To Whom much is given.....

I love it when God speaks and you know, if you knew or not used to it, nothing that I can gone and you want to share something we can both Frank and Karen do that tonight. Mine cars meant for you today is if you heard that word and you just went yeah, I need to I need to take a step. I need to step through the door and I need to get into that place to it.

These two wonderful people have stepped out. Because God wanted to speak. So do that get it cannot decide, you know, the happiest thing to me. This morning's us all over.

Pacer good, and we just want to honor you and glenys in the journey that you guys are being on. I whip him prying would be nice to see you today. It just makes my heart smile. faithfulness about God and enjoy your face to stand is such an encouragement says thank you so much and down and laid it anytime if you want even if staying over still struggling to be police is looking so good not say it's so good to say

What's a response that you are good, and he's fantastic.

LOL grow under it.

I don't reckon you can probably walk of guiding Cowboys you push it in. Hillary's Daddy's got a lot of opportunity hasn't he come expecting next weekend is like to revisit to to come back in and put some focus and I put a spotlight against again on who we are and why we exist but what I want to do leading into this is God spoke to me really clearly. He made a statement to me. Now when I see the question, have you ever read something or when told by somebody who has authority of your life and when you heard that you went Wow. I hit run has you know, you look at your life and you take stock of what's what's happening around and how you thinking why anyone ever had that? Could be a close friend. You know someone dating someone you've given permission to speak into your life, but I've had this experience time and time again, you know where I always experienced it every time, read my Bible. I know you should have walked into that one. Do you have to think about it is God a friend. Is God someone we've allowed to speak into a life? Every time I read I mean sometimes I'm afraid to open my bible.

Cuz I've been gone. I haven't really dealt with everything. You said lost how I've missed you. I've been away for a few weeks. You know, I feel like we'll have to do it for a whole week was told to cyclists.

Oh my goodness. It's like come on we can talk about something else other than Black Friday.

I missed you talk to me today. Have you ever open the Bible and you read something in your throat? I need to change some things. Yeah, I think I think I'm just must be the worst person in the world. Cuz God is constantly trying to get me to rethink how I process and now I act and how I react sorry this little things but I was just waiting on God for what I want to talk about tonight. And this Friday's really cool fries. It was basically these to whom much is given.

Alright much is expected.

Is that scripture? Now that you know, it sounds like something that Jesus would say we get that but then I had in the back of my mind Uncle Ben. I'm paid up AQHA. You know the account from Spiderman ever on some people with great power comes great responsibility and maybe maybe it's a movie maybe if I heard this before so what do you do when you don't know? Google I talked to Dean and short of Jesus. You're not even thought about that. I thought yes. Read it and see if it's in the Gospel of Luke of Reddit already read it so many times but I couldn't place it iPhone. Wow. It wasn't from Spider-Man like it might he didn't see that's exactly it but it's the best 48 in the second part of 48, but the passage that have seen this story sort of thing that had seen the toddler is watchfulness. That's about being ready about being prepared finishes with that big lawn the to whom much is given Yeah, I heard from him much will be expected that kind of phrase. You know, I like you have lots and because of the blessing because of the capacity and our lives. There is an expectation of outcome in that. Alright, I want to unpack this little bit now if you haven't read that Powerball lightly and Loop 12 It's really intense. Now I feel really really really convicted was reading it really like going to bring that ass in a live stat. This A Day of Reckoning. Yes, I want to say I don't know what to behaving today cuz that's not what it's about. But you don't have Grace sometime today. I love Grace. I need Grace from Jesus and I need Grace from you. To see beside I need it. I cannot leave without rice. So I love Grace, but sometimes in Grace. We lose the sense of responsibility. That's on a life cuz we got it's okay. Jesus is Donegal. I have to do anything. how to change where I live I have to do anything because I'm on the grace But this is Jesus speaking and I think he understands price. I think he kind of gets it in our and he even says that I even on the grace there are consequences for our actions and which I think is probably the worst one out in actions. Yeah. Psych I want to I just want to talk about this because it's kind of really sobering to think one day. Jesus is going to come to me. He's going to say you know, what stuff I gave you. What you do with it?

What does really serving? I don't want that to be negative. I don't want that to be a guilt thing or you sitting there.

Sometimes we just need to visit these things and we talked about New Beginnings from the start of the year. Are we talking about? I let it be fresh. Stop. What better way to have a fresh start to have a look of what girls put in their life and what we're doing with it. I just want to unpack this a little bit when you think about it. It shouldn't shock us. Anyone, here are the Gospels. It's pretty much all through the day. I was thinking about it. Jesus took him to the religious latest every time he spoke to them. What was it about? You were meant to be gaunt's you were meant to be all this was given to you to show the people to bring them into the presence of God and Jesus kept saying to them hang. You've been a roadblock not a god. You said you were giving all of this is your responsibility and you've done nothing with it, you might rules and regulations and traditions and you kept people from entering in and that's what Jesus was doing. He was disappointed of you know, what are you done with water giving you think about Paul in 1st Corinthians 3, I love the shape of you never read it now he talks about this being the foundation of every song that about 17 times tonight in Foundation of Christ Light in your life. What are you building on it? Again portable doing you say hey, what are you doing with what's been put in your life. Have you built upon that? Woodhouse double or you build with precious stones going so we posed asking that question because it's someday we going to come to the end. We got to go through the fire at such and what'll be left.

What we just discussed in that is that this is a metaphor. We should understand that. I like coming through the fire. What would be left? Movie just a Skype with a life or we will bring things into the kingdom of God. I don't think it's really as I said, it's really really challenging but I just want to have a look at these because it's not the scariest. It's not meant to feel guilty. It's actually to remind us of the privileged to lock that we have. God has called you and gifted you. To be a part of this amazing journey for the heart of humanity.

You're privileged. That's good. It's not it's not this burden you carry like a cousin gave me stuff and I've got issues it. It's like what an opportunity I have to do something for the kingdom of God. To the song tip tip and we've got on this amazing thing about that. I hope so. I can stop this daunting thing. Like what am I going to do? It should be man. Look at the opportunities. I have to live this life that goes call me live is expected better story in the Bible is there than the parable of the talents?

Matthew 25, I just think about it. So what do I do? I want to talk about it because it's more than just a thought.

Now Matthew 25 14-30 is a parable of the talents and the story follows the previous story and it was a story of the ten virgins of the ten bridesmaids. So I don't know if you remember the story, but it's about it's about watchfulness about watching how we live and how we prepared and I thought what a great way that leads straight into the parable of talents now, I was going to read out dresses and thought nard. Let's watch a cartoon.

Can I watch the short film on the parable of talents?

The man who went on a journey to a Faraway land.

Rather than letting his money sit in the bolt, the master decided to divide it among three of his servants so that they could invest it in his fortune could increase while he was away to the first serve it the master gave 5 talents to towns edge of the third servant he gave one Talent the first to serve it's invested their money wisely doubled in value. But the sword servant was very worried the risk of losing the money gave him nightmares. And so rather than investing it he buried it in the ground. When the master returned to call the servants to see what they had done with his money. The first two was very pleased but with the third servant the one buried his talent, the master was very angry. The master called him a wicked and lazy servant you repossess the one Talent servant had been given and had him cast into outer Darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matthew 25 30.

SPF loan, isn't it? It seems a lot nicer when I was watching it in my office.

Reading street that it's a story of a city that that Jesus is giving us inside. I couldn't say it was really bad and he's revealing to us a father God. My God is an awesome God into that context story cuz he's crisis. He's loving and he's crying and he's merciful. But it's also an accountability with everything that he's given to us. These talents these resources in up for our own benefit and I we looked at spiritual gifts at the end of last year and what we talked about the fact that this is God's gifts that we Steward that we do something with they don't like he and I always a gift y'all and it's like yes, it's mine now God. Nccer on trust this tree to help you on this journey that I've called you to do to empower you to Resource you and it's the same thing around the talents and no legs really really well into to whom much is given. It's that man much is expected. So you have to realize though given something by the Mazda and in the end when the master returns, he's going to bring an account. What are you done with my resources a sinking through this one very obvious question. You know what he's on with what I've given you but what about the questions that I instantly started to ask while I was reading this and I'll just want to unpack a few. Why did the master even give out the talents?

Ask questions like these Now you got wow, that was five talents. It really wasn't that much and I could have been a message somnii some different people could be as like 5 million dollars and I would have put it in the end it when the kids have their reward you system. Now you come and share an even greater. You know what I mean? Sorry, it's not like this was everything that the Mazda earned. He was just it was Nelly like a let's just Let's do an experiment. How do you spray on a couple of things and let's see what happens? You know, I wanted even give him a nap. It's because this whole thing that the God wants us to engage.

It's not for his benefit. It's for a house. God gives these things out is an expectation that when he gives it to us it will do something with them. What is really good thoughts for some of you might think that's unfair? It's unfair that God would force upon us something that he's then we didn't ask for it.

It's just unfair, you know, we can cut stump a fatalist other stuff, but he keeps it out for a reason now. I know it when I get things, I guess the thing that I kind of wrestle with this like it's mine. And I you get given an in your restless rule of the sand and I think I kind of things have for me and it and it resources Main benefits me. It's obviously to help me make my mark on history.

It said build something for my life and we kind of get it back to front because it's not about building my 9 so that building he's

the skip says he's giving them out. Why do you get him out? Why because he wants us to make he's not gripe. It's all about him. And I love that thought you think about it. It it says it. When they got back the Tina. She goes a deep well and I went ahead and I double the money I always think I now want you to come and you going to get to share now in The Mouse and the Master's happiness is my happiness. Even the reward is actually about the Masa. We just get to partner into it and I was like I use having this we do something good with it and he says hey come and share with me. All of my happiness always happening God's giving us out so we can engage it's all about just an opportunity for us to have second soda question. Why did each of them or save different amounts?

Now, I know the Bible says that he was giving it out according to their individual ability. But that doesn't sound fair.

It doesn't think it's all that fair, isn't it?

Alyssa is that it's all about their it's going to be fair. No one can win. Everyone's a winner.

We're going to get participation Awards. No matter what we did today and I understand about inclusiveness. I get that. It's really important for the end of the day. Anyone ever watched like on the 6th around 7 soccer. I don't care if I don't score every kid and every parent knows who won. Dawn

good game everyone. Everyone's a winner and all the kids gone off gone.

We beat them in your God isn't allowed to give Joel more than he gives me. It's just not fair. Show me how God wouldn't do that. Okay, but surely God does I want to have my how often that stops us from doing something with what God gives us. Because I look at someone else and I think really should me when it whenever you see me playing the electric guitar nobody's but whenever you say we are in a desperate State on stage.

You don't have a name like you know, how you have like a fully tame and you have Reserves. And then you had the orange boy. Well, I'm wants to pass that okay, so when I'm on the field playing electric guitar with desperate and I think about these in and I had lessons and I can play but I can look at Andy or wider or Lansing me know when Pete Holloway was here.

And I honestly say that and I got more than that, but that's no excuse. Tomato sauce you because mine is Alyssa. That's how I roll.

See, I think a whole lot of us would probably bury a gift just like this one guy did. Cuz we die we look at someone else and we got lots not as good as they seem so I'll just bury it cuz what's the point now that we would we would never say that out loud. We would never guess I'll do that. But I think honestly there be a whole lot of us that have stuff buried at the moment because we looked at other people and think they decide much better what value What purpose does my little thing I have matter and we bury they sings it and it's not right. We get given these talents resources. According to have God wants to give them out one. He's looked at you and he's gone. I reckon you can handle that one. That doesn't mean we should bury it. We should do something with it because as we do stuff we understand what happens the whole idea of being fair. I think they're really funny one. Has anyone ever looked at what fan means in the dictionary missed Harley different than I thought cuz I thought there was a quality. Everyone got the same. Do you know it's not really a mice God is actually Fair. He really is. This is what it means. It means to be impartial or objective. Check Outlook to Main Event mock. You cannot handle ten talents of guitar playing.

I'll give you one and see what happens. And that was fair.

What's happening in your life? What are you looking you got God hasn't been Fair. Yes. Yes.

Maybe it's a test disable you use the little I've given you. So I can trust you with more. Disability so stinking cute really good example of this is it's like complaining that Scott Morrison is leading the country. Not you.

Sky Maria LL wonderful prime minister and it's like saying how come he has a large group.

Girl, I get to latest Church.

