I KNEW YOU WERE HARD! Don’t withhold the little!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
FAITH CAN ALWAYS BE SEEN BY LITTLE DEEDS AND
ACTIONS OF LOVE!
I. DO WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEDICATION AND TOTAL COMMITMENT?
A. INTRODUCTION:
1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
1 Cor. 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
B. FAITHFUL:
One that holds self accountable that you can trust and have confidence.
ONE WILLING TO DO THEIR DUTY WITH GREAT COMMITMENT.
Full of faith. Showing faith.
Loyal, trustworthy, constant.
Reliable, dependable.
C. One day the pig and chicken were talking near the barn. The pig asked the chicken: WHAT SHALL WE HAVE FOR BREAKFAST?
The chicken made a suggestion --- LET US HAVE BACON AND EGGS.
D. For the chicken to lay an egg was one consideration?
But for the pig to give BACON: would require total commitment!
E. DO WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEDICATION AND TOTAL COMMITMENT?
II. STEWARDSHIP IS PART OF LIFE!
I WAS AFRAID OF YOU! YOU ARE A HARD MAN!
A. BY EXCUSING YOURSELF --- YOU ARE ACCUSING YOURSELF.
B. The Master was fair, he never played favorites, the TALENTS were invested by ABILITY!
Matthew 25:15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
C. In my opinion, the ONE talent man was happy until he heard the Master gave another man TWO talents? The nerve of Him?
Then the straw that broke the camel’s back was when the ONE talent man heard that the Master gave his buddy FIVE TALENTS.
D. FROM THE MAN’S OWN LIIPS HE KNEW THE MASTER WAS HARD?
KJV
Matthew 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
NIV
Luke 19:21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’
NASB
Luke 19:21 for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.’
LIVING
Luke 19:21 ’because I was afraid [you would demand my profits], for you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and even confiscating the crops that others plant.’
E. Instead of admitting his idleness and laziness, the ONE TALENT man used some psychological tools.
1. DENIAL
2. BLOWING SMOKE SCREENS.
3. PASSING THE BUCK.
4. NO REPENTANCE, IT WASN’T HIS FAULT.
5. NO CORRECTION OF BAD ATTITUDES.
6. LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
F. YOUR OWN MOUTH WILL JUDGE YOU!
Luke 19:22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up
that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
III. THE ACCUSATIONS OF MEANNESS AND HARDEST WERE FALSE AND SELF-EXCUSING!
The other parties involved in this story were treated fair and rewarded according to their efforts.
A. God’s word is very clear: God is a rewarder.
God pays His debts.
God restores. Prize, compensation.
B. SOMEDAY THERE WILL BE A PAY DAY AT THE END OF THE ROAD!
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
C. GOD ALWAYS REWARDS FAITHFULNESS! THE 5 TALENT MAN WORKED DILIGENTLY AND GOD HONORED HIS EFFORTS.
Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
D. The TWO talent man, DID ACCORDING TO HIS ABILIITY.
God honored him.
Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many
things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
E. BE FAITHFUL IN THE LITTLE!
JESUS LOVES LITTLE THINGS AND LITTLE PEOPLE! BUT HE DEMANDS FAITHFULNESS!
IV. JESUS LOVES LITTLE PEOPLE THAT ARE BIG ON BEING FAITHFUL. JESUS WANTED TO TEACH A LESSON ABOUT LITTLE, AND BEING WHO YOU ARE. SO JESUS PICKED UP A LITTLE MUSTARD SEED.
A. Take a big apple and cut into it, and get all the seeds.
Count them? Hold them. Ask what can these seeds be?
B. These little seeds can grow up and become an apple tree.
I MAY BE SMALL BUT GOD HAS A PLAN FOR ME TO GROW AND MATURE.
Matthew 13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in
his field:
32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come
and lodge in the branches thereof.
C. THIS LITTLE SEED COULD MAKE AN APPLE TREE THAT COULD GROW THOUSANDS OF APPLES FOR MANY YEARS.
D. YOU MAY SEE A LITTLE SEED, BUT GOD SEES MANY APPLES.
BY FAITH WE MUST SEE BEYOND THIS LITTLE SEED, AND LET GOD BRING FRUIT TO US.
E. JESUS PICKED ONE OF THE SMALLEST SEEDS THEY KNEW IN HIS DAY AND SAID: LOOK: IT MAY BE SMALL BUT IT WILL GROW AND BIRDS WILL FLY AND LAND HERE AND HELP THEM!
