1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist Sermon Archives. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,040 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,040 Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,280 or contact us at my libertybaptist.org or just look 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,760 us up on Facebook. And now we hope that this 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,040 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:25,760 I'm going to preach through Matthew. 8 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:28,480 I don't want to put you to sleep yet, but I'm going to preach 9 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:32,200 through Matthew 2420 and 25. I'm kidding. 10 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,960 I, I, I do want to reference chapter 24 because it kind of 11 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,400 sets the stage for it. And then we're going to go into 12 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:46,040 chapter 25 and I have just a, a short passage in chapter 25 that 13 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,680 I want to especially deal with tonight. 14 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:53,760 And so I'd like to go ahead and get started and kind of give you 15 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,680 the background, and then we'll get into that portion of 16 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,600 Scripture that we want to deal with in chapter 25. 17 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,640 So I want to call your attention first, the chapter 24 verse #1 18 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,880 and it says this Jesus went out and departed from the temple. 19 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,400 His disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the 20 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:13,720 temple. So I want you to get the picture 21 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,280 and the idea here that here we are in the last week before 22 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:22,520 Jesus is going to be crucified. You know, he's not in a panic. 23 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:28,960 Do you know that, that that God doesn't panic and and he has no 24 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:33,600 Plan B, He only has plan A and he's going to work that plan 25 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:35,560 out. No matter what we think or how 26 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:40,720 we feel about it, God's working out his plan his way and he 27 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,080 doesn't panic. You know what a good lesson for 28 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,240 us to see in the life of the Lord Jesus that he has all these 29 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:50,240 things taking place in his life. He's being betrayed by one that 30 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:54,680 he trusted the the chief priest and the scribes are plotting 31 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:56,880 against him. They want to take his life. 32 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,200 His own disciples are struggling with who's going to be greatest 33 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:05,040 in the Kingdom. Without even stopping for a 34 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,800 moment and thinking about I, I, I've been trying to tell you 35 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:10,240 this. I've been trying to get you to 36 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,360 understand this. My purpose in going to Jerusalem 37 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,440 is to die. They're thinking in their head, 38 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:21,200 we're going to Jerusalem. Everybody's going to want him to 39 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,720 be the king. We're going to get to be with 40 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:25,080 him. This is going to be great. 41 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,520 They're not getting it yet. And you know that even after the 42 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,480 after the crucifixion and he's buried and he is risen again 43 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:34,800 from the dead. Remember how that it took them a 44 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,920 little while to even wake up to the fact that he really did rise 45 00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:42,360 again from the dead, just like he said, But once they got a 46 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,400 hold of that, their lives were totally changed. 47 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,920 It was different. And I'm going to tell us tonight 48 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,440 that when we get a hold of the fact that our Savior Jesus 49 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,440 Christ died on the cross, paid for our sins in full, but he 50 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:59,480 arose again the third day and he ever lives, we put our faith and 51 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,480 trust in him radically changes our lives. 52 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,080 We're not the same. We're just not the same. 53 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:09,520 We can't be. So they've walked out and and 54 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,280 they've looked at the Temple and they're impressed with the 55 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,760 Temple. If we had the time, we could go 56 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,960 back into the Old Testament, particularly into the book of 57 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,160 Jeremiah. And Jeremiah was the weeping 58 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,400 prophet. Jeremiah was warning them that 59 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,520 judgment is coming, judgment is coming, judgment is coming. 60 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:28,360 And they knit. They wouldn't listen. 61 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,760 They wouldn't listen. They kept saying to Jeremiah, 62 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,360 even though Nebuchadnezzar was at the gates, and even though 63 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,760 he'd already carried away some and they'd already witnessed the 64 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:43,800 northern Kingdom, Israel carried away by Assyria, they're still 65 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,240 not listening because after all, we have the temple. 66 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:50,000 We have the temple. And they would say that to 67 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,920 Jeremiah, the temple, the temple, the temple, because they 68 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:59,680 were so caught up in religious artifacts and religious trinkets 69 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,640 and, and religious items that they were forgetting all about 70 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,080 the God of the temple. Well, time progressed. 71 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,160 The the temple was destroyed, Jerusalem was dispersed. 72 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:14,440 Then they went back into the land and under Nehemiah and 73 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,519 Ezra, they rebuilt the temple, rebuilt the city walls. 74 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:23,680 Well, as time went on, we find that that the temple has been 75 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,080 modified by Herod and he'd been built up by Herod. 76 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,040 One of the things that Herod did was that he was a builder and he 77 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:35,760 did a number of things. Herod, Herod kind of, he kind of 78 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,440 walked the balance because he didn't want Israel. 79 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,640 They, they were such a, a kind of a rebellious lot against 80 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,760 Rome. And so he kind of worked to keep 81 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,240 the peace so that they wouldn't rebel against Rome. 82 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,240 And and yet he really didn't have a lot of sympathy for them. 83 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,640 And he wanted to, he, he was. So he's trying to walk this road 84 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,440 where he pleases Rome and he keeps the Jews happy at the same 85 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,960 time. So he invested a lot of money in 86 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:05,160 the Temple, but also around Jericho and some of the other 87 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,240 places throughout the land of Israel. 88 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:12,920 He built a lot of other things. He built a Colosseum like things 89 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:17,000 and palaces and so forth and built things, named them after 90 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:20,040 the Caesars and important people so that he could kind of 91 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,800 maintain that balance with all those things. 92 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,960 He'd invested a lot in the temple and if you've seen 93 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:30,880 pictures of Jerusalem and they, you see the Jewish people going 94 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:35,240 to the Wailing Wall and you see those massive stones there, you 95 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:39,120 got to think with me that that, that when the temple was, was a 96 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,440 built and established, it had to be a pretty impressive building. 