1
00:00:00,054 --> 00:00:09,176
If you know that Jesus will praise you for this thing you're about to do, then you don't
need the praise of men.

2
00:00:09,697 --> 00:00:23,100
If men revile you, if men say, That's not right, if men say, that was uncomfortable or
that offended me, but you can say with certainty that Jesus will praise you for that

3
00:00:23,100 --> 00:00:26,341
thing, you don't need the praise from others.

4
00:00:26,341 --> 00:00:29,815
You don't need to be working to get others' adoration.

5
00:00:29,815 --> 00:00:30,755
Of you.

6
00:00:31,055 --> 00:00:34,616
The following message was recorded at Kingstree Church.

7
00:00:34,616 --> 00:00:43,658
May the Spirit use it to help you see, savor, and sing the beauty of God in the crucified
and risen Jesus Christ.

8
00:00:45,759 --> 00:00:51,720
Join me in Matthew 25, verses 14 through 30.

9
00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,871
We'll be in Matthew 25, 14 through 30.

10
00:00:55,871 --> 00:00:59,705
And before we jump in, I want to tell you a story.

11
00:00:59,705 --> 00:01:00,975
Some of you know this already.

12
00:01:00,975 --> 00:01:08,598
Um, but my wife, Julia and I, we met and married within a single year.

13
00:01:09,079 --> 00:01:17,835
So we met in, we met on August 19th, 2018, and then we married August 3rd, 2019.

14
00:01:17,835 --> 00:01:19,803
So I was within one year.

15
00:01:19,803 --> 00:01:22,774
As you can tell, I was very ready to get married.

16
00:01:22,774 --> 00:01:23,584
All right.

17
00:01:23,584 --> 00:01:25,585
That's the that's the end of the story.

18
00:01:25,765 --> 00:01:29,058
But I was quick, I quickly found out that I was not ready to.

19
00:01:29,058 --> 00:01:30,418
Be married.

20
00:01:30,459 --> 00:01:31,279
All right?

21
00:01:31,279 --> 00:01:32,880
That's a little bit different.

22
00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:43,486
That's not, that doesn't mean that I was like completely out of order or something, but I
knew that something needed to be changed if Julia was going to be my wife.

23
00:01:43,706 --> 00:01:50,329
And so I did what I could to make myself ready for the wedding day.

24
00:01:51,070 --> 00:01:53,432
So when I first here's some examples.

25
00:01:53,432 --> 00:01:58,350
When I first met Julia, I was planning on going to seminary in Minnesota.

26
00:01:58,350 --> 00:02:00,881
And we were living in Ohio at the time.

27
00:02:00,882 --> 00:02:11,909
So, but as soon as she said yes to me, I uh I called the seminary and said, Hey, we're
gonna have to, we're gonna hold this off for another year because this girl wants to marry

28
00:02:11,909 --> 00:02:12,099
me.

29
00:02:12,099 --> 00:02:13,550
And she has a year left in school.

30
00:02:13,550 --> 00:02:19,694
So I s I stopped my pursuit of going to seminary so I'd be ready for our wedding day.

31
00:02:19,694 --> 00:02:25,037
I had a house to welcome Julia into, but it had a bunch of smelly guys living in it.

32
00:02:25,037 --> 00:02:28,119
I was renting out some of the rooms to some of my friends.

33
00:02:28,148 --> 00:02:32,691
And so I made sure they were kicked out before Julia came in.

34
00:02:32,691 --> 00:02:34,342
I also painted some of the walls.

35
00:02:34,342 --> 00:02:41,356
Uh I cleaned the house to the best of my ability, which Julia would probably disagree
with.

36
00:02:41,537 --> 00:02:42,297
But I tried.

37
00:02:42,297 --> 00:02:42,787
I tried.

38
00:02:42,787 --> 00:02:44,979
I was trying to make it ready for her.

39
00:02:44,979 --> 00:02:47,468
Finances, you know, I was a single guy.

40
00:02:47,468 --> 00:02:49,602
I I don't buy things.

41
00:02:49,602 --> 00:02:55,806
And then as soon as I started thinking, I'm I'm gonna have to provide for a whole nother
human being.

42
00:02:55,806 --> 00:02:58,227
I need to learn how to handle money well.

43
00:02:58,331 --> 00:03:01,832
So I turned on the Ramsey show every single day.

44
00:03:01,832 --> 00:03:02,673
I listened to that.

45
00:03:02,673 --> 00:03:12,086
I started throwing every extra money that I had to pay down my student loans so that we
weren't that we would have a better financial lifestyle once we got married.

46
00:03:12,186 --> 00:03:14,247
I also had a dog.

47
00:03:14,327 --> 00:03:16,908
Dog the dog's name was Jericho.

48
00:03:16,908 --> 00:03:20,009
And Jericho did not like Julia very much.

49
00:03:20,430 --> 00:03:23,190
And Julia did not like Jericho very much.

50
00:03:23,711 --> 00:03:26,932
And I didn't really like Jericho very much.

51
00:03:27,822 --> 00:03:30,373
Because I liked Julia way more.

52
00:03:30,373 --> 00:03:33,744
And I like spending my time with Julia way more than I like spending time with the dog.

53
00:03:33,744 --> 00:03:37,424
And that's probably why the dog didn't like Julia very much.

54
00:03:37,424 --> 00:03:37,936
All right.

55
00:03:37,936 --> 00:03:39,052
End of the story.

56
00:03:39,052 --> 00:03:40,817
I got rid of the dog.

57
00:03:41,047 --> 00:03:48,940
I sent him to a nice farm, a real farm, not a fake one, a real farm where he could live
all his days out in peace.

58
00:03:49,161 --> 00:03:57,424
And then most importantly to me, when Julia and I met, I was, I was not like in the worst
shape, but I also wasn't in.

59
00:03:57,661 --> 00:04:04,544
So I made sure that for our wedding day, I was in the best shape I possibly could be.

60
00:04:04,665 --> 00:04:08,626
The summer before we got married, I was running every morning.

61
00:04:08,787 --> 00:04:12,009
I was going to the gym and doing strength training.

62
00:04:12,009 --> 00:04:16,396
I was eating at a calorie, a calorie deficit every single day.

63
00:04:16,396 --> 00:04:18,272
I was a superhero, basically.

64
00:04:18,272 --> 00:04:21,393
And I can't even imagine myself doing that anymore.

65
00:04:22,134 --> 00:04:27,396
But all that to say I wanted to be ready for when Julia.

66
00:04:27,468 --> 00:04:31,050
by the for Julia by the time our wedding day came.

67
00:04:31,351 --> 00:04:37,855
Now of course Julia wasn't marrying me because I was doing all of these things.

68
00:04:38,136 --> 00:04:49,524
It's not like if I was a couple pounds heavier as she's walking down the aisle that she's
gonna be like, nah, nope, not the right, not the right size or something like that.

69
00:04:49,524 --> 00:04:50,404
No.

70
00:04:50,564 --> 00:04:55,972
It was, but by doing all of these things, I showed

71
00:04:55,972 --> 00:05:08,237
To her, and I prove to her that I actually loved her, and that I would take the
responsibility on of caring for her as a good husband would, at least again, to the best

72
00:05:08,237 --> 00:05:09,477
of my ability.

73
00:05:10,378 --> 00:05:19,181
Now I tell you this story because it's similar to what Jesus is going to tell us here in
Matthew 25.

74
00:05:19,322 --> 00:05:25,066
Jesus is telling us that there is a day coming, a day that is

75
00:05:25,066 --> 00:05:28,517
More important than any earthly wedding day.