You know what? I mean, but weak weak weak on a compare a cell's we think all this is not fair. I'm not going to do it use what you have. It is fair. God is objective. He has looked at you when I think this is what you can handle do something with it is not how much were given the issue is what we're doing what we were say schedule another question. Why did the two who doubled their mounts get the same reward?

This is not fair. No, no, no, no, no take only throw away that finger back about this have a thing about this, but you tell me any child who has 10 ice creams while the next person has only four who's the winner.

Come on, we not real good. You imagine them standing at a guy's got like 10 of these one of these things are and the guy next to me is got fool. And I got the same reward. The now you'll be putting put in charge of Greater responsibilities and come and share and then they got the same thing.

but this guy and it's five more designing it to doesn't seem fair. Does it? Now he's going to say yes now.

You understand again is if it's coming back in this think we not cool to compare ourselves with each other. We don't know we don't gave you something for you to do something with see what kind of see it a little bit like I'm going to make sure to get hit with something like a rice. He's going back to the soccer analogy, you know people take off and rice.

Christianity is not like a running Raceway. First person gets the first ticket all the way down to a thousand. We kind of think that we're racing against each other. United when we get to heaven

some people might be ranked number one. and I'll be ranked like 55000 so that makes number one best. So we're pursuing to be the best in the group. the kinetic oldest to compete against each other to encourage one another on just got to do the best we can with what we have and not looked all the people see in actual fact, you're not the only one with racing against is a celt are we doing the best we can with what we've got and when we cross the line this is what it's going to do is going to go well done. And you got all but I didn't come in first he's counting on it's not about who came in in front of you. It's about the fact that you ran and you did what I told you to do. It's always going to turn a sinking through these are the really cool thing is. Is it we should be just there to encourage one another are you running? What are you doing this question? This is go already. Is it going with one didn't lose what he was given. Why was he punished?

It's like that have IG going to have to think about this when I first read this story is a new Christian. I thought man called Tosh. It's really nasty. I can say that.

So this is really why what why what what are you doing? Did he go and gamble the money away?

Beast Boy be drinking He buried it. And then when you come back and gave it back to him and also that's really harsh.

Pikachu shocked out into outer Darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. I don't know what that is, but it doesn't sound good.

All because he kept it safe.

Revert back to the Masa thankfully looking out for the talent.

What would you be punished if it was actually keeping keeping care of it, you know buried in the ground. It'll be safe. So when he comes back, I'll give it back to him. I have a lost it hasn't been depreciated. And anyway, it's still worth the same thing. It was now. Did there was an issue around this and I don't want to do scripture. So please stay with me and it spits eat the problem. Was it the man's sword as a resource? Not as an opportunity. I think that's what the master was upset about. I didn't just give you something I gave you an opportunity.

So we didn't waste the town at all is to have the talent but what he wasted was the opportunity that the talent represented and I think that's what God was more upset about that. As I said, we told him scripture that the reason he buried it was he was faithful of the Mazda. He said you are a hard man. Can I use? So are you having a rape to need data tree was different but and I'm not trying to twist it, but I think you have a thing through these and I think Isaac as churches. We reward faithfulness not fruitfulness. Things are really big thing that we need to look at it. Like I've been interest for a lot longer than I thought he says he is I've been in church now and I've seen many appointments made as a faithfulness all I've been here for 50 years. deviceful We should we should let them do it. And I Jesus loves faithfulness.

He doesn't reward faithfulness. He rewards fruitfulness.

He doesn't want you at church for 50 years sitting in a Pew doing nothing.

He wants you actively engaged at working the gifts in the cold upon your life. And then that's where we get that well done good and faithful servant. Well done good and faithful lump on a chair for 50 years. Sabotage was it? Sorry?

Seriously, how could you sit in a place that preaches the gospel and talks about that the the principles of God every week and not do something eventually got on feeling cold. Maybe go somewhere else. You know what? I mean? Come on, it's just we want to do something for God. That way we won't have lost a matter. We want to do something great for him. I don't want to sign tomorrow. I was I was yesterday. I want to be changing and you know that that whole thing going glory to glory. I want to become better in a Mach point three hours on the I don't want to be who got school me to buy and it's a journey it's shifting ever-changing thing. Sorry, as I said, I know you was free for but I think we need to have a look at this whole thing about fruitfulness. I think we move away from it. And I mean in church leadership for a long time I said that city is I just kind of fell into it cuz I was in a very small church and it was like we need to eat late. Are you running 70? Yo, dude, that's kind of how to fell into place for me. I was engaged or that and I've been around some of this stuff and I know you'll be sitting with people and you avoid some questions. Cuz you know if you ask that question of someone else the spotlights going to turn around.

