Called to Serve
Matthew 25:14-30
September 1, 2013
Morning Service
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To 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. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But 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. 20 The 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. 25 So 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? 27 Well 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. 29 For 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. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Matthew 25:14-30
Christ has given great gifts (14-15)
Before there could be any spiritual gifts or acts of service on our part, there was first a sacrifice on the part of Christ. Jesus offers the gift of His blood. Sometimes it is difficult to think about but the reality is that Jesus forfeited His life as an innocent man and allowed His divine blood to be spilled for our benefit.
The greatest gift that Jesus has ever given to any of us is the reality of His shed blood on the cross. The fact that he came to this earth and died in our place on the cross is a gift that no one could ever deserve. The truth is that Jesus sacrificed Himself so that we might become His people. He gave His life so that we might experience what genuine life is. He died so we could be free. Nothing is greater than this and we often forget these things.
Jesus gave us everything we could ever need for eternal life. The truth is that we owe Him everything, all of our life, all of our heart and all of our service. Jesus is calling us to a lifestyle of no reserves. We hold nothing back from the service of the King because He gave us His all.
After Jesus gave us His sacrifice, He also gave us His Spirit. Jesus offers us a double presence of God in our lives. Jesus resides in the life of the believer and then He sends the Holy Spirit to give us power to serve and to accomplish great things for Him. Jesus did not just save us so we could get to heaven, Jesus saved us so we could help others get to heaven. The purpose of spiritual gifts and the abilities that God blesses us with is to point people to the cross. We are called to share the good news that Jesus saves. The way we do that depends on the gifts and abilities that God blesses us with.
The way that God uses you and your life is through those abilities He has blessed you with. No one has the same mixture of giftedness and that makes each of us unique and God has a unique plan for our lives. The truth is simple: Jesus gives us the gift of eternity so that we would share it with others. How are you using those gifts for the service of the one who gave them to you?
Each of the servants was given a specific set of talents
The master gave to the servants based on their ability to make the most of their gifts. Notice that the servants were not all given the same amount. Our American culture tries to impose that we should not give some people more opportunity in the church than others. This is clearly not what Jesus had in mind. The fact is that there was only one criteria; ability that already revealed itself. Opportunity came from ability and the willingness to serve.
Jesus still gives gifts in direct proportion to our ability to use them and our willingness to use them for His service. The problem that happens in most churches today is twofold. Either the church places limitations on people by not letting them serve or people are not willing to get involved in the work of ministry.
Each servant was entrusted with something
Another issue that many churches deal with is the misconception that many think that they have nothing to contribute to the ministry of the church. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are so many ministries that God has planned for the church that He has already gifted the right people, with the right gifts and brought them together for the right time. The problem is that many people either do not realize their giftedness or are afraid to put it to use.
One of the challenges that many churches face is not only plugging people in but plugging them in the right places. Too often we buy into the warm body mentality and put someone in a position because we need it filled. Maybe, just maybe, we should make decisions with prayer and determine what gifts are evident in the congregation before we start assigning people to tasks.
Each servant was given a share of the master’s business
The fact is that all of the servants were given a task to perform. A believer without a ministry is like a fish without water, dying. The only way that we can really grow and become the person that God created us to be, is to enter into the service of the King. There are so many Christians with a spiritual life that is dying on the vine because they are unwilling to serve.
The plan of Christ is to use all of His servants in the work of the Kingdom. Churches today have bought into the notion that the pastor is there to do the ministry. There is a key problem with this thinking. No pastor, no matter how gifted, dedicated and hardworking can get everything done. The fact is that many pastors are robbing their people of the blessing of service because they try to do everything.
Why do so many people not serve or serve more?
1. We fail to recognize the need
Many times people think that there are so many others to do all of the work of the church that they are not needed. Sometimes the church communicates the same kind of message because we fail to get people plugged into ministry. It is not until we start to engage people in the work of ministry that they begin to see their value. Not only should the church engage people in service early but we should engage them often.
* We need to ask more people to be involved
* We need to give people the freedom to say no
* We need to give those have served a long time a break
2. We fail to recognize our role
Too many times people will fail to see the role that they can play in the life of the church. There is a role for every person that comes to church. There are large roles and small ones but all are important. The reality is that everyone needs to get plugged into a role of some kind.
* Maybe you are good working with children
* Maybe you are skilled at organizing things
* Maybe you have the ability to teach
* Maybe you have been gifted with the talent to sing or play music
3. We waste our time and our talents
The third servant wasted the opportunity that the master had given to him. How often do we waste time or opportunity that Jesus gives us? There are times when we can do more and serve more than we already are.
4. We are focused on ourselves
The third servant takes a different attitude toward the work and takes a different approach. The third servant does nothing with the talents that he received.
The third servant was more focused on himself than on the well being of the master. He was focused on what was best and easiest for himself rather than what was best for the master. This servant was lazy and did nothing with what the master had given to him.
Timeless Truths
1. We will be held accountable for the things we do not do
We often believe that sin is only committed by the things that we do. The reality is that we will also be held accountable for the things we fail to do. There are sins of commission but there are just as great sins of omission.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead James 2:14-17
We have been called to a life of active faith. We cannot afford to believe that faith alone will change the world. We must have faith that moves us to action. Our faith in Jesus should be the foundation of our service to Him.
2. We rob ourselves and Christ when we fail to serve
Notice that the third servant had a golden opportunity to serve the Master and to benefit himself and the Master. Instead of rising to the occasion, he hides the talent in the ground. So many people bury their opportunities to make an impact on the world that they rob Christ of using them for His glory. In the end, they are robbing themselves of the blessings that can only come from serving the King.
* What abilities has God blessed you with that can be used for His service?
* What is holding you back from serving Christ more faithfully?
* What is God calling you to do right now? Are you willing to obey?
