| |
November 26, 2006
|
Christian Disciplines
|
Pastor Brian Shimer
|
|
"Wisely use what God has given you"
"Come, Enter Into Your Master's Joy"
Matthew 25: 14-30
- We just sang an anthem from the wonderful old hymn Trust and Obey. Whenever I sing that hymn I think of the ministry I lead at the Elms Retirement center once a month in Forest Grove. For every time I go we sing that along with several other favorite older hymns, such as What a Friend… and Jesus Loves me.
When I think of singing those hymns I think also of Carl the 40-something man who is always at those worship times. I am not certain what is wrong for him, but Carl is about the age of an 8 year old mentally. He brings with him 2 bells a C7 and Eb major and he rings them with all the hymns I play on the piano. There is no way those two bells could ever "go" with the hymns, but still he plays along with good rhythm. The other members of this small congregation are patient with Carl and sing along even with the ringing in their ears. For me, on the other hand, the bell ringing happens right in my ear. At times the noise causes me to hardly focus on the music. Carl wants to be a near to me as possible but he has agreed to move a bit further away when playing his bells.
Even though I am challenged by his bell ringing, I am often reminded in my heart that God loves Carl and his bells. Carl who weeps if we omit Jesus Loves Me from our repertoire, Carl who joyfully rings his bells with all the hymns, Carl who always gives me a hug each week I am there and tells me, "I love you Brian".
I think God loves hearing Carl play his bells. It is the one thing that Carl can do and he does it with enthusiasm. God loves this.
- This past Thursday I experienced another place where people were playing the "bell" they have been given. It was in response to the vision Trisch Wentz had to serve a Thanksgiving meal. The result was the efforts of folk representing three congregations joining forces to make food, set up beautiful tables, and serve those who came. Now we did not have many people come, this first year, but there were 10 people who would have had no other place to go, who would have been alone on that day, had we not offered the meal.
In addition there was the immense blessing the flowed out into our lives because we had the opportunity to serve. And so many of you participated in this, bringing food, creating table decorations, etc. It was a wonder to behold and the presence of God was tangible. It was a great and marvelous event.
- As I thought about this parable and those "talents" that are spoken of in it, I kept coming back to Carl and to the meal on Thursday. So often we come away from this parable with the thought that we have to somehow find out what talent we have so that we can make certain we are using it aright. Our efforts are focused on a "talent search" as if that is what this parable is about.
But it is not about a "talent search" had you asked any of the three servants described here, they would have had no trouble telling you "what" they had received from the master. No, the parable is not about a search to find what God has given you but rather it is about using what God has given - it is about "ringing the one bell you have" and doing so with gusto.
So if we are looking for something we already "have" what would that be? What has God "placed" in our lives?
Well, there is life itself. Isn't life a gift? Certainly. And can't we by how we use this life either waste or use it well? Again, that is true.
In addition there is faith. Do you have faith to believe that Jesus died for you, even you, and lives pouring forth the Holy Spirit to fill your life? God gave you that faith with which to respond to His good news. Paul wrote that in Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - that this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast."
And I hate to bring it up for everyone is always saying they lack it, but another thing God has already given to you and to me is time. It is elusive to us, and some lament they need more time, and say the very silly thing of wanting 8 days in a week or a day that lasted 48 hours. And we say that somebody's life has been cut short or talk of another person as having a "long' life, but really whether 100 years or 10 every life is lived only one moment at a time. It is not lived as a whole but a day or actually a moment at a time.
None of us have any more than today to live and even today is not lived as such but as bunches of moments. So we have all been given the same "time".
Our mistake with that time is to always be living in the future, by worrying about what is to come, or living in the past, regretting what we cannot change, rather than living in our "today" - in the present, the only place we can truly live.
So, time is another "gift" God has given us.
Aren't there other gifts as well? Don't we all have provisions in our lives of finances, like the servants in the parable, of homes, cars, clothes, and character? Yes, all these are ours. So Jesus' parable seems to have possible application to all aspects of what we have "received" from God to use while on earth.
No matter what we have been given, we are called to use it wisely during this time on this earth, we are called to wisely use what God has given.
- So a man left on a trip and distributed his goods to three of his servants. He gave them money to use while he was gone. To the first he gave $5000 and to the second $2500 and to the third $1000, each given according to his abilities with the intention that they used well what he had given them.
