Potential Service

Title: Potential Service

Text: Matthew 25: 14-30

Intro: There are many good people, nice people with potential service for God. The only thing is they never move from potential to productive.

ILL. Like the car that’s transmission is stuck in neutral; the motor sounds impressive, the lights radio and horn are all in working condition, new tires, but the only problem is that it is not going anywhere.

The 3rd servant in the parable is the same way. He looks at the master and says I did not do anything. I hid the one talent and never put it to use, never allowed you to gain any glory.

He had the talent, he had the blessing of the master, he had the opportunity, he had the potential but never moved over to productive.

I. Productive Service

1. What good is a fruit tree that does not produce fruit.

2. We must realize that God will judge our lack of action just as much as He does our actions.

1 Corinthians 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

1 Corinthians 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

1 Corinthians 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

1 Corinthians 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

3. God desires for us to dream dreams & to have visions and goals in our lives for the Kingdom.

- It takes a vision in our soul to be productive

- It takes a dream before us day and night to produce fruit

- It takes a goal set before us to give us the drive and determination that we need to produce gold, silver and precious stones

ILL. Of sad lady in the Tennessee Williams play – The Glass Ménage Erie - She is expecting a gentleman caller to ring her door bell, fall in love at first sight, and marry her. But she does nothing to attract any young men to the door. She simply sits & waits as life passes her by.

4. God has called us to labor;

- He has equipped us for the call

- He has blessed us for the service

- He has give us the talent to use

- What is He going to find on judgment day?

ILL. Martha Berry was a lady with a vision to help children. She began a school for poor children. She had no books, no building and no money. But she had a dream. She went to Henry Ford to ask for a donation. Mr. Ford reached into his pocket gave Martha Berry a dime. Most people would have been insulted, here he is a multi-millionaire and all he could give was a dime. But Martha took that dime and bought a packet of seeds and planted a garden, raised a crop, sold it and bought more seeds. After three or four harvest she had enough money to purchase and old building for the children. She returned to Mr. Ford and said, “Look what your dime has done.” The man was so impressed that he donated a million dollars to Berry School.

5. God calls his people to be productive with what they have.

- To be productive not potential

- To make our lives count for more than:

· Pats on the back

· Trophies and awards

· Praise of Men

II. Powerful Service

1. In Acts 1:8 God says that he has given the church power

2. He desires to see us productive not passive

ILL. A number of years ago on the "Merv Griffin Show" a guest appeared that was a body builder. As he entered with his huge muscular frame the crowd went crazy with applause as he flexed his muscles walking over to take his seat to be interviewed. Merv’s first question seemed to catch the body builder off guard however; he asked him "What do you use all those muscles for?" A bit puzzled, the body builder simply stood up and flexed his muscles again while the crowd again applauded wildly. As he sat down Merv again asked him, "What do you use all those muscles for?" Again with a puzzled and somewhat frustrated appearance the body builder stood up and flexed his muscles once again to a cheering audience. Merv however was undaunted and insisted a third time, "What do you use those muscles for?" The body builder was stumped and had no answer, all he could do is sit there and look bewildered at Merv’s constant question. The man was all power, but with no purpose! While he could impress the audience there was no application for all this power.