Introduction

Good morning, beloved family. We gather here today, hearts open, souls yearning for the Word. We come together, not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters, united under the warmth of His love. We stand on the precipice of a new day, a new understanding, a new revelation.

Before we begin, I want to share with you a quote from G.K. Chesterton, a man of great wisdom and insight. He said, "The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people." This quote, simple as it may seem, holds a significant truth that we will come to understand more deeply today.

Now, let's turn to our Scripture passage for today. It's from Matthew 25:14-30:

"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 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.'"

Let's bow our heads in prayer.

Serve to Soar

In the passage we've read, we see a master entrusting his servants with his property. This act of entrustment is not a random act, but a deliberate one. The master didn't just give his property to anyone. He gave it to his servants, those who were already serving him, those who were already committed to his cause. This is a clear indication of the value of service. Service is not just about doing something for someone else. It's about being trusted, being reliable, being dependable. It's about proving oneself worthy of greater responsibilities.

Now, let's look at the servants. The first two servants, who were given five and two talents respectively, immediately went to work. They didn't waste time. They didn't procrastinate. They understood the value of what they had been given. They understood the trust that had been placed in them. They understood the responsibility that came with it. And so, they served. They worked. They traded. And they made more talents.

The third servant, however, chose a different path. He chose to hide his talent, to bury it in the ground. He chose not to serve, not to work, not to trade. And as a result, he didn't make any more talents. He didn't grow. He didn't improve. He didn't soar.

The difference between the first two servants and the third servant is clear. The first two servants chose to serve and as a result, they soared. They grew. They improved. They were rewarded. The third servant chose not to serve and as a result, he didn't soar. He didn't grow. He didn't improve. He was reprimanded.

Now, let's look at the master's response. The master praised the first two servants. He said, '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.' The master recognized their service. He recognized their hard work. He recognized their faithfulness. And he rewarded them. He gave them more responsibilities. He gave them more opportunities. He gave them more joy.

The master's response to the third servant was different. He said, '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.' The master reprimanded the third servant. He pointed out his wickedness. He pointed out his laziness. He pointed out his lack of service. And he punished him. He took away his talent. He took away his opportunity. He took away his joy.

The message here is clear. Service leads to soaring. Service leads to growth. Service leads to improvement. Service leads to reward. But lack of service leads to stagnation. Lack of service leads to decline. Lack of service leads to punishment.

Faithful Fruits

As we continue to reflect on the parable of the talents, we find ourselves drawn to the heart of the matter - faithfulness ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO