Be a Faithful Servant

Shark Tank is one of my favorite TV shows.  On Shark Tank four rich investors give money to entrepreneurs trying to grow and expand their business.  It’s obvious that the Sharks are interested in one thing . . . an increased return on the money they are willing to invest.  If a Shark is going to invest, they want to see past success in earning money and a plan to expand and earn more money in the future.  God is the Creator of a global business called “The Kingdom”.  God is in the eternally important business of ruling and reigning in the heart of every human being in the world.  God’s Kingdom business is not yet ruling and reigning in every heart, so therefore, He is working His plan to expand.  What’s His plan?

READ:  Matthew 25:14-30

God is in the business of Kingdom building and He has a plan to expand His Kingdom . . . God entrusts RESOURCES to HIS PEOPLE in order to expand His Kingdom!  God’s plan to expand His Kingdom is you and I!  While God is “away”, He has left US to manage His effort to increase the number of those whose hearts are being ruled and reigned by Him.  We are each individually to use our unique combination of resources and abilities to expand His Kingdom.

How do we fit into God’s plan to expand His Kingdom?

God gives us a PERSONALIZED amount of resources according to our ABILITIES (Mt. 25:14-15) – In this parable, three individuals are given “talents” (“property”/resources) according to their “ability”.  In the New Testament a talent was the largest measurement of money equivalent to about 20 years wages.  The modern equivalent of one talent would be $600,000.  Therefore, each individual had abundant resources entrusted to them.  Some more than others, but no doubt sufficient to accomplish the task.  1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 11 says, “there are a variety of gifts . . . to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good . . . All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”  We can question God’s plan to expand His Kingdom all we want, but one thing is for sure, He will give all of us exactly what we need to accomplish the task He has given to us.  There is no room for comparison with others, no wishing we had more, no wishing we had less, there is only one thing to do with what we have been given . . .

We must be FAITHFUL to INCREASE God’s Kingdom using the resources given to us (Mt. 25:19-30) – When the master of the three servants came to settle accounts he respond in two different ways.  To those who increased upon what they had been given he said, “well done, good and faithful servant.”  To the one who did nothing with what he was given he said, “you wicked and slothful servant . . . cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  God wants to see a return on what He has invested in us.  His expectation of us is pretty simple, we must use what has been given to us to increase the number of hearts being ruled and reigned by Him.  We are to use the unique mix of our time, money, personality, skills, and interests combined with our spiritual gift(s) to faithfully expand God’s Kingdom.  Expanding God’s Kingdom is not just for church leaders.  Whether we are a school teacher, a doctor, or a fast food service professional we are to be doing something to expand God’s Kingdom.  No one’s combination of resources and abilities is just like ours.  When God settles accounts with us, He will not compare us with anyone else, He will judge us based only on what He has given to us.  If we aren’t using our resources and abilities to expand God’s Kingdom, a good question to ourselves is whether we are a part of God’s Kingdom ourselves.

CONCLUSION
God is as passionate about ruling and reigning in peoples’ lives as Sharks are about money.  He is desperately wanting His rule and reign in the lives of people to expand.  His plan to accomplish this?  We, His good and faithful servants!  As a faithful servant, we are to use our resources and abilities to encourage others to repent of their sin and believe in Jesus Christ. Are you a good and faithful servant?