97 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,400 We can read about some of the things about the temple 98 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:50,720 historically and, and, and we, we do get the picture that the 99 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,320 temple was something to look at. Herod invested a lot of money in 100 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:56,600 it. As a matter of fact, when Jesus 101 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,720 first came on the scene, one of the first things that he told 102 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:01,920 them was you destroyed this temple in three days. 103 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,400 I'll raise it up. Now he's talking about the 104 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,160 temple of his body, but they're looking around and saying this 105 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,760 building. Listen, it took them more than 106 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,600 40 years to build this. You're going to tear that down 107 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:18,120 and rebuild it in three days and not getting on later on toward 108 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:23,840 the end of his ministry in this time frame, Jesus said the same 109 00:06:23,840 --> 00:06:27,200 thing again, Destroy this temple in three days and three. 110 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:28,960 And in three days I'll raise it up again. 111 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:33,320 And when they made their accusation to crucify him, when 112 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:37,880 they got the false, the false testimony about him, that's one 113 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,400 of the things that he said, you can destroy this temple in three 114 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:41,640 days. I'll raise it up again. 115 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:43,640 And that was one of the accusations again. 116 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:47,040 He's been blasphemed. He, they, he blasphemed toward 117 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,040 the temple. He blasphemed toward God because 118 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:54,000 he made himself as God and, and of course blasphemed the temple. 119 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,920 So the disciples have looked at it and they've said, look at 120 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,120 this. And Jesus says to them, You see 121 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,640 them seeing not all these things. 122 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:06,760 Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here 1 stone 123 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,320 upon another that shall not be thrown down. 124 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:15,440 You know, God's more interested in US and our worship of Him 125 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:20,520 than he is with what we have things. 126 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,000 It's easy to get caught up with things. 127 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:29,000 We, we live in a culture and I think it's probably normal 128 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,160 throughout the whole world that we're impressed with buildings, 129 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,360 we're impressed with things. And so, so there, you know, 130 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,680 there's some people who won't come here because they expect 131 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,880 that a church needs to be big. It has to have a paid parking 132 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,680 lot AC that works and we, and we have to have stained glass 133 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:50,120 windows. But that's not what makes a 134 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,120 church because the church is not a building. 135 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:58,080 The church's people. But we, you say the church, it's 136 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,480 almost always people think about some kind of a building, some 137 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,320 kind of a structure. But when God speaks about the 138 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:08,840 church, he speaks about people. And so they're, they're, they're 139 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,440 impressed with this, that they're, they're attached to the 140 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:13,480 temple. They're, they're still thinking 141 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,360 in terms of a physical Kingdom. And I certainly believe there's 142 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,360 a Kingdom that's coming and a physical, physical Kingdom 143 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:22,560 that's coming, but it's not here yet. 144 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,880 And the Lord is building a spiritual Kingdom because it has 145 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,960 to be built from the inside to the outside, not from the 146 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,679 outside to the inside. And Matthew chapter 6 and verse 147 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:36,679 #33 seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and 148 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:38,440 all these things should be added unto you. 149 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,840 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. 150 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,640 What's God concerned about? What goes on on the inside? 151 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,800 That's in the whole context of Matthew chapter 5-6 and seven, 152 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,200 which we call the Sermon on the Mount, where he gave 153 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:56,800 instructions about how how those that are part of his Kingdom 154 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:00,960 ought to live. People who have been born again 155 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:05,840 into his Kingdom how they how they ought to live so that that 156 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,360 that others recognize that we have a different king and we 157 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,680 have a different Kingdom and we have a whole different way of 158 00:09:12,680 --> 00:09:17,040 living that that is is directed toward God. 159 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,400 So the glory and the beauty of the temple and yet there was 160 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:25,920 always about the person who resides there, which is God. 161 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,520 You know when you even when we talk about the church, the most 162 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,280 important person in church is the Lord. 163 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:40,200 It's about coming to him self will worship buildings. 164 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,720 All that God said was going to be destroyed. 165 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,400 It's important that our hearts that are attached to the person, 166 00:09:46,680 --> 00:09:50,720 not to the building. So chapter 24, he begins to 167 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:54,040 instruct his disciples, there's coming a time when this temple 168 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:55,560 is not going to be there anymore. 169 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,840 There's coming a time when all this is going to be destroyed. 170 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,200 And then he begins to go into what I believe is the time of 171 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:06,880 the tribulation period when God, God will again begin to deal 172 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:11,000 with with Israel. The book of Daniel tells us 173 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:15,560 this, that that there will be a time that Israel will be set 174 00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:19,560 aside. And that's now Paul spoke about 175 00:10:19,560 --> 00:10:24,240 it in Romans chapter 910 and 11. And Israel as a nation is set 176 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,840 aside and God's working through New Testament churches. 177 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,800 But there will come a time when they'll work with Israel again. 178 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,920 And I believe that's through the tribulation period because the 179 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:37,640 tribulation period is going to be this. 180 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:42,000 It's a purging of Israel as a nation, but it's also God's 181 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,160 wrath and judgment on the earth because of their sin and 182 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,280 rebellion and refusal to accept him. 183 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,800 Good news is I won't be here. Then you say, well, you're 184 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:54,840 probably old and you've got die anyway. 