The Parable of the Talents.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Just by way of announcement, next Sunday will be Easter Sunday, the day that we have reserved on [0:06] the calendar to celebrate the resurrection of our God and King Jesus Christ. Now, we will be doing [0:12] things far, far differently that day, mostly because we will be in a different location [0:17] next week. We will be a little over a mile down the road at the old Journey building where Journey [0:23] Church used to gather. That will be a space that is larger than this. We right now gather in two [0:29] different services on Sunday morning, and we do not want space to be an issue next week as we expect

[0:36] to have quite a bump in attendance. So we will go down there for one service, and there is ample [0:43] space for all of the different ministries that we do on Sunday morning, for our kids ministries, [0:47] for parking, as well as for us to gather corporately for a service at 10 a.m. right down [0:54] the street. Now, what this is going to free us up to is to not worry about space. So you should feel [1:00] quite free to invite as many people as possible to the service next week to celebrate the [1:07] resurrection. We will be preaching the gospel. We will be singing songs of worship. And so in

[1:12] your handout, you should have a card that is an invite for our Easter service. Now, what that [1:19] means is that you have to give that to someone else. Since you already know what is happening, [1:24] you do not need that card. And so it frees you up to get rid of it, not in the trash can. Please, [1:30] we spent money on those. But use those to invite friends, family, co-workers, enemies, I do not [1:36] just invite everyone, as many people as possible to next Sunday’s service as we celebrate really [1:44] the day that is all about Jesus. It is all about the resurrection and it is all about life. We will

[1:49] be beginning a new series next Sunday morning that will take us through the month of May. [1:54] The series will simply be entitled Life, and we will begin next week by talking about what real [1:58] life in the resurrection is. And so I am very excited about our Easter service next Sunday, [2:04] I hope you are as well. And I hope you are excited enough to invite many, many people [2:10] to that service. Do not go to Grandma’s church. Invite Grandma to your church next Sunday. [2:16] Yeah, I know. I know that has been going on in some of your minds. Do not worry about that.

[2:21] She can come here. I am excited to see her. I want to meet your grandmother next week. [2:26] And let me tell you, she wants to meet me as well. She does. I know she does. I am a nice guy. [2:32] If you have your Bibles, open them up to Matthew 25. [2:36] Matthew 25. This is the final sermon in our series through a few of the kingdom parables [2:44] as Jesus gave them when he constantly would refer to the kingdom and he would say things [2:50] such as the kingdom is like. And then he would tell a story describing what the kingdom of God

[2:57] is like. And over the past six weeks, we have seen many stories and how they relate to life. [3:03] How God, if we trust him, if we are following him through these stories, he reveals to us what his [3:09] kingdom is like in our lives. Not just in the future. Not just after life, but right here, [3:18] right now. And the life that we are currently living and the life that we are presently a part [3:22] of in this world and in this life, if we truly have faith in who he is, is Jesus. [3:29] And I think this week, when we look at this final parable, what you’re going to see is, I think,

[3:35] Jesus gives this later in the book of Matthew, really as he walks into Jerusalem, as he prepares [3:41] to go onto the cross and he begins to get more and more urgent with his parables, more and more [3:48] urgent. He’s telling us this is what needs to happen in your life if your faith is real. [3:54] And here in Matthew 25, he begins to talk about his second coming. About the fact that once he [4:01] dies on the cross, once he rises from the dead, because he’s been preparing them for that, he’s [4:06] been telling them that the son of man must go into Jerusalem, the son of man must suffer many things

[4:13] and then be crucified. And the son of man, if you tear his temple down, he will rise again [4:17] in three days. He’s been preparing them. And then in this chapter 25, [4:22] right in Matthew, he begins to tell them and he says, this is what you need to be doing [4:28] before I come again. And he talks about our lives and he begins to make comparisons between what I [4:37] invest in my life and what my faith is really all about. Life is very confusing, make no doubt about [4:46] that. Life is very hard for all of us. We all struggle with different things at different levels.

[4:53] We all have choices that we make every single day. Some of our choices work out really well for us [4:58] and some of our choices, well, they feel like hell, frankly. But all of us each day have a [5:07] decision to make. And that is, will our choices be defined by what faith says is real or will our [5:17] kingdom of this world, the life that I think I have authority over, the life that I believe [5:23] I’m going to define my way, or is there a greater authority over my life who says that I must do this [5:29] and then trust him with the outcome? That he’s to be trusted far more with the authority over my

[5:36] life than I’m to be trusted. So he gives us this parable. It’s called the parable of the talents. [5:43] The parable of the talents is really about how our lives are to be invested far differently than [5:48] everyone around us. That what looks like success in other people’s lives is not going to be success [5:54] in our life if we believe in Jesus, if we have faith in him. That the thing that we build our [5:58] lives on is not going to be the same thing that they build our lives on. So we can expect to be [6:02] far different than this world. We can expect to be misunderstood. We can expect to be counter-cultural.

[6:09] But with scripture as our guide and authority, if we trust in Christ, we will live differently [6:16] than this world. If you trust God, you’ll invest differently, which means you’ll live differently [6:23] than the unbelieving world around you. Trusting in Jesus means that you view this world through a [6:27] different lens. The lens of a kingdom that is to come over the kingdom that is.

[6:36] And success will be measured far differently if you trust in Jesus. [6:44] I want to forewarn you this morning that the parable of the talents [6:49] should be the guide for how you live your entire life.

[6:54] I don’t want to make any qualms about that. That when you’re making every decision in your life, [7:00] decision about marriage, decisions about child rearing, decisions about education, [7:06] decisions about academics, decisions about careers, decisions about success.

[7:12] Friends, let this be your guide. Jesus saw it as being important enough that before he goes to the [7:18] cross, this is one of the final things that he tells his disciples. And he warns them that he [7:24] is the master that’s going to invest greatly into their lives. And when he returns, how they [7:30] invest, what he will give, frankly, will determine whether they gain entrance into his kingdom.

[7:41] And so this parable is not to be trifled with. It’s not to be interpreted to make yourself [7:44] feel better about yourself, because I know that’s my temptation when I go to the word. [7:49] I try to reason out how I’m already living all of this rather than make the changes that I know [7:53] I need to make. And so in Matthew 25 14, please join me.

[8:02] For it, and he’s jumping off of the previous parable when he said the kingdom of heaven will [8:08] be like, so he just simply shortens it and he says, for it will be like a man going on a journey [8:14] who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. This is a reference to Matthew 28 19 [8:21] through 20. To one, he gave five talents to another two, to another one, to each according [8:28] to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded [8:34] with them and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more,

[8:39] but he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. [8:46] Now, after a long time, the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. [8:52] And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, [8:56] saying, master, you delivered to me five talents here. I have made five talents more. His master [9:02] said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set [9:06] you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. And he also who had two talents came forward,

[9:13] saying, master, you delivered to me two talents here. I have made two talents more. [9:19] His master said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over [9:22] a little. I will set you over much and turn to the joy of your master. He also who had received [9:29] the one talent came forward saying, master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not [9:35] sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. So I was afraid and I went and hid the talent in [9:41] ground here. You have what is yours. But his master said to him, you wicked and slothful servant,

[9:48] you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed. [9:53] Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers and in my coming, I should have received [9:57] what was mine with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. [10:05] For everyone who has will be will excuse me, will more be given and he will have an abundance. [10:12] But from the one who has not even what he has, it will be taken away and cast the worthless [10:19] servant into outer darkness in the place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[10:27] When we read the words of that parable, we see a life that is given from a master to servants, [10:34] a master who has all authority over servants, a master who has much and servants who have [10:39] absolutely nothing. And the master gives unto his servants of what is his and then he goes on a [10:45] trip because these are the servants that he entrusts with stewarding everything that he [10:50] has in his kingdom. And he says, I’m giving this to you. I’m investing these to you. [10:55] Everything that you have an ability with that I’ve watched, that I’ve gauged, that I’ve seen,

[10:59] that I’ve sown into you, I’m going to give according to that. And when I leave, what I want you to do [11:04] is I want you to use these talents, which we know is a wage, about a year’s wage. Some people even [11:10] say it’s equal to hundreds of thousands of dollars in this world. And he says, I’m going to leave. [11:15] When I come back, what you do with them will determine how you are in my kingdom. So he invests, [11:25] he walks away.

[11:30] Probably no mistaking that this parable has absolutely nothing to do [11:35] with this world’s finances. It has nothing to do with a master and his servants and everything [11:39] to do with God and us. Everything to do with Jesus and his kingdom. Number one this morning, [11:45] I want you to understand that Jesus is our master and we are his stewards.

[11:54] Jesus gives this parable. He’s already spoken so much about his kingdom. He’s spoken so much [11:58] about his grace that surely the disciples and us should understand the reality of [12:04] him speaking truth into our lives. He’s told us that he is the sower of seeds, [12:11] that he’s gone out and he’s sown. And these servants are supposedly the ones that the seed [12:16] fell on their good soil and it sprung up. And if they’re following him, then it will sprout fruit [12:22] for his kingdom. That he’s the master who after the weeds and the wheat have grown side by side,

[12:31] that he’s discerning enough, that he’s wise enough, that he sees into our souls enough, [12:36] that at the end of this age he will separate the weeds from the wheat.

[12:42] He’s the master who tells us that his kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field and when [12:49] we find that treasure, it’s so valuable to us that we will gladly in great joy sell everything that [12:56] we have because all that we want in life is his treasure. All that we want in life is to be a part [13:03] of what he has. All that we want in life is to be a part of what he is going to do and what he is [13:09] going to give us. He’s the master of great wealth and he distributes according to his generosity,

[13:23] giving grace upon grace upon grace to those who trust in him. His wage is determined by his [13:30] goodness, not by our goodness. And he gives liberally to all who will trust, equally to all who will believe.

[13:38] But then he is the master who gives and he changes the life of those who receive his gifts. [13:45] And in that life, we will live by faith. We will invest in his kingdom above absolutely everything [13:54] else. We will sacrifice that which we know is not eternal and we will live for him. He’s giving us [14:01] the truth that grace changes everything about how you invest your life. This is why he continually [14:09] puts forward the kingdom is like. You see these are not far off stories that only impact the [14:15] afterlife. These are stories that impact right here and right now. Each example points to something

[14:21] that Jesus wants to cultivate now. Friends, this context of this parable is the effect [14:29] that knowing Jesus will have when you are alive. The kingdom is like preparing for the master’s return. [14:40] How do we do that? In the examples that Jesus gives, it is all about anticipating and living [14:47] in obedience to what you believe is coming. That’s what the life of a disciple is. [14:53] The life of a disciple is you believing that this is what the future is marked as. [14:58] This is what I believe is coming. Jesus has made it so sure that this is what I know is coming and

[15:04] I will order my life right now in relation to what I believe is coming. That’s what marks your [15:11] discipleship. That’s what marks who you are and who Jesus is in your life.

[15:17] So what you do right now, what you do in your life, how you order your steps is phenomenally [15:23] important in relation to the coming kingdom of God. How you order your life, how you invest [15:31] each and every day shows what you believe is coming. This is the question we must wrestle [15:39] with this morning. The question we must deal with is what does my life say is coming?

[15:45] What does how I am investing my life reveal about what I believe will happen next?

[15:56] You see each and every one of us, that should strike to our souls

[16:02] because none of us are perfect friends. [16:05] And so when we begin to place reason upon reason upon reason and say, well no I’m okay, it’s okay, [16:12] I’m okay, what we’re showing is that’s how we value the kingdom. We value what we’re doing [16:18] over taking inventory and saying does it relate to what he’s doing because we will say everything’s [16:24] okay in my life and I’m investing wisely before we even take inventory of how we’re investing. [16:32] How can you say it’s okay when you’ve not dealt with your investments?

[16:39] When you’ve not considered what you really value in your life?

[16:49] Before Jesus gave this parable, he gives another and it’s a strange parable. It’s a parable about

[16:58] 10 brides or 10 virgins. The story is wacky to us because it says that there’s these 10 [17:06] women who are awaiting the coming of the bridegroom and they know that he’s going to come and five of [17:13] them constantly live in preparation for his coming. So much so that they’re preparing themselves but [17:19] then they have this thought, well what if he comes when we’re not prepared? What if he comes [17:23] the middle of the night? So they go and they buy much oil for their lamps so that at his coming [17:29] they can light their lamps and their way will be lit so they can follow him into his kingdom.

[17:34] But there’s other five who say, well surely we’ll just recognize when he comes. Surely when he comes [17:40] it won’t be a problem. So they just don’t invest in oil and they go about every day as usual as if [17:45] nothing had changed in their lives. And it says that in the middle of the night the bridegroom [17:49] comes and five of them were ready and the other five weren’t ready and the five that aren’t ready [17:54] begin to beg, please give us some of your oil. And they say we only have enough oil for us. [17:59] And so they run to prepare themselves but as they’re out preparing,

[18:05] the bridegroom takes the five that were prepared and they’re gone. They can never find them.

[18:14] So when Jesus leads into the story what he tells us is that our faith and the promises that [18:19] Jesus gave is revealed on how they affect our present lives. Are you investing? Are you preparing?

[18:32] James 2 17 through 18 tell us that faith is displayed through action. [18:39] Works is not the enemy of faith, friends. Instead it is the natural outcome of real faith. [18:46] Faith by itself if it does not have works is dead but someone will say you have faith and I have [18:51] work show me your faith apart from your works and I will show you my faith by my works.

[18:58] How’s the grace of God affected how you live your every day?

[19:05] Secondly this morning we do not invest in what we have earned but what we have been given. We do [19:11] not invest what we have earned but what we’ve been given. Look in verses 14 through 18.

[19:20] He says it will be like a man who goes on a journey calls his servants and entrusts to them [19:25] his property to one five to another two to another one based on their ability. But note [19:32] what the beginning tells us he invests his property. He does not tell them look at everything [19:40] in your house look at everything you have earned look at everything you have done and you invest [19:46] that look at how good you think you are. No it is on the masters discernment not on your discernment [19:51] not on how able you think you are not on how strong you think you are not on what you think

[19:57] you have to offer what he says you have to offer based on his worth based on his possessions based [20:05] on the ability that he deserves. Jesus does not redeem those whom he does not give ability to.

[20:13] He redeems you he gives you ability. Faith is seen in serving God with what you have been given. [20:23] The task seems intimidating. You know I read the story and I think about this servant of a [20:31] great property. I think about what the servants must have felt like when he gives them this and [20:37] he says do with it as I would do to it. How intimidating would that be? What if they lose it?

[20:45] The idea does not appear to be for them to hide the money under a mattress though. [20:51] The idea is you work this you take this. It is based on ability. It is based on what you can do [20:58] with my property but it is frightening. What if you fail in your investment?

[21:07] What if you work those talents and the master returns and you have bankrupted him?

[21:16] I think sometimes that is our problem with the gospel. I think we are afraid we will blow it.

[21:23] I think we are afraid that we are not good enough we are not smart enough we are not [21:27] talented enough we have sinned far too much we have gone far too far in our lives. What could God [21:34] possibly do with me? That is when this amazing grace needs to enlighten your mind to the fact [21:42] that God is far less interested in what you can give him and far more interested in what he can give you.

[21:53] It never was about what these guys had. It never was about how smart they thought they were. It was [21:57] the vision that the master had for them. Faith changes all things. Even ability.

[22:06] When you understand that I think the work of the Holy Spirit in your life will make far more sense. [22:09] That faith is not just something that Jesus keeps in a mystical realm and you hope it works out. No [22:16] faith is something that enables you to do far more than you ever thought you were capable of doing. [22:21] Faith enables you to get over baggage. Faith enables you to get through guilt. Faith enables you [22:27] to make choices and decisions that you never thought you were able to make. Faith [22:30] enables you to sacrifice. Faith enables you to take what looks like risks in this world but they

[22:37] are not based on you. They are based on the one who there is no risk for. They are based on God. [22:42] Do you know that God has never risked? God has never risked one thing. It is a lie that our culture [22:50] some bad Bible people will tell you. God is not a risk taker. God says and it is. God plans and it [23:02] works out. God works and he redeems. What God says will be accomplished will be accomplished. [23:09] That means what he declares for your life will work out. He has said live for my gospel. When [23:16] we live for his gospel there is no failure. Even if I die I have not failed and I might.

[23:26] But God says what a beautiful death that could be because you will enter into his rest for [23:31] eternity. There is no failure with God friends. You need not fear that. You could risk it all.

[23:40] Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.

[23:48] When we live according to our ability because I think that is such a great temptation.

