What Will the Lord Say?

Intro: Feb 7, 2021- The prophecy from Pastor Kim- “It’s Time Man of God. It’s Time and I will bless it because of your heart. I am making up time says the Lord. Whatever your hands touch, the Lord is going to Bless it. You’ve been faithful over a few and now it’s time!

Talk this out- Here in the Matthew’s account of the gospel we have an illustrative story told by Jesus himself. This parable is a depiction of the future and our current reality. This parable speaks about a man going away on a long journey, far away and the man wouldn’t be back for a while. And before the man left on his trip, he called together his servants, his laborers, and with trust he gifted them with bags of silver coins. He didn’t want to leave them emptied handed so he gave 5 bags of silver to 1st servant. He gave two bags of silver to the 2nd servant and 1 bag of silver to the 3rd servant. Each servant was given what he thought they could handle according to their abilities.

Brothers and sisters these bags of silver were gifts for the servants to use to help expand the man’s kingdom. Likewise, we were given talents just like these servants for the Kingdom of God and we are expected to use what we have, while we have the ability and agility to work while it’s day and before Jesus’ return.

Each of us were given a specific number and specific kind of gifts, according to our abilities and the Lord expects us to use these gifts to the absolute fullest of our God given potential. One thing for sure that we can believe, is that the Lord knows exactly what you can handle and what you can’t handle. He knows the max of what you can carry and produce.

So regardless of what specific gifts and the amount of gifts you have been blessed with, the main goal is for you to use these gifts to the highest capacity in which they can grow and bless the Kingdom of God.

Stuart Weber in the Holman, NT commentary stated: “He designed that potential into each of us when he created us. No one is entrusted with more than he can handle, but neither is he entrusted with less than he can handle.

The person entrusted with little will be required to do all he can with the little he has been given. All of us are to live up to our full potential[1].”

CIT: Don’t sit, settle or save what the Lord has given you, to be a blessings to others.

Transition- The first principal that I find valuable in this parable is that:

1. We must Steward well with what’s being shared-vss. 16-17

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more.[1]

Someone may be asking me, how do I steward well with what’s been given to me? What a great interrogative. Let me help you.

A. Starting- (Time) You have to have a work ethic to start with what you been given.

*The servant Began and Went/They started/They moved/All they needed was a helping hand and they started

B. Serving- (Talents) give freely what you have to help others

*Serving weekly the time clock, serving the homeless, keeping the least of them warm and with clothing/food.

C. Sowing – (Treasure) investing the gifts that’s been given to you.

*Give my tithes/ Pay it forward- help others with life. Give when you can. Purchase someone’s food, pay a bill, put money on the books of a friend or family that’s in prison.

Acts 20:35 “And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

All in All Peter helps me close this point by reminding us in :

1 Peter 4:10-11New Living Translation

10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Transition:

I mentioned the first principle being:

1. We must Steward well with what’s being shared- but the second principal that I find valuable in this parable is that:

2. We won’t Steward well if we live being scared vss. 18;24-25

18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. [1]

Matthew 26: 24-25MSG “The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’[2]

Someone else is asking me how does it look to not steward my gifts well:

You won’t steward your gifts well if you are:

A. Scared of your Calling (The Load)

*Exodus- God called Moses to lead his people from Egypt to Canaan

*Ex.3:10- Now Go, I am sending you to Pharoah.

*Moses protested, who I am to go before Pharoah? Who am I to lead Israel out of Egypt? The Lord affirmed Moses and said I will be with you.

Moses protested again in Ch. 3:13 saying what should I say if they ask who sent me?

The Lord replies and affirms Moses again and tells Moses, Tell them, “I AM WHO I AM” sent you.

(And this is why many believers and those who are chose; get stuck in their proverbial Egypt and never make it to the there promise land, because you don’t know the Power of the One, who’s sending you!)

Many people live in doubt and fear just like Moses in Ch.4 of Exodus when he says: What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say the Lord never appeared to you?