76
00:05:28,617 --> 00:05:33,298
And that day is the day of his return, his second coming.

77
00:05:33,818 --> 00:05:40,760
And in this passage, he's telling us that he's going to reign in a particular way when he
comes back.

78
00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:52,444
And one thing he's going to do on that day is he's going to gather all of the nations,
every single human being, including each and every one of you here and myself, and he's

79
00:05:52,444 --> 00:05:54,204
going to judge them.

80
00:05:54,608 --> 00:05:57,809
According to how they lived their life.

81
00:05:59,230 --> 00:06:02,771
And in this passage, Jesus, and that's called Judgment Day.

82
00:06:02,771 --> 00:06:03,292
All right.

83
00:06:03,292 --> 00:06:06,393
So the title is Judgment Day is coming.

84
00:06:06,393 --> 00:06:11,215
Jesus is going to reign, and he's going to reign like this on this day.

85
00:06:11,215 --> 00:06:13,075
That's what we're going to read about.

86
00:06:13,896 --> 00:06:23,578
And just like my wedding day affected every aspect of the way that I lived my life for
that year, so this judgment day is.

87
00:06:23,578 --> 00:06:29,150
Jesus is is telling us should completely reshape the way we live our lives.

88
00:06:29,150 --> 00:06:38,114
That if we orient ourself to that day, to judgment day, it it's going to, our life is
going to look a certain way.

89
00:06:38,114 --> 00:06:40,805
We're going to work out in a certain way.

90
00:06:40,805 --> 00:06:43,846
We're going to, you know, take care of our homes in a certain way.

91
00:06:43,846 --> 00:06:46,137
We're going to treat people a certain way.

92
00:06:46,438 --> 00:06:52,920
And so the passage this morning teaches us three ways to be ready.

93
00:06:53,060 --> 00:06:56,081
For the judgment day before it comes.

94
00:06:56,201 --> 00:06:58,742
And so let's go ahead and jump into the passage now.

95
00:06:58,742 --> 00:07:10,768
As we read, I want you to think: all right, what did the servants who served their master
well, who were ready for their master to come back, what did they do?

96
00:07:10,768 --> 00:07:12,748
What did their lives look like?

97
00:07:13,008 --> 00:07:14,129
So let's go ahead and jump in.

98
00:07:14,129 --> 00:07:18,030
Matthew 25, starting in verse 14.

99
00:07:18,131 --> 00:07:20,291
It's a little bit of a long passage.

100
00:07:20,702 --> 00:07:21,900
I'd rather you

101
00:07:21,900 --> 00:07:27,475
Listen and stay awake most for me reading this passage more than my commentary on it.

102
00:07:27,475 --> 00:07:29,907
Cause you'll get more out of it just by listening to me read it.

103
00:07:29,907 --> 00:07:30,838
Here we go.

104
00:07:32,730 --> 00:07:41,406
For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to
them his property.

105
00:07:42,467 --> 00:07:50,812
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his
ability.

106
00:07:51,193 --> 00:07:52,594
Then he went away.

107
00:07:53,695 --> 00:08:01,430
Now he who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made
five talents more.

108
00:08:02,274 --> 00:08:15,109
So also he who had the two talents made two talents more, but he who had received the one
talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.

109
00:08:16,030 --> 00:08:27,564
Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them,
and he who he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing the five talents

110
00:08:27,564 --> 00:08:32,316
more, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents.

111
00:08:32,514 --> 00:08:35,745
Here, I made five talents more.

112
00:08:36,446 --> 00:08:43,809
His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant.

113
00:08:44,209 --> 00:08:49,631
You have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much.

114
00:08:50,172 --> 00:08:53,053
Enter into the joy of your master.

115
00:08:54,113 --> 00:09:00,016
And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, Master, you delivered to me two
talents.

116
00:09:00,016 --> 00:09:00,760
Here,

117
00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:02,922
I have made two talents more.

118
00:09:03,604 --> 00:09:09,490
His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant.

119
00:09:09,771 --> 00:09:12,714
You have been faithful over a little.

120
00:09:12,995 --> 00:09:15,337
I will set you over much.

121
00:09:15,578 --> 00:09:17,910
Enter into the joy of your master.

122
00:09:19,866 --> 00:09:35,788
Now he also who had received the one talent came forward saying, Master, I knew you to be
a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed.

123
00:09:36,289 --> 00:09:41,424
So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.

124
00:09:41,424 --> 00:09:43,635
Here, have what is yours.

125
00:09:45,037 --> 00:09:49,538
But his ma his master answered him, You wicked.

126
00:09:49,538 --> 00:09:51,789
And slothful servant.

127
00:09:52,371 --> 00:10:03,460
You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed, then you
ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received

128
00:10:03,460 --> 00:10:06,262
what was my own with interest.

129
00:10:06,763 --> 00:10:17,712
So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents, for to everyone
who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance.

130
00:10:18,138 --> 00:10:28,677
But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away, and cast the serv the
worthless the worthless servant into the outer darkness.

131
00:10:28,677 --> 00:10:32,900
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

132
00:10:35,658 --> 00:10:44,561
Father, we come before you, I come before you, sober, just listening to these last verses
of this parable.

133
00:10:45,742 --> 00:10:57,566
And yet, I thank you that you've given us this parable, that you have warned us that a day
is coming when in fact we will be judged.

134
00:10:57,986 --> 00:11:04,269
I ask that you would help us see from this passage what you are trying to teach us.

135
00:11:04,269 --> 00:11:05,499
I pray that.

136
00:11:05,501 --> 00:11:16,571
You would help me be faithful with this text and work with it in such a way that is
pleasing in your sight and bears fruit in the hearts of those who are listening.

137
00:11:16,772 --> 00:11:24,001
And Father, I do pray that by the Spirit you would help us be ready for this day that is
to come.

138
00:11:24,001 --> 00:11:26,160
In Jesus Christ's name we pray.

139
00:11:26,481 --> 00:11:27,311
Amen.

140
00:11:29,267 --> 00:11:36,559
All right, so I said that this passage teaches us three ways to be ready for judgment day.

141
00:11:36,699 --> 00:11:42,641
And the first way is to work with what Jesus has given you.

142
00:11:42,901 --> 00:11:46,562
Work with what Jesus has given you.

143
00:11:46,682 --> 00:11:52,444
We can see that in uh these the faithful servants uh in in three ways.

144
00:11:52,444 --> 00:11:57,775
They do three things to work with what Jesus or work with what their master had given
them.

145
00:11:57,973 --> 00:12:04,595
The first thing that they did was they took stock of what their master had given them.

146
00:12:04,595 --> 00:12:06,455
They took stock of it.

147
00:12:06,755 --> 00:12:14,137
So in the beginning, we hear the story: the man's going on a journey, he calls his
servants, and he gives them a certain amount of his property.

148
00:12:14,137 --> 00:12:15,398
He allocates it to them.

149
00:12:15,398 --> 00:12:20,019
The first one, five, second one, two, and the last one one.

150
00:12:20,979 --> 00:12:26,201
But they were in in and they were very, very aware of what they were given.

151
00:12:26,201 --> 00:12:28,041
We see that in verse.

152
00:12:28,265 --> 00:12:38,490
20, when the first faithful servant comes to his master, he says, Master, you have
delivered to me five talents.

153
00:12:38,651 --> 00:12:42,833
He knew that his master gave him five talents.

154
00:12:42,833 --> 00:12:46,155
And that was what he was supposed to be responsible for.

155
00:12:46,935 --> 00:12:54,559
Now Jesus says that this parable is like like his coming, like how he is going to judge,
how he is going to act.

156
00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,883
And that means that we have been given.

157
00:12:57,883 --> 00:13:01,695
Something from Christ to take stock of.

158
00:13:01,695 --> 00:13:04,236
What has Jesus given to you?

159
00:13:04,236 --> 00:13:07,397
What has Jesus entrusted to you?

160
00:13:07,837 --> 00:13:14,620
And hopefully the the answer that comes back in your head is everything.

161
00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,221
Jesus has given me everything that I have.

162
00:13:18,221 --> 00:13:25,404
There's nothing that's in my hands that hasn't first come through his hands, including my
hands.

163
00:13:25,504 --> 00:13:27,725
Like I didn't make myself.

164
00:13:27,921 --> 00:13:35,648
And even the things that I have done in this life, created in this life, come from what he
has given me in the first place.

165
00:13:35,648 --> 00:13:38,850
Everything I have comes from him.

166
00:13:39,872 --> 00:13:46,297
Now, some people disagree with me that this parable is about using well everything that
Jesus has given you.

167
00:13:46,297 --> 00:13:54,063
Some people say that Jesus is only talking about the most important things that he's given
us, like the Spirit.

168
00:13:54,204 --> 00:13:55,465
The Spirit is

169
00:13:55,465 --> 00:14:02,789
Probably the most significant relationship that he has given us because it's God dwelling
inside of us.

170
00:14:03,210 --> 00:14:06,752
Others would say that the parable is about the gospel.

171
00:14:06,752 --> 00:14:14,796
Jesus has given us the mysteries, the good news of Jesus Christ, and he's expecting us to
use that well.

172
00:14:15,357 --> 00:14:23,345
But Jesus would disagree with those people because he says there's more than those things
that are going to be.

173
00:14:23,345 --> 00:14:26,047
You're going to give an account for on the last day.

174
00:14:26,087 --> 00:14:40,098
You don't have to turn here, but in Matthew 12, 36, Jesus says, He says, I tell you, on
the day of judgment, people will give an account for what?

175
00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:44,362
Every careless word they speak.

176
00:14:44,924 --> 00:14:47,765
Every careless word.

177
00:14:47,786 --> 00:14:51,775
That means even the things that God has entrusted to you, your lips.

178
00:14:51,775 --> 00:14:59,428
That you're using when you're not even thinking about it, you will give an account for
every single one of those things.

179
00:14:59,448 --> 00:15:05,911
So, yes, we must take stock of everything that Jesus has given us.

180
00:15:05,911 --> 00:15:07,262
Now that seems really lofty.

181
00:15:07,262 --> 00:15:10,233
How do you how do you take stock of everything that you have?

182
00:15:10,713 --> 00:15:13,714
Well, I'm gonna break it down into three things.

183
00:15:13,714 --> 00:15:17,296
Jesus has given each of us three things to take care of.

184
00:15:17,496 --> 00:15:20,617
The first thing is yourself.

185
00:15:21,609 --> 00:15:27,391
The self that he has given you is the way that you literally interact with everything
around you.

186
00:15:27,391 --> 00:15:32,533
You cannot have a relationship with God without having been first given a self, yourself.

187
00:15:32,533 --> 00:15:40,717
Um, so, and it's not just yourself like physically, it's not just your hands and your feet
and stuff like that.

188
00:15:40,717 --> 00:15:45,999
It's also your spiritual self, your inner man and your outer man.

189
00:15:45,999 --> 00:15:51,165
Both of these things God has entrusted to you to manage.

190
00:15:51,165 --> 00:15:52,426
And maintain.

191
00:15:52,426 --> 00:15:54,767
And that's something you're going to give an account for.

192
00:15:54,767 --> 00:15:58,328
How did you handle yourself?

193
00:15:58,328 --> 00:15:59,909
That's called self-control.

194
00:15:59,909 --> 00:16:01,905
Were you self-controlled?

195
00:16:01,905 --> 00:16:03,470
So that's the first thing.

196
00:16:03,470 --> 00:16:11,794
The second thing Jesus has given each one of us is our relationships, all of our
relationships he has given to us.

197
00:16:11,794 --> 00:16:15,896
Primarily, his our our relationship with him.

198
00:16:15,896 --> 00:16:19,077
That is the most important relationship he has given to us.

199
00:16:19,077 --> 00:16:19,877
That

200
00:16:20,105 --> 00:16:33,132
God Himself has given him, given us Himself an opportunity to actually speak with Him, to
pray to Him, to serve Him, to do all things with and for Him.

201
00:16:33,632 --> 00:16:44,898
But He's also given you all of your other relationships, your immediate family, your ex
your extended family, your church family, your coworkers, your friends, your neighbors.

202
00:16:45,159 --> 00:16:49,841
All of those relationships are given to you and are unique.

203
00:16:50,079 --> 00:16:50,950
To you.

204
00:16:50,950 --> 00:16:58,636
There's no other person who has the exact same network that you have and does not have the
same position as you.

205
00:16:58,636 --> 00:17:00,177
And we'll get to that in a second.

206
00:17:00,177 --> 00:17:03,400
So the second thing is all of your relationships.

207
00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:08,163
The way that you actually engage in those relationships, you will give an account for.

208
00:17:08,284 --> 00:17:12,347
And then third, your possessions, your possessions.

209
00:17:13,348 --> 00:17:19,433
Now, this as well is not just your physical possessions, it is spiritual possessions.

210
00:17:19,433 --> 00:17:20,634
Possessions.

211
00:17:20,654 --> 00:17:25,037
Jesus has given you spiritual things.

212
00:17:25,398 --> 00:17:34,526
Like we hear in Ephesians one, uh three, it says that Christ has given us every spiritual
blessing in the high places.

213
00:17:34,707 --> 00:17:39,610
And then we also hear in Matthew six, and I'm going to turn there because I want to get
this right.

214
00:17:40,412 --> 00:17:46,727
Matthew six, he says, lay up your for yourself treasures in heaven.

215
00:17:46,729 --> 00:17:52,191
Where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

216
00:17:52,191 --> 00:17:56,371
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

217
00:17:56,512 --> 00:18:01,033
We that's a whole nother conversation to have, but I just want you to be aware of that.

218
00:18:01,213 --> 00:18:10,295
As well as your physical possessions, taking care of your house, taking care of your car,
taking care of your land, taking care of your plane.

219
00:18:10,295 --> 00:18:13,676
I don't know what you have, a yacht, whatever things you own.

220
00:18:13,676 --> 00:18:14,697
I know nobody has a yacht.

221
00:18:14,697 --> 00:18:16,147
I'm assuming nobody has a yacht.

222
00:18:16,147 --> 00:18:16,667
It doesn't matter.

223
00:18:16,667 --> 00:18:18,618
If you have a yacht, call me.

224
00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:29,743
whatever physical possessions you own, God is going to like you're going to have a give
and account for those possessions and the way that you handled those things.

225
00:18:30,643 --> 00:18:39,327
Now, when you're taking stock of these things, it's also important to take stock of what
Jesus hasn't given you.

226
00:18:39,647 --> 00:18:43,859
And this is where things get a little bit more easy to manage.

227
00:18:45,097 --> 00:18:49,089
Look at the look at the uh the servants here, the the two faithful servants.

228
00:18:49,089 --> 00:18:50,320
There's two of them.

229
00:18:50,380 --> 00:18:55,903
One was given five talents, and one was given two talents.

230
00:18:56,243 --> 00:19:00,766
The one who was given two talents was not given five talents.

231
00:19:00,866 --> 00:19:05,228
And the one who was given five talents was not given two talents.

232
00:19:05,369 --> 00:19:06,489
Why is this?

233
00:19:06,489 --> 00:19:13,425
Well, Jesus uh at least Jesus says the master gave each according, uh each he gave one
five and one two.

234
00:19:13,425 --> 00:19:15,686
according to their ability.

235
00:19:15,707 --> 00:19:27,195
So the master knows his servants well and he gives certain things, he entrusts those
things to them because he knows he has built within them the capacity to actually handle

236
00:19:27,195 --> 00:19:28,995
those those things well.

237
00:19:29,475 --> 00:19:42,377
But if you don't take stock with what Jesus hasn't given you, you may be tempted to think
that you have five talents when you only have two, or that you have one talent

238
00:19:42,377 --> 00:19:44,798
When you actually have two talents.

239
00:19:44,818 --> 00:19:59,254
So the warning here is um you may feel overwhelmed with the fact that, wow, I have so much
that I need to be responsible for because you're trying to take responsibility for other

240
00:19:59,254 --> 00:20:00,804
people's talents.

241
00:20:00,805 --> 00:20:08,007
It's like if the guy with the two talents went over to the guy with the one talent who dug
it in the hole and said, Hey, you're not going to use that?

242
00:20:08,007 --> 00:20:09,808
Like, can I have that?

243
00:20:09,948 --> 00:20:12,179
The master would say,

244
00:20:12,499 --> 00:20:17,771
The the guy who got the two talents is not skilled enough yet to handle three talents.

245
00:20:17,771 --> 00:20:19,812
That's why he gave him two talents.

246
00:20:19,812 --> 00:20:25,254
So take stock of what Jesus has actually given you in those three categories that I gave
you.

247
00:20:25,254 --> 00:20:26,335
I need to move on.

248
00:20:26,335 --> 00:20:27,195
Okay.

249
00:20:27,195 --> 00:20:28,336
So you got that.

250
00:20:28,336 --> 00:20:30,396
Second, take action.

251
00:20:30,396 --> 00:20:31,257
Take action.

252
00:20:31,257 --> 00:20:33,358
I'm just gonna speed right through here.

253
00:20:33,358 --> 00:20:39,360
Just like the uh the first servant who uh who takes action immediately.

254
00:20:39,360 --> 00:20:41,693
He was diligent right away.

255
00:20:41,693 --> 00:20:47,393
In verse 16, or right before verse 16, it says, The master went away.

256
00:20:47,393 --> 00:20:51,597
And then in Greek, the verse starts, immediately.

257
00:20:52,258 --> 00:20:56,079
The one who had received five talents traded with them.

258
00:20:56,159 --> 00:21:04,773
So as soon as the master went away, the faithful servant did not say, ah the master just
started his journey.

259
00:21:04,773 --> 00:21:07,553
And it's not like he's going to come back today.

260
00:21:07,553 --> 00:21:09,031
I don't need to like.

261
00:21:09,031 --> 00:21:11,243
start working with these things that he's given me.

262
00:21:11,243 --> 00:21:11,863
No.

263
00:21:11,863 --> 00:21:13,965
He's like, what?

264
00:21:14,005 --> 00:21:16,227
I get five talents?

265
00:21:16,427 --> 00:21:18,649
I know exactly what to do with this.

266
00:21:18,649 --> 00:21:23,152
And he goes at once and is diligent with what Jesus has given him.

267
00:21:23,513 --> 00:21:27,497
But he doesn't just go do things haphazardly.

268
00:21:27,497 --> 00:21:27,837
All right.

269
00:21:27,837 --> 00:21:29,999
It says that he traded with them.

270
00:21:29,999 --> 00:21:36,184
The work the word here for traded is more commonly translated as work in the New
Testament.

271
00:21:36,184 --> 00:21:37,939
He took those five talents

272
00:21:37,939 --> 00:21:39,390
And he worked with it.

273
00:21:39,390 --> 00:21:41,291
He made a business with it.

274
00:21:41,291 --> 00:21:48,897
The the problem I just have with the word traded here is because in our day and age, when
you hear traded, you think of day traders, maybe.

275
00:21:48,897 --> 00:21:54,260
People are just trying to make a quick buck by investing in things and hoping they time
the market well.

276
00:21:54,260 --> 00:21:55,801
That's not what happened here.

277
00:21:55,801 --> 00:22:06,609
Again, the master gave the five talents to this faithful servant because he knew he had
the skill to take those five talents and make five talents more.

278
00:22:06,609 --> 00:22:07,399
So

279
00:22:07,443 --> 00:22:19,619
You take what Jesus has given you, take action with it by taking calculated risks
according to your ability, according to what he's given you to actually do with it.

280
00:22:20,500 --> 00:22:24,222
And then finally, bear fruit, bear fruit.

281
00:22:24,222 --> 00:22:33,767
As you see in verse 16, he who had received the five talents went at once and traded with
them, and he made five talents more.

282
00:22:34,108 --> 00:22:36,999
This is the blessing of being.

283
00:22:36,999 --> 00:22:40,811
A human, quite literally, the blessing.

284
00:22:40,811 --> 00:22:51,135
At the very beginning, when God created us, what he blessed us and what he said connects
to exactly what the master is hoping for from his servants.

285
00:22:51,135 --> 00:23:03,720
It says, And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the
earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the

286
00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:04,620
heavens.

287
00:23:04,620 --> 00:23:06,857
So it's not just

288
00:23:06,857 --> 00:23:11,520
That we take something and we just maintain it and just keep it as it is.

289
00:23:11,541 --> 00:23:23,471
The master, Jesus, wants us to be like trees who take the resources that he gives us and
make something even more glorious with it, make something more beautiful with it.

290
00:23:23,471 --> 00:23:24,212
All right.

291
00:23:24,212 --> 00:23:26,873
So that's the first way to be ready for judgment day.

292
00:23:27,354 --> 00:23:33,198
Work with what Jesus has given you by taking stock of what he's given you.

293
00:23:33,459 --> 00:23:36,081
Take action with what he's given you.

294
00:23:36,081 --> 00:23:39,262
And then bear fruit with what he's given you.

295
00:23:40,182 --> 00:23:41,322
So what's the second way?

296
00:23:41,322 --> 00:23:44,643
What's the second way this passage teaches us to be ready for judgment day?

297
00:23:44,643 --> 00:23:46,784
This is the one I'm most excited about.

298
00:23:46,784 --> 00:23:49,305
And uh hopefully this will not go too long.

299
00:23:49,305 --> 00:23:50,223
I don't even know what time it is.

300
00:23:50,223 --> 00:23:51,155
All right, 1046.

301
00:23:51,155 --> 00:23:52,045
We're good.

302
00:23:52,185 --> 00:23:52,666
Work.

303
00:23:52,666 --> 00:23:53,886
Okay, here we go.

304
00:23:54,186 --> 00:24:05,659
Second way to be ready for judgment day is to work for what Jesus will give you, not what,
not what man will give you.

305
00:24:05,959 --> 00:24:12,431
Work for what Jesus will give you, not for what man will give you.

306
00:24:14,343 --> 00:24:16,735
So let's take a look at this passage.

307
00:24:16,735 --> 00:24:22,000
What does the master in this story give to his faithful servants?

