Three Servants & Three Rewards
This life is very much a test. In fact it could be said that our life is a trial that reveals our character and nature. In this story – one of the few parables in which the author reveals it’s meaning – Jesus reveals the importance of what we do with what we have when we have it.
We are sending 8 people to the Ukraine this March
Ukraine Trip
Who are they?
Why are they going?
Why are we sending them?
We are Investing in the building of the Kingdom of God
Why is that so important – why use all that money that way?
Before I answer these questions consider some of the dumb things people have said through the years:
1859 – "Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to find oil? You’re crazy!" - the employees to Edwin L. Drake before his first successful oil well near Titusville, Penn
1899 – "Everything that can be invented has been invented." Charles H. Duell, U.S. Commissioner of Patents
1903 – "The horse is here to stay, but the automobile is only a novelty, a fad." A president of Michigan Savings Bank advising against investing in Ford Motor Co.
1936 – "I have no political ambitions for myself or my children." Joseph P. Kennedy
1943 – "I think there a world market for maybe five computers." Thomas Watson, President of IBM
1954 – "You ain’t going nowhere son. You ought to go back to driving a truck." Grand Ole Opry’s Jim Denny to Elvis Presley
Nov. 18, 1963 – "For the majority of people, the use of tobacco has a beneficial effect." Dr. Ian G. MacDonald, Los Angeles surgeon, quoted in Newsweek
1977 – "There is no need for any individual to have a computer in their home." Ken Olson, president of Digital Equipment Corporation
1981 – "640k ought to be enough [computer memory] for anybody." Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft
September 9, 2002 – “In matters of public policy and personal transformation most churches are irrelevant.”
Peter Sawtell, Seeker Magazine
Wrong! The Church is the bride of Jesus. She may be ugly sometimes but she is still the bride of Jesus. Don’t mess with the bride of Christ!
I am sold out and totally committed to the truth that the church is the most relevant, personally transforming organism on the face of planet earth
I belong to this body and Jesus is my boss! He told me to tell everyone about him. Make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them.
Sending people to the Ukraine to explore relationships where we can help our Christian brothers and sisters tell their part of the world about Jesus.
We’re investing in people! That’s why!
That makes this story about three servants a very important story for us today.
Matthew 25:14-31 (NCV)
A Story About Three Servants
14 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was going to another place for a visit. Before he left, he called for his servants and told them to take care of his things while he was gone. 15 He gave one servant five bags of gold, another servant two bags of gold, and a third servant one bag of gold, to each one as much as he could handle. Then he left. 16 The servant who got five bags went quickly to invest the money and earned five more bags. 17 In the same way, the servant who had two bags invested them and earned two more. 18 But the servant who got one bag went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master came home and asked the servants what they did with his money. 20 The servant who was given five bags of gold brought five more bags to the master and said, ‘Master, you trusted me to care for five bags of gold, so I used your five bags to earn five more.’ 21 The master answered, ‘You did well. You are a good and loyal servant. Because you were loyal with small things, I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my joy with me.’
22 “Then the servant who had been given two bags of gold came to the master and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of gold to care for, so I used your two bags to earn two more.’ 23 The master answered, ‘You did well. You are a good and loyal servant. Because you were loyal with small things, I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my joy with me.’
24 “Then the servant who had been given one bag of gold came to the master and said, ‘Master, I knew that you were a hard man. You harvest things you did not plant. You gather crops where you did not sow any seed. 25 So I was afraid and went and hid your money in the ground. Here is your bag of gold.’ 26 The master answered, ‘You are a wicked and lazy servant! You say you knew that I harvest things I did not plant and that I gather crops where I did not sow any seed. 27 So you should have put my gold in the bank. Then, when I came home, I would have received my gold back with interest.’
28 “So the master told his other servants, ‘Take the bag of gold from that servant and give it to the servant who has ten bags of gold. 29 Those who have much will get more, and they will have much more than they need. But those who do not have much will have everything taken away from them.’ 30 Then the master said, ‘Throw that useless servant outside, into the darkness where people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.’
Three servants – three different rewards
Some details were the same
First: Each was a possessor – none were owners
Let’s talk about purpose and meaning in life
Why are you here – here now; this moment; We are on a journey that intersects in time and eternity. We are all here together, here, today, for a reason.
I know why I’m here. Called to build his church – here in Lansing, MI. Do you know why you are here?
All that I have is his and for him. 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
Second: Each was to invest the money as they desired.
The five-bag man invested his money and doubled it.
He was able to take his money and turn it into equipment, loans, venture 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 hole 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!
Third: Each was required to account for their activities
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!
Other details were different
First: Each received according to his ability
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
Joe Millionaire
A Construction worker lies to 30 pretty women about inheriting 50 million dollars; plays musical chairs with them on camera and then when he picks one the producers of the TV show give him and the last woman standing a $1,000,000.00.
And they call this reality television. Hello! This is reality??? Not in my world! Is that fair? No, Life is not fair!
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.
Second: Each revealed his character by what he did
This life is practice for the next life!
Third: Each received a different reward
Each different reward was based on what was done with what they had been given
You can say it doesn’t matter what you do! The 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!
We are His servants and all of this leads to…
Two Fundamental Principles for Everyone
First Principle: If you use what you have for God, He will give you more
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.
Second Principle: If you use what you have for yourself, you will live to regret it
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!!!
Now: What will you do with what you have?
