Vision: Vested

Sermon • Submitted 2 months ago • Presented 2 months ago

0 ratings

· 2 views

Notes

Transcript

We are knitted-together for God’s purpose, to be consumed for His glory, and as we do together being Kingdom-minded, the Lord promises there is a reward. There is a reward for those who diligently seek Him, and there is a reward for those who labor for the Gospel - whether in direct speech or in support of that effort.

We are each gifted with a measure of faith, with individual gifts fitted to benefit the body of Christ. No big I’s or little you’s. No, we each have been given talents for the vestment of the Kingdom.

You are vested, you have a vested interest -

Invested: granting someone the power or authority to do something

Vested: legal ownership of the power, authority, or property granted

That being said, God’s investment through Christ’s sacrifice, death, and resurrection, has gained a return with your soul as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.

You are now vested, as a blood-bought disciple of Christ, you are justified and have legal ownership, authority, and property granted in the Kingdom of Heaven.

You, being justified through Christ, now a co-heir with Christ Jesus, now seated in heavenly places, and having a place prepared for you - you have a vested interest with the Kingdom of Heaven.

To summarize this - you have legal ownership and authority in making Heaven crowded, and being the Kingdom of Heaven near to those who haven’t yet received the Gospel.

You and I as servants of the Most High God have been given the ability and authority and power to make Heaven crowded.

Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:14–30 (CSB)

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. In the same way the man with two earned two more. But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’

“The man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’

“The man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ “His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money back with interest when I returned. “

‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

What In Your Hand?

God has given to each of us according to our capacities for His Kingdom service. What are our capacities: - Time - Abilities - Treasures

Each one of us have been blessed with talents, that include time, abilities, and treasures

We’ve all been given a certain amount of time to live on this earth

We’ve all been given abilities and giftings to be put of use

We’ve all been given treasures - finances, valuables, properties

These talents have been intentionally been vested to us not to be merely used for our enjoyment, but to be used for His Kingdom purpose.

We’ve been given a certain amount of time, to be used for His Kingdom

We’ve been given abilities and gifts and talents to be used for His Kingdom

We’ve been given treasures and finances to be used for His Kingdom

Some refer to this as God’s economy. In God’s economy, He owns everything in this entire Universe. In God’s economy, He doesn’t spend gold - He calls that pavement. He doesn’t gather pearls for value - those are for the gates of Heaven. He doesn’t try to find the value of precious gems and diamonds, those are used for walls and infrastructure.

No, His most valued and precious thing on the face of this earth is your face - it’s you. You are what God values, and you even bare His image. And He already spent His Son so He could purchase your ransom, to purchase your life - He bought eternity for you, to be with you.

So instead of needing to spend inanimate infrastructure that’s going to be burned up one day, God in His master plan chose you and me, to spend you and me and the talents we have capacity for, to put that to work for His Glory, for His Kingdom.

Jesus is your King and He has a really big heart for people to know Him, and He expects you and me to live faithfully with a kingdom agenda - a Kingdom Vision.

Stewardship

This requires Stewardship

Stewardship: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care

This is not just a spiritual thing. We see this in the carnal world around us as well. - Be good stewards of the environment - don’t pollute, reduce carbon footprint, “reduce, reuse, recycle” - Be good stewards of your professional assets - beware of “fraud, waste, and abuse” - Have core values, be good stewards of your career - like “Integrity, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We do”

Stewardship is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care

From God’s perspective, being a good steward is carefully and responsibly managing the time, abilities and treasures He’s entrusted to your care.

My ability and faithfulness as a steward of what God has put in my hands determines the level of the blessing I will receive.

My will and my priorities affect my ability to steward what God has put in my hands. And my willingness to put the gifts I have been given to work for the Lord affects the return of blessing that comes from Him.

If we don’t bring it, He can’t bless it!

We can’t forget that we’re serving the King of all kings, and owner of all of creation - you can fully expect that God will fully reward within His divine capacity.