308
00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:22,861
What are the things?

309
00:24:22,861 --> 00:24:27,705
He gives them three things, starting in verse 21.

310
00:24:28,206 --> 00:24:38,895
It says, His master said to him, This is the one with the five talents, Well done, good
and faithful servant.

311
00:24:39,477 --> 00:24:40,547
What is that?

312
00:24:42,069 --> 00:24:43,169
Praise.

313
00:24:44,571 --> 00:24:49,936
The master praises the servant for two things.

314
00:24:49,995 --> 00:24:53,179
He praises him for his good work.

315
00:24:53,459 --> 00:24:54,900
Well done.

316
00:24:55,561 --> 00:24:56,862
You did it.

317
00:24:57,924 --> 00:24:58,754
Way to go.

318
00:24:58,754 --> 00:25:01,106
Attaboy.

319
00:25:01,166 --> 00:25:03,489
Like you crushed it.

320
00:25:03,489 --> 00:25:08,605
I don't think Jesus is going to use twenty first century vernacular, but it's this.

321
00:25:08,605 --> 00:25:15,827
It's the same thing that he said at the beginning when God himself created all things,
that is good.

322
00:25:16,047 --> 00:25:22,209
God is happy to see good work and he praises that good work.

323
00:25:22,569 --> 00:25:23,949
But he doesn't just stop there.

324
00:25:23,949 --> 00:25:26,290
He doesn't just stop with praising the work.

325
00:25:26,290 --> 00:25:30,631
He says, Good and faithful servant.

326
00:25:31,151 --> 00:25:34,112
He praises the servant.

327
00:25:34,252 --> 00:25:37,993
He tells the servant, not just what you've done is good.

328
00:25:37,993 --> 00:25:43,456
But you are good and you are faithful.

329
00:25:44,417 --> 00:25:50,060
Now Jesus is the one who says this is like what he is going to do at the end of the age.

330
00:25:50,060 --> 00:26:02,948
But if you think I'm taking this too far, extrapolating too much out of the text, that the
one who is most praiseworthy, who deserves all praise, is actually going to turn around

331
00:26:02,948 --> 00:26:04,948
and praise us?

332
00:26:05,169 --> 00:26:05,989
Well

333
00:26:06,025 --> 00:26:07,926
There's way more of it in the New Testament.

334
00:26:07,926 --> 00:26:11,256
I want to take you there this time, and I want you to go with me to this one.

335
00:26:11,256 --> 00:26:14,627
1 Corinthians 4, 1 through 5.

336
00:26:14,627 --> 00:26:19,529
First Corinthians 4, 1 through 5.

337
00:26:19,889 --> 00:26:23,310
Now, this is we're just jumping into one of Paul's arguments here.

338
00:26:23,310 --> 00:26:31,392
Basically, he's writing to the church of Corinth, which he founded, and then somebody else
came in after him and is now leading the church.

339
00:26:31,392 --> 00:26:35,653
Well, some of the original members of the church were saying, you know what?

340
00:26:36,017 --> 00:26:38,318
I was discipled by Paul.

341
00:26:38,358 --> 00:26:41,720
And the others are saying, Well, I was discipled by Apollos.

342
00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:45,101
And basically they're saying, Paul is way better than Apollos.

343
00:26:45,101 --> 00:26:45,981
Okay.

344
00:26:45,981 --> 00:26:52,264
And Paul comes in and he's like, You guys are so much of the flesh when you're doing that.

345
00:26:52,264 --> 00:26:54,645
That is not the way you're supposed to regard us.

346
00:26:54,645 --> 00:26:56,976
Here's how you should think of us.

347
00:26:56,976 --> 00:26:58,527
Here's how you should regard us.

348
00:26:58,527 --> 00:27:01,708
And that's in 1 Corinthians 4, starting in verse one.

349
00:27:01,888 --> 00:27:04,969
He says, This is how you should regard us.

350
00:27:05,273 --> 00:27:13,095
As servants of Christ, okay, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

351
00:27:13,315 --> 00:27:16,516
Paul's applying the parable of the talents to his own ministry.

352
00:27:16,516 --> 00:27:25,519
He's saying, I am a servant of God, and what God has given me to maintain and steward are
the mysteries of God.

353
00:27:25,519 --> 00:27:28,579
He's taken stock of what Jesus has given him.

354
00:27:28,579 --> 00:27:33,861
So he knows he's serving Christ and he's stewarding the mysteries that he's given him.

355
00:27:34,121 --> 00:27:35,153
Moreover,

356
00:27:35,153 --> 00:27:41,856
It is required of stewards that they be found faithful, that they be found faithful.

357
00:27:41,856 --> 00:27:43,737
Just like what we're hearing in Matthew.

358
00:27:43,737 --> 00:27:46,217
Servants ought to be found faithful.

359
00:27:46,558 --> 00:27:47,278
And then here we go.

360
00:27:47,278 --> 00:27:55,561
He says, But with me, it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any
human court.

361
00:27:56,242 --> 00:27:59,643
In fact, I do not even judge myself.

362
00:28:00,123 --> 00:28:04,795
For if for I am not aware of anything against myself, but I'm not thereby acquitted.

363
00:28:04,795 --> 00:28:07,647
It is the Lord who judges me.

364
00:28:08,608 --> 00:28:18,667
And because the Lord judges me, therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time,
before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will

365
00:28:18,667 --> 00:28:20,838
disclose the purposes of the heart.

366
00:28:20,838 --> 00:28:31,328
He's saying, You're praising me for being this good, and I'm telling you, hold off,
because you're not the ultimate judge, I'm not even the ultimate judge of whether I've

367
00:28:31,328 --> 00:28:32,659
done right.

368
00:28:32,807 --> 00:28:40,404
The Lord on the last day will judge and say whether my works were good or whether my works
were bad.

369
00:28:40,404 --> 00:28:46,679
And on that day it says, He will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness, and
will disclose the purposes of the heart.

370
00:28:46,679 --> 00:28:55,456
And then right here, the last part, he says, Then each one will receive his commendation
from God.

371
00:28:56,077 --> 00:29:01,307
Now the ESV does this again to me, but the word there for commendation almost every

372
00:29:01,307 --> 00:29:04,978
Everywhere else in the New Testament is praise.

373
00:29:05,198 --> 00:29:08,999
He will receive his praise from God.

374
00:29:09,079 --> 00:29:21,443
So like Ephesians 1, one of the loftiest passages about blessing God says, He adopted us
as sons to the praise of his glory, to the praise of his glory.

375
00:29:21,443 --> 00:29:23,503
That's the same word here.

376
00:29:23,503 --> 00:29:30,249
The same thing that he created us to give to him, God himself is going to give back to us.

377
00:29:30,249 --> 00:29:35,432
Because he sees his goodness and his good work in us.

378
00:29:35,432 --> 00:29:39,975
Of course, he's the one who brought it about in us, but he will still praise us.

379
00:29:40,475 --> 00:29:50,109
Now, there's other passages we can go to, but the point I want you to see here is being
ready for judgment day is.

380
00:29:52,677 --> 00:29:57,819
Looking to the praise of Jesus in everything that you do.

381
00:29:58,219 --> 00:30:07,583
And if you know that Jesus will praise you for this thing you're about to do, then you
don't need the praise of men.

382
00:30:08,083 --> 00:30:21,499
If men revile you, if men say, That's not right, if men say, that was uncomfortable or
that offended me, but you can say with certainty that Jesus will praise you for that

383
00:30:21,499 --> 00:30:22,289
thing.

