02/06/00 - What's In It for Me? …Stewardship!
Who would like to win 6000 denari? 6000 denari (1 denari was 1 days wage)
How much is that? Well, what are your worth a day?
Minimum wage? - $252,000.00 dollars
At say $18.00/hr - $864,000 dollars
What would you do with a quarter of a million dollars? Final Answer?
The Parable of the Talents tells a story and gives many truths about the Stewardship of Life. 10 Truths about the Stewardship of Life
Truth #1: What you have is not yours (vs 14)
Matthew 25:14
"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.
Stewardship is about the right use of our life. Money is a part of that life. Money is simply a representation to time, talent, and sweat - poured into a piece of paper or a checking account. It ALL belongs to the master. All of it!
The Principle of the tithe is the returning of 1/10 of what is his to honor him as God Abraham - Moses - Jesus all upheld the tithe - certainly it belongs to God
Truth #2: What you have is to benefit the Kingdom of God (vs 14)
Matthew 25:14
"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.
Talk about purpose and meaning in life - You have been called to work in the greatest work of all time and eternity - the establishment of the kingdom of God
I've been reading the biography of Billy Graham. I'm not Billy and you're not George Beverly Shea.
I'm me and you're you and we are each called to be a part of building up His kingdom - Lansing Area of Michigan.
Truth #3: God never asks for more from you than you can handle (vs 15)
Matthew 25:15
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.
God proportioned the bags of money according to the abilities. God has given me some - you he has given a different amount and His expectations of our depends on our ability to handle the blessings He gives. We don't all have the same talents, abilities, judgement, timing, physical strength, or appearance.
We aren't all in the same place spiritually. Some are babes, some are young and immature, some are adults and mature in the spiritual things
Now I have a choice
1) feel cheated and want more/different want more resources allocated to me - preaching, singing, leadership, wealth, faith, mercy, discernment or,
2) Understand that God knows more about me than I know about me.
Maybe I could handle more - maybe if I had more it would ruin me!
Do you really think that winning a million dollars would make a difference? Changes a poor unhappy person into a rich unhappy person - can destroy everything.
Recently a woman bought the winning lottery ticket in California. She divorced her husband and hid it from him. He found out and sued 9 months later. She lost it all - and now she's bitter and he's wearing a new $800.00 suit!
Truth #4: What you have is yours to invest, work with, bury, or join with others to build the kingdom! (vs 16-18)
Matthew 25:16-18
The servant who received the five bags of gold began immediately to invest the money and soon doubled it. The servant with two bags of gold also went right to work and doubled the money. But the servant who received the one bag of gold dug a hole in the ground and hid the master's money for safekeeping.
The five-bag man invested his money and doubled it.
He was able to take his money and turn it into equipment, loans, veture capital that produced jobs and work for others. Here is a man who not only took care of his master but took care of others in the process!
The two-bag man went to work and doubled his money. He was able to take his money and use it to buy a business he worked in himself and he doubled his money.
The one-bag man dug a whole in the ground and hid it.
He was more concerned about risk management and he determined to do as little as possible to give himself a feeling of security. He thought nothing of his master or for others - only himself.
When the master came back he told the man that he could have put it in the bank and at least earned interest. He could have put what he had with others and used it to benefit the king!
A few pennies combined with everyone else's pennies is soon billions!
Truth #5: What you have you will someday account for to God (vs 19)
Matthew 25:19
"After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.
What have you done with what you have been given is a question that each and every person will be asked!
Do you really want to face him with the answer that many people will have to give?
I saved it for me! I went on lots of trips and had a lot of parties. I hid it!
Truth #6: What you do with what you have tells about what you are (vs 21-24)
Matthew 25:21
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!'
This life is practice for the next life!
Truth #7: What you have been given is a trial to determine what you will be given in the future. (vs 21-24)
Matthew 25:22-23
"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.' 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!'
You can say it doesn't matter or you can know that if you do well in practice you will do well in the eternal life that is to come! Fact is: It does matter! It is of supreme importance.
If you are faithful in small things God know you will be faithful in large things! What is heaven going to be like? I don't know - but it's not going to be boring! There will be plenty to do and whether or not we get there is dependant on what we do with our life here!
Truth #8: What you have you are to use or what you have you will lose (vs 25-28)
Matthew 25:26-28
"But the master replied, 'You wicked and lazy servant! You think I'm a hard man, do you, harvesting crops I didn't plant and gathering crops I didn't cultivate? Well, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. Take the money from this servant and give it to the one with the ten bags of gold.
Use it or lose it!
Truth #9: What you have is nothing compared to what you will have if you are faithful (vs 29)
Matthew 25:29
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.
Truth #10: What you will have if you are not faithful with what you do have is everlasting regret (vs 30)
Matthew 25:30
Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Wailing and gnashing of teeth - regret!!!
What is in it for me?
Let's summarize the benefits of following Jesus
Sagacity - The parable of the Shrewd Manager
a shrewd kind of wisdom that uses what belongs to our master to benefit others to insure our own future.
Salvation - The parable of the Prodigal (Wild & Reckless) Son
from selfish indulgence based on three false beliefs; 1) that we are missing something, 2) that money will buy happiness, and 3) that we are in control. It led the prodigal from the playpen to the pigpen
Service - The parable of the farmer who hired men at 7:00AM, 9:00 AM, Noon, 3:00 PM, & 5:00 PM and then paid them the same wage
Looked at the top 10 reasons to serve Jesus whether you come to him early or late in life.
Strength - The parable of the man who built on the sand and the man who built on the rock
Paul Kissling showed us how Jesus was the foundation of our lives and gave us the strength to stand on.
Success - The parable of the Vine
We learned that success is the fruitful spiritual life which comes only through pruning.
Stewardship - The parable of the Talents (bags of money) We learned that we can choose what kind of steward we can be. I urge you to lose your life in his!
Be a "One-bag Steward" that Tithes with others for the Kingdom of God
