1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:06,960 Parables of Jesus begin to show us the kingdom of God. 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,280 They almost always begin. 3 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:11,280 The kingdom of God is like. 4 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:17,480 And then begins to describe this kingdom of how God designed 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:22,160 the world to be, how eternity will be, and how he wants us to live 6 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:23,040 now. 7 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:28,650 And so that's our goal during this year, is to learn through these 8 00:00:28,650 --> 00:00:33,050 parables about the kingdom of God and pray that in that God will 9 00:00:33,050 --> 00:00:38,410 help us to see him more clearly, to love him more dearly, 10 00:00:38,890 --> 00:00:41,530 and to follow him more nearly. 11 00:00:41,770 --> 00:00:45,570 Because the kingdom of God is so different from what the world 12 00:00:45,570 --> 00:00:47,690 that's been corrupted by sin is like. 13 00:00:48,490 --> 00:00:50,970 It's a process to begin to learn that. 14 00:00:51,370 --> 00:00:57,270 And my prayer is that day by day, day by day, we will grow in 15 00:00:57,270 --> 00:01:01,630 how to see him more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow 16 00:01:01,710 --> 00:01:03,310 him more nearly. 17 00:01:03,790 --> 00:01:09,390 So today we're going to begin with a terrific parable of the talents, 18 00:01:09,630 --> 00:01:10,870 called the parable of the Talents. 19 00:01:10,870 --> 00:01:16,630 It's about being entrusted by God with the gifts that he gives 20 00:01:16,630 --> 00:01:20,110 us and being held accountable for them. 21 00:01:21,740 --> 00:01:23,500 And the consequences are serious. 22 00:01:23,740 --> 00:01:25,500 The story was read to us earlier. 23 00:01:25,740 --> 00:01:29,900 It said a man begins, of course, the kingdom of God is like 24 00:01:29,900 --> 00:01:31,660 a man who's going on a trip. 25 00:01:32,940 --> 00:01:35,620 And it's important that this man is going on a trip because he's 26 00:01:35,620 --> 00:01:37,020 leaving, okay? 27 00:01:37,180 --> 00:01:39,260 He's leaving these servants behind. 28 00:01:39,420 --> 00:01:41,020 He said there were three servants. 29 00:01:41,580 --> 00:01:43,980 He gave different amounts to each of those servants. 30 00:01:43,980 --> 00:01:45,660 To one he gave five bags of silver. 31 00:01:45,660 --> 00:01:47,580 To one he gave two, and to one he gave one. 32 00:01:48,390 --> 00:01:52,510 Just like God gives us different gifts and ability, we're 33 00:01:52,510 --> 00:01:54,870 all differently gifted. 34 00:01:55,030 --> 00:01:58,670 And then he came back to see how they were doing and held them 35 00:01:58,670 --> 00:02:00,310 accountable for it. 36 00:02:00,310 --> 00:02:03,430 And in the parable, we're going to see some surprising results 37 00:02:03,990 --> 00:02:07,190 of what each received and even some more. 38 00:02:08,150 --> 00:02:13,070 More so surprising of the consequences of those who didn't 39 00:02:13,070 --> 00:02:13,990 use their gifts well. 40 00:02:14,530 --> 00:02:16,690 So as we work through the parable, I'm going to give you 12 41 00:02:16,770 --> 00:02:17,330 insights. 42 00:02:17,330 --> 00:02:18,690 They're going to come pretty fast today. 43 00:02:19,010 --> 00:02:22,530 12 insights to better understand the kingdom of God. 44 00:02:22,530 --> 00:02:25,410 And as you see these 12 insights and how they lay out in 45 00:02:25,410 --> 00:02:30,210 the parable, it begins to help us see God's kingdom more clearly. 46 00:02:30,610 --> 00:02:35,490 And when we see him more clearly, we love him more dearly. 47 00:02:35,650 --> 00:02:39,810 And when we love him more dearly, we follow him more nearly. 48 00:02:40,250 --> 00:02:41,530 And that's my prayer for you. 49 00:02:41,770 --> 00:02:45,370 So this could not be a better parable to begin an academic school 50 00:02:45,370 --> 00:02:46,330 year with cause. 51 00:02:46,650 --> 00:02:51,450 It changes everything about how we use our gifts and our talents. 52 00:02:51,450 --> 00:02:54,170 It changes today, it changes this semester. 53 00:02:54,170 --> 00:02:55,290 It changes this year. 54 00:02:55,290 --> 00:02:56,570 It changes your career. 