[23:55] Apart from Jesus we will never invest in things of eternal value. So when we don’t do that when [24:00] we base things on what we have and what we can do what happens is we begin to invest in things [24:05] that we can wrap our hearts and our minds around not faith. So we invest in this world and that is [24:13] where our chasing after wealth comes. Our chasing after power comes. Our chasing after fame comes. [24:21] Our chasing after finding significance in things other than God comes. If I could only have this [24:27] then I will be happy. If I could only have that then I will be happy. If I could only

[24:30] live there then I will be happy. It is a routine that we live over and over and over again. [24:37] sometimes we think so much, oh man it’s worked out so well for us because look at this person [24:41] he’s got so much he must be happy. [24:44] When things like Psalm 49 verses 16 through 20 will warn us and reveal what it is to [24:49] invest only in this world when it says be not afraid when a man becomes rich when the [24:54] glory of his house increases for when he dies he will carry nothing away.

[24:59] His glory will not go down after him for though while he lives he counts himself blessed and [25:05] though you get praise when you do well for yourself his soul will go to the generation [25:09] of his fathers who will never again see light. [25:13] Man and his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

[25:19] Those are the texts we don’t like.

[25:25] What the psalmist is talking about here is how are you investing your life?

[25:31] How do you gauge success? [25:34] How do you gauge wealth?

[25:38] Because friends God gauges it far differently than we do. [25:45] God sees the person who has everything that this world could offer him and he looks and [25:51] I’ll be frank with you he laughs. [25:55] He says you think you’re impressive?

[26:04] When you die none of it not a penny not a thing not a possession none of it goes with [26:16] you nothing.

[26:21] And when we deal with that reality what happens is God is forcing us to say what should I [26:33] invest in? [26:35] What should my life be about?

[26:38] What should I do? [26:41] Are you more interested in the wealth that you have earned or the grace that you’ve been [26:46] given?

[26:48] The one that you invest more heavily in will reveal the God that you are actually serving.

[26:58] See the gospel reveals all things. [27:02] It reveals hope for everyone. [27:03] Reveals hope for the rich. [27:04] It reveals hope for the poor. [27:06] It reveals hope for the in between.

[27:09] It reveals the hope of an investment of eternal value over an investment of a temporary gain. [27:15] In Hebrews chapter 13 the author puts it this way. [27:19] It says now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus the great [27:24] shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant equip you with everything [27:28] good that you may do his will working in us that which is pleasing in his sight through [27:35] Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever amen.

[27:40] This reveals that Jesus equips us with everything we need to do his will. [27:45] Everything that he demands he also gives us strength to accomplish.

[27:51] Note what he says through the gospel God will reveal to you what you should do. [27:57] God will reveal to you how you should invest but more than that he will give you the ability [28:04] to do it. [28:06] If you trust in him. [28:08] If you follow him. [28:10] There’s no calling too high.

[28:13] There’s no task too great.

[28:17] The cross does not only wash us clean from sin but also fills us with the power of God’s [28:23] spirit so that we can build the life that God envisions for us. [28:29] In this context it is to invest the gospel of Jesus into this world to build his kingdom. [28:35] This is the mission that God gives when he returns the legitimacy of our faith will [28:39] be revealed in how we invested our lives in this world. [28:45] Number three this morning how you invest your life will ultimately reveal what you trust in.

[28:51] It’s not in what you’ve earned it’s what you’ve been given and how you invest will [28:57] show whether you trust in what you’ve been given over what you’ve earned. [29:01] If we trust Jesus we will saturate ourselves in his word and in prayer to live his mission. [29:07] This is the investment that God calls us to and we will be sensitive to him more than [29:12] anything else. [29:14] You know Jesus invested everything into his kingdom.

[29:17] We talked last week about the generosity of Jesus. [29:21] But Jesus invested absolutely everything. [29:23] He’s our example. [29:25] He’s the one whom we follow. [29:26] He’s the one whom we put our trust in and he’s the one who showed us what it is to [29:30] invest in the kingdom of God and he gave absolutely everything.

[29:35] There was nothing held back. [29:36] He gave everything over. [29:39] The parable of the sower Jesus puts himself in the story as the one who sows. [29:44] So the fruit then is always his. [29:46] Even when it comes to our lives ultimately everything sowed and reaped comes through [29:51] his power.

