The Gospel of The Kingdom: Wise Investment Before The King

Call To Worship Scripture:

Matthew 6:33 ESV

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

Matthew 6:28–33 ESV

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Ecclesiastes 8:1-9

Sermon Scripture:

Matthew

Matthew 25:14–30 ESV

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 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? 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. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 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. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The Gospel Of The Kingdom:

In we read what surrounds the events of Jacob’s life and where God changed his name to Israel and continued His promise to Abraham. This will lead us to the to the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel. As you read these events you will see that not only is the preservation of nation determined by God but also of each individual. In other words as we trace all of these things back to the promise that God made to Abraham after counting his faith to Him as righteousness we must learn that God’s Word is powerful, and the most life preserving place, wise and abundant place to be is in the confidence, the knowing, the trusting, the relying upon and investing in that very word.

Wisdom, trust and investment. Three words that unfold heavily in our life.

Now…investment is related to that old latin word vestment. Vestment describes some form of clothing. To speak of how one invest or investment is to speak of how one applies their vestment/clothing. In financial we speak of investment as how one lays out their money in the purchase of something, or, literally, the clothing of money with something. Take this same description when speaking of life investment and you would be speaking of the clothing of life with something.

Second:Trust. Trust is a confidence a reliance or a resting of the mind in something.

Third: wisdom is the right use application or investment of knowledge. Now we have the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the flesh.

Of being wise the book of Ecclesiastes tells us:

Ecclesiastes 8:1–9 ESV

Who is like the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed. I say: Keep the king’s command, because of God’s oath to him. Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.

Ecclesiastes 8:1-9

Wisdom begins by knowing what you don’t know - trusting who does know - and investing in obedience to the commands of He who you trust in.

Before Jesus is delivered to be crucified, nearing the final private conversation with the original twelve, Jesus speaks on the Kingdom of Heaven and the life investment of His servants.

, ,

The parable of the talents

Setting the context:

Jesus has just sat on the Mount of Olives and is speaking to His disciples privatley ()

All that will unfold will end with:

Matthew 26:1–2 ESV

When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

Matthew 26:1 ESV

When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,

Matthew 26:

Matthew 26:1

The disciples came to Jesus privatley to ask Him,

“Tell us , when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answers:

Don’t be led astray - false teachers/liars are coming (4-5)

Don’t be alarmed - wars and rumors of wars are coming (6)

Endure and be saved - you will face tribulation and deaths for Jesus name sake. (9-14)

This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations,

and then the end will come. (14)

Warnings about the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel (; ; ) and the tribulation

Key Verse:

; ; and the tribulation

The Question Answered:

Notice: all the tribes of earth will morn - the Son of Man angels gather his elect from “the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Four Winds:

Learning Encouraged: Nature is used (the fig tree) to teach the disciples what they are to learn.

Know what you don’t know & remember who does know (36-37)

The days are evil…STAY AWAKE! (38-44)

Jesus gives a question:

“Who is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?”

Jesus goes after the heart of the disciples

Jesus describes what has been entrusted or rather how things are mismanaged (through the beating of fellow servants)

Two Parables:

The parable of the ten virgins

The parable of the Talents

a talent is representing that which is equivilent to wages for 20 years worth of labor

a talent is representing that which is equivilent to wages for 20 years worth of labor

Final Words…The Final Judgment

The Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.