Breaking Fear
Theme: Breaking the fear of moving and restoring the joy.
Text: Matthew 25:14-30
Matthew 25:14 NLT "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a trip. He called together his servants and gave them money to invest for him while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of gold to one, two bags of gold to another, and one bag of gold to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities—and then left on his trip. 16 The servant who received the five bags of gold began immediately to invest the money and soon doubled it. 17 The servant with two bags of gold also went right to work and doubled the money. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of gold dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money for safekeeping. 19 "After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of gold said, ‘Sir, you gave me five bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount.’ 21 The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (enter into the joy of the Lord) 22 "Next came the servant who had received the two bags of gold, with the report, ‘Sir, you gave me two bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount.’ 23 The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’(enter into the joy of the Lord) 24 "Then the servant with the one bag of gold came and said, ‘Sir, I know you are a hard man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth and here it is.’ 26 "But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! You think (the Lord was not saying that the servant was right in his assessment, actually it could be translated with sarcasm, or disdain, He is telling the servant if you thought all these things even though they were not true then you should have . . .) I’m a hard man, do you, harvesting crops I didn’t plant and gathering crops I didn’t cultivate? 27 Well, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. 28 Take the money from this servant and give it to the one with the ten bags of gold. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Introduction
Most of the time when we think about this passage we think about stewardship and talents. That is the word that we use in the KJV & NKJV. The original word talent was used for a measure of gold. It was used as money.
So we know that first this is a message about doing right with the Lord’s money. I think this is important to understand. As I told you to underline certain words in this passage I want you to notice a few things.
1st it is the Lord’s money. It is the Lord who gives it to the servant. You see the money we have is not our own. We know this.
2nd God only gives to each individual as to “their abilities” (or you could say faithfulness). God knows our abilities and he only gives more if we could handle more. Many people who struggle with tithing or giving to the church think, “Well when I get more money, when I get that raise, when this happens or that changes then I will be able to tithe.” Tithing is about faithfulness and integrity. Even when we don’t feel like we have it we give it because we trust the Lord.
3rd An account will be given. It will happen either here on earth, or even worse in heaven. I say even worse in heaven because at least here on earth we can change it.
4th I like what the Lord says, “Let’s celebrate together”. Or “Enter into the joy of the Lord”.
As I was reading this passage it was like the Lord was saying, “This is what happens when people give faithfully. When they give they enter into the joy of the Lord. No matter their circumstances. No matter their problems they have joy.
Nehemiah “The Joy of the Lord is your strength”
It is the joy of the Lord who gives me strength. When I walk in the joy of the Lord I have strength. If you are feeling like a drained Christian. Dragging yourself to prayer, dragging yourself to church, forcing yourself to have a relationship, things just never seem to go right then I challenge you to look at your joy.
If you don’t have joy then you need to go back and see if you have been faithful. Faithful in your tithing and giving. Faithful doing what God wants you to do.
Ps 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
5th I want you to notice that the servant had a false impression of the Lord.
He looked at the Lord as not deserving what he had. And notice that the Lord didn’t say he was right. He said if you thought this way then you should have done this.
Some people thinking about the Lord is so negative. They say, “Why should I give?” Oh that church don’t “need” it. They do this or that. That Pastor does nothing why should we pay him.
But you see this is a false impression will cause us to skimp on God.
6th I want you to notice the most important words in the passage vs. 25 “I was afraid”.
Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. Now understand this is a stewardship message and you have to apply this to stewardship. People are not giving because they are afraid.
Now this may surprise you but this morning that was my introduction and I am not here to talk about stewardship and tithing. I did want to stay true to the passage but I want to take it a step further.
Monday morning as I was reading this passage it was like the Lord spoke to me and said, “That is your church.” I said, “What?” Again he spoke to my heart and said, “That is your church.” There are people in your church who are afraid.
There are people in your church who are walking in fear in their lives. Whether it is tithing they are afraid to give. Or even a step further because we know that today the word “talent” is used for the gifts that God has given us to do a work for his kingdom. We now have talent shows to show off our “god given gifts”. We talk about talent in the church or gifts.
Now stay with me here. God said there are people who are walking in fear and not using their talent for the church. They are not “entering into the joy of the Lord.” You see it on their face. You see it in their eyes. You hear it in their speech. They are not walking in the joy of the Lord. This walk has become drudgery.
Worse yet they have no strength. It as if all their strength is gone.
Now let’s get deeper. Because I believe that there is more here. Not only can we talk about talents but we can say gifts. The gifts that the Lord has given us. Whether we are referring to I Cor 12, or Romans or Ephesians. The gifts that the Lord has given to the church to operate. People are walking in fear to use their gifts. They are dragging into church. Sitting on the pews and leave out wondering why they don’t feel much better.
Or they may come for a blessing and get a touch but walk back into that same pattern.
I don’t know if you are getting this but I know that God is speaking to some people here. You could be the most active person in this church but you have lost your joy in working for the Lord.
Why because you are afraid to get close. Or do too much because some time ago you go hurt.
Some of you are afraid to get involved because the pastor way back hurt you when you got involved. You are afraid to trust. Afraid to move.
You may not see it but this same fear gets into your spiritual life. You have been used of the Lord before to give our messages or interpret. You have been used before. You were active in the church but now you are “afraid” to get involved. You have fear operating and controlling your life. Fear to trust.
Let me take you to another familiar passage. One that I have used recently but God has given me a new insight.
2Ti 1:5-7 NKJV Paul said to Timothy, “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. (6) Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. (7) For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Paul tells Timothy to stir up the gifts that is in him. Reignite the coals. Blow on those glowing embers. They have not died out you just need the Spirit the blow on them again.
You have got to get this. When we have fear we lose: Power, Love and most of all a sound mind. Last week God give a word to church about the Spirit of power. We need this power working in our church. But it will not work in the church until it works in the people. We have got to have it.
But when people are afraid. Whether it is a afraid to move because of past hurt or afraid to move because they don’t know what God is going to do. It may be you are like me many years of ago, afraid to move because of what people think. Oh I thought he was alright but look he’s getting renewed.
Come on now. Don’t miss it.
When we miss out on God because of fear. It could be giving it could be moving. It could be praying for some. Letting the Spirit move.
God has not used me toi give out