384
00:30:22,771 --> 00:30:24,712
You don't need the praise from others.

385
00:30:24,712 --> 00:30:28,644
You don't need to be working to get others' adoration of you.

386
00:30:28,644 --> 00:30:36,949
Um, and that's like been a massive shift in my life because I am like a people pleaser to
the core.

387
00:30:36,949 --> 00:30:44,654
That's just been the way that I've act and I've I've acted and worked in order to just get
the adoration from men.

388
00:30:44,654 --> 00:30:50,377
But if you work for what Jesus will give you and his praise, his pleasure, then

389
00:30:50,695 --> 00:30:56,908
Even if you have none of that on earth, you can still be whole and have joy in your heart.

390
00:30:56,908 --> 00:30:59,430
Second, work for what Jesus will give you.

391
00:30:59,430 --> 00:31:02,031
He will give you a promotion.

392
00:31:02,031 --> 00:31:05,233
A promotion back in Matthew.

393
00:31:05,313 --> 00:31:11,156
So if you work with what Jesus has given you faithfully, Jesus will give you a promotion.

394
00:31:11,156 --> 00:31:17,499
We see in verse 21, his master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant.

395
00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,271
You have been faithful over little.

396
00:31:20,937 --> 00:31:21,557
All right.

397
00:31:21,557 --> 00:31:27,059
So Jesus has given us little in comparison to all that he owns.

398
00:31:27,059 --> 00:31:32,640
And if you're faithful with that, he says, I will set you over much.

399
00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:35,161
I will set you over much.

400
00:31:35,461 --> 00:31:39,802
And this is a very common New Testament uh teaching.

401
00:31:39,802 --> 00:31:46,904
We've we've heard that whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself
will be exalted.

402
00:31:46,904 --> 00:31:50,875
So those who are humble will be exalted on the last day.

403
00:31:51,017 --> 00:31:52,898
But what does that mean?

404
00:31:52,898 --> 00:31:58,059
How will we be exalted from on earth into heaven on that last day?

405
00:31:58,059 --> 00:32:08,982
Well, for his faithful servants, for those who are his, Jesus says in Daniel that he will
give them reign over all the kingdoms of the earth.

406
00:32:08,982 --> 00:32:10,342
This is what it reads.

407
00:32:10,342 --> 00:32:12,103
Daniel seven twenty seven.

408
00:32:12,103 --> 00:32:20,973
Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed
over to the holy people of the

409
00:32:20,973 --> 00:32:22,494
Of the most high.

410
00:32:22,795 --> 00:32:29,319
His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship him and obey him.

411
00:32:29,580 --> 00:32:35,104
So you may just be taking care of your house.

412
00:32:35,725 --> 00:32:41,269
You may just be taking care of your children or your business.

413
00:32:41,269 --> 00:32:50,076
These things that in in the world's eyes might seem so small and menial and have no
effect.

414
00:32:50,496 --> 00:32:51,777
In eternity.

415
00:32:51,977 --> 00:33:04,337
But you, with the little that you've given, you've been given, if you are faithful with
those things, you will prove to be a servant who is capable of actually ruling over all

416
00:33:04,337 --> 00:33:06,047
the nations of the earth.

417
00:33:06,348 --> 00:33:07,969
That's what this is.

418
00:33:08,550 --> 00:33:09,821
And Paul agrees with that.

419
00:33:09,821 --> 00:33:10,872
That's coming from Daniel.

420
00:33:10,872 --> 00:33:17,176
But Paul says, 1 Corinthians 6, or do you not know that the saints will judge the world?

421
00:33:17,366 --> 00:33:22,160
And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?

422
00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:26,123
Do you not know that we are to judge angels?

423
00:33:26,364 --> 00:33:32,108
So Jesus wants to give you a promotion from what you have on earth in heaven.

424
00:33:32,108 --> 00:33:37,253
So take what he has given you and be faithful with it, because you know that that is
coming.

425
00:33:37,253 --> 00:33:46,440
And if Jesus is going to promote you there to a place that you could not even possibly
think about putting yourself by all of your effort and all your work,

426
00:33:46,712 --> 00:33:50,194
Then you don't need the promotion of men on earth.

427
00:33:50,495 --> 00:34:02,804
If men do not exalt you, if men do not speak well of you, if men do not give you what you
want or elevate your life at all, you can press through that, knowing that as long as I am

428
00:34:02,804 --> 00:34:11,373
faithful with what Jesus has given me, there will come a day when He does, in fact,
glorify me and exalt me.

429
00:34:11,373 --> 00:34:13,534
And this, I just have to show this.

430
00:34:13,534 --> 00:34:15,926
This is not something.

431
00:34:16,024 --> 00:34:21,006
Like you should not be ashamed to be seeking after the glory of God.

432
00:34:21,006 --> 00:34:24,668
In fact, you need to seek after this glory that God gives.

433
00:34:24,668 --> 00:34:31,271
We see this in Romans, well, I'm gonna start with John 5, 44, because it's Jesus' words.

434
00:34:32,152 --> 00:34:33,212
He says.

435
00:34:35,140 --> 00:34:43,765
How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that
comes from the only God?

436
00:34:44,806 --> 00:34:55,692
So the uh the logic here is you can only believe if you seek the glory that comes from
God, not from men.

437
00:34:55,692 --> 00:34:59,854
You can't believe if you're seeking the glory of one another.

438
00:34:59,854 --> 00:35:03,736
So it's not the seeking the glory that's the wrong part.

439
00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:06,381
It's seeking glory of men.

440
00:35:06,501 --> 00:35:18,364
God wants you to seek the glory that comes from him and him alone, because that's what you
were made for in the very first place, to reflect, to to maintain and to be like him in

441
00:35:18,364 --> 00:35:19,844
his own glory.

442
00:35:19,884 --> 00:35:20,425
All right.

443
00:35:20,425 --> 00:35:30,247
The third thing, the third thing that Jesus will give you is Jesus will give you all his
pleasures.

444
00:35:30,287 --> 00:35:32,898
Jesus will give you all his pleasures.

445
00:35:32,984 --> 00:35:39,346
Back in Matthew 25, verse 23, his master said to him, Well done, good and faithful
servant.

446
00:35:39,346 --> 00:35:41,126
You have been faithful over a little.

447
00:35:41,126 --> 00:35:42,767
I will set you over much.

448
00:35:42,767 --> 00:35:48,528
And then finally, enter into the joy of your master.

449
00:35:48,789 --> 00:35:51,660
Enter into the joy of your master.

450
00:35:51,660 --> 00:35:57,041
Now, Christopher has preached on this, I think every single sermon he says, he says these
things.

451
00:35:57,041 --> 00:35:59,572
So I'm not going to belabor the point.

452
00:35:59,572 --> 00:36:00,362
But

453
00:36:00,750 --> 00:36:05,083
There are pleasures forevermore at the right hand of Jesus.

454
00:36:05,083 --> 00:36:07,904
He gives to us from his table.

455
00:36:07,904 --> 00:36:13,387
That is, what delights God is what he's going to give to delight us.

456
00:36:13,387 --> 00:36:15,148
He's going to thrill us.

457
00:36:15,148 --> 00:36:16,829
He's going to entertain us.

458
00:36:16,829 --> 00:36:21,952
He's going to show us what joy is literally all about.

459
00:36:22,473 --> 00:36:29,046
And if you trust that by working and obeying Jesus on this earth right now,

460
00:36:29,166 --> 00:36:39,820
That he is going to give you pleasures that you can't even fathom or bring about for
yourself on earth, then you don't need all of the pleasures of men.

