Ever Ready Fortunes

He wants you to be ready for when he comes back. That is why we have what is written in Matthew 24 & 25, the prophecy in Daniel & Revelation. It is not there to confuse you but for you to be ready. To know that his return is soon.

Jesus wants you to be ready.

Number three.

Sometimes what you seek is right in front of you.

But

Sometimes it is fear that keeps you from grasping it.

This leads us into the parable that we will look at in Matthew 25 where Jesus removes the fear.

Matthew 25:14–30 NIV

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Notice here that the first two servants are ready. They come to their master and say what you gave us we have put to work. Because of that we have gained more.

Notice that the master is happy with both of them. he is happy about not so much about how much they have earned. But he says the exact same thing to both of them.

What does he say?

‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Notice what he firstly says, He commends them.

“Well done good and faithful servant” Because you have been faithful in what I have given you.

He then says because of that I will now give you a promotion and put you in charge of many more things.

Then extends a forever friendship with them and he says, Come and celebrate with me. “Came and share and enjoy your masters happiness.”

This is clear they have done what was expected of them and the master is happy with what they have done, and he says well done.

This is music to their ears. The message is clear if you put to use what the master has given you and live an ever ready life you are ready for his kingdom.

Notice that living an ever ready life using what you have the reward is going to be great. The celebrations with the master.

Then we come to the third servant, his situation is different. He enters into this more cautiously and maybe unsure. But he enters in what we could call an audit.

He enters into the audit with no small degree of emotion. Have you ever received a letter in the mail in in the top corner it says tax office or RMS.

You wonder when you look at it what is this all about. There is that element of fear and wonder what it is about. When you open the letter you see that it is a request to meet with them. So you go and discover that you have a small debt. but there it is. you may not remember the conversation but you remember the fear that you had when you went to the appointment.

This would be the same for the third servant. That he entered knowing full well what the expectations were. They were clear. But my question to the servant is that if you knew what was expected. Why wouldn’t you just do what was expected?

Why avoid it why not be ready?

the answers clear in verse 25 in 3 words it is one word in the greek. but in the english 3 words.

I was Afraid

The answers “I was afraid”.

No many of us myself included can relate to this. When we are challenged with something that is fear. We either fight, flee or Freeze.

This servant froze. because he did nothing well he did something thing he took his talent went into the backyard dug a hole and buried it. thats the end of what he did with the masters talent. He hid it.

In a senes you can understand why he did this he didn’t get five or even two he got one. what could he do wiht one, its a bit like sitting in church and you look around and you see all the talent those singing and teaching and you say to your self there is no way that I am volunteering for anything. I am not Good enough.

I don’t have much. you may understand his fear but his intentions a clear and what his is afraid of.

Matthew 25:24–25 NIV

“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

The Master I was afraid of you. You scared me. because your so frightening I didn’t do anything except hide my talents.

Now if you put this parable in the context and put it with the other parables that are talking about being ever ready there is one thing clear here. This servant is afraid of God.

He is genuinely afraid of God. the question one then would ask how did this happen what made him come to be afraid of who God is. Is it because he has a negative understanding of God. Or is his picture of God been distorted or impacted by who he is. Has the servants up bringing influenced him and his fear of God? Why does the servant have this attitude of who God is?

Listen to the words of Michael Wilkins he writes

The explicit problem with the wicked servant is his attitude about his master. Faithfulness, in other words doing something with what the master gave him. Faithfulness is contingent upon an accurate view of God. The parable teaches that a truthful understanding of God would bring about the productive investment of our lives.

In other words if we understand the truthfulness and who God is it will drive us to be active on his behalf.

Lets look back a few weeks ago we looked at what saves us when we become a christian. At the beginning of the Christian Journey and we also looked when we meet Jesus it is the grace of Jesus that save us. That is all.

We are saved by grace period.

Readiness is not what saves us. So the question that comes to mind then why did Jesus spend two chapters talking about readiness?

When the grace of Jesus is fully active in our lives it has a transformative effect on our attitude and mind set and our behaviour.

Therefore our use of what the master places in our hands is evidence of grace and is truly shown in our lives.

It is a bit like this and I am not sure if I have shared this. In 1994 yes it is a few years ago. I was driving between Mackay and Rockhampton. we were travelling in a 100 zone. then out of a line of traffic a police car over took a heap of cars in the other direction and pulled us up. They asked for my licence and told me that I was speeding doing 112. I disagreed and wanted to say you must be wrong because you over took traffic to pull me up.

But I was frustrated, and angry about it yes I got a ticket and was promptly told that if I wanted to fight it I could go to court. AS I left I cautiously took off but still angry and so when they were out of sight I wanted to put the foot down and do 112. No I am sure some of you have been in his situation and felt like this.

But what about another time We were driving to Brisbane and we were near Tamworth. We saw in the other direction a police car coming and we slowed. The policeman flashed his lights at us and waved his finger. He didn’t stop us but that was enough to say hey I was doing more then the speed limit. But I am letting you off. but warning you.

After that we drove cautiously and carefully. notice the difference in attitudes.

GRACE

You see when grace enters us it transforms us and changes what we do and how we respond.

So lets get back to the parable when graces enters us it transforms you it changes you you take what is given to you the talent and you do anything you can to enlarge his kingdom.

Whatever talent, or treasure time ability or special capability position whatever you have. you are eager to use that to increase the kingdom of God.

Because you are saved by grace you put to use that which Go has given to you.

As you put to use what is given you are living an ever ready life.

Always read for Christs return.

That is what Jesus calls us to. live ever ready for his return.

Yes I know it is hard.

Sometimes what we seek is right in front of us!

But we want to be ready but there is something holding us back. maybe it is fear that holds us back, or others have so much they can do it better. Or I might lose or be embarrassed. Or it might take to much of my time. I don’t know. Often what we seek is right in front of us but it is our doubts and fear that stops us.

Scripture says perfect love casts out all fear. Perfect love of God that is placed in your hearts frees you from your fear. It empowers you to put to use what you have.

One day the audit will come. Jesus will come and sit with you and ask what did you do with what I gave you?

You might answer well Jesus I was at Mount Druitt there were so many more people better and talented then I was. they just were better I didn’t know how to. I hid and did not do anything.

Or maybe your answer could be.

Well Jesus at first it was hard even a bit scary, so I finally started doing what was right in front of me.

Jesus will say I know you did. see that man over there? do you recognise him. Well no not really. he told me he had many a meal at your table and it was at your table that he first heard about me.

See that young lady over there? Do you recognise her? well no not really. She is a bit older now she went to school where she learned about me and it because you paid the bill.

See that women over there does she look familiar. She is someone that you delivered bread to and one day you were there talking with her when she poured her heart out about how things were tough her life was destroyed because of bad news and her marriage break down. You prayed with her. That day she decided that she accepted me.

Jesus could go on but he could say to you thats it for the audit these people here are your audit. So welcome home child welcome home.

Lord there is so much that we have but yet so little is put to use. Put us to use what you have given right in front of us. to enlarge your kingdom. Amen

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