V. THERE IS A LITTLE LADY IN THE BIBLE THAT WE DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT. SHE WAS FAITHFUL TO HELP THE PREACHERS, HER NAME IS HULDAH.
A. Huldah means WEASEL or little worker. A hard, zealous worker.
Huldah had a husband named Shallum.
B. Huldah lived in Jerusalem, the part called Mishneh.
She lived near the outer wall of the city. She lived near the college where many young people were learning.
2 Kings 22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt
in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.
C. Huldah is one of three women mentioned in the Bible as PROPHETESS. Miriam and Deborah were the other two.
D. This little lady Huldah had a little job.
For some people they thought her job was little.
Huldah took her job very serious.
E. HULDAH WAS THE KEEPER OF THE PREACHERS’ CLOTHES.
There were many preachers.
The Preachers had several outfits.
Some outfits were fancy, some were plain, but Huldah did a good job.
F. Huldah loved God so much.
Huldah was faithful to her post of duty.
Many of the people laughed at Huldah the lady that washed clothes for Preachers? But she knew God had placed her there to be a HELPER. She was not important to most people, but the Preachers loved and appreciated her!
G. There were some clothes that the Preacher wore when they were preparing the offering to GIVE TO GOD. Often these outfits got very dirty.
That was OK, Huldah would work and get them clean again.
H. The Preachers wore a LINEN EPHOD around their neck, to remember God. Huldah took special care of the Linen Ephods. (Ephod was like a vest over the Preacher’s shoulder.)
I. The Preachers had some real fancy clothes and suits they wore while they lead public worship. The singers and those that lead in worship
had these beautiful colored outfits.
J. While Huldah was in charge she did a super job.
She had to wash, to sew, and probably even make new outfits for God’s men.
She did her little job so good, God called her a PROPHETESS!
VI. BECAUSE HULDAH LOVED GOD SO MUCH AND DID HER LITTLE JOB GOOD, GOD DECIDED TO USE HULDAH TO TALK TO THE KING AND CARRY GOOD NEWS TO HIM.
2 Chron. 34:23 And she answered them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me, 24 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in
the book which they have read before the king of Judah: 25 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this
place, and shall not be quenched.
26 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the Lord, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel concerning
the words which thou hast heard;
27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the
inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord.
28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.
VII. JESUS DESIRED LITTLE PEOPLE TO COME TO HIM, BECAUSE JESUS SAW LITTLE PEOPLE HAD LITTLE GIFTS THAT HE COULD ENLARGE BY BLESSING THEM.
A. The big shots gathered around Jesus didn’t understand how God works.
God deliberately uses small things to confound the wise.
B. Jesus WELCOMES little people to COME TO HIM.
Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
C. THERE WAS A SQUIRMY LITTLE LAD THAT WAS IN THE CROWD.
D. The small boy’s Mom packed him his lunch and sent him on his way.
As the boy was running and playing he heard there was a man named Jesus teaching and healing the sick. The young boy followed the crowd and found Jesus.
E. THE YOUNG BOY AND HIS LUNCH THAT HIS MOMMA PACKED FOR HIM HAD A DIVINE APPOINTMENT. The little lad’s LOVE OF Jesus made him GIVE A LITTLE OFFERING that is still famous today.
John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
F. Can you imagine that night as the LAD ran home and said: Momma I met Jesus. Momma, Jesus heals people, and Momma remember my sack lunch?
Jesus took my lunch and fed 1,000’s of people.
G. The lad lay down and went to sleep, dreaming LOOK WHAT THE LORD HATH DONE. JESUS USED MY GIFTS, I WILL FOREVERED BE REMEMBER AS THE LAD THAT GAVE HIS LITTLE LUNCH TO JESUS!
VIII. IS WHAT WE HAVE SO LITTLE THAT WE WILL WE REFUSE TO GIVE OR PLANT OUR SEEDS? TRUST THE LORD OF THE HARVEST.
A. MY SEED MAY SEEM SO SMALL BUT GOD CAN GROW IT!
I Cor. 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
B. WE MUST TRUST OUR SEED INTO THE HANDS OF THE LORD OF THE HARVEST!
Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
C. My gift may seem so small, but in LOVE I GIVE IT!
Mark 12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
D. HAVE SOME KIND OF SEED TO GIVE EVERY ONE...
FLOWER SEEDS? HAVE THEM GIVE THEIR SEED NO MATTER HOW
SMALL AND TRUST GOD TO ENLARGE THE FRUIT!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Teach someone to be faithful in the little.
Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