[29:52] In 2 Corinthians 9,6 the apostle Paul writes to the church at Corinth about the generosity [29:57] that Jesus changes our lives so that we will have. [30:01] But when you apply this text to Jesus you understand greatly what it is that he wants [30:07] us to see. [30:08] Paul writes the point is this whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and whoever [30:13] sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

[30:17] Jesus sowed more generously than anyone who’s ever lived through the cross. [30:23] The bounty of that return will be huge because he sowed it all. [30:27] He gave it all. [30:28] He emptied himself and the return is seen in our lives.

[30:34] Jesus gave everything so that we can produce the fruit of faith in our lives.

[30:40] First two servants understood that. [30:43] They knew the master and watched how he lived. [30:47] They invested based on his standard and they reaped bountifully.

[30:54] It doubled everything. [30:56] Friends we must not invest our lives foolishly.

[31:05] I don’t believe that we have a problem with commitment. [31:10] I don’t because I watch people and I myself commit to a hundred different things.

[31:19] So it’s not that we won’t commit to things. [31:22] We over commit our lives. [31:26] We give more out of ourselves than probably are even there and that’s why we’re exhausted [31:30] all the time. [31:31] So our problem isn’t that we have a refusal to commit. [31:33] The problem is we commit to dumb things.

[31:38] That’s our problem. [31:40] We commit foolishly to things that we will never reap eternal gain from. [31:47] At best most of our commitments will get us a gain next week. [31:52] That will be gone by the next week. [31:55] So the question you must deal with in your life and in scripture and in faith is what [32:01] does scripture tell us to invest in?

[32:03] What does scripture tell us will reap great bounty? [32:06] Well the scripture will always point us to the gospel and it will never point us to [32:10] the temporary gain of this world. [32:12] And for some of us that reality should change how we live greatly. [32:18] And my fear is that it will not.

[32:23] My fear for you is that you will walk through this life committing to foolish thing after [32:27] foolish thing after foolish thing and say well it will all work out in the end.

[32:35] And what you’ve done is you’ve taken that seed that God has planted in you and you [32:43] buried it. [32:45] That talent that he invested in you and you buried it and you said I’m just going to [32:49] leave it there. [32:50] It will be there when he gets back. [32:53] So I’ll dig it up and I’ll give it to him.

[32:56] Because I’ve got other things that I must invest my life in. [33:01] It’s not that we think they’re good things. [33:04] It’s not that we think that they’re better than the gospel. [33:07] That’s not what I’m saying. [33:08] I’m saying that we’re convinced that we must invest in foolish things rather than the [33:15] gospel.

[33:16] We have no choice. [33:17] The world demands it. [33:19] We must live to a standard. [33:20] We must not risk this stuff. [33:22] And Jesus says the entire time you’re building your life on something that will never have [33:26] gain.

[33:27] You’re building your life on something that will perish with you. [33:29] You’re building your life on a foundation that will not reap eternal harvest. [33:33] You’re building your life on foolishness.

[33:38] The master says invest as I would invest. [33:41] Invest as I would invest. [33:42] Can you tell me with honesty that Jesus would invest his life the way that you are?

[33:49] Can you honestly say that Jesus would commit to the things that you commit to?

[34:00] And when we say we have no choice, what does that reveal about our faith?

[34:07] What does that say about what I really believe in in this life?

[34:17] Colossians 3.17. [34:19] Paul writes, whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, [34:24] giving thanks to God the Father through him.

[34:31] When I read the writings of Paul, I’m often confused because he uses big words.

[34:40] But I’m also often shaken.

[34:46] When I look at Colossians 3.17 and I see the three words, whatever you do, oftentimes I’ll be frank with you. [34:56] That shakes me to my core.

[35:01] Because whatever you do in the original language literally means whatever you do.

[35:08] All of it. [35:11] Everything. [35:13] God says it’s all his.

[35:17] He’s the master of a kingdom that owns everything.

[35:25] So he says, whatever you do, understand you’re doing it in my kingdom whether you believe it or not. [35:31] And so what you do needs to be for my glory. [35:34] And so I look at my life and I say, Lord, is everything I’m doing to your glory. [35:39] And I’m saddened and I’m shaken when I find things that are not to his glory.

