Possible Reasons For Missing The Opportunity Series

Possible Reasons for Missing the Opportunity

I was too impressed in letting people know what it is to miss the opportunity and therefore as a continuation of the previous sermon I want to take up on this issue of the possible reasons. To explain this I have taken the parable of Jesus in the book of Matthew 25:14-28. it would be splendid for us read through the passage before we go for any further explanation.

"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To 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. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But 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. 20The 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. 25So 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? 27Well 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. 29For 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. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

I want to explain about the servant who had the one talent, I think in my understanding there are at least 5 possible reasons for this servant to miss the chance.

The first one being: LAZINESS

Let me read few scriptures before I go on to explain – first Proverbs 10:4 Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. Ecclesiastes 10:18 If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks. The servant was basically lazy since if he had make some from what the owner had given he had to work. I am sure laziness is a problem fro everyone but it is important that we consciously overcome it. I read about laziness and I thought I should share this - Sheer laziness has probably been responsible for more shortcuts, not to mention valuable inventions, than we are ready to admit. Most of us are continually on the lookout, at least subconsciously, for easier ways to perform onerous or routine tasks. An example of imagination spurred on by outright lethargy is contained in the story of an old mountaineer and his wife who were sitting in front of the fireplace one evening just whiling away the time. After a long silence, the wife said: "Jed, I think it’s raining. Get up and to outside and see." The old mountaineer continued to gaze into the fire for a second, sighed, then said, "Aw, Ma, why don’t we just call in the dog and see if he’s wet." Really true sometimes we are lazy to this extent, but let God give us his grace to overcome this laziness. (Bits & Pieces, April 29, 1993, p. 3.)

The second reason is WICKEDNESS

Proverbs 5:21-22 For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.