Our Final Report
OUR FINAL REPORT
TEXT: Matthew 25:14-15
INTRODUCTION: The parable of the Talents teaches us a lesson on how the Lord distributes talents to His servants. He went back to heaven while His servants worked. He is coming again, at which time all His servants will report to Him.
Every Christian is a servant. Every Servant has at least one talent, some more. Every servant is expected to put his talent to work. Each individual will be responsible for his own report; another cannot report for you. The highly talented and most efficient will be there with their report. The less qualified who has done his best will be there. The slothful, fearful, good for nothing professor will be at the bar of judgment.
I. THE MAN TRAVELING INTO FAR COUNTRY
The Lord compared His leaving this world and going into heaven to a man’s leaving one country and going to another. The man called his servants and divided his goods among them and then said good-bye, but “I will be back.”
A. The Lord, by suffering on the cross purchased a great inheritance, in this world
1. He redeemed us
a) He bought us
b) We are now His
2. He has many servants on earth
3. He has a great inheritance in this world
4. He has a great work to be done, a great harvest to be saved
B. He has delivered to each of his servants talents
1. A talent is a sum of money varying in value, in different countries
2. The man traveling into a far county delivered unto his servants money or property .. .
a) The Bible called it goods which value made talents
3. Every Christian has a job to do
a) God has given each of us talents
b) That is, He has trusted each of us with a certain portion of His inheritance, certain works to do
C. The Lord has gone to heaven
Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
1. After purchasing His inheritance in this world, teaching His disciples how, to carry on, and distributing His work to His servants, He was taken up into Heaven
a) He has gone to that far country.
b) His work is left for us to carry on
c) He has trusted us
d) We are free agents
e) We can do or not do
D. He is coming back and will call every servant to give an account to Him (Matt.25:19)
1. The Lord of the parable return and reckoned with them
2. So shall our Lord Jesus Christ return and reckon with every one of us
3. We will report our stewardship to Him2
II. THE THREE SERVANTS
The three servants represent all Christians—the best, the good, and the worst. The five-talented man, the two-talented man, and the one-talented man.
A. The five-talented servant
1. This man represents spiritual giants
a) Loyal, faithful, hardworking Christians
b) Men with ability, wisdom, understanding problems and possessing initiative solve them
2. This man possessed both high qualities essential to success
a) He had within himself what it took
b) He possessed the will to try
B. The two-talented servant
1. This man represents good Christians Loyal faithful honest
2. He did not have the ability of the five talented man
a) He had the will and did his best
b) He put the talents to work
c) He doubled them which is what the five-talented man did
C. The one-talented servant
1. He is called a servant not an outside
a) He represents a professor
2. He is in the same class with virgins and the lukewarm church member (Rev. 3:15,16)
III. THE SERVANTS STANDING BEFORE THEIR LORD
Their lord returned and called upon each servant for a report. Our Lord will return to earth again and call upon each of us for a report.
A. The five—talented man reports
1. When he had heard that his Lord had returned, he was not afraid, he was happy
a) He wanted to report
2. He came rejoicing and laid his sheaves at his masters feet
3. His lord was well pleased and pronounced a blessing upon him2
B. The two—talented man reports
1. He was faithful as the five-talented man
2. He had no fear about his report
3. He had done as big things as but his sacrifice had been just
4. His master recognized and him with the same blessing as he did the five-talented man
5. He said the same words to him
C. The one talented-man reports
Matthew 25:24 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: