Next Generation

Last week we talked about the children and youth of our church.

This week, I want us to focus on the next generation of our church.

Boomer, Gen X and Millenials.

Each generation changes our culture, and we need to make sure we are ministering those we are trying to reach.

Limiting the buyer pool.

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 Parable of the Ten Minas is similar to the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14–30. Some people assume that they are the same parable, but there are enough differences to warrant a distinction: the parable of the minas was told on the road between Jericho and Jerusalem; the parable of the talents was told later on the Mount of Olives. The audience for the parable of the minas was a large crowd; the audience for the parable of the talents was the disciples by themselves. The parable of the minas deals with two classes of people: servants and enemies; the parable of the talents deals only with professed servants. In the parable of the minas, each servant receives the same amount; in the parable of the talents, each servant receives a different amount (and talents are worth far more than minas). Also, the return is different: in the parable of the minas, the servants report ten-fold and five-fold earnings; in the parable of the talents, all the good servants double their investment. In the former, the servants received identical gifts; in the latter, the good servants showed identical faithfulness.

Remember our ordination service,

I spoke of people who are called to positions where they accept more responsibility and more accountability. This parable speaks to this as well. Remember, they were given the talent count based on their ability.

I say that to head off an argument that sometimes gets made inside the church. Yes, pastors and teachers have a greater responsibility but they do not have the only responsibility.

Remember that God did not just give the 5 and the 2, he also gave the one.

Matthew 25:14 ESV

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.

Matthew 25:15 ESV

To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

Who are you in this parable?

Every One of Us Is In This Parable

So, what do we need to learn?

The expected result is the same.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We have a job to do, a mission to accomplish.

The result is concrete.

Know the result

Feel good vs. Do good

Matthew 5:16 ESV

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 6:1 ESV

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

In one instance I do these 6:1 I do these things so I will be recognized, in the 5:16 I do them so God is recognized.

We In This Next Generation of First Baptist Church,

Have to Become Less I and more We.

We have to become less I and more He.

Surprising result of an impromptu survey.

We have to get out there,

Who we are

Who He is

Martha vs the 72

Martha worked well in the last generation of First Baptist

As you go will work better with this generation.

Less “welcome in” and “more as you go”

Use your talent

In this next generation, we all need to use our talent, we all need to look to double

Luke 10:1–2 ESV

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

My prayer for the next generation of First Baptist is that we will work for the Lord in a way that displays Him to others and yields Him a return on His investment.

Fish bowl

Let’s Make Him Known

Invitation then communion

1 Corinthians 11:27–29 ESV

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Communion

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.