October 25, 2012
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last--dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. -- Matthew 25: 14-15 (NLT)
You were meant for more than this. That is what God was saying to each and every one of us when He saved us through His grace and mercy. When He reached down and plucked us out of the horrible pit our lives were in -- He did so because He loves us and because we were called according to His purposes. According to the Bible, God has always known that we were meant for more than this:
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. -- Ephesians 2: 10 (NLT)
Don't let anyone tell you God doesn't have a plan for your life. He has had it planned from long ago. It is that plan and relationship with God that should define you. Too often these days we allow ourselves to be defined by things that have no eternal value. If someone asks us who we are, we might first respond with what our job is. Beloved what you do for a living should never define you. I have seen and known people who have lost their jobs in the blink of an eye after decades of loyalty. Others might define themselves by their families. I have seen too many people give up their own lives for the children; as if God did not have something for them to do as well. Still others allow themselves to be defined by what their greatest passion is. Tom the Giants fan. Corinne the Yankees fan. John the car guy. What do people think first when they think about you? Is it Christ? Shouldn't it be? I pray it is for me. I am a writer, non-profit executive, and avid sports fan but I pray that when people think about me that they think first of Jesus. That is because it was Jesus that saved me.
That brings us to the key verses for today, taken from the Parable of the Three Servants. The servants of course are you and I. They are the people that God has saved. God has not saved us to sit in a church every week and sing kumbya until Jesus comes back. He has entrusted to us bags of silver if you will. He has entrusted to us giftings and abilities. He has entrusted to us resources and skills. The first lesson we see here is what our relationship is supposed to be with God. We are considered servants in this parable because that is what we are supposed to be. When we refer to someone as Lord -- we are accepting our role as servant. When we refer to someone as King, we are accepting our role as subject. There is some dangerous and poor theology out there in modern Christianity that seeks to pollute the nature of our relationship with God. Songs pretending to be worship where the lyrics have people petulantly demanding the blessings of God. Preaching that turns Jesus into our next door neighbor; our buddy. Did God consider Abraham His friend? Yes, but only after Abraham lived his life recognizing the Lordship of God. The real danger with the "God is my friend" theology is that it reduces God to an advisory capacity in our lives. No one allows their friend to control their life. God is not in the advisement business.
The second lesson we see here in this story is that not everyone gets the same amount. Not everyone has the same level of abilities. Not everyone is called upon for the same responsibilities. In this story one servant was given five bags of silver, the second received two bags and the final servant got one bag. Ironically some are unhappy with the amount they have been given. They feel that even though God is writing the story, they thought they should have a bigger part in it. We need to realize that first and foremost -- God is the Potter:
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?' "Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? -- Romans 9: 2-21 (NIV)
Here is the deep theology for today -- I believe that those who are unhappy with the two bags of silver they have been given are still holding onto them when they are asking for more! It is not that God is unwilling to give more -- He is waiting for us to use what we have already been given! At the end of this parable, the man who earned an extra five bags of silver was told this by God:
"The master was full of praise. "Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!' -- Matthew 25: 21 (NLT)
God wants to celebrate with us every time we use what He has given us! He has more to give to us if we would just use what we already have first.
The third lesson is that God does not give us more than we are capable of doing. The key verses outline that the dividing up of the silver was based upon their abilities. God was not expecting the same level of outcome from the servant with one bag of silver as He was from the servant with five bags. The same goes with us:
When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. -- Luke 12: 48b (NLT)
God does not open doors for you that you do not have ability to walk through. It may require a deeper level of faith and trust in who He is but that might be the explicit point. I suffered in my 20's for seven year from a panic disorder, the result of which is that speaking in public was never a possibility. That is EXACTLY why God called me to preach. It is the one time that I am never more dependent upon Him because I cannot do it on my own power. It requires me to use every ounce of silver He has entrusted to me and finds me turning back to Him needing more. And He has never, ever let me down. He will not let you down either.
I believe that at least 70% of churchgoers today fall into the category of the man who received one bag of silver. They are doing the bare minimum. They do not seek the Lord during the week. They do not have an active prayer life or regular time to read the Word of God. Maybe they tithe here or there. Maybe they serve in a ministry so they can feel better but in the end they are burying the one bag of silver they have and then wonder why God doesn't give them more. Or they wonder why so and so get so much more than they do. It is time to get out our shovels and dig up the silver we have buried and start using it for God today. Then just wait and see if the next time He doesn't entrust two bags with you. You were meant for so much more"
Rev. Anthony
