WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH WHAT HE HAS GIVEN YOU?

I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who He is; then Jesus and what He did – Jesus crucified.

1 CORINTHIANS 2:2 (The Message)

A legacy isn’t just what you leave behind, it’s what you live right now.

For the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise, he who had received two gained two more also.

But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.

After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

MATTHEW 25:14-30 (NKJ) 

1.  THERE IS NO LACK WITH OUR MASTER.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

PSALM 84:11 (ESV)

If you, imperfect as you are, know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your heavenly Father to give wonderful gifts to those who ask him?

MATTHEW 7:11 (TPT)

2.  THE MASTER IS RETURNING.

I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines … He looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.

ISAIAH 5:1-2 (NIV)

3. WHO IS YOUR MASTER?

Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid.

MATTHEW 25:24-25 (NKJ)

When FEAR is a part of your life, its sister ANXIETY always holds its hand.

The lazy person says, “There’s a lion in the road! There’s a lion in the streets!” Like a door turning back and forth on its hinges, the lazy person turns over and over in bed. Lazy people may put their hands in the dish, but they are too tired to lift the food to their mouths. The lazy person thinks he is wiser than seven people who give sensible answers.

PROVERBS 26:13-16 (NCV)

FIRST JESUS demands knowing the real Jesus.

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 4:19 (NKJ)

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:8 (NKJ)

What you are, is God's gift to you; what you do with yourself is your gift to God.

I have a great need for Christ; and I have a GREAT CHRIST for my need.

C.H.SPURGEON

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

PHILIPPIANS 4:13 (AMP)

4.  JESUS LONGS TO SAY WELL DONE TO YOU.

His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

MATTHEW 25:21, 23 (NKJ)

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord … The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever.

PSALM 112:1-3 (NKJ)

Serve the Lord with gladness.

PSALM 100:2 (NKJ)

Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for Him is a waste of time or effort.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:58 (The Message)

5.  JESUS VALUES YOUR TIME, TALENT, TREASURE.

For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

MATTHEW 25:29 (NKJ)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

MATTHEW 6:19-21 (NIV)

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE:

·       With your TIME & TALENT, commit to SERVING.  Join a Serve Team NOW and build our legacy. This is just as much a part of our Life Legacy as any financial gift.

·       With your TREASURE, you can bring a one-off offering or a 12 month pledge, or an ongoing monthly giving.