55 00:02:56,570 --> 00:03:00,090 It changes Your family, It changes your future, it changes your 56 00:03:00,090 --> 00:03:04,410 eternity when you understand the Kingdom of God. 57 00:03:04,810 --> 00:03:06,090 So that's what we're gonna look at. 58 00:03:06,170 --> 00:03:07,930 So let's get into these insights. 59 00:03:07,930 --> 00:03:11,340 The first is that everything that that we have comes from God. 60 00:03:11,340 --> 00:03:15,940 The scripture says he called together his servants and he gave 61 00:03:15,940 --> 00:03:17,020 them money. 62 00:03:17,660 --> 00:03:20,300 He called together his servants and gave them money. 63 00:03:20,380 --> 00:03:21,580 He gave it to them. 64 00:03:21,980 --> 00:03:24,940 He didn't say, here's the money I owe you, here's the money 65 00:03:24,940 --> 00:03:25,460 you earned. 66 00:03:25,460 --> 00:03:27,100 No, he just gave it to them. 67 00:03:27,500 --> 00:03:33,220 Everything we have is a gift from God that is foundational to 68 00:03:33,220 --> 00:03:35,180 understanding the Kingdom of God. 69 00:03:36,140 --> 00:03:39,780 Without that understanding, life is a struggle when we think 70 00:03:39,780 --> 00:03:41,900 we earned it, when we think we deserve it. 71 00:03:42,220 --> 00:03:43,340 Life is a struggle. 72 00:03:43,820 --> 00:03:48,420 When we understand it's all a gift from God and it's all connected 73 00:03:48,420 --> 00:03:49,100 to God. 74 00:03:49,260 --> 00:03:52,140 It takes on a whole different dimension. 75 00:03:52,540 --> 00:03:54,460 He did it, not us. 76 00:03:54,940 --> 00:03:58,860 And everything we have comes from Him. 77 00:03:59,420 --> 00:04:01,990 That's the beginning point of the Kingdom of God. 78 00:04:02,230 --> 00:04:06,510 Second insight we have is that God trusts us more than we trust 79 00:04:06,510 --> 00:04:07,030 ourselves. 80 00:04:07,190 --> 00:04:12,550 It says he gave them money to invest for him while he was gone. 81 00:04:12,710 --> 00:04:15,750 He gave them money to invest while he was gone. 82 00:04:15,990 --> 00:04:21,430 It's remarkable to understand the level of trust that God has given 83 00:04:21,510 --> 00:04:22,230 to us. 84 00:04:23,750 --> 00:04:27,940 He trusts us more than we trust ourselves. 85 00:04:29,220 --> 00:04:32,180 He gives us talents, he gives us abilities. 86 00:04:32,660 --> 00:04:33,860 He gives us strength. 87 00:04:33,860 --> 00:04:35,220 He gives us resources. 88 00:04:36,020 --> 00:04:37,460 And he says, here they are. 89 00:04:38,420 --> 00:04:39,140 Take them. 90 00:04:40,100 --> 00:04:45,420 You can use them, you can abuse them, you can squander them 91 00:04:45,420 --> 00:04:46,260 by your ego. 92 00:04:46,740 --> 00:04:49,940 You can chafe after what the sinful world values. 93 00:04:50,900 --> 00:04:56,140 Or you can wear my name badge and invest for the kingdom and invest 94 00:04:56,460 --> 00:04:58,220 for fulfillment in life. 95 00:04:58,860 --> 00:05:00,780 You know, it's kind of like this. 96 00:05:00,860 --> 00:05:05,340 It's kind of like God takes the keys, the family car, and he 97 00:05:05,340 --> 00:05:06,380 just gives them to us. 98 00:05:07,740 --> 00:05:12,140 And he says, you go where you want to go, it's yours. 99 00:05:12,300 --> 00:05:15,340 I trust you to take it and go. 100 00:05:15,900 --> 00:05:19,820 God trusts us more than we trust ourselves. 101 00:05:20,610 --> 00:05:25,770 And when you understand that in the Kingdom of God, then it takes 102 00:05:25,770 --> 00:05:27,010 on a different perspective. 103 00:05:27,170 --> 00:05:31,490 The third takeaway we see in this parable is that God gives us 104 00:05:31,490 --> 00:05:33,010 what we can handle. 105 00:05:34,530 --> 00:05:35,250 Excuse me. 106 00:05:36,130 --> 00:05:40,410 Scripture said he divided their gifts in proportion to their 107 00:05:40,410 --> 00:05:40,850 abilities. 108 00:05:42,370 --> 00:05:44,050 We are not all gifted the same. 109 00:05:44,530 --> 00:05:46,050 And that's God's choice. 110 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:48,160 That is God's choice. 111 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,560 God gives each of us different gifts. 112 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:56,640 Everybody in this room is gifted enough to be successful academically 113 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:57,680 at Belhaven University. 114 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,360 We would not have let you in if you couldn't do the work. 115 00:06:02,239 --> 00:06:03,440 So you have that gift. 116 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,320 But beyond that, some of you have the gift to go into the medical 117 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:07,640 field. 118 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,040 Some of you have the gift to go into the arts. 119 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,200 Some of you can play football or soccer. 120 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,550 Some of you can can build a great business. 121 00:06:16,190 --> 00:06:18,950 Some of you can be a social worker and go into areas of great 122 00:06:18,950 --> 00:06:19,310 need. 123 00:06:19,470 --> 00:06:21,790 You have different gifts in different areas. 124 00:06:21,790 --> 00:06:24,950 God has given you each different gifts. 125 00:06:24,950 --> 00:06:28,590 There are no two people in this room right this moment who have 126 00:06:28,670 --> 00:06:30,350 the same gifts. 127 00:06:30,910 --> 00:06:32,830 God gives it to them. 128 00:06:33,470 --> 00:06:39,070 And he could see in them these three servants what they even couldn't 129 00:06:39,070 --> 00:06:39,950 see in themselves. 130 00:06:40,750 --> 00:06:42,510 He knew who had the potential. 131 00:06:42,670 --> 00:06:47,350 He knew who would use it well, and he knew who needed more and who 132 00:06:47,350 --> 00:06:48,350 couldn't handle more. 133 00:06:48,910 --> 00:06:54,350 God gave them exactly what each of the three needed to be successful. 134 00:06:55,150 --> 00:06:57,950 Each was best prepared for success in life. 135 00:06:58,830 --> 00:07:02,750 God makes no apology, absolutely no apology that he hadn't 136 00:07:02,750 --> 00:07:03,950 given us all the same thing. 137 00:07:04,350 --> 00:07:06,190 Now we can look at that and say, well, that's not fair. 138 00:07:06,430 --> 00:07:07,470 Look at all they got. 139 00:07:08,010 --> 00:07:09,050 Look at what they get. 140 00:07:09,370 --> 00:07:12,290 Look at the background they come and the finances they have in 141 00:07:12,290 --> 00:07:12,650 their life. 142 00:07:12,650 --> 00:07:13,450 It's not right. 143 00:07:13,450 --> 00:07:17,250 Well, yeah, it's not right according to a sinful world that's 144 00:07:17,250 --> 00:07:19,210 built on jealousy and pride. 145 00:07:20,010 --> 00:07:22,650 But in the kingdom of God, it's right. 146 00:07:22,730 --> 00:07:26,890 Because God knows best what each of us needs and he gives us 147 00:07:27,130 --> 00:07:28,330 what we can handle. 148 00:07:28,650 --> 00:07:32,570 Well, the fourth takeaway is God requires that we know him. 149 00:07:32,810 --> 00:07:35,620 The scripture says he, he left on a trip. 150 00:07:36,340 --> 00:07:42,940 Jesus said he gave them these talents and then he left huge sum 151 00:07:42,940 --> 00:07:43,380 of money. 152 00:07:43,380 --> 00:07:46,460 If you go back and you look at in context and all, it was a big 153 00:07:46,460 --> 00:07:47,700 sum of money he gave them. 154 00:07:47,940 --> 00:07:52,020 He gave them no instructions, he gave them no direction. 155 00:07:52,260 --> 00:07:53,820 He gave them no deadlines. 156 00:07:53,820 --> 00:07:55,620 He gave them no benchmarks of success. 157 00:07:56,740 --> 00:08:02,500 The only way they knew what to do with their talents was is because 158 00:08:02,500 --> 00:08:04,500 they knew the one they served. 159 00:08:05,220 --> 00:08:06,500 Now, this is critical. 160 00:08:08,180 --> 00:08:11,220 He didn't say, go do this, this, this, this, this, and I'll 161 00:08:11,220 --> 00:08:12,580 be real happy with what you do. 162 00:08:13,220 --> 00:08:18,019 No, they had to know the heart and the spirit of the one they served. 163 00:08:18,340 --> 00:08:21,500 And then they would know what to do with their talents. 164 00:08:21,500 --> 00:08:24,420 By knowing him, they were ready for action. 165 00:08:26,740 --> 00:08:30,620 The Lord doesn't tell us, go do this, go do this and do this and 166 00:08:30,620 --> 00:08:31,750 your life will be happy. 167 00:08:32,380 --> 00:08:37,500 He says, know me, and once you know me, you will know what to do 168 00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:39,580 with these talents I've given you. 169 00:08:39,980 --> 00:08:41,580 So the scripture reads like this. 170 00:08:42,540 --> 00:08:47,500 It says, the servant who received the five bags of gold began 171 00:08:47,500 --> 00:08:50,300 to immediately vest the money and soon double it. 172 00:08:50,540 --> 00:08:54,340 A servant with two bags of gold also went right to work and 173 00:08:54,340 --> 00:08:55,100 doubled the money. 174 00:08:55,260 --> 00:08:59,690 But the servant who received one bag of gold dug a hole in the 175 00:08:59,690 --> 00:09:03,730 ground and hid the master's money for safekeeping. 