[35:46] That’s why repentance must be the ethic of my life.

[35:53] The hope is in realizing that whatever, that the whatevers of life tell us something about Jesus. [35:58] He’s God of all. [35:59] And when that shakes me to my core on the other side, it must also give me great hope that his kingdom extends into every aspect of my life. [36:09] Therefore, what I do matters.

[36:13] And it will reap eternal reward when he is my guide.

[36:19] Sometimes when we invest in the kingdom, it gets difficult because we get discouraged.

[36:26] I’m not feeling like I’m reaping much. [36:30] That’s why Paul also writes in Galatians 6, 9, he says, don’t grow weary and well-doing.

[36:36] He doesn’t say that because you’re not going to do it. [36:40] He says that as a man who grows weary frequently.

[36:45] He says that as a man who suffered greatly for the cause of Christ. [36:48] And he looks to us and he says, you’re going to grow weary.

[36:54] And when you do fight it with faith, fight it with trust in God. [36:58] Do season. [36:59] You will reap if you don’t give up. [37:04] Don’t give up.

[37:09] Luke 12 presents another parable that I think helps us understand what our investments reveal.

[37:17] Luke 12 presents us with a parable of another master who isn’t Jesus. [37:22] And he’s invested much and he’s gained much and he’s got so much wealth that it’s overflowing out of his barn. [37:29] And then he’s like, what do I do with it all? [37:31] And then he says, I’m just going to grow bigger barns so I can have more and more and more of this life, more and more and more of this world.

[37:42] But God said to him, you fool.

[37:48] This night, your soul is required of you and the things you have prepared. [37:52] Whose will they be? [37:55] So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

[38:01] When I consider what God has given me in the gospel, it’s far more than even five talents represent. [38:08] Luke 12 calls it plentiful. [38:11] If I believe the gospel of Jesus, I must invest in a kingdom of the one who’s returning. [38:16] How often do we just build bigger barns that only benefit me in the kingdom of my world? [38:21] When the mission of Jesus needs to go into the whole world.

[38:28] Fourthly, this morning to trust God is to invest your life for God.

[38:35] The most telling thing of the servant who didn’t invest well is his response when judged by the master.

[38:46] Look down in verse 24.

[38:52] Master, I knew you to be a hard man reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. [39:00] So I was afraid. [39:03] I went and hid my talent in the ground.

[39:09] The first two servants knew a far different master than the final one.

[39:15] The first two servants knew a good master. [39:18] The first two servants knew a master whom would give them great reward. [39:22] The first two servants knew a master that would look to them and say, enter into my joy. [39:28] The first two servants knew a master that they could trust. [39:32] This servant though, he knew a hard man. [39:35] He knew a God who wasn’t fair.

[39:37] He knew a God who didn’t give him everything that he thought he deserved. [39:41] He knew a God that was just going around judging. [39:45] He knew a God that was mean. [39:46] He knew a God that wasn’t good. [39:48] He knew a God that he didn’t want to worship. [39:50] He knew a God that he would rather rid himself of.

[39:53] He knew a God that was not to be trusted. [39:57] And how he used God’s things revealed that.

[40:04] How you live reveals what you believe. [40:08] And it shows up in your relationship with God.

[40:12] Do you resent him?

[40:16] Are you angry at him? [40:18] Do you trust yourself more than you trust him?

[40:22] You see, John 14 gives us a great reality when Jesus says, [40:27] If you love me, you will keep my commandments. [40:31] And I will ask the Father and he will give you another helper [40:34] to be with you forever, even the spirit of truth, [40:38] whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him, [40:42] but you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

[40:50] The final servant did not love the Master.

[41:00] The final servant was living under his own strength, under his own ability.

[41:06] Friends, Jesus doesn’t lay out expectations that won’t pay off in the end. [41:13] He invests and he reaps.

[41:17] He’s God. He never fails.

[41:23] See, the servant accuses the Master. [41:27] The Master looks at him and asks him a question. [41:29] It’s a facetious question because he knows the answer. [41:31] He says, Oh, you knew me to be a hard man? [41:35] Oh, you knew me to be a guy who reaps what he doesn’t sow?

