Potential Service

There are many good people, nice people with potential service for God. The only thing is they never move from potential to productive.

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The 3rd servant in the parable is the same way. He looks at the master and says I did not do anything. I hid the one talent and never put it to use, never allowed you to gain any glory.

He had the talent, he had the blessing of the master, he had the opportunity, he had the potential but never moved over to productive.

I. Productive Service

1. What good is a fruit tree that does not produce fruit.

2. We must realize that God will judge our lack of action just as much as He does our actions.

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

3. God desires for us to dream dreams & to have visions and goals in our lives for the Kingdom.

- It takes a vision in our soul to be productive

- It takes a dream before us day and night to produce fruit

- It takes a goal set before us to give us the drive and determination that we need to produce gold, silver and precious stones

ILL. Of sad lady in the Tennessee Williams play – The Glass Ménage Erie - She is expecting a gentleman caller to ring her door bell, fall in love at first sight, and marry her. But she does nothing to attract any young men to the door. She simply sits & waits as life passes her by.

4. God has called us to labor;

- He has equipped us for the call

- He has blessed us for the service

- He has give us the talent to use

- What is He going to find on judgment day?

ILL. Martha Berry was a lady with a vision to help children. She began a school for poor children. She had no books, no building and no money. But she had a dream. She went to Henry Ford to ask for a donation. Mr. Ford reached into his pocket gave Martha Berry a dime. Most people would have been insulted, here he is a multi-millionaire and all he could give was a dime. But Martha took that dime and bought a packet of seeds and planted a garden, raised a crop, sold it and bought more seeds. After three or four harvest she had enough money to purchase and old building for the children. She returned to Mr. Ford and said, “Look what your dime has done.” The man was so impressed that he donated a million dollars to Berry School.

5. God calls his people to be productive with what they have.

- To be productive not potential

- To make our lives count for more than:

· Pats on the back

· Trophies and awards

· Praise of Men

II. Powerful Service

1. In God says that he has given the church power

2. He desires to see us productive not passive

ILL. A number of years ago on the "Merv Griffin Show" a guest appeared that was a body builder. As he entered with his huge muscular frame the crowd went crazy with applause as he flexed his muscles walking over to take his seat to be interviewed. Merv’s first question seemed to catch the body builder off guard however; he asked him "What do you use all those muscles for?" A bit puzzled, the body builder simply stood up and flexed his muscles again while the crowd again applauded wildly. As he sat down Merv again asked him, "What do you use all those muscles for?" Again with a puzzled and somewhat frustrated appearance the body builder stood up and flexed his muscles once again to a cheering audience. Merv however was undaunted and insisted a third time, "What do you use those muscles for?" The body builder was stumped and had no answer, all he could do is sit there and look bewildered at Merv’s constant question. The man was all power, but with no purpose! While he could impress the audience there was no application for all this power.

3. This power that God has given to us is not meant to sit up on a shelf but it is to be used.

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

a. This power is for service; to be a wittness to this world of the love God has for humanity

b. This power is for service; to walk in authority of his name.

- To many defeated Christians walking around with heads low

- To many allow the enemy to bring all sorts of attack against them without resisting.

- The “Ya’ll pray for me that I can just hang on” mentality

- God says that He has given us power over the enemy

- And the authority of His name

c. This power is for service; to worship His Holy Name

- He said that if we would not praise Him that the rocks would cry out

- The reason for our existence is to Worship God.

4. God’s Power is not for potential use but it is for the production of fruit in our lives

- Not to lay dormant but to rise up within us daily

· Power to witness

· Power to walk

· Power to worship

III. Passionate Service

1. To many lack the great passion for God to become a Productive servant for God

ILL. A man once went in search for God. He went o a wise old saga and ask if he could help him find God. The Old man told the young man to follow him. The old man led him down to a river and out until hey were neck deep. The old man turned grabbed the young man and held his head under the water. The young man twisted turned and thrashed about finally the old man let go of the young man and said, “ when you have the passion to find God as you did to find air then you will find Him.

2. What is it that excites you; that causes your heart to pound; your blood to race; your spirit to soar?

- Nothing will move you from potential to productive until you are moved from passive to passionate

· Jeremiah’s Passion

Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

· Nehemiah’s Passion

And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

· Paul’s Passion

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Conclusion: The Master leaves the servant in charge until he returns. If the master were to return today and ask you to give an accounting of your life, would you be ready? The potential servant will have nothing to show the Master. They were nice people, but made no real contribution to their world, their community, or their church. They just kind of blended into the landscape. The words of the master still ring true today. “To whom much is given much is required.”

ILL. Like the car that’s transmission is stuck in neutral; the motor sounds impressive, the lights radio and horn are all in working condition, new tires, but the only problem is that it is not going anywhere.

The 3rd servant in the parable is the same way. He looks at the master and says I did not do anything. I hid the one talent and never put it to use, never allowed you to gain any glory.

He had the talent, he had the blessing of the master, he had the opportunity, he had the potential but never moved over to productive.

I. Productive Service

1. What good is a fruit tree that does not produce fruit.

2. We must realize that God will judge our lack of action just as much as He does our actions.

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

3. God desires for us to dream dreams & to have visions and goals in our lives for the Kingdom.

- It takes a vision in our soul to be productive

- It takes a dream before us day and night to produce fruit

- It takes a goal set before us to give us the drive and determination that we need to produce gold, silver and precious stones

ILL. Of sad lady in the Tennessee Williams play – The Glass Ménage Erie - She is expecting a gentleman caller to ring her door bell, fall in love at first sight, and marry her. But she does nothing to attract any young men to the door. She simply sits & waits as life passes her by.

4. God has called us to labor;

- He has equipped us for the call

- He has blessed us for the service

- He has give us the talent to use

- What is He going to find on judgment day?

ILL. Martha Berry was a lady with a vision to help children. She began a school for poor children. She had no books, no building and no money. But she had a dream. She went to Henry Ford to ask for a donation. Mr. Ford reached into his pocket gave Martha Berry a dime. Most people would have been insulted, here he is a multi-millionaire and all he could give was a dime. But Martha took that dime and bought a packet of seeds and planted a garden, raised a crop, sold it and bought more seeds. After three or four harvest she had enough money to purchase and old building for the children. She returned to Mr. Ford and said, “Look what your dime has done.” The man was so impressed that he donated a million dollars to Berry School.

5. God calls his people to be productive with what they have.

- To be productive not potential

- To make our lives count for more than:

· Pats on the back

· Trophies and awards

· Praise of Men

II. Powerful Service

1. In God says that he has given the church power

2. He desires to see us productive not passive

Matthew 25:14-30