176 00:09:04,370 --> 00:09:07,810 So now the story shifts to start to look at the results. 177 00:09:08,530 --> 00:09:12,570 That was a setup of how he gifted each of them according to 178 00:09:12,570 --> 00:09:15,890 their ability, with their talents, and then look at the results 179 00:09:16,370 --> 00:09:17,410 that come from it. 180 00:09:17,650 --> 00:09:21,850 First, we can have great results even if we're given less 181 00:09:21,850 --> 00:09:22,410 than others. 182 00:09:22,410 --> 00:09:26,350 See, the scripture says a servant with two bags of gold also 183 00:09:26,350 --> 00:09:30,270 went to right to work and doubled the money. 184 00:09:31,150 --> 00:09:36,070 Now, one of the largest sums to invest didn't have the greatest 185 00:09:36,070 --> 00:09:36,670 rate of return. 186 00:09:36,830 --> 00:09:39,790 The guy had five bags of gold and he doubled it. 187 00:09:40,270 --> 00:09:43,550 But the one with two bags of gold who had less to begin with, 188 00:09:43,950 --> 00:09:46,550 was more successful for doubling that. 189 00:09:46,550 --> 00:09:48,030 That's a law of economics. 190 00:09:48,030 --> 00:09:52,270 When you've got less capital to begin with and you are successful 191 00:09:52,270 --> 00:09:55,630 in double getting the same rate of return as somebody with more 192 00:09:55,630 --> 00:09:58,110 capital, you're more successful than the one with big 193 00:09:58,110 --> 00:09:58,430 capital. 194 00:09:58,830 --> 00:10:03,470 So doubling two bags is more impressive than doubling five bags. 195 00:10:03,870 --> 00:10:07,790 And sometimes we feel shortchanged by God because we only 196 00:10:07,790 --> 00:10:08,550 have two bags. 197 00:10:08,550 --> 00:10:13,790 When we look around and other people have five bags, two and a 198 00:10:13,790 --> 00:10:18,590 half times less doesn't mean we can't do as well with what we've 199 00:10:18,590 --> 00:10:18,990 been given. 200 00:10:20,220 --> 00:10:21,420 In fact, we can do better. 201 00:10:21,500 --> 00:10:26,460 The scripture shows us the one with two bags did better than the 202 00:10:26,460 --> 00:10:29,940 one with five bags, even though the rate of return was the 203 00:10:29,940 --> 00:10:30,220 same. 204 00:10:30,780 --> 00:10:37,820 So God can do remarkable things with you and with me, even 205 00:10:38,300 --> 00:10:40,620 if we're given less than others around us. 206 00:10:41,260 --> 00:10:45,890 The sixth idea that comes out of this is that being given less 207 00:10:46,370 --> 00:10:47,970 doesn't have to count us out. 208 00:10:48,930 --> 00:10:53,890 Servant who received one bag of gold dug a hole in the ground 209 00:10:54,210 --> 00:10:57,090 and hid the master's money for safekeeping. 210 00:10:57,890 --> 00:11:00,850 Now, if you look at the economics of it again, the one with 211 00:11:00,850 --> 00:11:04,530 one bag didn't have all that much less than the one with two bags, 212 00:11:04,530 --> 00:11:04,930 right? 213 00:11:06,130 --> 00:11:09,890 Compared to five, they still had resources. 214 00:11:11,340 --> 00:11:13,500 But why didn't he do anything? 215 00:11:14,220 --> 00:11:15,660 Why didn't he do anything? 216 00:11:16,540 --> 00:11:19,220 Well, maybe because he felt inadequate. 217 00:11:19,220 --> 00:11:20,060 So he didn't try. 218 00:11:20,780 --> 00:11:23,300 He just felt like, I just don't know what to do. 219 00:11:23,300 --> 00:11:24,300 I can't get this going. 220 00:11:24,380 --> 00:11:25,340 I don't have the ability. 221 00:11:25,340 --> 00:11:26,540 I don't have much talent. 222 00:11:26,699 --> 00:11:28,300 So I'll just bury this. 223 00:11:28,300 --> 00:11:30,060 So that would be option number one. 224 00:11:30,060 --> 00:11:34,260 Number two, he felt like because he started focusing on what 225 00:11:34,260 --> 00:11:36,620 the other two had, they have so much more. 226 00:11:36,620 --> 00:11:38,590 There's no way I'll be able to compete. 227 00:11:38,670 --> 00:11:43,310 So why even try to compete with them if they're going to have 228 00:11:43,310 --> 00:11:44,390 so much more than I Am. 229 00:11:44,390 --> 00:11:45,550 And so he didn't try. 230 00:11:46,270 --> 00:11:50,590 The third is probably more likely because he didn't know the 231 00:11:50,590 --> 00:11:51,230 master. 232 00:11:51,870 --> 00:11:53,550 He didn't know what to do. 233 00:11:54,830 --> 00:11:58,030 Later in the story, it said when the master came back and he 234 00:11:58,910 --> 00:12:02,470 took the one bag away and said, throw him into where there's 235 00:12:02,470 --> 00:12:07,830 gnashing of teeth, the servant said to him, I knew you were a hard 236 00:12:07,830 --> 00:12:08,550 master. 237 00:12:09,270 --> 00:12:10,870 Well, he didn't know the master. 238 00:12:11,510 --> 00:12:14,430 And there's a lot of people who have a certain amount of talent 239 00:12:14,430 --> 00:12:17,030 and they don't have a right perspective of God. 240 00:12:17,110 --> 00:12:19,990 And because they don't know God, they don't know what to do with 241 00:12:19,990 --> 00:12:20,790 that talent. 242 00:12:21,910 --> 00:12:24,310 They see God as a hard master. 243 00:12:24,550 --> 00:12:28,750 They see God as somebody who's just up there to pass judgment on 244 00:12:28,750 --> 00:12:31,790 you, wait for you to make a mistake, wait for you to mess up, 245 00:12:31,790 --> 00:12:33,910 and I'll flick you off into hell and you'll be done. 246 00:12:34,980 --> 00:12:36,740 And that's the perspective of God. 247 00:12:36,980 --> 00:12:43,180 When you know the Master, it changes totally how you use your 248 00:12:43,180 --> 00:12:43,700 talents. 249 00:12:44,340 --> 00:12:47,780 So that's what the 1:1 bag did. 250 00:12:48,340 --> 00:12:50,660 The others had a very different outcome. 251 00:12:50,740 --> 00:12:54,340 And so really, we get to the accountability part of this story 252 00:12:54,580 --> 00:12:57,860 with rewards and consequences. 253 00:12:58,980 --> 00:13:02,520 Scripture says after a long time, the Master return. 254 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:07,160 See, God doesn't operate on our schedule. 255 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:09,480 God has his own schedule. 256 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,760 God doesn't operate according to our time frame that we always 257 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,320 find appropriate or we understand or how we wish it would 258 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:16,840 be done. 259 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,800 There are things we wish would happen much sooner. 260 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:22,440 But God is never late. 261 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:25,640 He's always on time. 262 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:31,040 So when we tend to think God's ignoring you, when we think God's 263 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:35,160 forgetting us, when we think God's not caring about our good actions, 264 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:41,000 or when we think God's not caring about our bad actions, nothing 265 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:41,360 happened. 266 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:42,120 It was okay. 267 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,880 Nothing could be farther than the truth. 268 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:47,800 He's just waiting. 269 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:52,280 He's just waiting for the right time to return. 270 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,000 God has his own schedule. 271 00:13:55,740 --> 00:14:00,220 And then we see that God expects us to use well what we have 272 00:14:00,220 --> 00:14:00,700 been given. 273 00:14:00,860 --> 00:14:02,620 The Master was full of praise. 274 00:14:02,940 --> 00:14:05,260 Well done, my good and faithful servant. 275 00:14:05,500 --> 00:14:07,500 Let's celebrate together. 276 00:14:10,460 --> 00:14:15,340 Well done for his effort, not just his outcome. 277 00:14:15,420 --> 00:14:21,420 You see, in the world that's been corrupted by sin, we're interested 278 00:14:21,420 --> 00:14:24,480 in performance objectives. 279 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:27,680 We're interested in, well, what's the mark in order to get the 280 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:31,120 A, what's the course of objectives? 281 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,840 How can we agree on expectations up front? 282 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:36,840 And so if I know what you want, I'll hit that mark and then 283 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:37,760 I'll be successful. 284 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:39,840 That's not how it works in the kingdom of God. 285 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:44,240 In the kingdom of God, God's effort is interested in our full 286 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:48,480 effort and the process, not just the final results. 287 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:54,040 And if the final results could be easily done, we have failed in 288 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:55,120 the kingdom of God. 289 00:14:55,520 --> 00:15:01,200 If we get accomplished without full effort and it looks good, we 290 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,200 failed in the kingdom of God. 291 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:08,440 If we can't do as much as someone else in accomplishing, but 292 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:13,360 our effort is full, we succeed in the kingdom of God. 293 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:15,400 Did we use well? 294 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:21,230 What we've been given is the criteria of evaluation, not the final 295 00:15:21,630 --> 00:15:22,030 product. 296 00:15:23,390 --> 00:15:27,710 And that is critical difference to the kingdom of God, 297 00:15:28,110 --> 00:15:31,870 to the world that's been corrupted by sin. 298 00:15:32,270 --> 00:15:36,190 Well, next we see that God is always preparing us for more. 299 00:15:36,750 --> 00:15:40,030 He said, you have been faithful in handling this small amount. 300 00:15:40,270 --> 00:15:43,150 So now I will give you many more responsibilities. 301 00:15:43,870 --> 00:15:47,150 God has not created us to live one chapter life. 302 00:15:48,710 --> 00:15:52,470 You know, the book of our life is not just a single chapter. 303 00:15:53,110 --> 00:15:53,910 It's a story. 304 00:15:54,070 --> 00:15:55,190 It's a long story. 305 00:15:55,910 --> 00:15:59,990 And what God is doing with you right now and what God is doing with 306 00:15:59,990 --> 00:16:05,670 me right now is preparing us for more and more and more. 307 00:16:07,190 --> 00:16:12,070 God is equipping you, giving you experiences, giving you challenges 308 00:16:12,070 --> 00:16:16,500 with your talents that are preparing you that if you pass those 309 00:16:16,500 --> 00:16:21,140 moments, then he will give you more later on of responsibility. 310 00:16:22,260 --> 00:16:26,500 So when you get later into this semester and it's really hard 311 00:16:27,300 --> 00:16:31,860 and it's overwhelming and it's tough, don't complain. 312 00:16:32,420 --> 00:16:37,460 Say, thank you, Lord, for preparing me for something even bigger. 313 00:16:38,260 --> 00:16:41,660 Thank you for pushing me for something even bigger. 314 00:16:41,660 --> 00:16:45,910 If you can see the hardships of life as a preparation for what 315 00:16:45,910 --> 00:16:49,750 God's going to give you, that's how the kingdom of God operates. 316 00:16:51,030 --> 00:16:51,310 Now. 317 00:16:51,310 --> 00:16:56,310 The responsibilities in the story were about money, but it's 318 00:16:56,310 --> 00:16:59,590 really not the money that counted, it was the increase. 319 00:17:00,950 --> 00:17:05,590 So that when we're faithful in using a small amount and we increase 320 00:17:05,670 --> 00:17:08,390 that, God will give us more responsibility. 321 00:17:09,030 --> 00:17:10,470 He doesn't say, I'll give you more money. 322 00:17:10,470 --> 00:17:12,150 He says, I'll give you more responsibility. 323 00:17:13,159 --> 00:17:16,359 And if we don't want that, if we don't want to increase, if we 324 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:18,599 don't want to give full effort, he won't. 325 00:17:19,319 --> 00:17:22,679 He won't give us more responsibility because if he gives 326 00:17:22,679 --> 00:17:23,799 us more, we're just going to fail. 327 00:17:24,439 --> 00:17:28,919 He's not going to give us what we can't do well. 328 00:17:29,559 --> 00:17:31,239 So the story goes on like this. 329 00:17:31,719 --> 00:17:34,479 Said take the money from the servant and give it to the one with 330 00:17:34,479 --> 00:17:35,559 the ten bags of gold. 331 00:17:36,439 --> 00:17:37,959 It's from the one who had one. 332 00:17:38,910 --> 00:17:41,590 To those who use well what they're giving, even more will be 333 00:17:41,590 --> 00:17:43,230 given and they will have an abundance. 334 00:17:43,230 --> 00:17:46,270 But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they 335 00:17:46,910 --> 00:17:48,270 have will be taken away. 336 00:17:48,510 --> 00:17:52,910 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness where there be 337 00:17:53,230 --> 00:17:56,270 weeping and gnashing of teeth. 