[41:41] Well, if that was true, you should have given it to someone else.

[41:48] Because if he is just this great eternal taskmaster,

[41:53] then you should probably obey him either way.

[41:57] But Jesus was surely saying that in light of another parable, [42:02] the parable of the sower.

[42:05] Because everything that’s produced in my life comes from the power of God. [42:09] Everything that comes, if I think it’s from my ability, I’m crazy [42:13] because it comes from the power of the Spirit that Jesus said he would give me, the helper. [42:18] So Jesus does not call you to anything he will not equip you to fulfill. [42:23] Nor does he call you to anything that he will not reap a harvest through. [42:27] Because he’s in control.

[42:29] Third servant didn’t believe in the promised reward. [42:33] Therefore, he had no part of it. [42:36] We’ve been given every good gift from God, who not only knows the future, [42:40] but has made it secure through his own hands. [42:43] It is a sure bet when it’s God’s. [42:46] Whatever you’re investing your life in is meaningless if at its foundation

[42:49] it does not have the cross of Jesus.

[42:55] Friends, how can we look to this God and say, [42:58] you’re incapable, you can’t use me. [43:00] Or even if you do use me, I can’t trust you. [43:03] When this is the God who gave his very life [43:06] to ensure your success in his kingdom. [43:13] That’s a God who can be trusted.

[43:15] So friends, stop building a kingdom that will perish with this world and begin today [43:20] investing in a kingdom that will reap great rewards for eternity.

[43:28] Do you trust him? [43:30] Do you trust him? [43:34] As the band comes up, I want to seriously pose that question to you this week.

[43:41] When we enter into the week before Easter, we enter into a week [43:45] where we have a great opportunity not only to reflect on the cross of Jesus, [43:50] but to invest in the cross of Jesus Christ. [43:55] Invest our lives.

[43:58] I think some of you are waiting for the day where it’s just going to be a huge investment. [44:03] All in, all one day, stop waiting, start somewhere. [44:08] You know, if you never start somewhere, you’ll never get anywhere.

[44:14] When someone once said the journey of a thousand miles started with one step. [44:21] Frankly, wherever it came from, it was a pretty wise saying.

[44:28] Right now, today, you have a choice.

[44:34] A choice of what tomorrow will look like.

[44:38] How will you invest your life?

[44:42] Does the way that you’re living reveal a trust in the God who came, [44:50] the God who saved, at His own expense, emptied Himself of everything, [44:56] died a sinner’s death on the cross for you, for me, for all of us. [45:02] And then He says, follow me, because if I’ll do that, you can trust me with everything. [45:06] You can trust me with today. You can trust me with tomorrow. [45:09] You can trust me with whatever risk you think you’ll take for me,

[45:13] because it will work out, because guess what? [45:15] Not only do I have the power to pay the price for sin, [45:17] but He’s got the power to rise from the dead. [45:20] Death can’t even stop this, God.

[45:24] You can endure. You can make it, because He’ll give you the ability.

[45:34] Communion puts us face to face with the cross of Jesus Christ.

[45:40] The cup represents His blood. [45:42] The plate represents His broken body. [45:44] For you, for me.

[45:49] If you’re a follower of Jesus, He calls you to this table, [45:53] and He says, proclaim your trust in me. [45:55] Proclaim that you’ll follow me. [45:57] But today I want you to take inventory before you come to one of these six stations. [46:01] If you’re a follower of Jesus, these stations are open for you. [46:04] But I want you to deal with Jesus right now,

[46:07] and I want you to ask yourself, [46:08] What does my life reflect that I have ultimate faith in?

[46:17] And when you become overcome with doubt,

[46:24] know that this is the God whom if you confess your sins, [46:27] He’s faithful and just to forgive you of your sins, [46:30] cleanse you of all unrighteousness.

[46:33] Don’t let your sin be a barrier to this table, [46:35] but rather repent and follow Him.

[46:41] And if you’re in here and you say, [46:42] My life reveals I haven’t trusted in Him. [46:44] Oh, the great news, the good news of Jesus, [46:47] the gospel of Jesus is that if you trust Him today, [46:51] He’ll save you forever. [46:54] He’ll change your life.

[46:56] He’ll fill you with His life.

[47:00] When you’re ready, come.