And I like his nodding. And if you're not doing so well with Jesus and I to ask somebody so hey Anita, what are you been reading in the world today? When are they going to tell you and then what am I going to ask you?

Same thing what a coincidence, So those we don't ask questions cuz I just second I might have to answer this question as well. So we getting a thing and we and we ain't so how's Church doing? How many people gave their life to Christ last year? We got UPS

and we just pray that people don't ask. 4 number four names or how they doing in the Des off of ships talk to Saul worship price out the woods because we happy with faithfulness. I we will open 252 Sundays.

But it's at next question about how fruitful have we vein? And this is a question that goes asking me and I filled very challenged so that the right thing for me to do.

Is to bless you with workout sing to me as well. There we can come together because I can you know, I don't like thinking through this whole this whole thing and I would talk about New Beginnings tonight. Let's let things this whole thing is is I want us to be encouraged in to encourage one another This is just a thought any time. That said person could have gone and dug out that Talent. And started to do something with that and even the day before the master returned. He could have dug it up taking it and started to do something without opportunity. Oregon even if you had all the time for still think the master would have said hey you're slow to the game, but I'm glad you had a swing. I'm glad you made an effort, you know right now what's going to get someone to uncover to dig out the talent? May speaking about it tonight when you catch up with someone for coffee another Shameless plug in life group this week or next week. Taxi sit down and say hey, what are you doing? With what God has given you see if we encourage one another in this aren't we can't hide. Can we? When someone asks me my okay, what's go Dunn? What's he doing? What's he giving you? What are you doing?

How about that bike ride? I'm going to answer the question, which means I've got an outside star going to evaluate. Where am I am with this? What is happening? If I bury this thing out forgotten about it? Maybe I need to get things going again. Just because you've buried it. It doesn't mean that you can't dig it out and have a guy. It's good. It's not going to finish the second going to watch another little V. I just actually part of that little thing that we watched before but I thought was really good too. 20 seconds. Have a good watch. I think that one of the most tragic places you can visit the cemetery because of the people that are buried here, but because of what's buried inside of the people that are very cute. Think about all the books and songs ever written forgiveness that was never granted ideas that were never developed sermons that were never preached so much potential that was never realized so much has been buried in Lost for all of eternity because somebody was afraid of being hurt afraid of criticism afraid of rejection afraid of financial difficulty or physical Danger.

Tell Jonas quick way to get One Life to Live. What are we doing with our Chinese? We have that run to be faithful. What if so we can turn that around instead of it being a negative water still positive. What if what if we stepped out? What if we stepped up? What if we had to go higher? Why do we negative about these things what could go wrong with it?

I want to finish today in and asking price for all of us. But can I Carriage you if and I just sitting there any dying what if I actually buried? And we will do shaped as a course. We will do that in the beginning of the she is sometimes I just want to put tights together. I want you to ask a question. You know what has God given me. What's the seating in my life that I've actually pushed down for whatever reason that I've forgotten about that. I haven't capitalized that I haven't taken the opportunity in and talk to someone about it be countable. Talk to someone who tries to give me one of those people who can actually speak positively in jail alive who can get massage while you're running and and and encourage you in NN challenge you and push if that's what we need in a lot. That's what I need. I need it every single day and I think I'm no different from anyone else. When were encouraged when we enter whisper on we we can achieve great things.

The rule potential is in you the foundation of Christ is being lied. What will we build a plant cell father want to thank you for the opportunity. I think he's that you believe in us that you trust us enough to engage Us in this journey. We have the hope of humanity resting within a fingertips. We know that Jesus we know about this amazing cold that you have the heart to paste the joy the law that you freely give to us and Lord. I pray that you would help us. Okay. Why is it going to see those things are going to Alliance? No matter how young how old we are they sit there and it's up to us to do something with them help is to encourage one another to spare one another on help us to be accountable to people and God. I pray do amazing things and helmets in Jesus name. Amen.