Heart for the House Part 2

Last week I We saw that :

We must have a heart for the house that the Lord built; we are to be witnesses to the Gospel. We possess the power to witness from the Holy Spirit, and we have hope through the perpetual presence of Christ.

Therefore, this week we will see that:

We are to have great zeal for the house with responsibility as the servants of Christ becasue it is a response of God’s love for us, and that there will be a greater reward for our faithful work.

Tonight I want us to see that there is a reward that is far greater than what we can expect.

We must have a great zeal for the house that the Lord built

This week I want to address the manner that we are to have a heart for the house. We can see this in Psalm 69:9

Psalm 69:9 CSB

because zeal for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

Zeal is having great energy or enthusiasm. This does not mean we are controlled by our emotions, or that feelings over-ride truth. Nor does this mean that we are dry full of knowledge and must sit for hours pen in hand giving and listening to lectures. What this means is that there is a God created balance in the work of knowledge that will inform how we are to express our emotions and feelings. This allows us to be able to, speak the truth in love, (Eph 4:15)

Romans 12:11 CSB

Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord.

Titus 2:14 (CSB)

He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager(zealous) to do good works.

Jesus speaks to this in the 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew:

Read out loud:

M 25:14-18

M 25:19-23

M 25:24-30

Matthew 25:14–30 CSB

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. In the same way the man with two earned two more. But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’ “The man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’ “The man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ “His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money back with interest when I returned. “ ‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Jesus taught this parable to his disciples during the Olivet Discourse (Jesus’ conversation with the disciples).

A parable is a story or a saying that illustrates (sometimes with a hidden) a truth using comparison, hyperbole, or a simile. Jesus used parables to convey deeper meanings.

The Kingdom of heaven is like.... This is how God will work in our lives....

First we must understand the parable itself.

Jesus speaks of a master that is preparing to leave on a journey. We need to remember that during the time of Christ, journeys were long and dangerous, and that meant this master was going to be away for a long time. He called his servants (the word here is a slave), but think of them today as employees. He gave to them each according to their ability. The master gave his three servants 5, 2, and 1 talents. (Not what we understand as a talent today directly - however it is meant as given much, they are very talented, they have been given much in whichever area of talent) A talent of gold today is equivalent of just over 2 million US Dollars.

The New Manners and Customs of the Bible 25:15 Talents

A talent was a variable unit of weight and money used in ancient Greece, Rome, and the Middle East. In Hebrew weights it was equivalent to three-thousand shekels.

We then observe these servants’ actions with what the master entrusted them with. The first servant we see immediately, put them to work, conducted business in the greek, and earned five more. The second servant did the same thing. We see the third servant dug a hole and hid the singular talent.

The master returns and wants to settle account. This is normal (think of returning after a long trip, you want to ensure the household is in order). We see that the first two servants came to the master and showed him that they had 100% returns on what they were given. So the master said to each servant:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 25

Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’

Compliment 2. Recognition of their good work 3. Reward

The third servant however is a different story.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 25

Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

The third servant does not really know the master..... it is merely an excuse and accuse the master (Think Adam in the Garden… It was the woman… you gave me). (To many this may sound like a reasonable excuse)

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 25

“His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27 then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money back with interest when I returned.

1. No Compliment 2. Condemnation of lack of work 3. Punishment

Remember, a parable is a story or a saying that illustrates a truth using comparison, hyperbole, or a simile. This story applies to everyone who profess to being Christians.

Jesus is the master, and we are the servants. Jesus, we saw last week ascended into heaven and will return. In the meantime, we are each given talents according to our abilities. This does not speak of our worthiness but, honestly, it speaks to our ability. This confronts the equality of outcome culture that we see waging war at every turn today. (particularly in CRT and intersectionality). The word here for ability (dynamis-power). The focus is not on the amount we are given or entrusted but on what we do with our given opportunity and the heart that we have in what we have been entrusted.

As a responsible teacher I and three points that aliterate. These three points are: responsibility, Response, and Reward

First before we can talk about our responsibility. We must ensure that we surrender to God fully, Jesus reminds us of Isaiah in Matthew 15, that many give lip service to their belief.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 15

This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me.

One of the most distressing verses I wrestled with:

Matthew 7:22–23 CSB

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

We see this with the third servant… he stated he knew the master… but did he really know the master?

Responsibility

We are to be stewards with what God has entrusted us. We are to be stewards of what we have been entrusted. Putting our priorities in order. This means our time is well managed, our money is budgeted to include our giving, saving and investing, our relationships are in order, our responsibilities are faithfully carried out. Now I know this is easy to say, but it requires diligence to do the best we can, it requires that we have zeal for God and the house he has built for us.

Response

It is not enough to simply be stewards, but the heart that we possess in our stewardship is important. Will we joyfully present our efforts to the master upon his return. Or will we simply hide in fear and selfishness what we have been entrusted give back just what we have been given blaming God and making excuses.

Our reaction to the fact that God is so loving that he imputes Jesus’ righteousness to us, we are eager to work with great enthusiasm, not just an emotional high that fades, but a life that lives this salvation.

Reward

1 Corinthians 3:5-15 discusses the work we do as a servant of God, but it also informs us that there will be a test of our work.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 3

That foundation is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience loss, but he himself will be saved—but only as through fire.

4 Things I Try to instill in my Sons: 1. Reject Passivity 2. Accept Responsibility 3. Lead Courageously 4. Expect the Greater Reward. These are necessary for our boys to learn as they become men. The most challenging one to grasp, I think, is the last one, expecting the greater reward. Expecting a great reward is difficult to grasp because either we expect acknowledgment for what we are supposed to do in the first place, or we settle for a lesser and more temporary reward.

We are able to have great zeal in our responsibility as the servants of Christ becasue it is a response God’s love for us, and that there will be a greater reward for our faithful work.