461
00:36:40,441 --> 00:36:55,787
You don't have to be, uh, you don't need money and sex and fame and power and influence
and leisure of this life, because you know pleasures that are actually good and will not

462
00:36:55,787 --> 00:36:59,086
ruin you are coming if you.

463
00:36:59,086 --> 00:37:03,279
Continue obeying Christ and taking care of what he's given you.

464
00:37:03,300 --> 00:37:06,542
This has been another thing that has been hugely helpful to me.

465
00:37:06,542 --> 00:37:21,334
Instead of seeing myself as the giver of my own joy, if I see and trust that Jesus knows
what will make me happy, that he controls my joy, I don't have to, I don't have to think

466
00:37:21,334 --> 00:37:23,876
about how I can make myself happy.

467
00:37:23,896 --> 00:37:28,780
I can trust that to him and just be obedient to him.

468
00:37:28,940 --> 00:37:37,391
And there's just a joy that's in you when you're obeying that you know that that is
coming, even if you're going through even if you're in a time in your life where you don't

469
00:37:37,391 --> 00:37:40,755
have pleasures, where things are not satisfying to you.

470
00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:45,342
All right, finally, the third way to be ready for judgment day.

471
00:37:45,342 --> 00:37:47,594
The third way to be ready for judgment day.

472
00:37:49,504 --> 00:37:54,146
Work because you know Jesus to be good.

473
00:37:54,567 --> 00:37:58,869
Work because you know Jesus to be good.

474
00:37:59,550 --> 00:38:06,393
So far, those first two things um may have sounded wrong to you.

475
00:38:06,474 --> 00:38:08,115
Okay, like work, okay.

476
00:38:08,115 --> 00:38:12,096
I have to do works with what Jesus has given me.

477
00:38:12,157 --> 00:38:16,389
And then do I really just work for what Jesus gives me?

478
00:38:16,389 --> 00:38:17,986
Am I not supposed to be working.

479
00:38:17,986 --> 00:38:19,736
For Jesus himself.

480
00:38:19,737 --> 00:38:30,041
And what this passage is going to show us is you need to love Jesus first because that's
how you actually are able to work with what he's given you.

481
00:38:30,041 --> 00:38:35,283
And that's how you will receive the benefits that come from Jesus.

482
00:38:35,403 --> 00:38:38,144
So work because you know Jesus to be good.

483
00:38:38,144 --> 00:38:44,246
We see that in this passage because it's the exact thing that the wicked servant does
wrong.

484
00:38:44,327 --> 00:38:47,948
This is the biggest difference between the faithful servant.

485
00:38:47,990 --> 00:38:49,181
And the wicked servant.

486
00:38:49,181 --> 00:38:52,182
We see it in verse twenty-four.

487
00:38:53,023 --> 00:39:09,252
He also, who had received the one talent, came forward, saying, Master, I knew you to be a
hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed.

488
00:39:10,012 --> 00:39:16,866
So first he says, I knew you, meaning his perspective of the master.

489
00:39:16,930 --> 00:39:18,201
was skewed.

490
00:39:18,201 --> 00:39:20,141
This is his perspective.

491
00:39:20,942 --> 00:39:25,185
Clearly, and we'll see that in a moment, the master was not a hard man.

492
00:39:25,185 --> 00:39:26,625
But what does he mean by a hard man?

493
00:39:26,625 --> 00:39:29,447
Let's just enter into the wicked servant's mind.

494
00:39:29,447 --> 00:39:31,200
He knew him to be a hard man.

495
00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:37,911
Well the word hard here is the same word for hard-hearted that we hear throughout the
Bible.

496
00:39:38,012 --> 00:39:39,953
He's stiff-necked.

497
00:39:39,953 --> 00:39:41,533
He's stubborn.

498
00:39:41,634 --> 00:39:46,360
So the wicked servant sees his master set in his ways

499
00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:47,940
He's not going to change.

500
00:39:48,041 --> 00:39:49,702
Well, what are his ways?

501
00:39:49,883 --> 00:39:58,790
This is what he thinks his master's ways are reaping where you did not sow, and gathering
where you scattered no seed.

502
00:39:59,851 --> 00:40:00,892
What does that mean?

503
00:40:00,892 --> 00:40:16,024
Well, it means that he sees his master as one who does not work, who makes others work for
him, and then he takes what the fruit of their labor and he just keeps it to himself.

504
00:40:16,248 --> 00:40:18,009
He just uses it for his own good.

505
00:40:18,009 --> 00:40:22,550
He takes all the credit and doesn't let them enjoy the fruit of their labor.

506
00:40:22,550 --> 00:40:23,630
That's what he's saying.

507
00:40:23,630 --> 00:40:35,913
This master he reaps, like he harvests where he never sowed, and he uh he gathered where
he scattered no seed.

508
00:40:36,694 --> 00:40:39,264
So what what then did this make the wicked servant do?

509
00:40:39,264 --> 00:40:41,535
He says, So I was afraid.

510
00:40:41,535 --> 00:40:42,735
Well, why was he afraid?

511
00:40:42,735 --> 00:40:45,464
Well, because he was given these talents by

512
00:40:45,464 --> 00:40:46,625
The master.

513
00:40:46,625 --> 00:40:50,247
And he thought, I don't know how long the master's going to be away.

514
00:40:50,247 --> 00:40:57,410
If I work and work and work my tail off, he's going to come back and take everything that
I worked for away from me.

515
00:40:57,410 --> 00:41:00,032
And I'm not going to see anything of it.

516
00:41:00,632 --> 00:41:03,734
But I know this master loves his money.

517
00:41:03,734 --> 00:41:11,358
And if I take this money now and I squander it for myself, he's going to be so mad when he
gets back and he's going to kill me.

518
00:41:11,358 --> 00:41:15,280
So I don't want the master to get any more than he deserves.

519
00:41:15,288 --> 00:41:19,230
But I also don't want to be dead when he returns.

520
00:41:19,291 --> 00:41:22,133
So I'm just gonna put it in the ground.

521
00:41:22,133 --> 00:41:28,997
He's gonna get what he gave me back to himself, and I'm gonna be fine because I didn't
lose the money.

522
00:41:29,077 --> 00:41:30,098
Is that what happens?

523
00:41:30,098 --> 00:41:31,898
Oh no.

524
00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:33,781
Verse twenty six.

525
00:41:33,781 --> 00:41:39,924
But his master answered him, You wicked and slothful servant.

526
00:41:40,325 --> 00:41:43,567
The master turns the tables on the servant.

527
00:41:43,787 --> 00:41:45,090
The servant thinks

528
00:41:45,090 --> 00:41:50,582
This master is a greedy swindler because he's only in it for himself.

529
00:41:51,463 --> 00:41:55,964
But what has the servant revealed about himself by the way he acts?

530
00:41:56,465 --> 00:41:58,485
He's the greedy swindler.

531
00:41:59,046 --> 00:42:00,566
He won't do anything.

532
00:42:00,566 --> 00:42:02,017
He will serve no one.

533
00:42:02,017 --> 00:42:06,588
He will love no one unless there's something for him in it for himself.

534
00:42:07,329 --> 00:42:10,430
And unless there's something in it for him, he's not going to do it.

535
00:42:10,430 --> 00:42:11,631
He's not going to work.

536
00:42:11,631 --> 00:42:15,032
He's just going to seek after his own self.