So, whatever we have received in our lives has been given in proportion to our ability to use it.
Then their master left on his journey. Since he left, they also knew he would one day return. So, they put their master's money to work. The first two got the same return, each doubling their master's resources while the third hid what the master had given him. He did not try to use it and fail, for which he would have been commended. He did not put use, but instead, he just hid it.
Then the master returns and calls his servants to settle accounts with them. The first two tell him of their success and the master commends them with a phrase I long to one day hear the Lord say to me: "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" Now, his accolade is based upon the fact that these two had "used" what the master had given them. They had used the time, the faith, the life God had given them. They had used it and through use had increased what He had given.
Does this master sound hard or unreasonable? Does this master sound unjust?
Not at all - but when the third servant comes, he arrives with an excuse. Had had tried to use the master's money? No. Instead he brings back to the master "what is his" and gives the excuse that actually puts the blame upon the master for his own lack of industry. You are of such a foul character I could not put this to work.
Have you ever met the third servant? He is the individual that blames God for all his woes, but is unwilling to use what God has given. He has a list of reasons why God is unfair or biased or mean but is unwilling to get to know God personally. This person has decided what God is like and whether right or wrong no one is going to convince him otherwise.
- This parable's meaning centers around this idea that our salvation is not just a belief in Jesus but a life lived through his power. It is not enough to say, "Lord" but have no relationship with that Lord. We need that "abba father" relationship with the Lord. The third servant although he had been in the master's employ, never knew the master, so really was a "wicked" servant not a faithful servant.
Matthew under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit placed this parable in the middle of a whole section about the imminent return of Jesus to bring judgment. In chapter 24 the repeated phrase is to "keep watch" for you do not know when the Lord will return, so do what God has placed before you to do. In this story, the wicked servant, who is cast out like this third servant in our parable, is the one who because of his master's delay decides he can live any way he pleases, abusing others while himself feasting and drinking.
There Jesus is saying wisely use the time God has given you, don't waste it. Use what God has given you.
An American slave wrote a poem in the 1800s which says this well:
"There's a king and a captain high, and he's coming by and by
and he'll find me hoeing cotton when he comes."
The poem ends saying:
"When he comes! When he comes! He'll be crowned by saints and angels when he comes. They'll be shouting out Hosanna! to the man that men denied.
And I'll kneel among my cotton when he comes."
That black man viewed life from God's perspective and did what God had given him, and so he hoed cotton to the glory of God until Jesus came or called him home.
In the next parable, in chapter 25, the foolish virgins are the ones shut out when the Lord returns and the wise ones let in, because the first, like the third servant in our story had no relationship with the Lord. They wanted to rely upon others ("give us some of your oil") and then upon their own efforts rather than relying upon a true previous connection with the Lord, pictured in the extra oil brought by those with wisdom. Again, since you do not know the day or the hour, enter now into relationship with this Lord, and "wisely use what God has given you."
Following our story is the last judgment when the King will return and separate those who believe, who have relationship with Him, here described as sheep. These are those walking in what we can term an "Abba Father" relationship with God. He separates them from the goats those who lack a living relationship with the king ("when did we see you?"). Every story ends with hell. The wicked servant in chapter 24, the foolish virgins, the third slave in our story and the goats go to that place pictured as a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. And the reason they all ended up there is that their lack of spiritual life - they had no reason to be faithful for they had never taken their base wickedness to their master to be changed.
- Whereas if that relationship is there, then we are just to live this life by "ringing that bell" God has given us. Whatever the "bell" is, we are to ring it with all our hearts as we live by faith, use our time, our finances, our jobs by working in and at each to God's glory, recognizing everything as coming from God's gracious hand. So if we do this, what they?
First we will see an increase in what God has given, and there will be more opportunities to use it for him.
Then, there is great joy. The first two heard that great accolade, "well done good and faithful servant" and were invited into the master's joy and given greater responsibilities.
That's the third benefit here - the fruit of good work with what God has given is greater opportunity to work in the joy of the heavenly kingdom. "Enter into MY joy" God says.
So as you have been doing this week, as you have done as you make a decision to live a moment for God, continue to wisely use what God has given-whether time or character or faith or money or stuff or gifts and talents use what God has given you, put it to work, and God will bless you with more opportunities to use it again. To repeat a phrase used again, "ring your bell to God's glory".
|
|
|