185 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:59,040 If I was young, I still not going to be there because I've 186 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,080 been saved from the wrath to come. 187 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,400 I'm delivered from that. I, I won't have to face that. 188 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:09,720 So when you go through chapter 24, let me just point out a 189 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:13,560 couple other things to you. When we get to verse number, 190 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:19,800 let's go to to verse #35 of chapter 24. 191 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,200 And he said heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word 192 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:27,800 shall not pass away. He goes on to say, But of the 193 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,920 day and hour knoweth no man know, not the angels of heaven, 194 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:34,720 but my Father. Only this little side note here. 195 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:41,080 Nobody can predict the day when the Lord is coming. 196 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:45,240 A lot of them have. I can remember back in before 197 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,160 1988, which is probably a little time before some of you were 198 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,720 born, but before 1988. Guy wrote a book, 88 Reasons Why 199 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:58,240 Jesus is Coming in 1988. Oh, he didn't, you know, and 200 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:00,520 there, there have been others all along that have written 201 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:03,840 things about the expectation Jesus has to come on this day 202 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,960 while I was pastoring, I would get letters from guys that that 203 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,280 they, you know, we read and studied. 204 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:13,760 We've, we've, we've unlocked the keys to understanding the 205 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,640 Scripture and we know this and this is going to happen and 206 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,160 Jesus going to come here. I'm still waiting. 207 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,480 He hadn't come yet, and the reason he has it comes because 208 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:26,160 he is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, 209 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:27,840 but that all should come to repentance. 210 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:33,320 I'm certainly glad of this. I'm glad that God delayed his 211 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:35,600 coming long enough for me to get saved. 212 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:39,600 I'm glad he delayed his coming long enough for some of my 213 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:44,160 family to get saved. And while I truly want Jesus to 214 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,200 come, today would would not be soon enough. 215 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:50,920 Yet the fact of the matter is I've I've got some loved ones 216 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,920 and some people I know who are lost and need to be saved. 217 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:57,680 I would hope there's enough time for them. 218 00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:00,240 I would hope there's enough time for them. 219 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:06,560 Because the 22 important lessons that Jesus is going to teach 220 00:13:06,560 --> 00:13:10,400 them about this is He already. We already mentioned this in 221 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:12,920 verse 36, the day and hour nobody knows. 222 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:18,840 Verse 42 of chapter 24 Watch ye therefore, for you know not what 223 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:22,360 hour your Lord doth come, and then he gives a little 224 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:27,280 illustration. Watch therefore, for if you know 225 00:13:27,680 --> 00:13:30,800 for you know not what hour your Lord doth come, but know this if 226 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:34,120 the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief 227 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:36,680 would come, he would have watched and would not suffer his 228 00:13:36,680 --> 00:13:39,240 house to be broken up. Well, that just makes sense, 229 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,320 doesn't it? If you know when the thief is 230 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:45,000 coming, then you just wait for him and you're standing at the 231 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:48,360 door when he or window when he tries to come in right, and you 232 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:50,040 let him know you're not coming in. 233 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:53,800 But thieves don't come when we know what they always come when 234 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:56,080 you don't know it when you least expect them. 235 00:13:56,680 --> 00:13:59,640 So the warning is that we need to always be ready. 236 00:13:59,920 --> 00:14:02,520 So he says in verse 44 of chapter 24. 237 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:06,480 Therefore be also ready, for in such an hour as you think, not 238 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:11,240 the Son of Man cometh, but verse #45 really sets the heart for 239 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,600 where we're going in chapter 25. And it's this. 240 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:18,840 Who then, as a faithful and wise servant whom is Lord, hath made 241 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,880 ruler over His household, to give them meat in due season? 242 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:27,240 Blessed is that servant whom is Lord, when He cometh, shall so 243 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:31,800 find doing. Verily I say unto you that He 244 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,960 shall make Him ruler over all his goods. 245 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:38,720 Do you see the importance of this? 246 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,800 That he said, Who then is a faithful and wise servant who's 247 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:46,360 taking care of the things that have been trusted into His hand? 248 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:54,480 Being a good steward, he's the one that I will make ruler over 249 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:57,600 all things. And when you go to chapter 25, 250 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,360 he starts with this. Then shall the Kingdom of heaven 251 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,680 be likened under 10 virgins which took their lamps and went 252 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:07,280 forth to meet the bridegroom. 5 of them were wise and five were 253 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:12,000 foolish. The story is this 5 wise, 5 254 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,080 foolish. They all had their lamps. 255 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:19,440 They all had oil in the lamp, but the five wise took extra oil 256 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:23,240 because they didn't know when the bridegroom and his party 257 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:27,600 would be coming. So they were prepared ahead of 258 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:32,440 time. How important it is that we keep 259 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:38,000 in mind that we're to be about the business of preparing for 260 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:39,800 that day when the Lord does come. 261 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:43,640 I don't know about you, but I, I want to be ready when the Lord 262 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:46,800 comes. I want to be watchful when he 263 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,320 comes. But it actually leads us to the 264 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:54,320 second story that Jesus told, and it's this found in verse #14 265 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:58,080 for the Kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far 266 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:01,560 country who calls his own servants and delivered unto them 267 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:05,640 his goods. So I want to speak on this, this 268 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:12,200 particular subject tonight. And it's this the fact of faith, 269 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:17,360 a test of character. The fact of faith a test of 270 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:22,000 character. If there's one thing that any 271 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,840 Christian can be, it is faithful. 272 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,080 You know, God doesn't call every Christian to be a preacher. 273 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:31,800 God doesn't call everyone to be a Sunday school teacher. 274 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,960 God doesn't call everyone to leave music there. 275 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:39,240 There are many different things that that God's people can do 276 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,760 and function in and be faithful to the Lord. 277 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,280 You don't have to be the pastor it you, but you can be a you can 278 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:51,120 be a faithful church member. You can be a a man that's 279 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,800 faithful to his wife and to his family that you teach them about 280 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:56,960 the Lord. You can be a mother that's 281 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:00,040 faithful to your children to make sure they're instructed in 282 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,280 the way of the Lord and that and, and, and there are so many 283 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:08,000 things that that can that we can be faithful in that is a gain 284 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:12,400 the approval of the Lord. The Kingdom of heaven is as a 285 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,520 man traveling into far country who called his own servants and 286 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:19,040 delivered unto them his goods. You know what? 287 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:24,240 Everything we have is a gift. Hey, come on. 288 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,600 The only thing I know when I came into this world, I came in 289 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,280 wearing cowboy boots. I'm pretty sure of that. 290 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,640 I, I mean, I, I don't know that I actually came in like that, 291 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:40,160 but I have pictures of me in the hospital and I, I think I still 292 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,760 have the boots, but I had a little pair of felt cowboy boots 293 00:17:44,120 --> 00:17:48,440 that they put on me when I was born so that I would remember I 294 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,240 was born in Oklahoma. I haven't forgotten that, you 295 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,480 know, And I, so I, I, I came into this world with my boots 296 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:57,000 on. I've told my wife, listen, when 297 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,920 you bury me, please bury me with my boots on. 298 00:18:01,120 --> 00:18:04,040 Make sure I have a pair of wool socks, 'cause my feet get cold 299 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:08,600 and put my boots on me. I want to go with my boots on. 300 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,280 But we didn't come in with anything and everything we have 301 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:20,560 is a is a gift that's been given to us. 302 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:23,760 And the reality is we're stewards of those things that 303 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:27,320 have been entrusted to our care. And this is a Sunday night 304 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,080 crowd. So the good thing is that most 305 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,720 everyone here and I, I don't know all of you and I don't know 306 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,440 all your background, but I'm going to assume most everybody 307 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,920 here is a believer, that you put faith and trust in Jesus Christ. 308 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:42,760 Your life has been transformed and changed by the power of God. 309 00:18:43,120 --> 00:18:48,320 And so as a, as a result of that, then we, we understand 310 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,400 that we're now stewards of things, that, that God's put 311 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,480 some things in our hands and we need to be careful about those 312 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:58,120 things that we have. I would point out in verse #15 313 00:18:58,120 --> 00:19:01,880 that he says this until 1. He gave 5 talents to another, 314 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:06,000 two to another, one to every man, several to every man 315 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,120 according to his several ability, and straightway took 316 00:19:09,120 --> 00:19:13,520 his journey. God understands that He designed 317 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:18,200 all of us differently and we all have different abilities. 318 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,560 Now, in particular, if we were to talk about the subject of 319 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:26,320 talents, I, I, I look this up and when you look at the word 320 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:29,400 talent, it actually was a measure of money. 321 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:35,280 It's hard to kind of get a, a grasp of how much money that it 322 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:39,400 would have been, but I just tried to kind of get everything 323 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:43,040 as best I could on how much money that would be. 324 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:47,880 So gold is somewhere when I, when I wrote this down, it was 325 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,000 about 47. I think it's dropped to about 326 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:56,800 $4500 an ounce. When I was young it $35.00 an 327 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:03,760 ounce and to think of $4500 an ounce for gold just blows my 328 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:08,480 mind. Silver it's it was 69 and it's 329 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,120 probably down to 57 something like that. 330 00:20:11,120 --> 00:20:15,120 But anyhow, a talent is about 60 lbs. 331 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:23,160 So by $4700 per per oz, 60 lbs is about four and a half million 332 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:29,160 dollars. That's not a little sum, is it? 333 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,160 So one got 10, one got 51, got one. 334 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:42,600 We don't, we don't all come from the same background and we don't 335 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:46,160 all have the same abilities and this we don't all have the same 336 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:50,120 opportunities, but all of us can be faithful with what God puts 337 00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:55,880 in our hand. So when I, when I look at this, 338 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:59,480 I, I, I'm seeing that here are these people who had the 339 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:02,520 different, the different things and the, the different 340 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,920 abilities. And so it is that that here are 341 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:09,680 these men that that are given a great responsibility because 342 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,000 more than anything and more than just about the amount of money 343 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:17,520 that they have, it's about this, the preciousness and the value 344 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,520 of that which has been entrusted to our care. 345 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:28,080 The Bible says Liberty Baptist Church is the pillar and ground 346 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,880 of the truth. Is that not precious that we 347 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:34,960 have the Bible, that we have a responsibility. 348 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:38,200 You know why we have the Bible? Because they've been faithful 349 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:42,800 believers for over 2000 years that have kept it and pass it on 350 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:46,680 to the next generation and the next generation and our church 351 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:50,400 this year because we've been in the transition that that brother 352 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:54,160 Brett has now become the pastor and and I'm repurposed. 353 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:59,120 But but our our theme was second Timothy 22 and the things that 354 00:21:59,120 --> 00:22:02,120 that was heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou 355 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:06,560 to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also Grace 356 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,200 Bible Baptist Church. We're there because there was 357 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,920 somebody that was faithful in times past that passed it along 358 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:17,600 to us and we have it and and my goal as pastor was to pass it on 359 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,720 to somebody else and that it would continue in the same way 360 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:24,000 in which it came. One of the great fears that I 361 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:28,440 had was that over the years, I, I, I, I was pastor for 43 years. 362 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:33,400 And in that 43 years, I, I personally witnessed churches 363 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:37,240 that I was, I, I, I was associated with that I knew 364 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,240 about. That turned from the truth. 365 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:46,760 They didn't hold the things that I was taught. 366 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:49,640 They didn't hold the things that were passed on. 367 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,760 And not only is it just that, but think about this, believers 368 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:58,160 in times past not only passed on to us the truth of God's word 369 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:01,680 and those kind of things, but they invested financially, they 370 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:06,400 invested time, they invested sacrificially for us to be where 371 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:09,240 we are today. I already told you that I, I 372 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:13,120 grew up in Oklahoma and we, we, at least the last time I was 373 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:15,760 there, I remember having this thing, if you walk by and you 374 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:19,840 see a turtle on a fence post, you got to figure this one out. 375 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:23,160 He didn't get there by himself. He got there. 376 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:24,800 He had help. He had help. 377 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:29,080 And the reality of life is that we, we, we all have, are here 378 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:33,280 because somebody went before us. We're here at Liberty Baptist 379 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:35,960 Church because there was somebody that went before us 380 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:39,360 and, and while we may not be able to go back and trace 381 00:23:39,360 --> 00:23:42,760 everything, you know, everybody and all those things, the fact 382 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,960 of the matter is this, that we're here because some things 383 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,080 have been passed on to us for 2000 years. 384 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,400 And it's important for us that we are faithful in those things 385 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,160 that have been trusted to our care because they're valuable. 386 00:24:01,060 --> 00:24:05,100 We're not just any church, this is Liberty Baptist Church there. 387 00:24:05,100 --> 00:24:07,700 There are some things that have been passed on to us that we 388 00:24:07,700 --> 00:24:10,640 need to be careful to hold on to, that we are true and 389 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:12,880 faithful to what God says in His word. 390 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:19,200 But I also think about this, the responsibility that every dad, 391 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:25,800 that every father has, listen, if you have children, is that 392 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:30,560 not a precious responsibility? What are we taught? 393 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,360 Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 394 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,640 Some of you may be thinking, you know, well, you know, all the 395 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,600 time raising up my children, I was lost and I finally got saved 396 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,920 and I, you know, they, they grew up without all that, well, you 397 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:45,200 know what? Start with where you are. 398 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:52,880 Start where you are grandparents realize that grandparents have 399 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:56,400 unique opportunities to influence grandchildren for the 400 00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:00,040 cause of Christ. We we have that opportunity. 401 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,120 We have that that that's been that great thing that's been 402 00:25:03,120 --> 00:25:06,520 entrusted to our care and how important it is that we 403 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:11,840 recognize the great the great responsibility that is in our in 404 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:14,680 our hands. I don't know what it is for 405 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:16,600 Massachusetts. I'm going to guess it's a little 406 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:21,440 more for the for, for Massachusetts then it is for 407 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:24,200 Connecticut. But I think the median, the 408 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:29,000 median income in Connecticut is about $99,000. 409 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,480 And I think in Massachusetts is just a little over 100. 410 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:35,680 Some of you are thinking, man, I don't make that much. 411 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,560 I'm not anywhere near that. But that's what they claim is 412 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:42,760 the median household household income. 413 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:49,560 So you know, you think about a talent, you know, it's if a 414 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:53,800 talent is $1.4 million, one point $5,000,000. 415 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,880 And that is a that is a lot of years of life to come up with 416 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:01,480 that, isn't it? How important it is to recognize 417 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:06,360 that God has trusted into our care a profound responsibility 418 00:26:06,360 --> 00:26:11,280 to take care of things that he has entrusted to us. 419 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:17,080 Liberty Baptist Church purchased with the blood of Christ the 420 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:20,760 importance to maintain purity of doctrine and practice. 421 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:24,400 We spoke about that this morning on the Sunday school lessons you 422 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,760 have, you're having a series of lessons about the cults and 423 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:33,360 false, false doctrine and false teachers that that, that come 424 00:26:33,360 --> 00:26:35,520 along. And there there is a multitude 425 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,080 of them. Because the devil want, loves 426 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,480 confusion and he wants to do everything that he can to keep 427 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:45,880 you confused and always keep you guessing so that you don't live 428 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:49,280 with confidence insurance, but you always live with a little 429 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,600 bit of doubt. I want to tell you, you can have 430 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,400 confidence in the word of God. And I mentioned in the Sunday 431 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,000 school lesson this morning, and I think it's so important and 432 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,480 I'll mention again tonight, one of the best things you can do is 433 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:03,600 when you have a question and you have doubt, you get on your face 434 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:06,560 before God and say, God, I have this question, I have this 435 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:08,320 doubt. And I don't know what the answer 436 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:10,040 is, but I know you have the answer. 437 00:27:10,360 --> 00:27:13,120 And so I'm going to go to church and I'm going to listen and I'm 438 00:27:13,120 --> 00:27:16,480 not saying anything to anybody. And I'm going to wait for you to 439 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:19,000 put it on the preacher's heart to say something about it. 440 00:27:19,360 --> 00:27:21,880 And I'm telling you, there been a multitude of times that I've 441 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:24,560 come into church and I've heard the preacher preach. 442 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:29,920 And as God gave me the answer and I'm able to walk out and 443 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:33,160 shake the pastor's hand and say, you know what, pastor, you don't 444 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:34,960 know this, but I've been praying about something. 445 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:37,200 And God gave me a very clear answer today. 446 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:41,880 And I walk out with a confidence that I prayed, God heard my 447 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,400 prayer. I walk out with a confidence 448 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,960 that God answered. I didn't get my answer from the 449 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,400 pastor. I didn't get my answer from 450 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:53,800 somebody else. I got my answer from God and I 451 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:58,560 and I'm I'm, I have a confidence and assurance and I'm willing to 452 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:02,120 stand for that because I know that God gave me the answer and 453 00:28:02,120 --> 00:28:04,200 he gives that through the preaching of his word. 454 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:09,600 We represent him in the community and in the world and 455 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:11,640 what's given to us. Would you note this? 456 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:15,440 It says to 1 was given 5, to 1 was given two, and one was given 457 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:19,560 one. There's nothing said about what 458 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:29,720 they merited, because whether they got five or two or one, it 459 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:35,360 was all of grace and nothing here that they earned. 460 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:40,080 He called unto him his servants and He delivered to them as 461 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:42,560 goods, and they were precious goods. 462 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:46,840 And He didn't do it on the basis of merit, while He did do it on 463 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:49,720 the basis of his understanding of who they were. 464 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:53,320 It was all a matter of grace. Whether you got one, whether you 465 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:55,840 got 2 or you got five, it was all grace. 466 00:28:56,280 --> 00:29:00,480 And so He gave them this and the great responsibility that we 467 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:04,800 have that not based on merit, but based based on what He sees 468 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:08,280 us and how that He designed us to have a part and that He 469 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:13,880 considers us to be valuable to do that, how we function. 470 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:17,640 You know, the, the church at Corinth struggled with this. 471 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:21,960 They were very gifted church. One of the problems they had was 472 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:25,360 that they were divided because somebody said, I got this gift, 473 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,280 I got five of them. And somebody over here said, 474 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:31,440 well, I, I only got 2. And somebody here said, well, I 475 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:33,560 just got one. And then, and so they were 476 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:36,160 divided on who had what gifts and whatever. 477 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,720 And the purpose of all those gifts was for the edification of 478 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,720 the whole church. You know, whether God's giving 479 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:47,240 you one gift or many gifts, it the purpose is to edify and 480 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:52,480 build up the whole church. Everybody not to use selfishly, 481 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:56,600 not just to use for ourselves, not to be jealous because 482 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:58,960 somebody got something that we didn't get. 483 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,640 My pastor used to tell me this. Every song leader thinks they 484 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:07,640 can preach and every preacher thinks they can sing. 485 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:12,240 I don't know some. I'm grateful for this. 486 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:14,360 I've known some. I've known some pastors who 487 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:16,840 could do both, and I've known some song leaders who could do 488 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:20,080 both. Most of us can, you know, most 489 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:23,160 of us, most of us can't we, we just have to stick to whatever 490 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:26,560 it is God called us to do. And then and then just just stay 491 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:30,120 with it. God and Wisdom saw what was 492 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:33,040 needed and put together. And I want to tell you this, God 493 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:37,880 makes no mistakes. So, so whatever talent, whatever 494 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:42,080 God is entrusted in your care, is, is not a is not a mistake. 495 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:46,000 It is important for us to optimize every opportunity that 496 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:50,320 the Lord gives us. Years ago, we had a man in our 497 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:53,680 church, Tony Pergoni. I'm so thankful for Tony. 498 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:58,560 There's a whole big story to all this about me going to Grace 499 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,080 Bible Baptist in Vernon, but Tony was one of my deacons. 500 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:05,320 We used to teach Tony that he didn't know which end of a 501 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:08,640 hammer to pick up and that whatever you do, do not allow 502 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,320 him to pick up a screwdriver, please. 503 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:16,160 When it came to working with your hands or construction or 504 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:19,680 doing things like this, you did not want Tony around. 505 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:22,720 Period. But I'm going to tell you what 506 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:26,600 if you needed paperwork shoveled, if you needed somebody 507 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:30,160 to go do this or to go do that, Tony was your man. 508 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:34,880 He had a unique ability to deal with people and to shuffle 509 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:38,360 through paperwork and find out things and do things like that. 510 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:42,320 He was invaluable to me. I got some other guys who could, 511 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:45,360 you know, handle hammers and screwdrivers, But when I needed 512 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:48,480 some paperwork done and some things like that, oh, man, I 513 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:54,080 Tony was the guy I trusted. His gifts and talents were 514 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:57,560 different than somebody else's, but he had an equal value. 515 00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:01,360 I mean, there were times that, you know, I could, I could hire 516 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:03,840 somebody to do that. But there were some things in 517 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:05,880 the paperwork. I couldn't always hire somebody 518 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:08,680 to do that. I needed somebody that I could 519 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:10,720 trust and have confidence in to do that. 520 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:14,280 And I could trust Tony. I'm so grateful for him. 521 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:17,720 He added to me. Now look at verse #16 if you 522 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:19,920 would. Then he that received the five 523 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:23,960 talents went and traded the same and made the mother 5 talents. 524 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:27,240 Likewise he that received the two, he also gained the other 525 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:29,480 two. But he that received one went 526 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:31,800 and digged in the earth and hid his Lord's money. 527 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:35,120 Think about the response of these men. 528 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:44,040 Without without any hesitation, we find that the first man who 529 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:47,320 had five went and traded with the same and made them other 530 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:50,200 five. He just went to work. 531 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:54,280 The one who received two, what did He do? 532 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:57,640 Likewise the same. There was no hesitation, there 533 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:01,800 was no reservation, and what they needed to do, They simply 534 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:07,360 went and did the task. What were they faithful to? 535 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:09,040 The responsibility given to them. 536 00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:13,560 They were faithful. But consider the last man in 537 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:16,120 verse #18 it says. But he that received the One 538 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:19,600 went and digged in the earth and hid his Lord's money. 539 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:23,520 You know, the fact of the matter is the first two guys, it's 540 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:29,200 going to take some courage. I mean, think about this, that 541 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:32,800 he that had the five went and traded with the same. 542 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,760 I don't know if you've ever done any kind of trading, but if you 543 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:40,040 do any kind of trading, one of the things that you realize is 544 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:42,360 that you could you could lose everything. 545 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:48,280 You could lose everything. So there, there there is a 546 00:33:48,280 --> 00:33:51,640 little fearfulness in all of that because there there's going 547 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:55,200 to be some risk and, and it's going to take some courage. 548 00:33:56,040 --> 00:33:58,440 And I think faith and courage go together. 549 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:02,160 And if there's a need today among God's people, it is for 550 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:05,760 some men of God and some women of God who will have the courage 551 00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:10,600 to use what God has given them and to step out by faith, even 552 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,880 when it's not popular, even when other people are not doing it. 553 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:17,360 But I'm determined this I believe God, God's done a work 554 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,360 in my life. He's entrusted me with these 555 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:21,120 things. I'm going to put it to use. 556 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:28,000 Where would Joshua and the children of Israel be if the 557 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:31,719 priest had not stepped into the waters of Jordan? 558 00:34:32,800 --> 00:34:34,639 They'd be still standing on the bank, wouldn't they? 559 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:38,000 Yeah, but what if God doesn't? What if God doesn't part the 560 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,120 water? Well, you could say a lot of 561 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:41,800 things about what if God doesn't? 562 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:43,840 What if God doesn't? What if God doesn't? 563 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:47,520 But what if God does? I'd like to be on the side that 564 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:51,880 says, see what God did? We trusted him, we believed him. 565 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:55,520 We took a step of faith. Now it's not just, it's not just 566 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:59,040 being risky and just kind of, you know, throwing things to the 567 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:01,880 wind and and saying, well, whatever happens just happens. 568 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:06,000 But it's, it's about a purposeful step based upon the 569 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,400 confidence that we have in God to step forth by faith. 570 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:13,040 These men had had courage, they had courage. 571 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:16,080 Jesus had the courage to leave heaven. 572 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:18,440 He had the courage to resist the devil. 573 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:22,960 He had the courage to wait long. Think about this, that all the 574 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:26,120 time that he's growing up, he knew his purpose in life. 575 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:29,440 But at the age of 30, he went to John the Baptist and was 576 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:31,520 baptized. Knowing this, that he only had 577 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:39,360 about three years, but he didn't get ahead of God and he didn't 578 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:44,240 get behind God. Courage, courage, courage from 579 00:35:44,240 --> 00:35:50,400 others, courage for young men, courage really, if if you have, 580 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:56,800 if you have opportunity, if you have treasure, talent, What use 581 00:35:56,800 --> 00:36:00,080 is it if we don't have courage to put it to use? 582 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:07,240 Jesus was always about this his Father's business and the 583 00:36:07,240 --> 00:36:10,400 journey to Jerusalem, to the cross, to the crown of thorns, 584 00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:17,520 the days of rejection. I, I wonder if I, I don't think 585 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:20,720 the Lord got discouraged because he knew, but there must have 586 00:36:20,720 --> 00:36:23,720 been sometimes that I, I, I don't know whether God can get 587 00:36:23,720 --> 00:36:26,680 exasperated or not, but you know, I've been trying to tell 588 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:27,720 you and I've been trying to tell you. 589 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:30,120 They've been trying to tell you and you still didn't get it. 590 00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:34,280 But you know what? He just kept going because he 591 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:35,760 knew this. They would get it. 592 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:40,520 They would get it. Where would we be if Jesus had 593 00:36:40,720 --> 00:36:45,520 given up on the 12? Where would we be? 594 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:49,240 Where would we be if they had given up? 595 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:52,840 You know, it took courage for them to continue on even in the 596 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:56,960 face of great opposition and the fear of what the as a matter of 597 00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:59,760 fact, remember how when they got ready to go to Jerusalem, I, I 598 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:01,760 think it was Peter who said, well, let's just go die with 599 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:10,690 him. It is really the faithfulness 600 00:37:10,690 --> 00:37:15,290 and small things when it seems that others face great battles 601 00:37:15,290 --> 00:37:20,960 and are victorious, that we just stay faithful and that we see 602 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:26,000 that it is faithfulness in the small things that God rewards 603 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:29,080 into big things. You see, if we can't be faithful 604 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:32,160 with little things, who will trust to our true riches? 605 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:36,400 These men are sifted out, their character is tested. 606 00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:41,000 Who will be faithful? You know, the Lord doesn't look 607 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,920 for who's the most brilliant, and God doesn't look for the 608 00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:47,440 person that that is the most popular. 609 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:51,000 You know which one he looks for. A man that's the most faithful. 610 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:54,000 Amen. That's the one God's looking for 611 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:57,360 who will be faithful to me? Who will be faithful to me? 612 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:02,320 The easy way, The easy way is to take the shortcut. 613 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:06,480 The easy way is to wrap it up and bury it as the man did with 614 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:08,360 the one talent. That's the easy way. 615 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:12,480 There's no stress, there's no risk, there's no trouble. 616 00:38:17,160 --> 00:38:19,280 But the truth is, he really didn't know his Lord. 617 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:23,800 You know, it strikes me that when we, when we get into the, 618 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:31,840 the next verses, we look down to a, to verse number verse #25 619 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:37,880 actually verse 24. Then he which had received the 620 00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:41,360 one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee, that thou art an 621 00:38:41,360 --> 00:38:45,840 hard man. Really, that's what you knew. 622 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:48,560 You knew him. You knew he was a hard man. 623 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:52,040 You knew that he reaped where he had not sown and gathered where 624 00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:54,560 he'd not strawed. And I was afraid and went and 625 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:57,480 hit thy talent in the earth. And lo, here thou hast what 626 00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:01,600 thine. Correct me if I'm wrong. 627 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:06,520 He just handed this guy in today's kind of money, at least 628 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:09,840 a million and a half dollars that he trusted him with. 629 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:15,440 And that's a hard man. Can you imagine working for 630 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:18,280 somebody and your boss walks up to you someday and he says, you 631 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:21,480 know what? I, I, I, I trust you and I'm 632 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:24,200 going to give you a million and a half dollars to take care of 633 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:26,440 for me. And I, I need you to take care 634 00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:28,720 of it. I need you to, to, to watch over 635 00:39:28,720 --> 00:39:31,080 it, to vest it, do whatever you're going to do with it. 636 00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:33,600 I need you to take care of it. I'm going to be gone for a while 637 00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:37,640 and I'll come back. That's scared the daylights out 638 00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:39,840 of me for sure. I understand that. 639 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:44,920 But my boss being a hard man, that'd be the last thing I'd say 640 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:49,480 of him. He's trusted me with something 641 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:53,720 so valuable. He really didn't know his Lord, 642 00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:56,160 and he made a wrong evaluation of him. 643 00:39:56,640 --> 00:40:00,560 The fact is that the first two knew. 644 00:40:01,640 --> 00:40:05,600 But after they did what he said, after they were faithful to it, 645 00:40:05,800 --> 00:40:08,040 they knew him even greater, didn't they? 646 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:16,680 They really knew their Lord. Because it was after they were 647 00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:21,000 faithful that they gained a great reward. 648 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:26,360 You see, an unfaithful man always looks into the darkness. 649 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:35,360 They always do. A faithful man looks into the 650 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:40,040 sunshine. You and I both know this. 651 00:40:40,480 --> 00:40:44,880 You could have two Craftsman, 2 woodworkers who are who are 652 00:40:45,040 --> 00:40:50,800 equally skilled Craftsman. Which one do you want doing work 653 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:54,360 for you? The one who's diligent to make 654 00:40:54,360 --> 00:40:59,440 sure that no corners are missed but everything is exactly 655 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:02,120 square? Or the guy that slaps it 656 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:11,680 together and that's good enough. We just sold the church 657 00:41:11,680 --> 00:41:16,560 Parsonage, but before we did a couple years ago we had a man 658 00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:19,920 come in and redo our kitchen. When he started in the kitchen 659 00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:25,000 he completely gutted it because we were all it's, it's 10 by 10 660 00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:27,800 kitchen. You know from one wall to the 661 00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:30,640 next wall. We were off almost an inch. 662 00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:34,800 Some places it was 5/8 some places it was 3/4, some place 663 00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:37,920 that was an inch. If you know anything about 664 00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:42,120 construction and building, you know that you have you're going 665 00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:45,600 to have problems making things square when you're off 5/8 or 666 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:48,760 3/4 of an inch or an inch in a 10 foot square building. 667 00:41:49,480 --> 00:41:52,960 Not only was the floor off like that, but the walls were like 668 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:56,920 that. So he complete gutted it down to 669 00:41:56,920 --> 00:42:01,760 the to the studs and then began to put shims in so that when he 670 00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:06,680 put new drywall in was square. You know, when he got all done 671 00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:10,240 with that, you could pour water on the countertop and it would 672 00:42:10,240 --> 00:42:14,720 stay there. I was impressed. 673 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:17,720 Yeah, I, I took a level after he was all done. 674 00:42:17,720 --> 00:42:19,600 I took my level and I walked all through. 675 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:22,440 I checked all the cabinets, I checked all the, all the 676 00:42:22,440 --> 00:42:23,880 shelves. I checked all of it. 677 00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:27,360 The bubble right in the middle. Everyone, everyone. 678 00:42:28,200 --> 00:42:31,040 Now you know what? That's the kind of guy I want to 679 00:42:31,040 --> 00:42:33,520 do my work. I don't want the kind of guy 680 00:42:33,680 --> 00:42:36,000 that just hangs it and says it's good enough. 681 00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:40,680 That's good enough, all right? Why? 682 00:42:40,840 --> 00:42:44,680 Why should God accept somebody who says that's good enough, 683 00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:49,480 that's good enough? God wants us pay attention to 684 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:53,640 the detail to be faithful. Which man is a happier man? 685 00:42:54,880 --> 00:42:57,480 I'll tell you, the happy man is the guy that made everything 686 00:42:57,480 --> 00:42:59,720 square and level because he went home and he knows this. 687 00:43:00,120 --> 00:43:03,280 I did a good job and I'm not going to have the customer call 688 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:05,880 me and say, you know, my cabinet doors don't close. 689 00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:08,840 I'm not going to have the customer call me and say, you 690 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:10,240 know what? This doesn't fit. 691 00:43:10,240 --> 00:43:13,840 Now you need to come back and adjust this. 692 00:43:15,120 --> 00:43:16,920 No, he said. You do it right the first time 693 00:43:17,640 --> 00:43:19,960 and you make it. You make it, you make it right. 694 00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:25,440 It's not the one who who who takes the shortcuts. 695 00:43:25,760 --> 00:43:29,840 It's the guy who who deliberately, diligently takes 696 00:43:29,840 --> 00:43:32,280 care of everything. And he pillows his head at night 697 00:43:32,280 --> 00:43:35,080 knowing this. I did a true job. 698 00:43:35,840 --> 00:43:40,960 I did a true job. Is it not pretty much everywhere 699 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:43,120 that it's the details that make a difference? 700 00:43:46,840 --> 00:43:50,840 It is in the details, isn't it? Is it not in the details when 701 00:43:50,840 --> 00:43:54,000 you look at your car and have the fenders fit together, is it 702 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:57,000 not in the details? Is it not in the details of 703 00:43:57,000 --> 00:44:00,640 those things? We lose ourselves in shortcuts. 704 00:44:01,640 --> 00:44:04,320 But I want you to note that here there is a reward. 705 00:44:05,480 --> 00:44:12,520 For as we back up a little bit, we discover this in chapter 25, 706 00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:18,160 verse 19. A long time the Lord of those 707 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:19,920 servants cometh and reckoneth with them. 708 00:44:20,520 --> 00:44:23,080 And so he that received the five talents came and brought other 709 00:44:23,080 --> 00:44:26,120 five talents, saying, Lord, thou delivers to me 5 talents, 710 00:44:26,480 --> 00:44:29,800 Behold, I've gained beside them five talents more. 711 00:44:30,120 --> 00:44:32,920 And the Lord his Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and 712 00:44:32,920 --> 00:44:36,440 faithful servant that has been faithful over a few things, I 713 00:44:36,440 --> 00:44:38,640 will make the ruler over many things. 714 00:44:38,920 --> 00:44:40,800 Enter thou unto the joy of thy Lord. 715 00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:44,120 And he also that received 2 talents came and said, Lord, 716 00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:47,440 thou deliver son to me two talents, behold, I've gained two 717 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:50,800 other talents beside them. And as Lord said unto him, Well 718 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:54,000 done, good and faithful servant, that has been faithful over a 719 00:44:54,000 --> 00:44:56,640 few things. I will make the ruler over many 720 00:44:56,640 --> 00:44:59,200 things. Enter thou into the joy of thy 721 00:44:59,200 --> 00:45:03,320 Lord. I don't know about you, but it 722 00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:08,040 seems like I would whole lot rather stand before God one day 723 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:11,440 and hear him say the words. Well done, thou good and 724 00:45:11,440 --> 00:45:13,120 faithful servant. Well done. 725 00:45:13,920 --> 00:45:17,880 You've been faithful over a few things God didn't say. 726 00:45:17,880 --> 00:45:20,920 I had to be smart. God didn't say I have to be 727 00:45:20,920 --> 00:45:23,040 popular. God didn't say I have to have a 728 00:45:23,040 --> 00:45:25,400 lot of money. God didn't say I had to have all 729 00:45:25,400 --> 00:45:26,840 those things. He did say this. 730 00:45:27,320 --> 00:45:30,000 If you'll be faithful, if you'll be faithful. 731 00:45:31,640 --> 00:45:34,920 So the truth of the matter is when we set our heart, the 732 00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:38,760 rewards were good and faithful. Faithful over a few things, rule 733 00:45:38,760 --> 00:45:41,760 over many, but I think the greatest one is enter into the 734 00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:45,640 joy of thy Lord. You see, faith is a matter of 735 00:45:45,640 --> 00:45:50,360 character and faithfulness is a matter of character, and it is 736 00:45:50,360 --> 00:45:56,880 the basis of reward. The world, the devil and flesh 737 00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,920 will do everything they can to discourage us. 738 00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:04,520 We live in a world that is looking for shortcuts and easy 739 00:46:04,520 --> 00:46:09,360 ways to get things done, even in churches. 740 00:46:10,080 --> 00:46:14,120 But we need to be settled at this That my Lord is worthy. 741 00:46:15,320 --> 00:46:18,200 He's worthy. He's worthy of my best effort. 742 00:46:19,160 --> 00:46:23,040 He's worthy of my best effort. I want to be able to pillow my 743 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:24,480 head at night and say, you know what? 744 00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:26,640 I've done my best for the master. 745 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:31,200 I, I, you know, it's not what everybody else does, but I don't 746 00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:32,720 have to do what everybody else does. 747 00:46:33,720 --> 00:46:37,240 There may be others that it appears or shows that maybe 748 00:46:37,240 --> 00:46:39,000 they've done a whole lot more than me. 749 00:46:39,520 --> 00:46:42,840 But you notice that the the reward was the same for each of 750 00:46:42,840 --> 00:46:45,680 these guys. Well done, good and faithful 751 00:46:45,680 --> 00:46:47,880 servant. Well done. 752 00:46:48,360 --> 00:46:49,840 You've been faithful over a few things. 753 00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:53,480 I'll make you ruler over many. Enter into the joy of thy Lord. 754 00:46:57,720 --> 00:47:04,200 Being faithful to the Lord Jesus is coming. 755 00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:10,640 It's in the book. Part of being ready is being 756 00:47:10,640 --> 00:47:14,000 faithful, Being faithful in all things. 757 00:47:15,040 --> 00:47:17,640 Thank you for listening to the sermon from the pulpit of 758 00:47:17,640 --> 00:47:20,560 Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing 759 00:47:20,560 --> 00:47:24,040 to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us 760 00:47:24,040 --> 00:47:28,640 know by contacting us at info@mylibertybaptist.org. 761 00:47:28,920 --> 00:47:33,480 Or you can visit us this Sunday at 800 Washington St. in Easton, 762 00:47:33,480 --> 00:47:36,280 MA. May the Lord bless you as you 763 00:47:36,280 --> 00:47:37,480 grow in His Word.