Parable Of Potential

Imagine Series: Part Two

The Parable of Potential

Matt. 25:14-25 - ©Dr. Larry L. Thompson (2005)

Webster defines ‘potential’ as, “something that has the promise to develop and become real!”

Today, I want you to imagine YOUR POTENTIAL your personal responsibility in serving in His church and allowing the promise within you to develop and become real.

My first car was a 1963 Starchief Pontiac that sold for $500 and I talked my mother into signing a note for me so I could work and pay it off. For $500 you don’t get many five year, 60,000 mile warranties. You can imagine my excitement that turned to disappointment when I drove the car home and the next morning got ready to drive to school only to realize my first car didn’t have a reverse! That car looked great; had a huge engine, nice interior, power windows, it even had a AM radio…That car had great potential, it had real promise to be a sweet drive but was useless without a reverse.

There are hundreds of great men, women, students and children in our church. They are nice people, they claim to love the Lord, they have real potential to be used by God but right now, honestly, all you have is potential because you are not moving and you are not productive. YOU ARE JUST LIKE MY 63 STARCHIEF PONTIAC…you look good, people talk about your potential but you never get out of neutral and let me share this with you. GOD NEVER INTENDED FOR YOU TO BE STUCK IN NEUTRAL FOR YOUR ENTIRE LIFE HAVING PEOPLE TALK ABOUT YOUR POTENTIAL BUT YOU NEVER REALIZING YOUR PROMISE AND YOU NEVER BECOME PRODUCTIVE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. God will judge our LACK of ACTION just as much as He judges our ACTIONS. This message is for you and I need you to listen carefully because I know the Lord has a word for you this morning. TEXT:

Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV)

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ’Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 "The man with the two talents also came. ’Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 "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. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 "His master replied, ’You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 "’Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 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. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

I. THE ASSIGNMENT OF POTENTIAL (v.14-15)

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.”