The Lord gave Moses more signs and wonders to build his confidence.

But Moses still protested and pleaded with the Lord because of his speech impediment. The Lord affirmed Moses again about His power in who He makes talk, hear and see.

But Moses still protested in vs. 13 of Ch.4 “Lord please! Send anyone else!

Then the Lord became angry with Moses….So the Lord had his brother Aaron to go with him and speak for him as Moses would tell Aaron what to say.

B. Scared because of your Comparing (The Lot)

In 1967 in Philadelphia, PA MLK was speaking at a High School. I questioned was posed to him about what is your life’s Blue Print? And I’ll never forge these words as I listened to his speech sleeping on my air mattress in 2008 in ATL:

“If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well.”

And I stopped by High Point, NC to tell somebody it doesn’t matter the size of your lot, it doesn’t matter who sees your Lot or who affirms your Lot, just start, sow and serve, your Lot unto the Lord!

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.

C. Scared because of your Comfort (The Laziness)

Matthew 26: 24-25MSG “The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’

It sounds like to me this servant who didn’t cultivate a return had personal and selfish reasons of why he didn’t start, sow or serve. And it sounds like to me, he hid his gift in order to hide his habits.

And this could be one of the reasons why we have dead dormant churches because so many people are scared to cultivate their gifts and embrace the reality that you have been called, chosen and specifically pointed out for a certain assignment.

We have insecure Christians that spend their life comparing their gifts to others and feeling inadequate because you don’t have 50K views and 15K members and a 5,10,15,20 million dollar budget.

And as a result many believers who are called but remain stuck in a cycle of comparing, end up becoming complacent by digging a proverbial hole and placing their gifts in seats that don’t serve the Kingdom, placing their gift in the ditch of despair that doesn’t foster in salvation or deliverance and doing the much less in which they are capable of doing.

As a result many believers are presently complacent and have opened up the can of compromise and they sit back and watch other believers start, sow and serve their gifts to the best of their ability and they risk the opportunity to see, what they could have accomplished if they just would have started and finished.

I mentioned the first and second principle being:

1. We must Steward well with what’s being shared

2. We won’t Steward well if we live being scared

Transition: The Last and final truth that I find valuable in this text is:

3. If we Steward well, then our lives will be spared:

Spared with:

A. Gratitude vs. 21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

One of favorite scriptures in the bible is 1 Tim 1:12 MSG When the Apostle Paul stated: I’m so grateful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work. He went out on a limb, you know, in trusting me with this ministry. The only credentials I brought to it were violence and witch hunts and arrogance. But I was treated mercifully because I didn’t know what I was doing—didn’t know Who I was doing it against! Grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. And all because of Jesus.

B. Gifts vss. 28-29 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.

C. Grace vss. 31-40 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

My brothers and sisters; to my family and friends. As I take my seat and prepare to head back to Georgia.

I knew at an early age from the times I use to preach in the shower and try to sound like my daddy and Pastor Jacobs, there was something unique about me. Even as a child I had a love for God through song and music. I use to sit on the side of the pulpit at Shield of Faith and I allowed Jessie Ridgeway, Otis, Mike, Lonnell and Leroy to teach me how to play the congos, the drums and the cow bell. I was willing to play whatever they wanted me to play, I just wanted to be there. And when I played to the best of my ability, every now and then, I’ll put down my tamborine and I’ll go shouting across the front of the church, giving God praise. From all the times I use to sit in the front bedroom and listen to preaching on the cassette tapes of daddy preaching in Baltimore Maryland and Pastor Jacobs (RIH) would bring Christ Deliverance down to High Point for Family &Friends Sunday. I use to listen to daddy preaching all the time when we recorded his services off Centenial. Then mama asked me to do the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speech for a fun raiser at church. I practiced that speech over and over again. She made me go to the library as a child and I learned to read and study and speak in front of people. Not knowing that same speech I did in 4th grade, I would do again in 12th grade wearing my daddy’s robe, in front of the entire 12th grade class.

Not knowing that my parents was helping me as a child to cultivate my calling and was preparing me for the gifts that God has graciously given to me in my mothers womb.

So from carrying my daddy’s brief case, hanging up his suit jacket in the back of the car, to cranking up the car and setting the temperature and having either the Mighty Clouds of Joy orThe Canton Spirituals playing softly . Going to Sunday school class with my mother every Sunday as she taught the youth, I saw all of my life, my parents cultivating the lot that God gave me to build by faith, prayer and hard work.

I’ve been a witness to their faithfulness. I’ve seen my daddy study for years at his kitchen table for hours, week after week, month after month, year after year and come right home off the truck, take a shower, drive the van and pick up those that needed a ride and go straight to church. I’ve seen daddy pour his heart out to God’s people and give so much of himself to help others.

I’ve seen my mother clean up this church and make the most of the buildings we’ve been blessed with.I’ve seen my mother sit in this from seat and support my daddy for over 30 years. She never wavered. Never walked away. Never abandoned your post or your position. I can hear my mother saying, well Gabriel we go to go on. It doesn’t who is there. I’ve heard of the times my daddy only preached and taught his lesson to my mother and they never just walked away and closed the doors, you preached on any how.

I’ve seen how my parents kept these buildings clean, kept the air and heat on to make the people comfortable. I’ve seen how they have lead this church to make sure families had food, clothes and basic needs.

I’ve seen my daddy preach funerals, counsel members, go to the hospital and visit the sick, I’ve seen mother carry her friends and family around the doctor appointments and run errands all over town.

And I’ve also witness the pain and disappointment that ministry has brought upon you all. I’ve seen the tears of dreams not denied, but delayed. I’ve seen the struggle to keep going after so many people talked about you, lied on you, disappointed you, walked out on you, not keeping their words, family members hurting you with their actions, and doors shutting in your face over and over again. I remember the weight in my fathers spirit of when the material was stolen from 814 Hines Street and I felt even as a teenager the sadness that came over the church and my parents. We’ve prayed. We’ve fasted. We’ve served. We’ve given. We’ve practiced. We’ve carry on regardless of how hard it got!

And I couldn’t imagine walking in your shoes and trying to cultivate your crops and the harvest never seem to bloom to it’s fullest capacity.

But I stopped by hear to tell you Solid Rock, to you mama and daddy, though the harvest you desired may be delayed, though some of your dreams have been shattered and it might feel at times like the years of your service is in vain.

God sent me here on assignment to tell you all that your faithfulness, your strength, and your courage in marriage and in ministry, has rubbed off on your youngest son, so much so, until God has gifted me with the gifts to be a Pastor/Teacher, God has given me a wife that will help me cultivate my calling with her many gifts, and a family that will help walk out the vision God gave me in 2015.

Even though I was scared of this calling, scared because of comparing my weakness to others, and scared because I was comfortable serving others. God has now given me the green light, to step out into the deep with my wife/family to plant our first church in Atlanta, GA- known as - “THE GATES OF GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH.”

Family, I’m going with God all the way. Why? Because the gifts that the Lord gave to my parents, they made a conscious decision to cultivate their gifts to the best of their abilities.

Mama and daddy, even though I’m your blood son, God gifted you all with me and God gifted you all to me, for the time that he has written down in heaven. And for the past 38 years of my life, you all help cultivate my personal gifts that God has allowed me to borrow.

And as a result of your hard work and labor of love, I know without a shadow of a doubt, that the Lord will say:

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ “Well done, thy good and faithful servants.

I want to leave you every person under the sound of my voice with these words:

If I can help somebody, as I travel along If I can help somebody, with a word or song If I can help somebody, from doing wrong No, my living shall not be in vain

No, my living shall not be in vain No, my living shall not be in vain

When peace like a river attendeth my way When sorrows like sea billows roll Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say It is well, it is well with my soul

[1] Stuart K. Weber, Matthew, vol. 1, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 420.