537
00:42:15,308 --> 00:42:21,391
And that's why the master says, You are wicked and you are slothful.

538
00:42:21,972 --> 00:42:28,755
The master continues, You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I
scattered no seed?

539
00:42:28,815 --> 00:42:32,938
That's not the master saying, Oh, you actually knew that about me.

540
00:42:32,938 --> 00:42:34,679
I thought I was I was trying to hide that.

541
00:42:34,679 --> 00:42:44,834
No, he's like, if you think that, let's assume, let's assume that I was a wicked master,
and assume that you were a good servant.

542
00:42:45,378 --> 00:42:49,692
What would a good servant do who had a wicked master?

543
00:42:49,692 --> 00:43:02,024
He doesn't want to work anymore, but he still wants, he doesn't want the master to take
away from him his own work, but he also wants the good of the master.

544
00:43:02,024 --> 00:43:11,148
Well, it would take him the same amount of work to dig a hole in the ground and put the
money in it than it would be to go to the bank, give it to the bankers, and

545
00:43:11,148 --> 00:43:16,292
And see it invested without him doing us picking up a his finger and doing anything at
all.

546
00:43:16,292 --> 00:43:17,402
So that's what the master says.

547
00:43:17,402 --> 00:43:24,857
You ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming, I should have
received what was my own with interest.

548
00:43:25,538 --> 00:43:28,680
So then, what does the master do?

549
00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:33,063
First, he reviles him, he says, You are a wicked and slothful servant.

550
00:43:33,063 --> 00:43:34,904
And then he demotes him.

551
00:43:34,904 --> 00:43:39,747
He says, Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents.

552
00:43:39,847 --> 00:43:41,240
And then finally,

553
00:43:41,240 --> 00:43:43,081
He abandons him.

554
00:43:43,221 --> 00:43:44,442
Verse 30.

555
00:43:44,442 --> 00:43:48,085
Cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.

556
00:43:48,085 --> 00:43:52,327
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

557
00:43:53,368 --> 00:44:04,606
Now, if you're hearing this and you're feeling convicted because you see evidence of
wicked service in your own life, and that like actually scares you.

558
00:44:04,606 --> 00:44:07,277
Like, what if that's my destiny?

559
00:44:07,378 --> 00:44:10,820
That means you you look at yourself and you think,

560
00:44:10,820 --> 00:44:13,102
I have not been a good and faithful servant.

561
00:44:13,102 --> 00:44:15,983
I've squandered something Jesus has given me.

562
00:44:16,084 --> 00:44:26,351
Maybe you've been slothful with what He's given you, or you've been using what Jesus has
given you just for your own gain, not for His, not for anybody else's.

563
00:44:26,432 --> 00:44:37,770
Or maybe you've been working with what Jesus has given you to earn the praise of men
instead of the praise of God, or the promotion of men, or the pleasures of men.

564
00:44:38,230 --> 00:44:48,285
Maybe you've just been working in such a way that shows that you don't know Jesus as good,
as the best thing.

565
00:44:48,506 --> 00:44:56,690
And maybe, yeah, maybe if that is what you you're feeling or what you're thinking, there
is very good news right now.

566
00:44:56,690 --> 00:45:04,074
This parable comes to you as good news because judgment day has not yet come.

567
00:45:05,135 --> 00:45:06,455
I'm still preaching.

568
00:45:06,455 --> 00:45:08,076
The Lord hasn't come down.

569
00:45:08,376 --> 00:45:10,497
You know, we're not raised up into the sky.

570
00:45:10,497 --> 00:45:12,257
Judgment Day hasn't come.

571
00:45:12,318 --> 00:45:17,580
It is coming, and we don't know when it's coming, and it may come today.

572
00:45:17,920 --> 00:45:23,022
So if you feel that conviction, you have the opportunity.

573
00:45:23,022 --> 00:45:26,994
Take the opportunity today with this sermon that Christ has given you.

574
00:45:26,994 --> 00:45:37,208
Not I'm not Christ, but you know what I mean, the Spirit through me, then you have the
opportunity to confess your sin to God, repent from those ways.

575
00:45:37,226 --> 00:45:39,298
And believe in Jesus.

576
00:45:39,298 --> 00:45:45,133
You have the opportunity to heed this command, to be very careful how you live.

577
00:45:45,133 --> 00:45:54,811
This comes from Ephesians, not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every
opportunity because the days are evil.

578
00:45:55,292 --> 00:45:56,812
Don't be foolish.

579
00:45:56,813 --> 00:46:03,038
Understand that this is the will of the Lord for you today and for the rest of your life
until he comes.

580
00:46:03,519 --> 00:46:05,596
Now, for those of you who

581
00:46:05,784 --> 00:46:10,208
Who after hearing this, you're like, there's relief in some sense.

582
00:46:10,208 --> 00:46:14,631
Like, okay, that's what Jesus wants me to do.

583
00:46:14,732 --> 00:46:17,334
And by his power, I can do that.

584
00:46:17,334 --> 00:46:25,120
Um, again, it's not that you are earning his favor, but he will judge us according to our
works, even those who are Christians.

585
00:46:25,120 --> 00:46:29,204
Not that it's the end, or you you understand what I mean, hopefully.

586
00:46:29,204 --> 00:46:34,678
But for those who are faithful servants who will be found as faithful servants on the last
day.

587
00:46:35,012 --> 00:46:42,675
There's even better news, because Judgment Day will not ultimately be a judgment day.

588
00:46:42,675 --> 00:46:45,056
It will be a wedding day.

589
00:46:45,277 --> 00:46:56,121
It will be a wedding day, because on that day, as the book of Revelation says, we will
hear the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters, like the sound of

590
00:46:56,121 --> 00:47:02,704
mighty peals of thunder, crying, Hallelujah, for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

591
00:47:02,946 --> 00:47:15,441
Let us rejoice, exult, and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and
look what it says, his bride has made herself ready.

592
00:47:16,562 --> 00:47:29,927
It was granted her, that's by Christ, to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure,
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

593
00:47:30,328 --> 00:47:31,348
Let's pray.

594
00:47:32,760 --> 00:47:43,088
Father, we come before you grateful again that you've given us this passage and that
you've revealed uh your will to us, that you've revealed the way that you reign and will

595
00:47:43,088 --> 00:47:45,210
reign when you come back.

596
00:47:45,390 --> 00:47:55,118
I I ask just for myself and for those in this congregation that uh that you would use this
sermon in a way that would benefit them.

597
00:47:55,118 --> 00:48:02,774
They would see and understand you as their master more, that they can tell what you have
given them.

598
00:48:02,774 --> 00:48:12,051
And use it in accordance in a way that is uh pleasing in your sight, in a way that is
worthy of the salvation that you've given them.

599
00:48:12,072 --> 00:48:26,844
And Father, I r I pray that each one of us would be able to experience your praise, your
promotion, and the pleasures that you have at your right hand, because they come from you

600
00:48:26,844 --> 00:48:30,146
and we believe and see you as our greatest good.

601
00:48:30,146 --> 00:48:31,968
In Jesus Christ's name we pray.

602
00:48:31,968 --> 00:48:32,778
Amen.

603
00:48:33,122 --> 00:48:38,299
Thank you for listening to this message from Kingstree Church in Sabina, Ohio.

604
00:48:38,299 --> 00:48:46,890
To see more of the beauty of God in the crucified and risen Jesus Christ, come worship
with us on Sundays at 10 a.m.

605
00:48:46,890 --> 00:48:50,654
or visit our website at Kingstreechurch.org.