Text:
Matthew 25:14-29:
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Theme:
Well Done
Introduction:
- The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament, the 40th book of the Holy Bible. It was written by that tax collector turned disciple called Matthew. Although he changed his profession, we can see that the accountant still is in him through his writing. We can see Matthew writing to meet his “bottom line”, or his “final total”, which was that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. For that reason he almost wrote as much as Luke, but the details of a doctor usually exceed those of an accountant.
- In this portion of Scripture, Jesus is giving once again a parable, an earthly story with a divine meaning and understanding.
- A man was about to travel into a far country and entrusted his servants with talents. Some worked with the talents and others didn’t. Those who worked with the talents were rewarded. Those who did not were punished.
- The words of the man to those who were rewarded were the words, “WELL DONE!”
- In this we find our theme.
- Any worker for a job wants to know that they did a job Well Done
- EVEN, a worker for the Lord wants to hear the Lord say, “Well done”
- The old hymn says:
Well done, Well done, Well Done
All I want my Lord to say is Well Done
[When I say my last prayer]
[When I’ve sang my last song]
[When I’m crossing Jordan]
Body:
- But let us note that the jobs of this world and the work of the Lord do have striking similarities
- You must have a job to be employed
- The text uses the term “servant”
- As Jesus said in John 17:20-21:
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
- A good manager will put you in the right job for your ability
- The text says in verse 15, “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability”
- God manages us well
- Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
- You can’t get paid for work that you didn’t do
- The text says, “thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things”.
- Matthew 9:37, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;”
- Whether you do a good job or not, you get the benefits while you are employed
- Verse 14 of the text says, “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.”
- Matthew 5:45, “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
- God does not trust, but entrusts à He knows what we are gonna do BUT still ENTRUSTS us with some of the benefits of being His creation NOW
- Verse 14 of the text says, “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.”
- Your “work” decides your reward
- The text says “enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
- Folk are slacking on their job
- Titus 1:16, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
- God knows what you are or are not doing
- Revelations 2:19, “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.”
- Don’t worry because God will punish them
- James 2:20, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”
- Psalms 37:1-2, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”
- Matthew 13:30, “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”
There are similarities!
Conclusion:
That’s my testimony today!
All I want the Lord to say is WELL DONE!
When I….Well done!
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