins.
Someone tell me...
Who is the bridegroom?
Jesus
Who are the virgins?
Us
What is the oil?
The Holy Spirit
What is the main message of this passage?
Are we ready… not just looking
v.14-30
v.14-30
Okay so here in this passage we are going to see Jesus giving us another illustration/story/parable about being ready for his coming...
the last one the Jesus gave us told us to be ready by being filled with the Holy Spirit...
and focused on the spiritual aspect of being ready
This parable focuses on the practical way to be ready for the Lord’s coming
What do I physically do to be ready for my Jesus’ return?
Let’s take a look at it…
Read v.14-30
v.14
“his goods”
pay attention to whose goods these are...
these are “His goods”
V.15
To each servant he gave them what they could handle.
not too much, not too little
the one who received little possibly thought little of it and despised it.
Zechariah 4:10 “For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.””
Sometimes the things that God gives us are not as much as we want, they are not as great or grand or as impressive to us as maybe gifts given to other people...
but no matter how much you are given… cultivate it, grow it, and with all you’ve got, serve God with it and in the end...
v.23 “I will make you ruler over many things”
both the two talent man and the 5 talent man received the same reward in the end.
and i believe the one talent man would’ve too if he had been faithful with his talent.
If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
We have been given more than we can ever ask, salvation. And then on top of that been blessed to serve God in special ways in His church, let us use them to our best abilities:
Someone once said:
“I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. My past is redeemed, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, live by prayer and labor by His power.
My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable and my mission clear. I cannot be bought, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won’t give up, shut up or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a a disciple of Jesus. I must go ‘till He comes, give ‘till I drop, preach ‘till all know and work ‘till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.”
You may be asking, what are these talents what do they represent?
for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
To each and every believer there have been given certain spiritual gifts and callings that they may use them to help the church.
for example there is the gift of helps-
like cleaning the church or serving food or putting away tables
there is the gift of evangelism
like people who are missionaries and live to preach the gospel
there is a gift of pastor/teacher
like pastor Marc, or Justin
who live to preach/teach the word, and shepherd the flock.
Application: I encourage you, pray about what gift the Holy Spirit has given to you… and how can you use it to serve Him?
There is opportunity here, I have some guys that get together on Wednesdays at 4:30 and we clean the youth house and study the word together...
And if any of you want prayer to seek God on your spiritual gifts then please come to us afterward and we will pray for you.
V.16
next we see the 5 talent servant goes and “trades” and makes more money
the word trade means to make money by trading, doing business… He was actively working to see how he could use what he had to bless his master.
his heart behind it was one simply to bless his master....
it is interesting I was listening to Gary Hamrick and he said that this servant did not keep anything back for himself as his wages but he commited them all to the master when he comes back...
the only reason you would work so hard and not keep anything back in return is because you had a deep love for your master...
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Lets look at a few things here about the good servant:
1. He serves faithfully
That word faithfully means:
Lexham Theological Wordbook πιστός
trustworthy, faithful; trusting, believing
His master could trust him, he was trust-worthy to his master.
2. He serves because he loves His Master
3. He serves his master wisely
producing much more than what was given to him.
And serving God wisely mean dead to our own understanding and leaning on the will of God...
Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths
v.17
the servant with the 2 talents does the same thing...
v.18
Foolish Servant
buries it...
does nothing with it...
v.19
“long time”
v.20
The reward of the good servants:
1. Congratulations from his master.
2. Making his master happy.
3. Entering into the joy of his master.
v.21 “enter into the joy of your lord”
Man for us when we die and we stand before God we have the beautiful moment where we enter into the joy of the Lord.
Joy- “the expierience of gladness”
4. Being given more
More responsibility and opportunity to serve God in a new way.
whenever you serve the Lord faithfully he will bless you with more...
v.21 “I will make you ruler over many things”
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Richard Steele-
“Two boys were playing in the snow one day; when one said to the other, “Let us see who can make the straightest path in the snow.” His companion readily accepted the proposition, and they started.
One boy fixed his eyes on a tree, and walked along without taking his eyes off the object selected. The other boy set his eyes on the tree also, and, when he had gone a short distance, he turned, and looked back to see how true his course was. He went a little distance farther, and again turned to look over his steps. When they arrived at their stopping place, each halted and looked back. One path was true as an arrow, while the other ran in a zigzag course.
“How did you get your path so true?” asked the boy who had made the crooked steps.
“Why,” said the other boy, “I just set my eyes on the tree, and kept them there until I got to the end; while you stopped and looked back and wandered out of your course.”
This is a perfect picture of the Christian life. We must fix the eyes of our hope, our trust, and our faith upon Jesus Christ.”
V.24-26
“hard man”
A foolish servant does not know His master.
Hard man- Sklay-ros
Harsh, stern, hard, tough, demanding.
Luke 9:55–56 “But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.”
Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Jesus may have said some hard things, and told the disciples to do some tough stuff but Jesus was not a hard man...
Jesus was a man whose disposition was humility and whose personality was gentle.
And for someone to call Jesus otherwise must not know their master well...
Application:
Know your master well… get to know the personality of Jesus.
And let that lead your every day life...
2. The foolish servant is motivated by fear not love.
v.25 “ I was afraid”
We as the servants of God should never be motivated by fear of God but rather by his amazing treatment and grace towards us...
we are propelled not by what is behind us biting at our heals but rather what joy awaits us as we see a smile on our father’s lips.
3. The foolish servant is lazy.
The foolish servant, not motivated by any love or care of his master was lazy.
he saw an opportunity while the master was away to kick back and relax...
hiding the talent and doing nothing else for the “long time” the master was away.
4. The foolish servant is wicked.
v.26 “wicked and lazy”
seeking his own gain instead of the master
are you that today, are you seeking your own gain, your own wealth, your own prosperity and neglecting the true purpose of your life here as a christian?
5. The foolish servant is unwise.
He didn’t even deposit the money in the bank…
even that wouldn’t require hardly any work but not only was he self interested but he was dumb about what he did...
because he was preoccupied with self and rest instead of God.
6. The foolish servant is removed.
Jesus takes what he has and blesses the faithful even more...
and there is punishment for the evil servant...
remember this man was not a christian he did not know his master...
there is not judgement awaiting any beleiver but it is a good reminder that anyone who is saved should be bearing fruit for his master...
and if he persists with love and faithfulness, the Lord will bless...
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Who is your savior? Is he worthy of your service?
let his good be your motivation!
Pray
