1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,760 So just like the Lord sovereignly set us up with where 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,120 we were coming through and those moments of surrender, the 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:10,680 passages we were looking at months back, he's done the same 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,040 thing now as we've transitioned into this moment where we've 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,720 sensed His direction that we were to go into growth and that 6 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,200 growth is going to look like certain simple obediences. 7 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,400 And here we are at the Parable of the Talents. 8 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,040 It couldn't be more perfect. If I was preaching to you on 9 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:30,600 stewardship, this would have been the passage I would have 10 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:31,560 chosen. Anyway. 11 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,680 This is a favorite place to go whenever I'm teaching on that. 12 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:37,760 And now this is where it lined up for us anyway. 13 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:43,680 So here we are, the Parable of the talents, perfectly designed 14 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,560 by the Lord for us in this moment, in this season. 15 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,840 A very practical discipleship. And remember this parable, Where 16 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,640 are we in context? We're in context, where is 17 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,560 Jesus? He is in the last 48 hours of 18 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:02,000 his life before he's crucified. So we're at the end of the end. 19 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,200 But his disciples had asked a question about the end of the 20 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:08,520 age and they're saying, when are these things going to happen? 21 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:11,640 What will be the sign of your return? 22 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,200 And Jesus answered them. And then he started to tell 23 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:22,720 parables as well. So he gave the parable of of the 24 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,400 servant with the master over his household. 25 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,240 And he comes and he's he finds his servant being faithful, or 26 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:30,760 he finds his servant being unfaithful. 27 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:34,520 And then we have he gives the parable of the 10 virgins and 28 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,320 five were wise and five were foolish, Five were prepared and 29 00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:39,840 five were unprepared. And he immediately goes, So he's 30 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,560 still answering the same thing. He's still in the same moment. 31 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:46,040 He's still sharing about this is what it will look like at my 32 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,000 coming. This is how it's going to be at 33 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,320 the coming of the Kingdom at the end. 34 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:53,160 And then that's where he's in verse 14. 35 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:54,920 He doesn't miss a beat. He doesn't come up for air. 36 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:58,240 He just goes right into the next parable for it will be like what 37 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:01,240 will be like the Kingdom of heaven at the end, at his 38 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,280 return, For it will be like a man going on a journey. 39 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,440 Jesus is the man who went on the journey. 40 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,360 He's been on his journey about 2000 years. 41 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:11,280 He's going to be back any minute. 42 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:12,760 We don't know when he's coming back. 43 00:02:13,640 --> 00:02:17,080 It will be like a man going on a journey who called his servants 44 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:21,120 and entrusted to them his property to 1. 45 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:23,840 He gave 5 talents. These are financial 46 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,760 measurements. One talent is about a 20 years 47 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:31,840 worth of one, one year's wage times 20, whatever the right way 48 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,800 to say that is. So these are large sums of 49 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,880 resources. To 1 he gave 5 talents, to 50 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:43,400 another two, to another one each according to his ability. 51 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,200 Then he went away. He who had received the five 52 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:52,400 talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five 53 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,880 talents more. So also he who had the two 54 00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:00,520 talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one 55 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,440 talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's 56 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:06,920 money. Now after a long time, the 57 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:10,040 master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 58 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,800 And he who had received 5 talents came forward bringing 5 59 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,480 talents more, saying, Master, you delivered to me 5 talents. 60 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:20,480 Here I have made five talents more. 61 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,280 His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant, 62 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,840 you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over 63 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,360 much, enter into the joy of your master. 64 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,520 And he also who had the two talents came forward saying, 65 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,720 Master, you delivered to me two talents here I have made two 66 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,320 talents more. His master said to him, Well 67 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,760 done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a 68 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:46,760 little, I will set you over much. 69 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:49,200 Enter into the joy of your master. 70 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,320 He also, who had received the one talent, came forward saying, 71 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:58,160 Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not 72 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,720 sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. 73 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,200 So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. 74 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,960 Here you have what is yours. But his master said to him, You 75 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,680 wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I have 76 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,040 not sown, and gather where I scattered no seed. 77 00:04:16,399 --> 00:04:19,519 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and 78 00:04:19,519 --> 00:04:22,640 at my coming I should have received what was my own with 79 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:26,040 interests. So take the talent from him and 80 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:28,080 give it to the one who has 10 talents. 81 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:33,320 For to everyone who has more will be given, and he will have 82 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,680 an abundance. But to the one who has not, even 83 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:41,360 what he has will be taken away and cast the worthless servant 84 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,880 into outer darkness. In that place there will be 85 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:50,120 weeping and gnashing of teeth. God, we approach Your word with 86 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:55,280 a holy fear and also knowing that you equip us to obey. 87 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,560 So we humble ourselves right now, eager to receive Your 88 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,400 truth, eager to adjust ourselves to it. 89 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:05,120 That you would be the Master who is pleased with all of his 90 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,480 servants. That we would enter into joy, 91 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:11,240 That we would enter into reward. That we would embrace the 92 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,440 calling that you've given to us and the faithfulness that you've 93 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:18,840 called us to. Strengthen your church now and 94 00:05:18,840 --> 00:05:21,960 equip us not just for today, but for all that lies ahead. 95 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:24,840 In Jesus name we thank you. Amen. 96 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:38,800 One thing that we notice right away when we're looking at the 97 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:45,200 the parables side by side with one another is that there is a a 98 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:49,640 strict and harsh judgment on those who fail each time 99 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,280 whenever you look up and you know, verse 48. 100 00:05:54,280 --> 00:05:57,840 But if that of chapter 24, rather if that wicked servant 101 00:05:57,840 --> 00:06:01,000 says to himself, my master is delayed and begins to beat his 102 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,880 fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards. 103 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,600 So this is the one who's doing the absolutely wrong thing, 104 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:09,920 right? He's not just in some neutral 105 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,040 place. He is doing the opposite of what 106 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,960 he was supposed to be doing. We kind of go, yeah, makes sense 107 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,960 if we understand it. He's getting what he deserves. 108 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,120 The master, that servant, will come on a day when he does not 109 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:24,280 expect him, at an hour he does not know. 110 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,960 He will cut him into pieces and put him with the hypocrites in 111 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:29,640 that place. There will be weeping and 112 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:31,880 gnashing of teeth. And then we come to the parable 113 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,760 of the 10 virgins, beautiful young girls prepared for the 114 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:36,480 wedding day. The bridesmaids, they're so 115 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,080 excited. What an honorable thing. 116 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:40,240 The five are wise. The five are foolish. 117 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,600 The five foolish. They show up late because they 118 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,000 didn't have the oil that they needed. 119 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,800 And they come to the door and Jesus looks at those sweet, 120 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,520 beautiful girls and says, all girls, it's OK, come on in, 121 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:55,520 right? No, he says, I don't know you. 122 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:00,640 And they do not come into the feast, which is heaven, which is 123 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:05,440 the eternal Kingdom. So they erred, they they failed 124 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:07,520 at their assignment. They didn't, they didn't go do 125 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,920 anything deliberately wicked, but they were negligent. 126 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,800 And now here in this parable, we have those who are faithful and 127 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:16,240 then we have the one who is unfaithful. 128 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,000 And he again just simply didn't. He didn't go do anything 129 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,920 particularly evil, it doesn't seem, but the master disagrees. 130 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,040 The master says you are a wicked and slothful. 131 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,200 You're a wicked and lazy servant. 