Servant of God: Work of a Servant

August 2, 2015

Servant of God

Work of a Servant

Matthew 25:14-30

(Advance Slide #1)

Introduction

In 2008 Esmin Green entered King’s County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York.

• While waiting in the emergency room security videos show her rolling out the seat she was sitting in into the floor.
• While collapsed on the floor security staff, nurses and other hospital workers walked by doing nothing.
• Esmin Green died on the floor of the place that she came to receive help.
• People walk by her not offering any aid…in fact, someone is seen just nudging her with their foot.
• Instead of suggesting that care be given to her other patients felt that they had waited longer enough.

Since their time was of great value to them, they had already invested enough of what was valuable to them.

• They did not want to waste what was so valuable and important!
• Now, keep that in mind while we talk about the value of the “talents” that God has given us.

Last week we learned that as Christians we have voluntarily become a servant of God.

• This means that we have given Him ownership over our lives.
• He is our Master and we are His servant!

This morning I want us to consider the work of a servant!

(Advance Slide #2)

Text

28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Matthew 25:28-30

Jesus is using one of His favorite teaching methods...the parable!

• Here in Matt. 25 Jesus is telling us how the Kingdom of Heaven (the church) is like a man who gave his servants “talents”

(Advance Slide #3)

What is a “talent”?

• A lot of effort has been put into equating this to a current monetary value.
• I am not going to go down that path...I believe that the Bible show the value clearly enough.

• In a previous chapter Jesus said that a Denarius was a day’s wage.
• In other sources we find that one talent is worth around 6,000 denarii.
• Needless to say, without trying to extrapolate to modern day value, that a “talent” was valuable.
• The purpose of the parable was that each servant received something that they could handle!
• Each was given something that the master wanted taken care of...it was important.

We also learn something else:

• Those that used their talents wisely were praised for their efforts.
• Those that did not use their talents wisely were punished for their lack of effort.

(Advance Slide #4)

When we do what what we do for Him, Jesus says that is the value of heaven.

Lesson

Becoming a servant of God means that we engage in the work of a servant!

(Advance Slide #5)

This morning, I want us to understand:

1. That we can serve God...not matter how large or small the task.
2. That whatever the task is we glorify God in all that we do!

(Advance Slide #6)

You Can Do It

It does not matter if we are doing things for Him in factory or in the fields, you can do it!

• “To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.” - vs. 15
• God knows just what we need and what we can handle!
• Because the “5 talent man” managed the talents properly...he was given greater responsibility.
• Because the “2 talent man” managed the talents properly...he was given greater responsibility.

Why drive home the point that the Master was please with the “2 talent man” as He was with the “5 talent man”?

• He is not looking at the talent, but what you do with the talent!
• Some people think: I can’t teach; I can’t sing; I can’t do mission work; I can’t cook; I can’t give a lot of money to the church...I can’t…
• Too many time we become concerned about not being able to do the big talents.
• God does not care about what we CAN’T do but rather what we CAN do!

(Advance Slide #7)

Find a way to serve God...you can do it!

(Advance Slide #8)

Glorifying God

Serve God and quit worrying about the value of the talent.

• Don’t worry about messing things up, or doing damage.
• God is more concerned about you giving up and not messing up.

ILLUS. - A minister was working on a lesson and remembered a book that he needed.

• He called down to his daughter to bring it to him.
• He gave her, what he thought was specific instruction, but she brought him the wrong book.
• Instead of becoming angry he simply kissed her on the head and thanked her.
• Even though she brought the wrong book he was pleased with her effort...she was willing to be obedient.
• In the same manner...God wants us to be obedient.

Each of us have been given specific talents that He desires us to use for His glory.

(Advance Slide #9)

• Eph. 2:10 confirms this, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
• The “good works” that are mentioned here are important to God.
• This is why Jesus used something valuable like the “talent” to show its importance.
• “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” Col. 3:23

Conclusion

REMEMBER - the story of Esmin Green that I shared at the beginning.

• People walked by while she laid on the floor dying.
• Individuals were so focused on themselves that she was left to perish.
• The church can be guilty of this too.
• We can become so overwhelmed by the work that we forget why Jesus came.

(Advance Slide #10)

We have individuals in this church that does both big and small things, but there is a danger...a trap that we can all fall into.

• We can become so involved in our talents that we forget why we have the talents.
• We can become so overwhelmed by the work that we forget why Jesus came.
• In an effort to reach our full potential as workers in the church we pass the real reason God called for workers in the church.

So what is the real reason?

(Advance Slide #11)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt. 28:19-20

Our real job as a servant is to bring the lost and dying to Jesus.

There are two things that we need to remember this morning:

1. God wants to give us responsibilities in His church.
2. We must always remember the real reason we were given talents.