338 00:17:57,390 --> 00:18:03,550 In God's kingdom, there is accountability and there are consequences, 339 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,720 even much more so than in the world that we understand. 340 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,000 God decides who gets the abundance. 341 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,800 First of all, God decides who gets the abundance. 342 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:16,160 That is not our responsibility. 343 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:20,359 It says, take the money from this servant and give it to the one 344 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:22,240 who had 10 bags of gold. 345 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:27,600 Now to me, the one who had two bags and turned it into four was 346 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:31,960 a better investor than the one who had five and turned it into 10. 347 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:33,880 Just the economics of it. 348 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:36,280 He must have been really proud. 349 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:38,920 Look, I took two bags and doubled it. 350 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,680 And that guy had more to start with and he doubled it. 351 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:43,000 But I did a lot better. 352 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:44,360 He must have felt really proud. 353 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,040 God doesn't necessarily give it to the one who's the most successful 354 00:18:48,360 --> 00:18:49,160 in the result. 355 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:54,200 God gives it to the one who he's preparing and who he's using 356 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:55,480 and who he chooses. 357 00:18:56,270 --> 00:18:57,710 He was thankful for him. 358 00:18:57,950 --> 00:19:01,230 The one that doubled from two bags, he praised him. 359 00:19:01,390 --> 00:19:03,150 He said, let's celebrate together. 360 00:19:03,710 --> 00:19:07,390 But the abundance, the extra still went to the other guy. 361 00:19:08,910 --> 00:19:10,270 And that's God's choice. 362 00:19:10,350 --> 00:19:18,510 In the kingdom of God, you know, if we are faithful, we will 363 00:19:18,510 --> 00:19:19,630 receive an abundance. 364 00:19:19,870 --> 00:19:24,430 We just may not receive it now when we think we deserve it again, 365 00:19:24,430 --> 00:19:26,190 that sinful nature taking over. 366 00:19:26,350 --> 00:19:29,670 It says to those who use well what they're giving, even more will 367 00:19:29,670 --> 00:19:31,950 be given and they will have an abundance. 368 00:19:32,510 --> 00:19:35,790 Even if we don't receive the abundance when somebody else does 369 00:19:36,110 --> 00:19:41,270 or when we expect it, in God's timing, we will be given the abundance. 370 00:19:41,270 --> 00:19:45,950 He promises it if we use our gifts well. 371 00:19:46,590 --> 00:19:48,700 And the only way to use your gifts well is. 372 00:19:48,930 --> 00:19:49,890 Is to know Him. 373 00:19:50,770 --> 00:19:55,010 So rejoice when somebody else receives the abundance and you don't. 374 00:19:55,250 --> 00:19:58,730 Because whether the abundance comes now or whether we're passed 375 00:19:58,730 --> 00:20:03,570 over now, God knows the very best of what we need. 376 00:20:04,690 --> 00:20:09,810 God thinks and plans in eternal dimensions, not just today. 377 00:20:10,850 --> 00:20:15,410 Now, all this about the kingdom of God is not just for heaven. 378 00:20:16,230 --> 00:20:17,350 And heaven's for real. 379 00:20:17,750 --> 00:20:22,150 And this is how the heaven will operate is on the foundations 380 00:20:22,150 --> 00:20:23,430 of the kingdom of God. 381 00:20:23,990 --> 00:20:28,470 But Jesus said the kingdom of God is now in us. 382 00:20:28,710 --> 00:20:32,750 And when we begin to live and understand the way God designed the 383 00:20:32,750 --> 00:20:37,430 world and the way that honors Christ, the kingdom of God even now 384 00:20:37,430 --> 00:20:37,830 comes. 385 00:20:37,990 --> 00:20:41,630 So the abundance may come now, it may come later in life, it may 386 00:20:41,630 --> 00:20:42,550 come in eternity. 387 00:20:43,120 --> 00:20:44,240 It's in God's timing. 