The Joy Of Christian Service

I invite you to turn in the Bible this morning to Matthew chapter 25, Matthew chapter 25. And that is found in your pew Bible on page 1055, 1055, Matthew chapter 25 as we pause from our series in Exodus and consider the parable of the talents. We'll be reading together verses 14 through 30. Beginning at verse 14. received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them and he who had received the five talents came forward bringing five talents more saying master you delivered to me five talents here i have made five talents more his master said to him well done good and faithful servant you've been faithful over a little i will set you over much enter into the joy of your master and he also who had the two talents came forward saying master you delivered to me two talents here i've made two talents more his master said to him well done good and faithful servant you've been faithful over a little i will set you over much enter into the joy of your master he also who had received the one talent came forward saying master i knew you to be a hard man reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed so i was afraid and i went and hid your talent in the ground here you have what is yours but his master master answered him you wicked and slothful servant you knew that i reap where i've not sown and gather where i've scattered no seed then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers and at my coming i should have received what was my own with interest so take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents for to everyone who has more will be given and he will have an abundance but from the one who has not even what he has will be taken away and cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth the lord bless the hearing of his word well i thought it important this morning to pause from our series in exodus and consider something that presents something a little bit differently to us in light of israel's struggle in the wilderness what have we been noticing about israel well the lord had delivered them from bondage from the tyranny of pharaoh and i think that the shining problem that's been going on in exodus is the shocking reality of their very bitter hearts hasn't it bitter just bitter at the lord it's been rather surprising i had one of the young people say to me the other uh the other night at one of our meetings uh reading about all these miserable israelites and all their complaining and said what's wrong with these people you know what's wrong with them and then he said oh yeah that's us that's us and that's the the sort of effect that studying israel should have when paul says that all those things are examples that we should not do those things they're written down that way our heart should not be bitter as redeemed people we should enter into the joy of his service the joy of our master that's how our heidelberg structures the christian life we consider the problem of our sin and we consider the gratitude we should have that the lord has remedied that problem and then we look at service sin salvation service what do we do with our lives now what should our lives look like well that's why i thought it's important to pause and consider for a moment a positive presentation by our Lord of what we should be doing in the time of our deliverance and the period between our deliverance and our going home. What does the Lord expect of us? What is he after? What is it supposed to be between us now? Like Israel in the wilderness treating him that way? Are you even among us or not? Give us water. I mean, that's the kind of spirit wasn't it what is it supposed to be how is this relationship designed what what is the what is supposed to be the communion now what should we be about this is something the lord gives a lot of instruction about in the scriptures and what we find in here in the parable that's in front of us this morning is that when there is a true appreciation for the master a certain attitude in us views the very short time that he has given us under the sun there's a certain attitude when we're properly appreciating the lord understanding grace understanding what he's done for us there's an attitude that dominates our entire approach to him and what we do in his kingdom in this short time period that he's given us under the sun until he comes again to take us home that's the the the emphasis here and so it's my goal this morning to look at this this parable with you and of the talents and jesus is explaining for us how we should live what we should be about in simplicity in joy of heart in the duties that he's given us to do as we anticipate his coming on the clouds of heaven and his glorious return the parable we're considering this morning comes towards the end of what has been known as christ's all of it discourse by this point jesus has just explained to them what is shortly going to come to pass remember they had come to him and jesus had said do you not see all these things not one stone shall be left here upon another he was talking about the destruction of the temple at the beginning of Matthew chapter 24. And he then explained to them as they asked these questions to him, they came to him privately as they're sitting on the hill and they're overlooking the splendor of the Kidron Valley. He begins to rehearse with them answering their question. When will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age we want to understand this and so jesus is set all this in that context about what they should be doing in the interim the transition out of him answering those questions and now uh he focuses it himself on their particular kind of behavior in the interim is given in verse 46. When he says, you'll notice there in Matthew 24, verse 46. You can go back to 45. Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has set over his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Doing what? you should all ask right what should we be doing well from that christ launches into parables to explain that just preceding our particular parable this morning he gave the well-known parable of the ten virgins you know this parable it's a powerful parable has a lot of punch in this parable where he describes that there were five foolish virgins and there were five wise virgins and it all had to do with their anticipation for his coming remember at the end of that parable one day the master of the house came one day he showed up no one expected it jesus had been saying that and those who were ready entered into the kingdom those who were not were caught outside and the door was shut it's it's it's one of the worst imageries i find in the scriptures i i don't enjoy speaking that this is terrible isn't it i absolutely hate that imagery of people being caught outside jesus gave it on more than a few occasions um that people associated with christianity who put off repentance who uh repentance who put off coming and believing their lives showed it they had all these calls come enter in come they were hanging around the church in and around the church they knew the church they were to some degree a part of the church but they never entered they never came and jesus is is pressing at this point the urgency of all this you have to enter today enter and come this is why he was saying come to me all you who are are are weary and heavy laden i will give you rest enter today and so jesus concluded that when he said watch and be ready ready for what his coming his coming could be at any time you know i i've told you the story of eric fenema before but eric fenema was an older minister who i was dear friends with and at the end of his life he had preached his last sermon saying to me hey i'm going to be in linden i'd like to come if you want me to preach i'll preach he preached and he preached on that text matthew 25 watch be ready and he never even made it back to his own church within that week he died and i always thought what a powerful illustration himself of the call to be ready the call to be ready well christ now tells another parable following this and he he's he's giving this parable so that each hearer uh each kind of person in the church everyone in the church would would evaluate how they're spending their time in preparation for his coming some are about the lord's service because of their gratitude and love for their king they have the most wonderful blessing to come i mean it they have something so wonderful coming sleepers though there are people who aren't in any kind of service for the king We'll look at what all that exposes. The Lord is saying they're inviting judgment. It's as if Jesus, it's asking if Jesus were to descend on the clouds of heaven right now, this moment, what would He find you doing? If He looked at your life, what would He find? Have you believed? And what have been the evidences of that? Our calling is never to be idle, but to be faithful workers in the kingdom for Him. So Jesus tells this parable. Let's look at it. Jesus tells this parable in verse 14 where he says, For it will be like a man going on a journey who called his servants and trusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away, went on a journey. What is a talent? It's a fascinating little emphasis here on talent. Everyone in those days would have understood that in the ancient world that was kind of a measure of weight or a unit of coin value. It was generally known that a talent was no less than 600,000 denarii, which would have been in our time hundreds of thousands of dollars. So the emphasis Jesus is giving here, and you've got to be careful with parables. You can't interpret them. All the little details are not meant to do that. It's meant to give you a big picture here. The point Jesus is making with that is he has entrusted something of immense value to his people. Each talent was extremely valuable. To which we ask, what then does that represent? Many have come to define a talent as some sort of natural ability. J.C. Ryle defines a talent this way. Anything whereby we may glorify God is a talent. Our gifts, our influence, our money, our knowledge, our health, our strength, our time, our senses, our reason, our intellect, our memory, our affections, our privileges as members of Christ's church, our advantages as possessors of the Bible, all are talents. I really like that. That's really good. But I want to add to that. It's beyond that. Notice the talents are given to the faithful and unfaithful servants. But verse 14 says very plainly, the talents are given according to ability. According to your abilities. That's a fascinating interjection there. So it's as if these are opportunities according to your gifts. opportunities according to gifts be a plain way of saying it again I'm not I don't want to over interpret this but the point would be the same either way the Lord has given you all sorts of opportunities to serve him and to serve his people to love his people maybe that comes in the form of being an office bearer, a leader. Maybe that comes as being a teacher in the body. Maybe that comes as being an encourager. Maybe that comes as serving the shut-in, visiting the sick. Christ has all given you gifts and he's given you opportunities with those gifts. 1 Corinthians 12 makes that really clear. Not only has he given you the gift, he's given you the opportunities to use those gifts so so what is christ describing here well the picture here is that jesus is the man who's gone off to the far country in other words you know right now he is in heaven he he's gone off he's going to come back one day and right now he's not with us on the earth uh in his physical presence his his he is residing in heaven he's seated but at some point he'll return again and and in this interim you know that ephesians 4 says he's poured out gifts and he's poured out opportunities and he assigns to everyone in the house everyone in his kingdom certain responsibilities you think of first corinthians 12 there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit there are diversities of ministries but the same lord there are diversities of activities there it is but this it is the same god who works all in all but the manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for the profit of all what's his point the gifts that are given are to be used in the certain capacities and certain obligations and opportunities that god has given you for the sole purpose that his body may be profited that his body may be built up the body is the church the body is his people the lord wants us to be working servant first peter four as each one has received a gift minister it use those opportunities to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God you've got the gift use it so Jesus is showing us here what he means when he says blessed is that servant when his master comes will so find him doing doing God distributes to each one differently everyone has gifts in accordance with their talents different responsibilities god never meant for the christian to be idle which is interesting because there are a lot of verses warning against apathy and idle just being idle in the christian life busy bodies so so jesus says this is the concern this is why luther said if if i knew the lord jesus christ was coming tomorrow i'd plant a tree today i'd be busy and that's wonderful you're about the service of the king well i want you to notice what jesus describes in verses 20 through 23 he says in verse 20 breaks this down for us he who had received the five talents came forward bringing five talents more saying master you delivered to me five talents here i've made five talents more he is ecstatic you see this do you feel it he is excited he's overwhelmed with joy for the opportunities that the lord gave him in the service of the kingdom in the service of the king it's like a young child who comes up you know they they draw something they have these things and they they draw and they always have pictures and yeah all the picture may not be so great to me but the child brings it and they're so excited. Dad, look, look what I've created here. You get that all the time from kids. The master comes back and says, Bravo! Well done! My good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over millions of dollars. Remember, it's talent unit. They know what he's saying. You've been faithful over millions. I'm going to put you in charge even of more. Really exciting when you think of what Isaiah talks about when the kingdom comes in fullness and the new heavens and the new earth and we're working. What I love about this is that there's nothing contractual. Did you catch that? It wasn't an arrangement of you do this or else. It wasn't an arrangement of you do this so that you'll get eternal life. He's not a mob boss. it that way it wasn't an arrangement of making sure uh that enough was done to get in it wasn't that the relationship that's described here is one of absolute privilege and absolute joy of working for this man you don't even have to put it down on a contract i'm so excited to bring him back more it's a privilege to work in this man's kingdom i'm so excited to bring a return on your money i'm thankful to have a place in your vineyard you get the sense of joy is just radiating in this whole thing don't you it's up it's positive it's upbeat i love the further distinction that's made the one who had been given two talents came to the Lord and said the same thing. You've given me two. Look, Lord, here's two more. Here's two more. Happiness. We would look at this and think, ah, you didn't do that much. Two and two. Jesus gave a similar parable of workers who came in at different hours in the day in the vineyard, remember, and there was some who came in early in the morning, worked all day in the hot and sweaty in the sweat. Some came in at noon, some came in at two, and then somebody came in at five o'clock when the work day ended at six and the master gave him the same amount. It wasn't about all that he could do for him, was it? Of course not. I want to get back into your mind last week. If you remember Mark's gospel, the imagery of Jesus walking into Peter's house whose mother-in-law was sick and he grabs, just as early on in Mark's gospel, he grabs her by the hand and he lifts her up and you have a little phrase in the Greek, and she served him. What a beautiful picture. I said last time, I'd imagine she made him a meal. The message here is that the Lord has just as much joy over that servant who only brought back two as he does over the one who brought back five. This is the whole imagery here. This is the whole effect of this. It's not about quantity. It's about quality. This service, of course, never makes it into the news. It's a service like this. 1 Timothy, What is the value of godliness and honesty in your life? How about this? 1 Thessalonians 4, Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need. What an opportunity. We think Christianity is for the stars, of course, don't we? Oh yeah, it's for the stars. God has little people. Listen, God must like the common folk because He made a whole bunch of them. As one pastor said, we like the muscle cars. We like the cars that can do 125, 150. What do you think of the minivan? I mean, that's every guy's nightmare. No guy wants to drive around the minivan. I had one, I know. It was all until an old couple about 80 years old passed by eyeing my minivan saying, honey, we need to get one of those. When it comes to his church, God loves the minivan. That minivan can pick up a lot of people and take them to church. The raw power we think of productivity, as this pastor said. The Lord is pleased with whatever abilities and talent and the opportunities we use that He has given. Here's the beauty. On Judgment Day when He comes, what's the picture? You have all this discussion in the Christian world. Oh, a Christian's going to be judged on that day. Are they going to have their sins brought up? He is rewarding their works. How so? Sure, they were works prepared beforehand. Ephesians 2. That we should walk in them. but what a picture is he raising their failures this verse two notice what he said when he comes home and sees that they had doubled the talent bravo well done enter in enter into the joy of your master it's the same thing in the next section on judgment day that that after uh judgment day comes and he sets uh the sheep on the right and the goats on the left he has this whole imagery given and and he he highlights this whole thing of what's going to happen then the king will say to those on his right come this is verse 34 you who are blessed of my father take your inheritance the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world this was decreed for you for i was hungry and you gave me something to eat i was thirsty and you gave me something to drink i was a stranger and you invited me in i needed clothes and you clothed me i was sick and you looked at me i was in prison and you came to visit me then the righteous will say when did we ever do that i don't remember going to prison and visiting anyone i don't remember doing that to you i don't remember taking a cup of cold water anywhere it's not on our radar is it he says i saw it when you did it to those whom i love you did it to me it's just it's just wonderful isn't it that's judgment day for the believer when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you something to drink when did we see a stranger and invite you in or somebody needing clothing and and clothe you when did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you truly i tell you whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine he did it for me well that's a perspective imagine if we all viewed our service as doing it directly for christ in loving your brothers and sisters well that's the imagery here in this parable in verse 19 after a long time the master shows up and and he settles accounts and it's fascinating to me he told his disciples before he had they had even persevered rejoice for your name is written in heaven so i mean this was this was secure for them the relationship between the master and the service is one servants is one of complete intimacy trust peace just beautiful given a cup of cold water all these things that are not rock star christianity that we're so obsessed with in our country. God rewards good works based on grace, but he does reward them. He does reward them. Having peace with God today, Romans 5, having been justified by faith, we now have peace with God. We should be saying, Lord, what would you like me to be doing in your kingdom? Show me the opportunities, make them clear to me so I see them. Those are ready. You see the point? Those are ready. They're watching. That's watching. They're ready for his coming. Blessed is the master when he comes home will so find them doing. They're eager to do so. They're ready. To which it all says, well, then how do you value your talent? Is it of immense value to you that God has handed you a talent that is worth in our day would be worth millions and millions of dollars how tight would you hold to your millions and millions of dollars what about a talent that he hands to you what capacities do you serve in his kingdom and what's your attitude towards attitude what is your attitude toward the opportunities he's given you do you love to fill your time doing his work that's a beautiful scenario painted in the first part of that the Lord will reward with joy the laborers for His kingdom. You say, well, how do I know that's me? Well, a great contrast is now given. Then notice verse 24. He who had received the one talent came forward and said, Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid. And I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, have what is yours. you feel the whole spirit in that that's that's just appalling to me you know they say of a physician and others have made this observation that in his treatment the first principle of being a doctor is that when you go into medical school is that you should never in your treatment do anyone any harm that's that's like principle number one but that's not it can you imagine if a doctor in all of his days was only worried about that he just never did any harm he's supposed to relieve human suffering right i mean that's his job that's that's what he's called to do they're to advance in helping people this man is like that physician who says i'm a christian but i'm not hurting anyone in what i do a model a model outwardly it's like a so-called christian who says oh so as long as i'm a christian not hurting anyone i'm a christian notice the contrast here between the two that's stark it's a really powerful contrast what was his complaint he starts attacking his master. His sin was that he was bitter and judgmental against God. Notice the relationship here. How did he view God? This God, you're harsh and demanding. You're just a harsh and demanding guy. This is so crucial to get the parable. He was actually complaining against God that if he should do anything with the talent, God would just take it away anyways. He can't do anything good enough to please them in other words you're just too hard to please you're overbearing you're hard you're strict we can't please you you're a hard man i'm just gonna go do what i want to do anyways because at the end of the day it doesn't matter what what a selfish man what a wicked man that's what you did with god's talent i've got too busy of my own life what in the world is he bugging me with what does he expect of us i mean good grief it's that kind of questioning what does god expect i got a busy life i've got all these other things and this man wants me to go do more full of self-righteousness throws back the talent at him take it back i didn't even use it blames the master for being hard and cruel it was a reproach of course, for giving him too little. He should have given me more. Notice there's total enmity here in the relationship. Let me try to capture it this way. Maybe this will help. They say that, and I understand all comparisons and analogies break down to some degree, but I think this will help capture the perspective. They say that John Wooden was the greatest basketball coach ever. You know why his players loved to play for him? They loved playing for him because of who he is and what he was like. Who he was. He was not a yeller. He was calm. He knew how to coach them. He knew how to speak to them. To motivate them. I think it was Bill Russell, I can't remember, who said that the worst thing Wooden ever said on the court was, goodness gracious sakes alive. how do you think it was playing for bobby knight he cussed up a storm he even threw chairs out on the court knight was known for saying i don't tolerate mistakes wouldn't heard that one day supposedly as the story goes and says it never bothered me when my players made mistakes because i knew that's how they learned bobby knight and i quote some writer, communicated with a loud voice and used confrontation as his teaching tool. Bobby Knight's players feared him. John Wooden communicated with a tender voice, used harmony as his teaching tool. John Wooden's players loved him. You really do get a sense when you put this in perspective that it's not so much about the working, is it? It's about how you relate to the Master? How do you view Him? Theologically, you could put it this way. What covenant are you in? Grace or works? How do they view Him and what is their relationship? The first loved Him. They knew the Master was for them. Now you kind of understand why Jesus would say, those passages we don't like to hear, on that day there are going to be some He's going to say, I never knew you. You can understand it from this parable. how did the wicked servant view God? Like a Bobby Knight, cussing, ready to judge, screaming, he feared him. Now there's proper fear. Not that kind of fear. Because perfect love casts out fear so that we have boldness for the day of judgment. Christ says, you wicked and lazy servant, wicked because he assaulted him, lazy because the truth of the matter was he had enough time to go build his own barns. He had enough time to do everything else, eating and drinking and being merry, and nothing was a priority for the kingdom. You wicked and lazy servant, if you knew that I reap where you have not sown and gather where I have not scattered, you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers at my coming so that I would receive back my own with interest. Take the talent and give to him the one. Notice he doubles. And him who doesn't have will be taken. And those who have even more will be given. It's the whole principle right there. The master's point was this. If you knew that I do that, that I expect for you to make a profit on what I give you. If that's how you're relating to me, then you should have done whatever possible to gain a return on my talent. If you related to me that way and you wanted that kind of approach, you should have at least fulfilled it then. In other words, you should have kept the law. But you trampled it. Your own words judge you. I'm not a tyrant. The issue is that you're wicked and that you're lazy. That's the issue, says Jesus. You're wicked and you're lazy. Now do you see why we always said when the Reformation happened to be reformational here that when you're justified by faith, from that good root of faith, you're going to bear fruit? There's a necessary connection between justification and sanctification. James Boyce brings out a strong point in this regard. Listen to what he says about the final judgment for the wicked servant. And keep in mind one who's also in the house. He says this, This will be the end for many who in their lifetime called out, Lord, Lord, but did not do the things Jesus said. We would not dare say this if the Lord had not said it first, but on His authority we must say that many who worship in apparent Christian congregations and consider themselves good Christians will be confounded by Christ's judgment. Was his place of confessing truth by a godly life and his work? He didn't do it. Was he called to comfort someone who was stricken with sorrow? He refused. Was he given the opportunity to serve Christ by instructing his children in the Word of God? He let his talent lie useless. Did Christ call him to suffer affliction with patience and courage and contentment? He was rebellious, grumpy, and dissatisfied. Whatever that place in the kingdom may have been, he refused to perform the assignment which he had been given to him by his master. Now the goal of this as a parable is to say, and even in the last one, his goal is not to condemn. His goal is that the effect of this would be, if I'm a wicked and lazy servant, confess my sins. Enter into the joy of my master. That's the power of this. That's the intent of this. And the fact that Jesus gives a parable like this is to cause every one of us, you see how necessary it is. We all have apathy. We all have laziness. We all have the tension of all the things in this life that we give devotion to and we're not doing much for him. The parable has the effect of first asking, how do I relate to this master? do i believe in him do i see him as good has he has he taught me his gospel all my life has he been faithful and kind to me then i should bow the knee and in repentance and faith and believe him and enter into the joy of this it's not a burden the one watching and who is ready for his master so thankful for a place in the kingdom overwhelmed by christ's love that he would even give him a place to serve in his kingdom that should be our attitude william granola once wrote it can be written on the tomb of an unrepentant sinner here lies a man who in all his life never worked one hour for god tragedy jesus says those who are like that will be cast into outer darkness where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth. So you understand when I talk about the bitter critical spirit of Israel why we're being pressed and in Christ when we know Him and love Him and have embraced His gospel and true faith that that bitter spirit should be replaced with simplicity and joy in the work. Working for a master with this kind of communion that's why paul said with the one who does acts of mercy do it with cheerfulness all work is is a christian in the christian life is motivated by this joy of the lord notice how that's emphasized here enter into the joy of your master you don't have to be a rock star okay no one has to be a rock star anyone who wants to be a rock star in the christian world is a red flag as his child he's equipped you he's given you gifts he's given you talents giving you opportunities know what you can do that does not mean you have to go do everything please that does not mean that there are opportunities assigned and gifts by the lord to you know what you can handle know what gifts you have know what opportunities are set in front of you and if you're recognized in those ways serve in those ways bear fruit serve your king take joy in your master take joy in his people because whatever you do unto them you're doing unto him it's a great privilege so paul says to the corinthians therefore my dear brothers and sisters stand firm let nothing move you always give yourselves fully to the work of the lord because you know that your labor is not in the lord is not in vain what you're doing matters You're unworthy, but you're not worthless. Do you understand that distinction? Who then is the faithful and wise servant? Ask Jesus. It's the one. When the master comes, we'll find him so doing. What a day it will be when the master says, enter today, finally and forever, into the joy of your master. And you can do that right now by coming to Christ, believing, and taking that joy, as Paul said, whatever circumstance i can use it to magnify christ in my life whether by life or by death let's pray gracious heavenly father what an encouraging message and also challenging in so many respects because you are pulling out apathy and you're calling us to repent of certain laziness and slothful things in our lives we do that this morning and ask that you would replace any bitterness in our hearts with joy and that we would relate to you as these first two do thank you father for your care and thank you for instructing us in righteousness and thank you for giving us a whole picture of a completed work we know that the good works were prepared beforehand by god so that we should walk in them and that encourages us that in election in your wonderful choices you have also chosen for us the whole thing a completed picture all the way so that he who is called is justified he who is justified will be glorified thank you father for the privilege of hearing your word this morning in christ's name we pray amen