132 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:29,760 That's how the master judges him. 133 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,600 And also he's thrown into the outer darkness where there's 134 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:36,880 weeping and gnashing of teeth. These are Jesus's words about 135 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,640 people who are going to be shocked on that day. 136 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,840 People are going to knock on the door and say, I'm ready to come 137 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,280 into the wedding feast. And he's going to say I don't 138 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,040 know you, you don't have any oil in your lamp. 139 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:50,480 Or he's going to say I don't know you, you have not been 140 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,560 obedient to my commands. Or he's going to say I don't 141 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,320 know you, or I'm displeased with you because you're wicked and 142 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:58,720 lazy. Well, you gave me this deposit 143 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,560 and you did nothing with it. I didn't give you that deposit 144 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,560 so you could just return it back to me safely. 145 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,720 You're not my Piggy Bank. I don't give you money for you 146 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:09,800 to just hold on and shove under your mattress. 147 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,120 I didn't need somebody to just protect my $100 bill. 148 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,680 And I'll be gone in a few and I'll come back in a few months 149 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:17,920 and I hope you can hand the Benjamin back to me. 150 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,200 The Lord is looking to invest in people and the Lord is looking 151 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:27,320 for a return from people. Verse 14 of 25 for it will be 152 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,480 like a man going on a journey who called his servants and 153 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:34,840 entrusted to them his property. Whose property was it? 154 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:40,360 Whose property is it in US? It's God's every gift that you 155 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:44,400 have, every advantage that you have, every personality strength 156 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:46,360 that you have. You didn't develop that in your 157 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,920 mother's womb. You didn't pick that as you were 158 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:50,520 being formed to God. I think I'm going to be this 159 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:52,400 kind of person. I think I'm going to be that 160 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,120 kind of person. Every strength and gifting that 161 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,600 you have, and you do have strengths, every single one of 162 00:08:57,600 --> 00:08:59,800 you. And you do have giftings, every 163 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,440 single one of you. Every single one of those things 164 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:06,960 is still a gift from God. Everything in you is his 165 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,640 property, everything in your bank account. 166 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,320 Well, I earned that money. Yeah, you did. 167 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:17,120 And did you, did you build the hands that earned that money and 168 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:18,800 did you build the mind that earned that money? 169 00:09:19,680 --> 00:09:23,720 Well, I, I did the work. Well, congratulations on your, 170 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,640 your simple obedience. But that's all we were called to 171 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:30,440 do anyway, is walk out faithful and simple obediences. 172 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,160 So anything that we've built, anything that we've done, we've 173 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:36,280 all we did it. Did you, did you use your own 174 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,480 air in the process, or were you using the Lord's air and the 175 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,080 Lord's breath? Everything, every good and 176 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,360 perfect gift comes from God above, Amen. 177 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,840 So we have lots of good and perfect gifts in our lives and 178 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,760 they've all come from the Lord. All the property belongs to him. 179 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:53,320 And that's how this parable starts. 180 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:57,320 He called his servants and he entrusted to them his property. 181 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,560 The talents do not belong to the servants. 182 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,520 So we use this word talents, and it works well. 183 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,240 The talent was a financial measurement, but we could also 184 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,240 literally be talking about talent, skill, and gifting. 185 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:12,120 So it works well to cover the gamut. 186 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:16,160 It covers money, it covers personality, it covers gifting, 187 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,520 it covers ability, it covers hard work, but it all still is a 188 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,720 gift from God. Everything we have belongs to 189 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:23,240 the Lord. Whatever gifts, whatever 190 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:25,480 opportunities, whatever money, whatever abilities, whatever 191 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:28,000 influence, whatever responsibilities we possess, 192 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,600 they are still His. The ESV translates this, this 193 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,720 word servants, it's the word is slaves. 194 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,040 That's the word. The original word is slave. 195 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,720 The word that came out of Jesus mouth that day was slave. 196 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,880 And it's not a bad thing. It is a good thing to be a slave 197 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:46,760 to Christ. We are slaves to our master. 198 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:51,320 Thank God we have a good master, but we still are his possession. 199 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,640 Make no mistake, you're still owned by him. 200 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:55,960 I'm not going to be owned by anybody. 201 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,120 Then you won't be Jesus's. I can tell you that. 202 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:01,000 You don't have Jesus if Jesus doesn't actually have you. 203 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,280 So we are slaves of Christ. And the New Testament authors 204 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:08,040 had no problem calling themselves slaves of Christ. 205 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,040 And because everything is his, He expects a return. 206 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:14,360 He doesn't expect a return on our stuff. 207 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:16,880 He expects a return on his stuff. 208 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:19,840 This is why the Kingdom perspective is one of 209 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,840 multiplication. This is why the Lord requires 210 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:24,880 multiplication. This is why it's normal in the 211 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,400 Kingdom for thing. If something's healthy, it 212 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:29,680 should be growing. And the Kingdom, something is 213 00:11:29,680 --> 00:11:32,760 multiplying, something's growing, something is 214 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:36,080 increasing. Nothing we possess originated 215 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,400 with us. Another thing I want you to 216 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:42,640 notice about this parable, this parable is not about what you 217 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:47,240 stopped doing for the devil. Well, I don't. 218 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,640 I don't do anything like that other guy did up in that other 219 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:52,200 parable. The guy who's beating everybody. 220 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,080 He's drinking, he's getting drunk. 221 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,080 He's doing all these other things that I'm not. 222 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,240 I don't do all the things I'm not supposed to do. 223 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:01,240 Well, that's not the parable that Jesus told. 224 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:03,800 Nobody was doing stuff that they weren't supposed to do. 225 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:06,640 Nobody was doing bad stuff. He didn't gamble the money away. 226 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,560 He didn't run to the casino with the money and lose it all. 227 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,320 He didn't spend it on frivolous living. 228 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,680 He didn't go buy himself a bunch of fancy clothes. 229 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,040 So the parable is not about what you've stopped doing for the 230 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:19,440 devil. Some people try and evaluate 231 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:23,080 faithfulness by saying, I don't do this, I don't do that, I 232 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:24,880 don't do this and I don't do that. 233 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:27,920 But this parable is not asking what did you avoid? 234 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,960 This parable is asking what did you do for Jesus. 235 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:34,160 That's what the parable is pointing out. 236 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:39,480 What are you doing for Jesus? And that's like, that feels like 237 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,520 a whole new gear. I didn't, I didn't write it. 238 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:44,720 It's been there the whole time. I didn't put it in this. 239 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:48,840 This isn't just my notes. Jesus said this a long time ago. 240 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,120 American Christianity has watered it down and has 241 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:54,240 belittled the strong sayings of Jesus. 242 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:55,600 But they've been here the whole time. 243 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:58,560 And plain reading comprehension leads us to these. 244 00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:03,120 Come to these conclusions. What did you do for the Lord? 245 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:07,840 Obedience is not neutral. Obedience is fruitful. 246 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:12,280 Yes, yes, yes. Obedience has to look like 247 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:14,280 something. It doesn't look like, well, I 248 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:15,720 didn't do the thing. Yeah, I know, man. 249 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:19,120 But like, I didn't just ask you to not do the thing. 250 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,680 I actually left you to conquer the world. 251 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,960 I left you to multiply and make disciples, to teach the world to 252 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:27,960 obey everything that I've commanded. 253 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,360 And that assumed that you were first obeying everything that 254 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:36,240 I've commanded. The Lord equips us for this 255 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:38,120 work. If you feel overwhelmed by it, 256 00:13:38,560 --> 00:13:42,000 that feeling of overwhelm should not lead you to despair. 257 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:47,920 For any of you right now who feel like I may as well give up 258 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,360 because I can't do it, that is exactly what the guy in this 259 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,400 parable did. It's too hard, my master demands 260 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,480 too much, I can't do it, so I'll give up. 261 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:01,320 Two reasons you shouldn't do that. 262 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,320 Number one, you're forfeiting your own soul and you're going 263 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:07,680 to regret that 200 years from now and 20,000 years from now 264 00:14:07,680 --> 00:14:10,560 and 2,000,000 years from now. So that's one reason not to do 265 00:14:10,560 --> 00:14:12,760 it. The other reason is that whole, 266 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:16,280 that whole weight that you feel is designed to cause you to run 267 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,720 to the cross and fall on your knees and plead for the Lord for 268 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:24,240 more grace and mercy and he will give help to the humble. 269 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:28,800 But if you just say my master's harsh and his requirements are 270 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,640 too heavy and you're like, I can't do it, you've missed out 271 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:33,880 entirely. You're forfeiting your soul, 272 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:38,440 which of course that's the only thing you got, but you're also 273 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,280 missing the point that he's going to help you, but you've 274 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,560 got to come to him and recognize that you need help. 275 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,760 He's not saying do better, try harder all by yourself and I'm 276 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:51,320 watching. He's saying you're weak on your 277 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:54,520 own, you're pathetic on your own, and you fall short of my 278 00:14:54,520 --> 00:15:00,040 glory by a lot on your own. And that kind of prayer, when 279 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,040 you come to the Lord and say, Lord, help me, it's the Pharisee 280 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,600 who came and said, Lord, thank you that I don't do all the bad 281 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,400 things. But it was the other man who 282 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:11,800 beat his chest and said, God have mercy on me. 283 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:15,880 Help me an idiot, help me the Sinner. 284 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:20,480 And then of course he's expected to go do something because power 285 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:23,400 comes with that prayer. The power comes. 286 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:28,440 The Lord doesn't automatically ZAP us, but power is present 287 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:31,280 when we pray, when we seek the Lord in humility. 288 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:37,720 Obedience isn't neutral, obedience is fruitful. 289 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:46,520 Verse 15 to the one he gave 5 talents, to another two and to 290 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,840 another one, each according to his ability. 291 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:55,160 Then he went away. The other thing we got to point 292 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:56,880 out here is Jesus is not afraid of money. 293 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:59,240 Money in and of itself. Jesus talked about money a lot. 294 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:01,600 Money is not evil, Money is not good. 295 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,920 Money is just money. It's what you do with it. 296 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:09,080 It's just a thing. Loving money makes it an idol. 297 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,120 Loving money. You'll serve God or you'll serve 298 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:16,560 wealth. Mammon, you'll serve a demonic 299 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:21,000 consumerism or you'll serve God. But you cannot have two masters. 300 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:25,080 You will love 1 and hate the other, but you cannot have both. 301 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:29,520 So Jesus isn't afraid of money. It is a tool, but it is a 302 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,200 measure of faithfulness. That's the point I want to make 303 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:36,200 for you and I today. Money is a measure. 304 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:39,800 It's a measure doesn't mean everything, but it does not mean 305 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,720 nothing. Your money reveals what you 306 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,880 treasure, how you spend your money, how you invest your 307 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,880 money, how you save your money. It does reveal you treasure. 308 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,680 You might think, whoa man, looks like I love gasoline. 309 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:55,480 Well, it's not that you love gasoline, but you highly value 310 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,200 going from point A to point B. It's an important thing. 311 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,240 I highly value a warm house in the winter. 312 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:05,240 So yes, that is why I invest in the power company so they 313 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:09,000 continue to pump the electricity to my house so that my heat pump 314 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:10,760 can continue to work, so that I can stay warm. 315 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:13,480 These are things that I value. You will know what I value by 316 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,480 looking at how I spend my money. You will be able to look and see 317 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,400 this guy cares a lot about this. This guy cares a lot about it. 318 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:21,160 This guy cares a lot about Natalie. 319 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:26,720 I'm just saying my budget reveals that I care a lot about 320 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,680 Natalie. That's your choice. 321 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:31,960 I do. It's not a complaint. 322 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,080 I'm happy about it. I know you're not complaining, 323 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,640 but your your treasure reveals this thing about your heart. 324 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:43,080 Jesus has taught us that already. 325 00:17:44,360 --> 00:17:46,640 And the Lord cares about otherwise also just how we 326 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:48,480 manage our money. So there's the point to be made 327 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,880 about where your money is a treasure and you're always going 328 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:53,960 to apply it to the thing that you most treasure and you're 329 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:55,120 going to worship with your money. 330 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:57,840 So that's one one important part of the conversation. 331 00:17:57,840 --> 00:17:59,920 The other important part of the conversation is simply this. 332 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:02,880 The Lord cares about how you manage money as a resource. 333 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,120 It matters, and it's something that you got to grow in. 334 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:10,600 I used to know nothing about nothing when it came to managing 335 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,320 my money. The way she and I early in our 336 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:17,200 marriage, I remember we would be in Walmart and the way we would 337 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:21,440 go shopping for things is we would be like, I feel like we 338 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,320 have that in the account. And then we're like, yeah, I 339 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:26,720 think so. It's before smartphones. 340 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,680 We couldn't just check our balance instantly and we didn't 341 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:33,440 keep a checkbook Like we were the generation that like didn't 342 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:35,560 like we're the generation I think that stopped keeping the 343 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:36,600 checkbooks. Before us. 344 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:38,160 Gen. X was keeping checkbooks and 345 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,520 millennials like I think a few of us did and I did for about 5 346 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,400 minutes and then I didn't. So then, you know, and then some 347 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:45,080 generations like how do you exist without keeping a 348 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:46,120 checkbook? I'm like, I don't know, we're 349 00:18:46,120 --> 00:18:49,120 doing it. But so we would say, I think 350 00:18:49,120 --> 00:18:51,280 we've got it. And then we would be shocked to 351 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:53,160 find out that we've somehow overdrafted. 352 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,320 What? And we didn't know. 353 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:58,600 No one taught us. Nobody ever came to me and said, 354 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:00,560 hey, Joe Michael, do y'all manage your finances? 355 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,680 And I'm like, what do you mean? And they'd be like, what do you 356 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:05,880 like have a system? Do you have a budget? 357 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:07,320 And I'd like, well, what is that exactly? 358 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:09,440 Like, well, it's a plan for the money for the month. 359 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:10,800 Like no, I don't have that. OK. 360 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:12,880 Are you tracking what you spend each month? 361 00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:15,800 Also no to that. What are you doing, Joe Michael 362 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,080 Are we just, if we feel like it's in there, we were like, I 363 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:21,760 think it's in there. We swipe and then what happens? 364 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,440 Joe Michael, Well, then we overdraft and then we call the 365 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:26,480 bank. We're like, could you please 366 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,160 pull off our overdraft fees? We're super broke and we're 367 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:30,840 super stupid and we didn't know what we're doing. 368 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:32,640 And sometimes the bank would pull it off. 369 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:38,560 And sometimes if Niecy was at the bank, sometimes the bank 370 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:39,760 would pull our overdraft fees off. 371 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,720 Sometimes they wouldn't. And we're just like, man, life 372 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:46,240 is so hard. You know, life is so hard. 373 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:48,440 I just don't know how we're going to get ahead. 374 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:51,400 Lord, please, we just need a financial miracle right now. 375 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:56,320 Hey, Joe, Michael, you actually don't need a financial miracle. 376 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:58,600 You just need to you need to learn and grow. 377 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:00,960 There's there's a lot you don't know, buddy. 378 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:03,600 And you're not even at level 1. You're at zero. 379 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,880 You got to go from zero to 1, John Michael, and that's going 380 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,720 to look like you actually have to take ownership and 381 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:11,640 responsibility for your finances. 382 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:13,720 That's how far gone I was. I didn't know. 383 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,640 And I found this guy called named Dave Ramsey and he was 384 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:19,800 talking about you need $1000 emergency fund. 385 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,240 It was a plan. I was like, that makes sense. 386 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,280 So watching some of his videos, I was like, man, that's really 387 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:27,160 helpful. Have I ever told me I didn't 388 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:28,760 know? I didn't know. 389 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:31,360 I was truly ignorant. Once I found out how it's 390 00:20:31,360 --> 00:20:33,400 supposed to work, I was like, at that point, if you don't do it, 391 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:37,320 then I become stupid. So far I was just ignorant, but 392 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,240 thankfully I did not go into the realm of stupidity. 393 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,400 I've had moments for sure, but mostly it was ignorance on my 394 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:45,480 part. But but then I started to learn 395 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:47,520 and then I started to grow and then I found there's levels to 396 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,600 this thing. So there's going from zero to 1 397 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,160 and then you go from 1:00 to 2:00 and that looks like 398 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:54,920 something. And then your, your financial IQ 399 00:20:55,120 --> 00:20:57,680 will increase. My encouragement though, and my 400 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:01,600 challenge and requirement from the Lord is it needs to look 401 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:03,880 like something. Whatever level you're at on that 402 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:07,200 spectrum, don't condemn yourself, don't be overwhelmed, 403 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:08,760 and don't compare to anybody else. 404 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,520 Just know that you need to go to the very next one, and you ought 405 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,840 to do it now. It's always good to get more 406 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,040 responsible with your finances. It's always good to get more 407 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:19,680 responsible with your resource so that you can actually be more 408 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:21,640 fruitful with it. Because the Lord expects a 409 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:22,880 return. I'm good. 410 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:25,520 I got everything I need. How selfish of you. 411 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,280 There's more than just you in mind here. 412 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:29,600 There's more than just you at stake here. 413 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:32,520 The Lord is not looking for you to return what He handed to you. 414 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:35,440 The Lord is looking for multiplication, and that would 415 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:37,880 include Kingdom multiplication. We got everything we know. 416 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:41,200 I got this for my kids and their colleges paid for, and I bought 417 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,840 a house for everybody. OK, Why not build an orphanage? 418 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:46,520 Why not do this? Like, why? 419 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,960 Why are we stuck here? I want to expand your vision. 420 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:53,000 Wherever you are, if you got gajillions or if you got good 421 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:58,840 dozens of dollars, whatever it might be, the Lord has more 422 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,600 vision and the Lord can grow you from where you are. 423 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:05,200 Amen for not what I got all my needs met Good. 424 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:06,920 You should. I'm not surprised. 425 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,040 God is good. And if you walked out some basic 426 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,560 financial principles, that is going to be and if you work, 427 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:13,960 then that's going to be what happens. 428 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:17,360 But beyond that, the city on a hill, we've got abundance. 429 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,480 The city on a hill should have enough to give The city on a 430 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,200 hill should have enough to provide for others. 431 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,200 Who have you given to lately? Who have you surprised lately? 432 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:27,200 Who have you blessed in the grocery store lately? 433 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:29,200 Who have you helped to the gas station lately? 434 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:32,320 If if that's the place where you're at, then you go, yeah, 435 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,360 that's normal. OK, then what would it look like 436 00:22:34,360 --> 00:22:37,920 to expand again? Keep multiplying your resources. 437 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:40,680 The Lord does care about how you manage your money, and He 438 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:43,640 expects a return on his investment, even financially. 439 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:46,400 What else do we see here in verse 15? 440 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,320 He gives each according to His ability. 441 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,440 That means each of us has been assigned the obedience and the 442 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:56,960 faithfulness and the responsibilities that we are 443 00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:59,000 capable of obeying and walking out. 444 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,640 He didn't give them the same financial resources to each one. 445 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:04,720 He's like, I know what this guy can handle. 446 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,280 One is the appropriate one. Talent which is still 20 years 447 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:10,960 wages, so still a significant sum of money. 448 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,880 Hey, I want you to manage this. You going to manage this much? 449 00:23:14,120 --> 00:23:15,720 You are going to manage this much. 450 00:23:16,120 --> 00:23:18,680 And maybe the one with five started off years ago and he got 451 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,400 one-on-one of the master's journeys and he proved faithful 452 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,480 over and over and over. And it's his turn to be tested 453 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:27,480 now. Hey, this is according to your 454 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,480 ability. You are able to accomplish this. 455 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:33,080 I know that you are. I'm the master. 456 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:37,120 I know what's in you, and I know you're capable of doing this. 457 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,440 This is encouraging for you and I to know that Don't compare to 458 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:41,760 the five talents. Don't compare to the two 459 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:43,840 talents. I only got 1 talent. 460 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:47,040 Well, that's exactly where you're supposed to be. 461 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:51,040 And be thankful for that and be faithful with that. 462 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:54,880 You got what you need for where you are from the Lord. 463 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,240 The servant with one talent is still capable of succeeding. 464 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:03,080 Faithfulness is required at your level, not at someone else's. 465 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:07,240 This eliminates comparison. This eliminates your ability to 466 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:09,320 say well, what about he's not interested. 467 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:11,480 He didn't say you wicked servant. 468 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,360 Look at what they did. Look at the amount of money that 469 00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:17,400 they've given me. He said you didn't bring any 470 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:19,560 return. We don't know how it would have 471 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:22,440 gone if the servant said, well, I, I put it in a, a low interest 472 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:24,000 account and it's slightly increased. 473 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,640 Like, OK, it's a slight increase, but it's an increase. 474 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:31,120 It's something instead of I buried it, I hid it in the 475 00:24:31,120 --> 00:24:33,080 ground and now I hand it back to you. 476 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:35,560 Don't compare to the other servants of the Lord. 477 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:38,920 Don't compare to other people compared to you. 478 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,880 Are you at level 0? Level 1 is your next target. 479 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:45,120 That's your next bullseye. Are you at level 9? 480 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:49,080 Level 10 is your next target. And just so you know, if you 481 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,040 ever make it to level 10, the Lord will show you the scale 482 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:54,200 goes to 100. And if you ever make to level 483 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:56,280 100, the Lord will show you it goes to 1000. 484 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:58,120 And that's not to discourage you. 485 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:00,240 He goes well done, good and faithful servant. 486 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:03,800 I'm going to make you rule over much and you rule over much. 487 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:06,400 Well, and he goes well done, good and faithful servant. 488 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,280 What are you doing? You're becoming more like him, 489 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,160 more faithful, more fruitful. He gets more glory and we get 490 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:18,760 reward and also we get growth because that is a stretch that 491 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:21,320 is a challenge to grow. You handled all that money well. 492 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,240 Thank you, Master. I'm so glad you're pleased. 493 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:25,720 I was hoping that you would be. I'm going to put you over 10 494 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,280 cities now. Whoa. 495 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:34,000 Managing money to managing cities, economies, police 496 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:39,120 departments, sanitation, civilization, like that's, 497 00:25:39,120 --> 00:25:41,480 that's a big challenge. Like that's going to require 498 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:43,360 more of me. The Lord's growing us. 499 00:25:43,360 --> 00:25:46,160 He's blessing others. He's getting glory and he's 500 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:49,160 pleased in the process when he has humble and faithful servants 501 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:53,080 who remember that they need him to accomplish the next level. 502 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:55,520 You don't do the next level on your own. 503 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:59,640 He says, I'll give you this, now you go, will you help me? 504 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:03,720 And he goes, of course, and you go, Well, then I can do it, and 505 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:06,960 then I'm all in. He goes, I will help you, I will 506 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:09,240 teach you, I will walk with you through the whole thing. 507 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:15,400 Verse 16 and 17. He who had received the five 508 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,520 talents went at once and traded with them, and made five talents 509 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:20,080 more. So also he who had the two 510 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:23,920 talents made two talents more. Look at what the faithful 511 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:25,520 servant does. He goes at once. 512 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:27,880 He knows the masters going on a long journey. 513 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:32,160 How long does he wait? That's what we all did, right? 514 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,560 Whenever professors would assign us a paper, you all started on 515 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:37,080 it right away. It's like this is going to be 516 00:26:37,120 --> 00:26:40,880 this is due in six months. But he told us all to get 517 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:42,800 started right away. And that's what everybody went 518 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:45,560 home that very first night. They're like, I'm going to get a 519 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:51,120 great start on this thing. That's what I did till I dropped 520 00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:57,360 out of college right away. The faithful servant gets to it. 521 00:26:57,360 --> 00:26:59,280 He did not wait, he did not delay. 522 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:02,200 That's something that we see about the diligent and now is 523 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:05,000 the time to start, not later. Well, it's not due until what's 524 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,040 that got to do anything. I want to be fruitful. 525 00:27:07,360 --> 00:27:09,800 I want to be fruitful. I'm not looking to do to do the 526 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:11,960 minimums. I'm not looking to just not get 527 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,640 caught. I'm looking to do the maximums. 528 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:18,720 It's the approach that I talk about going for the gold medal 529 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:22,680 instead of like, I'd like to compete in this sport compared 530 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,800 to the way an Olympic athlete trains. 531 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:29,520 They want the gold medal. Nobody's training for bronze, 532 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:33,440 nobody's training for silver. They're doing the maximums with 533 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:36,080 everything they can think of. They're thinking about their 534 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:38,720 sleep, they're thinking about their nutrition, they're 535 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,760 thinking about their stretching, they're thinking about the music 536 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:47,080 they listen to in their warm up. Everything is deliberate because 537 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:48,920 they were like, what is going to do the Mac? 538 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:52,520 Can I get 1% out of this? Then I'm going to do it. 539 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:55,440 Can I get 1% out of that? Then I'm going to do it. 540 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:57,040 They're trying to do the maximums. 541 00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:59,200 The faithful servant is saying I want to do the maximums. 542 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:02,080 I want to be the most fruitful. I want to be the most faithful 543 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:05,160 that I can be to him. Our master's been gone for 2000 544 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:09,400 years, but he is returning. One thing about lazy workers. 545 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:11,320 Lazy workers love when the boss is gone. 546 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,560 Lazy workers love when the boss is out of the office or when the 547 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,880 boss leaves the job site and like, cool, I'm glad he's gone. 548 00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:19,800 Diligent workers don't care where the boss is. 549 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:23,200 Boss is here, boss is there, boss is gone. 550 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:26,440 Boss is like, they don't care. Like, hey, boss, what are you 551 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:28,440 doing? Same thing I was working, you 552 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,160 know, like I'm just, I'm just doing what I'm supposed to be 553 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,800 doing all the time. The cat's away. 554 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:37,040 This mouse isn't going to play. I'm going to continue to just be 555 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:39,760 faithful and do what I got to do because I'm not working on a man 556 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:41,800 anyway. I'm working under the Lord. 557 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:44,000 So what Scripture tells Christians how to work? 558 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:47,240 So I'm going to keep working for the Lord and I'm going to be 559 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:50,800 pleasing to him. Diligent workers are happy to 560 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,840 show their results. The third servant, though, is 561 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:55,120 the only one who never did anything. 562 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,360 So the diligent right away, I'm going right away. 563 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,160 All right, I'm going to go. What investment looks good? 564 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:03,440 What properties could I go and buy and sell with the masters 565 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,200 money? I could do this, I could do 566 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:07,080 that, I could do this. And he's multiplied the money by 567 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,720 the time the master returns, he goes, I'm excited. 568 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:12,920 I've been waiting. I've been waiting for you to get 569 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:14,520 back. The other servant. 570 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:18,360 He's been dreading the masters return The whole time he's since 571 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:20,680 the master left. He's had nothing but dread and 572 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:22,720 fear. I hope the master doesn't come 573 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:24,400 back today. Is he going to be mad at me? 574 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:26,160 Is he going to be mad at me? Is he going to be mad at me? 575 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:28,600 Yes. Yes. 576 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:32,320 You're a wicked and lazy and unfaithful. 577 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:34,720 You haven't multiplied. You haven't increased. 578 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:37,600 He will not be pleased with you and you know it. 579 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:40,920 Which is why you feel the fear. Which is why you dread his 580 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:43,440 return instead of looking forward to it with great joy. 581 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:48,400 The best time to start your obedience is immediately it's 582 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:52,520 right now who said it the best time to plant an oak tree was 50 583 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:59,240 years ago next best time today this is the best time to start 584 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:03,760 your obedience right now. I'm not a, I'm not afraid to use 585 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:07,680 the calendar to my advantage. Some people are really cynical 586 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:09,960 about New Year's resolutions, like, oh, I don't it's just a 587 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:14,200 day on the calendar. OK, I suppose technically that's 588 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:17,680 true. And also I'll take any excuse I 589 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:19,840 can to reboot. I'll take any excuse I can to 590 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:22,440 level up. I'll take any excuse I can to to 591 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:25,920 take a step forward. So sure, January is a good a 592 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:27,240 time as any. It is a new year. 593 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:31,480 Why not do a new thing? And even more so as a church. 594 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:33,200 I mean, that is deliberately what we're doing. 595 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:35,240 And that is very much what I'm calling you to and inviting you 596 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:37,880 to as your pastor to say, let's step into this thing. 597 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:41,240 Like pick 2 new habits that are going to bless your life and you 598 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:43,400 go, you know what? That's a little bit of a 599 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:46,320 challenge for sure, but there's also real fruit there. 600 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:48,760 This is doable. And let's normalize this thing 601 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:50,560 so that six months from now you're like, I need another 602 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:53,320 worksheet that's like brushing my teeth. 603 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:55,840 I need another way to grow. I need another way to think 604 00:30:56,040 --> 00:31:00,000 about how I can level up, another way, how I can boost my 605 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:03,080 obedience and faithfulness and fruitfulness so that Jesus gets 606 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:10,120 more pleasure from me. Verse 18 But he who had received 607 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:14,120 the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's 608 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:15,600 money. So in the ancient world, 609 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:17,080 remember I've taught you all this before. 610 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:19,960 That was your, that was the place you would hide something 611 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:21,120 important. There was no bank. 612 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,600 There was no safe deposit box. There was no safe in your house. 613 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:25,440 Like a foreign army start. Y'all hear that? 614 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:27,680 A foreign army is like coming and it's 100 miles away. 615 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,080 You're going to go out somewhere in the wilderness where your 616 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:32,480 neighbors don't see you, and you're going to bury the 617 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:34,360 treasures of your home. You're going to take like any 618 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,400 gold that you have. It's going to be a tiny amount 619 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:39,240 for most folks. Any treasure, any Ruby, any gym 620 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,040 that's been in your family for generations, you're going to put 621 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:43,840 it in a clay pot. You're going to dig, you're 622 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:45,120 going to bury, you're going to cover it. 623 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:47,840 And then if you'll have to evacuate when foreign armies 624 00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:51,680 come, you're going to hopefully be able to return at some point 625 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:54,480 some years from now or whatever the case may be, and dig up your 626 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:56,200 thing and you still have your valuables. 627 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:58,400 So that's the idea. Like, why would he bury this 628 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:00,960 wealth in the ground? That's why. 629 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,080 Because that was a normal thing that they would have done. 630 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:06,840 So he buries it in the ground. It's a common safety practice. 631 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:12,120 But what do we notice here? He takes action, but it's just 632 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:15,400 not the right action. I mean, digging is hard. 633 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:20,360 We all know digging is no fun. He was active, but he wasn't 634 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:23,920 fruitful. He was busy, but he was not 635 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,160 faithful. I'm super busy. 636 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:27,640 I'm super busy. I'm super busy. 637 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:30,560 That's fine as long as it's on the obedience. 638 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:33,880 If you're super busy about your father's business, then that's 639 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:36,040 good. But if you're just super active 640 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:39,200 on the wrong thing, you're like, I did something, but it's the 641 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,360 wrong thing. He exerted effort. 642 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:45,200 He created labor, but it wasn't what his master wanted. 643 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:48,880 Your activity is not what matters to the Lord. 644 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:52,280 The right activity is what matters to the Lord. 645 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:56,200 So He did a safe thing. He protected it. 646 00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:59,640 But safety was never the goal. Safety was never the 647 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:01,480 expectation. Safety was never the demand. 648 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:04,600 Faithful was the goal. Being busy does not equal being 649 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:07,680 faithful. Being active does not equal 650 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:09,680 being faithful and being fruitful. 651 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:13,400 Verse 19. Now after a long time, the 652 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:17,200 master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 653 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:19,160 That one's as plain as it sounds. 654 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,320 The master is coming back. He is going to settle accounts. 655 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:26,000 You will stand alone before him. And that is the question that 656 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:27,960 all these parables should make you ask. 657 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:31,160 Am I ready? Am I ready for the Master to 658 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:34,040 return today? Will I be able to say, look, 659 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:38,080 Jesus, what will you say if Jesus comes back today and he 660 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:42,240 says, present to me, Present to me your multiplication. 661 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:51,160 Here's the thing, Lord, none of that's going to fly. 662 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:55,720 I think a lot of people with bad theology and self deception and 663 00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:57,880 demonic deception are going to stand before the Lord on that 664 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:01,440 day and try and make a case and he's going to say, depart from 665 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:02,240 me. I never knew you. 666 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:07,560 The only thing he's going to want to hear is here's what I 667 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:10,239 did. I've been, I've been excited to 668 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:12,040 show you. It hasn't been all I wanted to 669 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:13,760 do. I actually was hoping to do 670 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:16,960 more. I wanted to accomplish more, but 671 00:34:17,679 --> 00:34:20,080 I was often foolish and weak and wasteful. 672 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:22,719 But I have multiplied. I have grown. 673 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:26,320 Can you say I have multiplied? I have grown what you've given 674 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:30,560 me, Lord. If not, this parable is quite 675 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:32,880 shocking. What do I do? 676 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:35,800 The same thing we always talk about that we always have to do. 677 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:39,960 Repent, believe the gospel and run to the cross. 678 00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:43,400 Ask God for help and humble yourself, but be honest about 679 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:47,239 where you actually are. Man, if we could get the pews of 680 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:51,000 America to be honest about where they actually are instead of 681 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:53,639 being comforted by the fact that they are the pews of America, 682 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:58,000 instead of being comforted by the fact that I read my Bible a 683 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:00,240 lot. That's not fruitfulness to show 684 00:35:00,240 --> 00:35:02,440 the Lord. Lord, I have more knowledge than 685 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:04,560 I've ever had. That will not be a measurement 686 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:07,920 that he uses. I know more stuff than I ever 687 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:10,720 knew. I was only in the best churches. 688 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:14,240 I I listen to the best sermons. That won't be fruit. 689 00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:17,040 That's leaves on the tree, but that's not fruit. 690 00:35:17,720 --> 00:35:21,120 Fruit is actual things that make a difference in the world. 691 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:24,880 Fruit is people's lives. Fruit is Kingdom impact. 692 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:29,680 Your personal knowledge and self pleasure with spiritual things 693 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:31,920 is not fruitfulness that the Lord will measure. 694 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:35,000 It's not evil for any of those things to happen. 695 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,400 But those things are supposed to lead to something. 696 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:39,920 Because if you really are full of the Word of God, if you 697 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:43,120 really are full of the Spirit of God, you will automatically be 698 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:46,400 bearing fruit for God. So you can't have the first 699 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,920 without the ladder. The master is coming back. 700 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:52,040 These parables make us ask that question. 701 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:56,440 Am I really ready? Verse 20 And he who had received 702 00:35:56,440 --> 00:36:01,400 the five talents came forward bringing 5 talents more, saying, 703 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:05,120 Master, you delivered to me 5 talents here, I've made five 704 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:07,240 talents more. His master said to him, Well 705 00:36:07,240 --> 00:36:15,160 done, good and faithful servant. The faithful servant is excited 706 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:16,360 to show the master what he's done. 707 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:19,600 He's not dreading his return. And his joy was proven through 708 00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:21,920 his diligent labor. He believed his master was 709 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:24,320 returning without knowing when, and he prepared. 710 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:28,240 And then the master said to him, Well done, good and faithful 711 00:36:28,240 --> 00:36:30,040 servant. You have been faithful over a 712 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:31,440 little. I will set you over much. 713 00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:34,760 Enter into the joy of your master, who here is well done, 714 00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:37,200 good and faithful servant. It's not everybody. 715 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:41,440 Whoever existed, it's not everybody who dies. 716 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:43,880 Like a lot of preachers are liars. 717 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:48,120 They lie at funerals all the time. 718 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:50,680 It's hard. You want to you're you're 719 00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:53,600 looking at these families that you love, but sometimes you're 720 00:36:53,600 --> 00:37:00,080 like, it's difficult, but you have to be honest and you can't 721 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:02,680 say, oh, right now, so and so is here and well done, good and 722 00:37:02,680 --> 00:37:05,120 faithful servant. Like I'm not Jesus. 723 00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:08,360 I don't pass that out. That's not mine to assign. 724 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:12,920 I can judge fruit, though. If there's fruit, I love to talk 725 00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:14,880 about the fruit. And if there's not fruit, you 726 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:17,160 know what I do? I focus on comforting those who 727 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,400 are here. I don't have a lot to say 728 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:21,000 necessarily. If I don't know a lot about the 729 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:24,560 fruits, they're in God's hands, not mine. 730 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:26,720 I'm not putting them in heaven. I'm not putting them in hell. 731 00:37:26,720 --> 00:37:30,880 They are where they are by God's grace and no matter what, by 732 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:36,560 God's justice, well done, good and faithful servants. 733 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,880 I don't think everybody hears that, but I think everybody's 734 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:45,720 supposed to hear that. But Jesus only gave 2 categories 735 00:37:45,720 --> 00:37:48,120 in this parable. There's the obedient, well done, 736 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:51,040 good and faithful servant, and there is hell forever. 737 00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:55,800 But what got well done, good and faithful servant? 738 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:57,840 A multiplier. That was it. 739 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:04,080 A multiplier who actually increased what the Lord gave. 740 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:15,400 I'm running short on time, so I'm trying to figure out how to 741 00:38:30,550 --> 00:38:32,470 the good news that we're supposed to be excited about 742 00:38:32,470 --> 00:38:35,750 here. I, I know this parable 743 00:38:36,190 --> 00:38:38,990 rightfully puts the fear of God and knows who it should put the 744 00:38:38,990 --> 00:38:41,430 fear of God in. It puts the fear of God in 745 00:38:41,430 --> 00:38:43,790 everybody. But there's a, there's another 746 00:38:43,790 --> 00:38:45,790 group who's excited when they hear this parable and they go, 747 00:38:46,230 --> 00:38:48,390 that sounds good. That's good news for me. 748 00:38:49,110 --> 00:38:51,070 There's some of you who are like, this is good news. 749 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:54,400 I'm hearing about increase coming my way and I'm hearing 750 00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:57,960 about the Lord being pleased and telling me to enter into his 751 00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:00,160 joy. That is supposed to be the great 752 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:02,640 motivator here. There's increase to be given for 753 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:05,240 multiplication. Not just I want to avoid 754 00:39:05,240 --> 00:39:07,680 punishment, but I want to please the Master and I want to 755 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:11,160 experience more reward. So the Master does that. 756 00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:13,600 The Master says enter into the my joy. 757 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:17,640 Faithful obedience leads to more glory and more joy. 758 00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:22,720 Verse 22 he also the two talents came forward. 759 00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:26,720 His master said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. 760 00:39:26,720 --> 00:39:27,720 You've been faithful for a little while. 761 00:39:27,720 --> 00:39:30,520 I'll set you over much. Enter into the joy of your 762 00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:32,280 master. Notice the two talent servant 763 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:35,120 gets the exact same reward even though he has a lesser amount to 764 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:39,280 show for it because the reward is not based on the amount. 765 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:41,760 The reward is based upon obedience. 766 00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:45,000 This reveals the masters perfect fairness and his constant 767 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:46,840 justice. God is fair. 768 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:51,160 You're judged according to your baselines, not to mine, not to 769 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:52,840 your neighbors, not to anybody else's. 770 00:39:53,280 --> 00:39:55,480 You're well able to obey what you're called to obey. 771 00:39:56,400 --> 00:40:01,480 Verse 24 He also who received the one talent came forward 772 00:40:01,480 --> 00:40:06,520 saying, Master, I knew you to be a hard man, sowing where you did 773 00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:08,840 not, or reaping where you did not sow, gathering where you 774 00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:11,960 scattered no seed. So I was afraid and I went and 775 00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:17,040 hid your talent in the ground. Here, have what is yours, One 776 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:19,040 theologian said. The foolish virgins. 777 00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:21,800 Their error was that they thought their job was too easy, 778 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:23,800 so they didn't take it seriously. 779 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:29,400 This man thought his job was too hard, so he gave up. 780 00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:34,400 Both responses are unacceptable. Oh, this is not that big of a 781 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:35,680 deal. It's a happy wedding day. 782 00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:37,880 Oh, we ran out of oil, we can sort it out. 783 00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:40,720 No, you can't. It was a big deal to the groom 784 00:40:41,720 --> 00:40:43,520 and this guy though. This is so hard. 785 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:45,360 And what does he do? His master returns, and he 786 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:47,200 begins greeting his master with insults. 787 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:51,600 It's your fault, actually, Master. 788 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:54,080 I knew you're hard. I know you're difficult to 789 00:40:54,080 --> 00:40:56,400 please. I know you're so holy and set 790 00:40:56,400 --> 00:40:58,680 apart and different. You have such high standards for 791 00:40:58,680 --> 00:41:01,360 us, and you always require so much of us. 792 00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:04,880 You are good at digging. You're digging your own grave 793 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:08,160 right now. Continue to insult the master 794 00:41:08,160 --> 00:41:09,960 who you did nothing for while he was gone. 795 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:14,800 So here's what I did. I was afraid so now he seeks 796 00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:18,080 pity. I know you're so harsh and awful 797 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:22,040 and I was so scared. Please have pity on me. 798 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:26,080 It doesn't go the way he thought it was going to go. 799 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:28,960 He had his excuse planned out and the Lord didn't care about 800 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:31,680 his excuse. The excuse did not meet the 801 00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:35,760 Lord's standard at all. God does not reward self pity. 802 00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:40,400 God hates self pity. I've reminded my children that 803 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:43,120 especially when they were little, whenever you would see a 804 00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:45,320 child feel sorry for themselves, one of the best things I ever 805 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:47,200 did for them as a father, I would say, hey, buddy, look at 806 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:50,800 me, look at me. Nobody feels sorry for you. 807 00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:53,160 That was kind of a jarring thing. 808 00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:56,120 And then I would show them love still, which that was love by 809 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:57,680 the way. I would still find other ways to 810 00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:00,120 show them tenderness, but I had to break self pity. 811 00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:03,680 Self pity is disgusting. We hate it in one another, but 812 00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:05,640 in ourselves it just feels comforting. 813 00:42:05,920 --> 00:42:09,080 It's just a blanket. I've been there, you've been 814 00:42:09,080 --> 00:42:11,880 there. Self pity is a strange, 815 00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:14,720 comforting thing, but it does not serve us well and it does 816 00:42:14,720 --> 00:42:17,720 not please the Lord. So anyone who's feeling sorry 817 00:42:17,720 --> 00:42:20,760 for themselves, yes, for a child, a young child, sometimes 818 00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:24,880 that jarring that, that cold slap in the face is the exact 819 00:42:24,880 --> 00:42:26,360 thing we need. Sometimes that's exactly what we 820 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:30,840 need. We still need compassion, but we 821 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:33,880 cannot be pitied. We have to be trained. 822 00:42:34,560 --> 00:42:38,560 We have to be called higher. We have to be corrected. 823 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:42,200 Self pity does not serve you in your Christian walk. 824 00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:45,240 Pity from others does not serve you and your Christian will. 825 00:42:45,240 --> 00:42:48,080 Compassion will, but compassion will also call you higher. 826 00:42:48,760 --> 00:42:52,920 God does not reward excessive caution or paralysis by fear. 827 00:42:53,080 --> 00:42:54,520 I don't know what to do, so I did. 828 00:42:54,520 --> 00:42:57,360 Nothing is actually, we can see, not safe in the Kingdom. 829 00:42:57,720 --> 00:42:59,280 This guy thought he was playing it safe. 830 00:42:59,280 --> 00:43:02,400 He did nothing but nothing. Nothing to play it safe. 831 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:04,440 Playing it safe is multiplying and obeying. 832 00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:06,800 That's what the Lord wants, master. 833 00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:08,840 I mean, show the master the effort you took. 834 00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:11,360 I bought this field and I did that field, and I made a mistake 835 00:43:11,360 --> 00:43:13,640 and that one turned upside down and I lost all your money. 836 00:43:13,960 --> 00:43:15,600 I wonder how that parable would have gone like. 837 00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:19,080 I tried something. I tried, I tried. 838 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:21,080 I thought that was a good deal. And then it turned out like this 839 00:43:21,080 --> 00:43:23,400 and I lost some money and I only have this amount. 840 00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:29,920 All right, next time, talk to the other guys and they'll help 841 00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:31,880 you figure it out. That that was me and Natalie. 842 00:43:31,880 --> 00:43:34,520 Master, we're swiping money and we need a financial miracle. 843 00:43:34,520 --> 00:43:35,720 We don't know where the money's going. 844 00:43:35,720 --> 00:43:37,320 And the bank, the bank's so evil. 845 00:43:37,320 --> 00:43:38,840 They keep hitting us with these fees. 846 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:41,560 The devil's. The devil's coming after us. 847 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:43,760 Master. It's the devil at work. 848 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:46,840 He's working overtime. Devil gets too much credit. 849 00:43:46,840 --> 00:43:51,440 Sometimes it's just the devil fighting against me. 850 00:43:55,080 --> 00:43:58,920 The Lord expects His church to have an ambitious, faith filled, 851 00:43:58,920 --> 00:44:02,680 growth oriented posture. Fear based inactivity is 852 00:44:02,680 --> 00:44:05,440 condemned in the Kingdom of God. God does not want a fearful 853 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:06,880 people. If He tells you that's the 854 00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:08,240 promised land, you're going to go take it. 855 00:44:08,360 --> 00:44:10,320 He expects you to go into the promised land and take it. 856 00:44:10,520 --> 00:44:13,200 And when you send scouts in and they come back and say we are 857 00:44:13,200 --> 00:44:15,560 well able to take the land, the Lord is pleased. 858 00:44:15,560 --> 00:44:19,720 But when they come back and they say there's giants in this land 859 00:44:19,720 --> 00:44:23,000 and we're like grasshoppers to them, this is not going to go 860 00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:24,120 well. The Lord's not pleased with 861 00:44:24,120 --> 00:44:26,360 that. Is it factually true that there 862 00:44:26,360 --> 00:44:28,200 are giants in the land? Yes, it is. 863 00:44:28,720 --> 00:44:31,160 That is truth. We're not denying that. 864 00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:34,280 But you're pretending as though that truth somehow supersedes 865 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:36,480 the truth that the Lord said. We're we're well able to take 866 00:44:36,480 --> 00:44:38,440 the land. God hates that. 867 00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:41,520 And now you're going to be punished and none of you are 868 00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:42,880 actually going to go into the promised land. 869 00:44:42,880 --> 00:44:45,640 This whole generation is going to die off and none of you will 870 00:44:45,640 --> 00:44:47,960 see the promised land because of your doubt and unbelief. 871 00:44:49,360 --> 00:44:52,240 He is serious about faith. And God really hates fear. 872 00:44:53,040 --> 00:44:56,680 Oh, I feel fearful. Take it to the Lord and humble 873 00:44:56,680 --> 00:44:58,280 repentance. God, I feel afraid. 874 00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:00,720 I give it to you, Oh Lord, bring it out of me. 875 00:45:00,840 --> 00:45:03,080 Work it out of me. That's what real prayer looks 876 00:45:03,080 --> 00:45:05,640 like, Saints. That's what real prayer looks 877 00:45:05,640 --> 00:45:11,600 like, a humbleness, A faithfulness, A dependency. 878 00:45:11,800 --> 00:45:13,920 And the Lord says, oh, you're asking for help, I'll do. 879 00:45:13,920 --> 00:45:16,120 I can do that. You feel afraid when you see the 880 00:45:16,120 --> 00:45:18,400 giants in the land. OK, bring it to me. 881 00:45:18,400 --> 00:45:21,280 Don't take it back to Israel. Don't take it back and spread 882 00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:24,040 fear among the people. Don't take it back and spread 883 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:26,400 fear among the Saints. Bring it to me. 884 00:45:26,720 --> 00:45:29,520 I can recalibrate your heart. I can help you. 885 00:45:33,320 --> 00:45:35,960 No excuse is going to stand before the Lord on the Judgement 886 00:45:35,960 --> 00:45:38,720 Day. Fear of doing it wrong is not an 887 00:45:38,720 --> 00:45:43,760 acceptable reason to disobey. Because remember, God has 888 00:45:43,760 --> 00:45:45,560 already accounted for your ability. 889 00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:49,760 So I was afraid that I couldn't. Well, that's another judgement 890 00:45:49,760 --> 00:45:50,880 you just made against the Master. 891 00:45:50,880 --> 00:45:53,720 You said he chose poorly with the investment he made in you. 892 00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:57,120 Others are doing it. Others are being obedient. 893 00:45:57,240 --> 00:45:58,600 There's a way you can be obedient. 894 00:45:59,040 --> 00:46:01,560 Other Christians have done this throughout history, Joe Michael, 895 00:46:01,920 --> 00:46:04,320 there's probably a way you can obey this command right now. 896 00:46:04,720 --> 00:46:06,280 I know you think you're in a tough spot. 897 00:46:06,600 --> 00:46:08,240 I know you think you're in a tough moment. 898 00:46:08,720 --> 00:46:11,600 But I'm just going to remind you, buddy, other Christians 899 00:46:11,600 --> 00:46:14,160 have had it harder than you, Joe Michael, and they've been 900 00:46:14,160 --> 00:46:16,920 faithful. Other Christians have navigated 901 00:46:16,920 --> 00:46:19,880 difficult stuff. Your problem, usually Joe 902 00:46:19,880 --> 00:46:23,040 Michael, is you're doing it on Joe Michael's strength and you 903 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:28,000 feel like a failure because you are and you always will be when 904 00:46:28,000 --> 00:46:29,440 you try and do it apart from him. 905 00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:33,640 But if you can be a humble Christian who leans on the Lord 906 00:46:33,640 --> 00:46:36,400 and depends upon his power, the rest is history. 907 00:46:37,280 --> 00:46:40,480 He gets involved and he starts flexing good news. 908 00:46:40,480 --> 00:46:44,440 God has a pounded for God has accounted for my ability and God 909 00:46:44,440 --> 00:46:47,560 has accounted for my stupidity. What a relief. 910 00:46:48,680 --> 00:46:51,400 God expects a return. The Lord did not save you just 911 00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:54,080 for you. He saved you for fruitfulness. 912 00:46:54,320 --> 00:46:58,240 He saved you for others. The question is not did you 913 00:46:58,240 --> 00:46:59,880 waste the talent in this parable? 914 00:46:59,880 --> 00:47:02,760 That's not the concern here. The question is not did you 915 00:47:02,760 --> 00:47:04,120 waste it? The question is, did you 916 00:47:04,120 --> 00:47:08,080 multiply it? Are you the same Christian that 917 00:47:08,080 --> 00:47:12,400 you were or did you multiply? Are you the same husband or did 918 00:47:12,400 --> 00:47:15,040 you multiply? Are you the same father or did 919 00:47:15,040 --> 00:47:17,080 you multiply? Are you the same wife? 920 00:47:17,400 --> 00:47:20,200 Are you the same mother? Are you the same church member? 921 00:47:20,360 --> 00:47:23,720 Are you the same staff member? Are you the same son or 922 00:47:23,720 --> 00:47:26,760 daughter? The faithful are eager to look 923 00:47:26,760 --> 00:47:31,480 at the Master and say, look, I multiplied by your grace with 924 00:47:31,480 --> 00:47:32,760 your help. I mean, you gave the gift to 925 00:47:32,760 --> 00:47:36,720 begin with and you help me with your wisdom to multiply, and I'm 926 00:47:36,720 --> 00:47:39,240 so happy to present it to you. This was my assignment. 927 00:47:39,480 --> 00:47:43,960 This was my requirement. I'm happy to show you. 928 00:47:43,960 --> 00:47:50,280 Lord verse 26. His master answered him. 929 00:47:50,280 --> 00:47:53,600 You wicked and slothful servant, You knew I reap or I have not 930 00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:55,000 sown. He just takes his own logic. 931 00:47:55,600 --> 00:47:57,080 Oh, is that what you think about me? 932 00:47:57,360 --> 00:48:00,280 Is that how I am? Well then, by your own logic, 933 00:48:00,280 --> 00:48:02,080 with your own words, you're condemned. 934 00:48:02,920 --> 00:48:05,080 You know that I reap where I don't sow, I gather where I 935 00:48:05,080 --> 00:48:05,920 scatter. No seed. 936 00:48:06,120 --> 00:48:09,240 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and 937 00:48:09,240 --> 00:48:11,240 at my coming I should have received what was my own, with 938 00:48:11,240 --> 00:48:14,000 interests at least. Might not have doubled it, but 939 00:48:14,000 --> 00:48:15,120 I'd have gotten something for it. 940 00:48:15,680 --> 00:48:18,880 Take the talent from him and give it to the one with 10 941 00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:22,240 talents. He's condemned by his own words. 942 00:48:22,240 --> 00:48:24,160 The master exposes his flawed logic. 943 00:48:24,160 --> 00:48:26,400 His own reasoning shows that he's failed. 944 00:48:26,760 --> 00:48:29,840 Minimal effort would have been better than none, but fear 945 00:48:29,840 --> 00:48:32,560 driven activity is labeled wicked and slothful. 946 00:48:33,800 --> 00:48:36,920 You've heard it said that you know whenever you're aiming 947 00:48:36,920 --> 00:48:40,000 something, it's ready fire or ready. 948 00:48:40,000 --> 00:48:42,520 Sorry, I was describing my personality. 949 00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:49,120 It's ready aim. Fire is the traditional, right? 950 00:48:49,520 --> 00:48:53,720 But there are some folks who tend towards ready, aim, aim, 951 00:48:54,120 --> 00:48:59,680 aim, aim, aim. I don't know, aim. 952 00:48:59,680 --> 00:49:04,640 And then you got some folks fire, bang. 953 00:49:04,640 --> 00:49:05,800 All right, Now I see where it went. 954 00:49:05,800 --> 00:49:09,600 Now I can adjust. Fire, fire, fire. 955 00:49:09,640 --> 00:49:15,160 Let's get after it. One of those, one of those is 956 00:49:15,160 --> 00:49:17,000 more pleasing to the Lord. So you're like, oh, my 957 00:49:17,000 --> 00:49:18,320 personality doesn't tend to us that way. 958 00:49:18,320 --> 00:49:21,640 Then you better shift something because the Lord is not pleased 959 00:49:21,640 --> 00:49:22,960 with aim. Aim. 960 00:49:23,120 --> 00:49:25,960 I was afraid and I was worried, and I didn't want to do anything 961 00:49:25,960 --> 00:49:27,640 wrong. Well, welcome to life. 962 00:49:28,800 --> 00:49:30,400 Remember that there is grace for you. 963 00:49:30,400 --> 00:49:33,040 Yes. Do you remember that there is a 964 00:49:33,040 --> 00:49:35,360 King who is loving and merciful and forgiving? 965 00:49:35,520 --> 00:49:36,960 Is your motive right? Well, yeah. 966 00:49:36,960 --> 00:49:39,320 My motive is pure. Then take action. 967 00:49:39,840 --> 00:49:42,240 Take action as you're led by the Holy Spirit. 968 00:49:42,240 --> 00:49:44,600 But take action. I'm afraid it won't go right. 969 00:49:44,600 --> 00:49:46,240 Have you forgotten that there is a God in heaven? 970 00:49:47,040 --> 00:49:49,880 Do you think that you're him? Do you remember that you have a 971 00:49:49,880 --> 00:49:51,600 shepherd? Then do something. 972 00:49:51,800 --> 00:49:55,000 Take action. Everything involves risk. 973 00:49:55,560 --> 00:49:57,920 Everything. Everything. 974 00:49:58,280 --> 00:50:01,760 Every man in the room, every married man knows want to marry 975 00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:03,920 the girl. I don't want to get shot down. 976 00:50:03,920 --> 00:50:05,720 What are you going to do? You got to do something. 977 00:50:06,080 --> 00:50:08,520 You got to make a move. You got to speak up. 978 00:50:09,000 --> 00:50:11,960 You have to make the connection. It's going to cost something. 979 00:50:12,280 --> 00:50:18,840 It's going to cost ego in that in that case, risk is a part of 980 00:50:18,840 --> 00:50:22,280 life. And if you feel afraid, if your 981 00:50:22,280 --> 00:50:24,880 body still feels afraid, if you still feel tension, then do it 982 00:50:24,880 --> 00:50:28,880 afraid, but do something because the Lord will help you. 983 00:50:29,000 --> 00:50:33,680 The Lord will strengthen you. This is the opposite of human 984 00:50:33,680 --> 00:50:34,760 thinking. What happens here? 985 00:50:35,320 --> 00:50:38,320 Take the guy who has nothing, take from him and give it to the 986 00:50:38,320 --> 00:50:39,880 guy who has everything. This is the opposite of 987 00:50:39,880 --> 00:50:42,800 communism. The Lord is not a communist. 988 00:50:43,240 --> 00:50:46,000 The Lord takes from the unfaithful and he gives to the 989 00:50:46,000 --> 00:50:47,040 faithful. Why? 990 00:50:47,040 --> 00:50:49,880 Because he's a smart investor. He's like, that was a bad 991 00:50:49,880 --> 00:50:51,960 investment. I'm pulling all my funds out of 992 00:50:51,960 --> 00:50:54,840 there and I'm putting them here. That's not taking money from 993 00:50:54,840 --> 00:50:58,240 people and giving it to other people in the in the same way. 994 00:50:58,480 --> 00:51:00,720 But he takes from the unfaithful and he gives to the faithful. 995 00:51:01,720 --> 00:51:03,280 You're not useful, you're not reliable. 996 00:51:03,280 --> 00:51:06,600 He calls him worthless. Jesus calls people worthless. 997 00:51:08,920 --> 00:51:12,320 It's not a recommendation for us to do so, but at the master can 998 00:51:12,320 --> 00:51:14,400 certainly make his determinations however he wants 999 00:51:14,400 --> 00:51:18,400 to of his slaves. He's a wise investor. 