388 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:48,280 The scripture promises that in this life or in eternity, those who 389 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:52,240 use well what they're giving will receive the abundance. 390 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:57,400 Because in the kingdom of God there is no difference between this 391 00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:58,800 life and eternity. 392 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:04,320 It's one continual life in Christ, as we sang about earlier 393 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:04,800 today. 394 00:21:05,120 --> 00:21:06,560 Well, the last idea is this. 395 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,070 God will take as well as give. 396 00:21:11,590 --> 00:21:16,310 God will take from those who are unfaithful. 397 00:21:16,790 --> 00:21:20,470 Even what little they have will be taken away. 398 00:21:21,270 --> 00:21:26,790 God doesn't hesitate to take away as well as give when you look 399 00:21:26,790 --> 00:21:29,510 at your talents and your strengths and your opportunities. 400 00:21:30,310 --> 00:21:34,670 But if you forget where they came from, if you think you earned 401 00:21:34,670 --> 00:21:38,540 them, if you think you deserved them, you are subject to 402 00:21:38,540 --> 00:21:41,100 having all that taken away. 403 00:21:42,220 --> 00:21:47,020 What the kingdom of God demands from us is faithfulness in 404 00:21:47,020 --> 00:21:50,780 using whatever we have for the moment. 405 00:21:50,940 --> 00:21:56,140 Use it well and trust God for what comes after that. 406 00:21:57,820 --> 00:22:01,900 Entrusted and accountable both. 407 00:22:03,430 --> 00:22:08,110 God gives us so much, he entrusts us incredibly, but we are 408 00:22:08,110 --> 00:22:09,350 held accountable for it. 409 00:22:09,510 --> 00:22:11,510 This is what the kingdom of God is like. 410 00:22:11,510 --> 00:22:14,870 The scripture says as Jesus told the story you could imagine 411 00:22:14,870 --> 00:22:18,749 sitting with his disciples and he just says the kingdom of God is 412 00:22:18,749 --> 00:22:22,390 like and begins to tell the story about the parable of the talents. 413 00:22:22,470 --> 00:22:25,350 Now you can fight against it and do it your own way. 414 00:22:26,390 --> 00:22:29,670 And you can try to get the abundance of life as fast as possible 415 00:22:30,310 --> 00:22:32,830 because that's what the world says you ought to do. 416 00:22:32,830 --> 00:22:36,080 And, and so if you do, you're probably tracing off to trinkets 417 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,960 like money and fame and power that don't last. 418 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:44,040 Sinful way, you know, works for a short period of time. 419 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:45,080 It really does. 420 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:50,120 It works for a short period of time maybe, but it always crashes 421 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:50,600 eventually. 422 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:55,880 So you can fight against what the kingdom of God is, but the kingdom 423 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:57,160 of God is for eternity. 424 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:03,370 So you can accept instead to be blessed by how God has entrusted 425 00:23:03,370 --> 00:23:07,770 us each with talents to use well what we've been given and to 426 00:23:07,770 --> 00:23:11,970 trust God for the abundance in his time and his way. 427 00:23:13,650 --> 00:23:15,170 That's the parable of the talents. 428 00:23:16,050 --> 00:23:18,890 I hope as you look at that, and I hope maybe you'll take time 429 00:23:18,890 --> 00:23:23,170 and read the story on your own some you can see God more clearly, 430 00:23:23,970 --> 00:23:29,250 you can love him more dearly and you can follow him more nearly 431 00:23:29,250 --> 00:23:34,650 as you begin to see how the kingdom of God is so different from 432 00:23:34,650 --> 00:23:36,690 the world we know and understand. 433 00:23:37,810 --> 00:23:39,490 Let's pray our benediction together. 434 00:23:39,970 --> 00:23:44,530 No eye is seen, no ear is heard, no mind is conceived. 435 00:23:44,690 --> 00:23:47,810 What God has prepared for those who love him. 436 00:23:48,050 --> 00:23:48,770 God bless. 437 00:23:48,850 --> 00:23:49,650 Have a good day.