Are You Serving

3) Received the Master's Presence! “Come and share your master’s happiness!’

It’s going to be good!

SERVANT #3 REPORT: (This guy has issues!) “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ (Matthew 25:24-25)

NOTE: The third servant talked more than the other two combined! (An attempt to justify his behavior)

v. 25 “See, here is what belongs to you.”

The first two said, “Behold, another five talents” and “Behold, another two talents,” but the last said “Behold” when there was nothing to behold.

To make matters worse:

1. He BLAMES the Master for his poor performance. "I knew that you are a hard man…"

(The person that blames God – is the person that buries God’s blessings. Don’t be that guy!)

2. He ACCUSES the Master. “…harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed..”

He’s calling the master a thief! The THIRD SERVANT actually sees the Master as wicked... harsh, and impossible to please. So he didn't even try. And I fear there is going to be a lot of people like this on Judgement Day. (The first two servants were nothing like this. They were DELIGHTED to serve... GRATEFUL to serve... EAGER to serve...)

3. He MAKES EXCUSES. "I was afraid"

Afraid of what? Afraid of what people would say? Afraid of looking stupid? Afraid of failure? Afraid of getting hurt?

A wrong view of God leads to FEAR (an unhealthy fear. A fear that will paralyze. A fear that Satan will use to make your life miserable). A right view of God leads to FAITH (A faith that will empower you. A faith that will take you on an adventure that you will love!)

THE MASTER’S RESPONSE: His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! (Matthew 25:26)

The Master isn't very sympathetic. Not because the servant returned with nothing, but because the servant flat out disobeyed!

a. “WICKED” - What does the word wicked mean? What do you think of when you hear the word “wicked”? Wicked means evil, hurtful, malicious. What is wicked?

Question: What is wicked to God?

Answer: THIS is wicked! Being useless (like a rotten apple on an apple tree). It is hurtful to do nothing with all that God has given you - when there are so many hurting people in this world! WE are the hands and feet of Christ. It is WICKED when we do nothing!

b. “LAZY” - He doesn't serve the Master. He only serves himself! Laziness is extremely dangerous to our spiritual lives. Proverbs 10:5: “He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.” IT’S HARVEST TIME! WAKE UP! Put to work what God has given you.

TEXT: “Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:28-30)