1000 00:51:18,400 --> 00:51:22,040 So he plays his resources where they bring return in glory. 1001 00:51:22,040 --> 00:51:23,640 Chris and Kayla, we're going to wait till next week. 1002 00:51:25,720 --> 00:51:33,600 We're closing y'all. We're not closing with a a great 1003 00:51:33,600 --> 00:51:36,360 deal of encouragement, but we're closing the way Jesus closed. 1004 00:51:38,600 --> 00:51:43,640 Take from the one who has not, oh, but from the one who has not 1005 00:51:43,640 --> 00:51:45,160 even what he has will be taken away. 1006 00:51:45,600 --> 00:51:48,160 So even though I didn't multiply and didn't do anything with it, 1007 00:51:48,160 --> 00:51:53,800 what's taken away from me? Whatever he gave me, and then 1008 00:51:53,800 --> 00:51:57,640 what happens with me? And cast the worthless servant 1009 00:51:57,640 --> 00:52:00,720 into the outer darkness, and that place there will be weeping 1010 00:52:00,880 --> 00:52:03,520 and gnashing of teeth. This is hell. 1011 00:52:03,880 --> 00:52:08,480 This man is cast into hell. A7 year old would know that 1012 00:52:08,480 --> 00:52:11,960 reading their Bible. This is separation from God 1013 00:52:11,960 --> 00:52:13,800 forever. He doesn't rebuke him and say 1014 00:52:13,800 --> 00:52:16,800 hey, next trip, next time. Why? 1015 00:52:16,800 --> 00:52:18,320 Because he's talking about the Lord's return. 1016 00:52:19,240 --> 00:52:22,200 The end is the end. Many people have experienced the 1017 00:52:22,200 --> 00:52:25,120 end and they just found out on their deathbed, and then they 1018 00:52:25,120 --> 00:52:28,000 thought they just had a terrible, terrible, terrible, 1019 00:52:28,920 --> 00:52:32,520 unexpected end because they get before the Lord or they or they 1020 00:52:32,640 --> 00:52:34,840 immediately start descending into hell and they're going. 1021 00:52:34,840 --> 00:52:36,600 What? What? 1022 00:52:37,200 --> 00:52:39,680 No, no, no, no, no. Oh. 1023 00:52:39,840 --> 00:52:41,200 What evidence would you point to? 1024 00:52:41,200 --> 00:52:43,560 What fruit would you point to? Well, I was saved. 1025 00:52:43,960 --> 00:52:47,120 OK, So what fruit was there of the salvation? 1026 00:52:47,840 --> 00:52:49,280 Well, I don't know that I've got a lot of fruit. 1027 00:52:49,480 --> 00:52:55,200 You mean to tell me the living God, the all powerful Lord Jesus 1028 00:52:55,200 --> 00:52:58,640 Christ, saved you and made you a new creation? 1029 00:52:59,720 --> 00:53:03,360 Yes, and you have nothing to show for it. 1030 00:53:05,240 --> 00:53:07,600 This Jesus that you're describing sounds pathetic to 1031 00:53:07,600 --> 00:53:08,960 me. I'll be honest. 1032 00:53:11,000 --> 00:53:14,800 How pathetic must this God be that so-called gave you a new 1033 00:53:14,800 --> 00:53:18,200 identity and that there's no fruit to go along with your new 1034 00:53:18,200 --> 00:53:21,880 identity? Well, I've been new look, but 1035 00:53:21,880 --> 00:53:23,520 for those who are new in the Lord and they're like, well, 1036 00:53:23,520 --> 00:53:25,840 I've been in the Lord for like 5 minutes, like, OK, we're like, 1037 00:53:25,840 --> 00:53:27,400 we'll allow babies to grow and mature. 1038 00:53:27,400 --> 00:53:29,360 That's a normal process of sanctification. 1039 00:53:30,080 --> 00:53:33,440 But but there are many who don't have that story at all and 1040 00:53:33,600 --> 00:53:34,920 they're going to be in for a shock. 1041 00:53:35,720 --> 00:53:37,920 And that's my job is to prevent that shock. 1042 00:53:38,320 --> 00:53:40,320 My job is to say that's unnecessary. 1043 00:53:40,520 --> 00:53:44,640 But you must face reality and not applaud yourself for leaves. 1044 00:53:45,280 --> 00:53:48,960 But always judge by fruit. This is your soul. 1045 00:53:52,440 --> 00:53:57,960 It's mostly your responsibility. It's partially mine, which is 1046 00:53:57,960 --> 00:54:01,080 why I'm scared of Jesus, which is why I tell you the truth 1047 00:54:01,080 --> 00:54:04,920 about this stuff. Michael, this is hard to receive 1048 00:54:04,920 --> 00:54:06,800 because I haven't heard it preached this way before. 1049 00:54:07,080 --> 00:54:10,200 That's a fairpoint. And also go to the book. 1050 00:54:10,720 --> 00:54:14,040 Like, This is why there's no fancy footwork up here, because 1051 00:54:14,040 --> 00:54:16,040 I know these things are hard to hear if you've never heard them 1052 00:54:16,040 --> 00:54:19,400 before, but we're just taking the Master at his word. 1053 00:54:20,560 --> 00:54:25,000 People will be cast into hell. And it's not because they didn't 1054 00:54:25,000 --> 00:54:26,800 earn a salvation, because they didn't have fruit. 1055 00:54:26,800 --> 00:54:28,520 The point is, they never had salvation. 1056 00:54:28,960 --> 00:54:30,760 They never had salvation. How do you know? 1057 00:54:30,920 --> 00:54:34,480 Because there was no fruit. The fruit doesn't save. 1058 00:54:35,800 --> 00:54:37,680 But if you're saved, you'll have fruit. 1059 00:54:38,480 --> 00:54:40,720 If you don't have fruit, you're not saved. 1060 00:54:41,800 --> 00:54:43,560 New Testament stuff here. That's right. 1061 00:54:44,360 --> 00:54:46,440 Well, I'm, I'm still growing. I'm still. 1062 00:54:46,520 --> 00:54:48,480 Then keep growing. If you're at level 0, you're 1063 00:54:48,480 --> 00:54:50,640 just going to 1 and the Lord's going to do it. 1064 00:54:50,760 --> 00:54:52,480 It's OK. It's OK. 1065 00:54:53,600 --> 00:54:57,640 But if you're at level 8, you're looking to 9, and if you're at 1066 00:54:57,640 --> 00:55:01,320 9, you're looking to 10. That's the normal growth 1067 00:55:01,320 --> 00:55:07,520 pattern. A life with no fruit reveals 1068 00:55:07,600 --> 00:55:11,440 that there is no saving faith, because leaves without fruit, of 1069 00:55:11,440 --> 00:55:14,720 course, are not enough. The servant proves that he was 1070 00:55:14,720 --> 00:55:18,520 never actually a genuine servant, because genuine faith 1071 00:55:18,520 --> 00:55:24,280 produces genuine faithfulness. You are saved by God's grace 1072 00:55:24,520 --> 00:55:27,600 through your faith. And if indeed that miracle of 1073 00:55:27,600 --> 00:55:31,560 new birth has happened in your life, fruit has to follow. 1074 00:55:32,600 --> 00:55:36,520 Fruit will follow conviction that you feel. 1075 00:55:36,520 --> 00:55:42,200 Now, if you're like, I want more fruit, good, good, me too, as 1076 00:55:42,200 --> 00:55:44,360 you should. But what do you do? 1077 00:55:44,360 --> 00:55:45,880 What do you do if you feel despair? 1078 00:55:46,280 --> 00:55:50,520 You run to the cross. You run to the faithful servant, 1079 00:55:51,120 --> 00:55:54,600 the Lord Jesus Christ, the only one who did it perfectly. 1080 00:55:54,600 --> 00:55:57,040 Welcome to the gospel again, Salt Church. 1081 00:55:57,520 --> 00:56:01,040 The good news that we all need every day, every week, every 1082 00:56:01,040 --> 00:56:06,200 time you get crushed by the law of God, as we do it, is intended 1083 00:56:06,200 --> 00:56:08,240 to lead us to the gospel and the grace of God. 1084 00:56:08,560 --> 00:56:10,280 That's too heavy. It's too much for me. 1085 00:56:10,280 --> 00:56:13,600 You're exactly right. But don't stay there. 1086 00:56:14,360 --> 00:56:16,680 Come all the way through. Jesus. 1087 00:56:17,040 --> 00:56:19,880 I really need you. I really want you. 1088 00:56:20,240 --> 00:56:23,080 Will you please help me? I've been fruitless. 1089 00:56:23,640 --> 00:56:25,800 I've been fruitless. Jesus, will you help me? 1090 00:56:26,600 --> 00:56:28,720 I've been. I have not been faithful. 1091 00:56:28,760 --> 00:56:32,360 Jesus, will you help me? Jesus, I need even the want to. 1092 00:56:32,360 --> 00:56:34,440 I don't even want to enough. Will you help me? 1093 00:56:34,640 --> 00:56:36,080 Want to enough? Lord? 1094 00:56:36,560 --> 00:56:38,560 I don't even want to. I feel like I should want to, 1095 00:56:38,560 --> 00:56:41,000 but I don't even want to. I barely want to want to, but I 1096 00:56:41,000 --> 00:56:43,520 don't even want to enough. Can you help me with that, 1097 00:56:43,520 --> 00:56:44,840 Jesus? Yeah, I'll help you with that. 1098 00:56:46,320 --> 00:56:49,000 The way he helps with that is He takes out your Stony heart and 1099 00:56:49,000 --> 00:56:51,360 he puts in a heart of flesh. That's the new birth. 1100 00:56:51,960 --> 00:56:53,360 Because then your desires do change. 1101 00:56:53,360 --> 00:56:55,560 Because if your desires aren't right, that's evidence that the 1102 00:56:55,560 --> 00:56:58,560 Lord actually isn't in you. And if your desires are right, 1103 00:56:58,840 --> 00:57:01,200 then that's when you have to humble yourself in moments of 1104 00:57:01,200 --> 00:57:04,240 conviction, in moments of anointing like this where the 1105 00:57:04,240 --> 00:57:07,200 Lord makes it even easier for you, you better act on it. 1106 00:57:07,440 --> 00:57:10,800 You better do something with it. Oh, this is, this is the most, 1107 00:57:11,080 --> 00:57:13,520 this is the most tender I've felt on this in a long time. 1108 00:57:13,760 --> 00:57:15,040 You better not walk away from it. 1109 00:57:15,040 --> 00:57:17,960 Then you ought to do something with it. 1110 00:57:17,960 --> 00:57:20,440 This is the help from the Lord in this moment, right here, 1111 00:57:20,720 --> 00:57:22,760 right now. But what would that might cost? 1112 00:57:22,760 --> 00:57:24,880 That might cost your ego. The Lord might be telling you 1113 00:57:24,880 --> 00:57:27,560 walk up right here even without an altar call, He might be 1114 00:57:27,560 --> 00:57:29,800 saying walk up front, walk up front. 1115 00:57:30,720 --> 00:57:32,800 I'm not the Holy Spirit. I'm just saying if he is, do it. 1116 00:57:32,800 --> 00:57:35,160 He might be saying Neil, he might be whatever he might be 1117 00:57:35,160 --> 00:57:39,320 say talk to so and so. But but you got to do something 1118 00:57:39,320 --> 00:57:41,800 with it. It's your life, it's your soul. 1119 00:57:41,880 --> 00:57:43,600 I know we're thinking about this afternoon. 1120 00:57:43,600 --> 00:57:44,760 I know we're thinking about the week. 1121 00:57:44,760 --> 00:57:45,960 I know we're thinking about the year. 1122 00:57:45,960 --> 00:57:50,080 I know we're thinking about the next decade, but we got 10,000 1123 00:57:50,080 --> 00:57:51,520 years from now. We really need to be thinking 1124 00:57:51,520 --> 00:57:57,400 about it matters. You matter, God loves you. 1125 00:57:59,480 --> 00:58:02,640 You don't have to die and go to hell, and you don't have to live 1126 00:58:02,640 --> 00:58:05,440 a life on earth that's not a beacon of light for the King. 1127 00:58:06,080 --> 00:58:08,080 You can live a multiplying, fruitful life. 1128 00:58:08,320 --> 00:58:11,880 That's what I'm committed to. And I'm committed to being as 1129 00:58:11,880 --> 00:58:16,240 helpful as I can to you, as loving as shepherdly as I can be 1130 00:58:16,520 --> 00:58:18,840 to you. So you feel blessed, so you feel 1131 00:58:18,840 --> 00:58:22,080 covered, so you feel equipped to do the work of the ministry. 1132 00:58:22,080 --> 00:58:25,560 So we go beyond I'm, I'm unsure about my salvation. 1133 00:58:25,560 --> 00:58:26,800 And we go far beyond that to you. 1134 00:58:26,800 --> 00:58:29,360 Look at you bearing fruit. Look at you multiplying. 1135 00:58:29,360 --> 00:58:31,120 Look what the Lord has done in your life. 1136 00:58:33,160 --> 00:58:35,960 I can see it. I can see it in everyone of you. 1137 00:58:36,920 --> 00:58:39,120 I have that prayer and I have that vision for your life. 1138 00:58:39,120 --> 00:58:40,800 Some of you don't even have it for your own life. 1139 00:58:41,040 --> 00:58:43,960 And I have it for your life. I can see the level 10 version 1140 00:58:43,960 --> 00:58:47,640 of you where you're just like a fruitful multiplier for the 1141 00:58:47,640 --> 00:58:49,000 Kingdom. And you're like me. 1142 00:58:49,000 --> 00:58:54,880 Yeah, actually, you let me get eye contact so you know that you 1143 00:58:54,880 --> 00:59:03,240 are included. Actually, you, the Lord sees it. 1144 00:59:04,360 --> 00:59:06,480 And that's not like a spectaculate Joe Michael's such 1145 00:59:06,480 --> 00:59:07,920 an optimist. He's such a sweetheart. 1146 00:59:07,920 --> 00:59:10,840 He sees the best in us. The thing I'm describing was 1147 00:59:10,840 --> 00:59:12,200 always the Lord's will for your life. 1148 00:59:12,480 --> 00:59:15,040 It was just the normal plan for God's will for your life. 1149 00:59:15,520 --> 00:59:17,840 I'm not like I'm really a dreamer, guys. 1150 00:59:17,840 --> 00:59:19,560 I can see stuff that nobody else can see. 1151 00:59:19,960 --> 00:59:22,120 No, what what I'm describing is just the Lord's will for your 1152 00:59:22,120 --> 00:59:23,520 life. I can see it. 1153 00:59:23,920 --> 00:59:25,320 I can see you bearing that kind of fruit. 1154 00:59:25,320 --> 00:59:28,800 The Lord wants that for you. Heavenly Father, thank you so 1155 00:59:28,800 --> 00:59:31,360 much for your mighty word. Thank you so much for your 1156 00:59:31,360 --> 00:59:34,880 mighty church that you are building Jesus and the gates of 1157 00:59:34,880 --> 00:59:37,920 hell will not prevail against the Church of the Lord Jesus 1158 00:59:37,920 --> 00:59:40,680 Christ. Lord, I pray for every single 1159 00:59:40,680 --> 00:59:44,640 one who loves you and walks with you that you would continue to 1160 00:59:44,640 --> 00:59:47,000 strengthen them, equip them, take them from whatever level 1161 00:59:47,000 --> 00:59:50,760 they're at to the next level, from glory to a greater glory. 1162 00:59:51,240 --> 00:59:53,560 And for those who are unsure, for those who are, You're 1163 00:59:53,560 --> 00:59:55,680 stirring in their heart. I don't even know if I really 1164 00:59:55,680 --> 00:59:57,120 have been saved. I don't know if there's the 1165 00:59:57,120 --> 00:59:59,080 fruitfulness there to prove that. 1166 00:59:59,080 --> 01:00:01,640 Is there enough evidence to convict me in the court of law 1167 01:00:02,000 --> 01:00:05,000 that the Lord is really present in my life and that He's made me 1168 01:00:05,000 --> 01:00:08,200 a new creation? God, draw them to repentance 1169 01:00:08,200 --> 01:00:10,720 right now. Grant them that great gift of 1170 01:00:10,720 --> 01:00:12,520 salvation. I pray that they would, that 1171 01:00:12,520 --> 01:00:17,120 they would labor in prayer for their salvation, not to earn it. 1172 01:00:19,120 --> 01:00:23,440 But to pursue and then receive it, you have first pursued them. 1173 01:00:25,040 --> 01:00:29,880 Grant repentance, grant growth, grant blessing, grant 1174 01:00:29,960 --> 01:00:34,080 breakthrough. Take us into faithful obedience, 1175 01:00:34,080 --> 01:00:37,680 Lord, that we would just do what we should with what you have 1176 01:00:37,680 --> 01:00:43,560 given in Jesus name. Now the Lord bless you and keep 1177 01:00:43,560 --> 01:00:46,400 you. The Lord make His face Shinedown 1178 01:00:46,400 --> 01:00:48,400 upon you, and be gracious to you. 1179 01:00:49,200 --> 01:00:53,760 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace in 1180 01:00:53,800 --> 01:00:55,800 Jesus name, Amen.