Which is to say He knows no limits.

Word of Caution

Jesus gives a word of caution in this parable that we all need to take quite seriously.

Because there was the one, the one with the one talent

- He lived in fear, fear of the unknown

- Lived in fear of inadequacy

- Lived in fear of losing, rather than gaining

- Lived in fear of losing his own life

- Jesus called this man evil and lazy

- Why? Because this man was only concerned with himself, and not the Master’s heart, the Master’s resources

- He decided to bury it and keep it for himself

Jesus says in John 14:15 ““If you love me, you will keep my commands.”

That love is specifically reflected in our love towards Him and people.

The love of God is evident in those who show their faith through their works!

[Steven Curtis Chapman song “The Change” 1999]

Well I got myself a T-shirt that says what I believe I got letters on my bracelet to serve as my ID I got the necklace and the key chain And almost everything a good Christian needs, yeah I got the little Bible magnets on my refrigerator door And a welcome mat to bless you before you walk across my floor I got a Jesus bumper sticker And the outline of a fish stuck on my car And even though this stuff's all well and good, yeah I cannot help but ask myself-- What about the change What about the difference What about the grace What about forgiveness What about a life that's showing I'm undergoing the change

*plug for the type of music we listen to

The real danger is that the unfruitful are outcast - God is serious about His Kingdom and saving the lost. He didn’t give His life up for us to do nothing!

There’s an Eternal Reward

But the fruitful stewards will receive His reward!

In this passage, Jesus says the reward is likened to be the same

Look, Church, we serve a God of multiplication. If you don’t bring what you’ve got, He can’t bless it. And if He’s the one blessing it, whatever it is is multiplied, and the return from the multiplied blessing is a reward that comes from the Father who owns literally everything.

So often we limit ourselves with the box of ‘my time’, ‘my ability’, ‘my money’, ‘my style’, ‘my preferences’ - and we keep them in that box and it stays buried because it’s mine.

But the Lord says, “What do you have? What’s in your hand? If you’ll bring it to Me, I will bless it.” And He multiplies it.

Don’t you want to be a blessing? This is the kind of Church we are - a blessing to this Community; carriers of the Lord’s presence, interceding for and meeting the needs therein.

The requirement is - being faithful with what we’ve been given to steward!

The reward is an increase!

The reward is increased capacity, and increased fruitfulness

The reward is the Father’s blessing

The reward is Himself - knowing Him deeper, knowing the Father’s love fuller, knowing His generosity greater!

Ultimately, the reward is eternity with God

We are not saved by our works! And yet James 2, reminds us that faith without works is dead!

Hold on to the Vision

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Seek God in you capacities - be faithful, and He will reward your faithfulness because He IS Faithful

Seek God in your time - making Him first in your day through prayer and scripture (what we call devotions)

Seek God with your abilities - prioritize Him in how you serve, be involved with the Kingdom work, what’s your family purpose in the Kingdom? It’s a family venture until your kids start their own families

Seek God with your treasures - make him first with the tithe, the 10% of all your increase

If He can get it through you - as a steward, as someone willing - He will get it to you!

Request your capacities be enlarged for His benefit, and it will

Prayer of Jabez - 1 Chron 4:10

1 Chronicles 4:10 CSB

Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only you would bless me, extend my border, let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm, so that I will not experience pain.” And God granted his request.

Enlarge my territory, extend my border - increase my capacity - bless me for your service

WE LIVE THIS HOPE!

Acts 2:42–47 CSB

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

We live this out - we seek this out. This is how we bake and break our bread.

we are a family devoted to:

consistent prayer being saturated in the word of God actively professing the gospel faithful in tithing missionally generous fasting for breakthroughs intentionally reflect the love of God

Result of Faithfulness and Generosity - expecting:

100 souls saved in 2024

$20000 towards Missions & Operation Care Force

Fully-funded Building & Renovations

The bread we’re baking: Hope has a Name

Related Media

Related Sermons