00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Lord Jesus, we pray that as we come to your word now
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 that you would speak to us by the power of your spirit,
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 that you would grow us in Christ,
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 that you would make us alive in you,
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 and we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 Great opportunity for me to promote the resource stand.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 There's one of these left called Radical Together,
00:00:17 --> 00:00:21 and we had a couple of copies on it, on the stand,
00:00:21 --> 00:00:25 and it was the subtitle of the book that caught my attention out at Curon
00:00:25 --> 00:00:26 because it says,
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God.
00:00:29 --> 00:00:33 Which is what we've clearly signalled
00:00:33 --> 00:00:37 is what we want to do within our church family in the coming 12 months.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 Activate people for ministry more so than even what we've got at the moment.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 So unleashing the people of God for the purpose of God.
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 And I got into this book and read some of it through the week,
00:00:47 --> 00:00:48 and it was just a joy to me.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:53 And I decided to throw away the beginning of my message this morning
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 and read to you from something I read.
00:00:59 --> 00:01:05 I was sitting in a small room on the most un-evangelised island on earth.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 And as I looked out the window,
00:01:08 --> 00:01:12 I saw the sun rising over shanties that spread across the landscape for miles.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 The mist began to disappear over the millions of men and women
00:01:16 --> 00:01:20 who inhabited this massive city in the middle of the island.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:22 Beyond the city limits,
00:01:22 --> 00:01:26 multitudes of other people were spread throughout rural villages,
00:01:26 --> 00:01:30 many of which require days of travel to reach.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 And as I watched the city begin to awaken,
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 I heard the early morning call to prayer.
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 Religious incantations resounded from loudspeakers
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 stationed throughout the city,
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 so that everyone could hear them.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:50 And everywhere people began their day by solemnly going to prayer rooms
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 and sacred sites to bow and worship.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 Most of the 45 million people on the island are Muslim,
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 and most of them have never heard the gospel.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 Nearly 50 different people groups on the island
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 have no church to speak of in their midst,
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 and many of the people have never known a person
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 who has confessed faith in Christ.
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 What is interesting, though,
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 and unfortunately ironic,
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 is that the most unevangelised island on earth
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 is also home to millions of Christians.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 One of the largest tribes on the island
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 is filled with professing believers.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 Years ago, a Baptist couple came to this island
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 to share the gospel with the tribal leaders.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 Those leaders did not like what they heard,
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 and so they killed and cannibalised the two missionaries.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:45 Yet a Lutheran from Germany came to the same tribe,
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 and this time when he proclaimed the gospel,
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 the tribal leaders listened and believed,
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 and within months the majority of the tribe
00:02:54 --> 00:02:55 had professed faith in Christ.
00:02:57 --> 00:02:58 The problem, however,
00:02:58 --> 00:03:02 is that in the years since this mass conversion to Christianity,
00:03:02 --> 00:03:03 this tribe has turned inward,
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 and due to a variety of factors,
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 including cultural isolation and religious persecution,
00:03:09 --> 00:03:14 these Christians have virtually kept Christ to themselves.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:16 Take the issue of pork.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 Muslim tribes across this island do not eat pork
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 because they believe it is unclean.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 This Christian tribe, on the other hand,
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 loves to eat pork,
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 and naturally any Christian wanting to reach Muslims
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 with the gospel would be wise
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 to abstain from pork around Muslims.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:36 Yet most Christians here
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 are not willing to even take this small step.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 One believer succinctly said
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 to a friend of mine on the island,
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 I would rather a Muslim go to hell
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 than for me to have to stop eating pork.
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 Reaching Muslims here
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 would not only be uncomfortable for Christians,
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 it would also be costly.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 Many Muslim tribes on the island are devout,
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 and one state practices Sharia law.
00:04:01 --> 00:04:05 Anyone caught trying to lead people to Christ in that state
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 will be imprisoned or likely even killed.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 Any Muslim caught converting to faith in Christ
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 in that state will immediately be executed.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 Indeed, the price is high for any believer here
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 who desires to engage the unreached with the gospel.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 And so Christians sit back.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:28 They're living next to multitudes of unreached peoples,
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 yet they are unwilling to share Christ with them.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:35 Indeed, they focus on church activities among themselves.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 They have constructed large church buildings
00:04:38 --> 00:04:39 all over the city.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 They have numerous denominational conventions,
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 nearly 30 theological seminaries,
00:04:45 --> 00:04:46 and even missions boards
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 organised among themselves throughout the island.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:51 My friend who lives here says,
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 David, they have all the trappings of the church,
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 and the only thing they are missing
00:04:57 --> 00:04:58 is the heart of Christ.
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 And as soon as my friend said this,
00:05:02 --> 00:05:03 I was stunned into silence.
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 I thought, is it really possible
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 to have all the trappings of the church
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 and miss the heart of Christ?
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 Is it possible for church people
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 to be so focused on personal comforts
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 and so fearful of potential cost,
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 they virtually forget the purpose of God
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 among all the peoples of the world?
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 And as I asked the question,
00:05:27 --> 00:05:28 I realised the answer,
00:05:28 --> 00:05:29 is of course it's possible.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:32 Much of what we have seen in the West
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 proves that we have massive resources,
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 mega buildings,
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 multitudes of programs,
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 and a myriad of conferences and activities.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 Meanwhile, thousands of people,
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 groups around us in the world,
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 still have not heard the gospel.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:51 And from most appearances in the church,
00:05:51 --> 00:05:51 however,
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 we seem to be okay with that.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 We seem content to let these people,
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 groups continue churchless,
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 Christless,
00:05:59 --> 00:06:00 gospel-less.
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 To seriously engage them with the gospel
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 would be
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 uncomfortable and costly.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:13 And on it goes.
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 Now I'm continuing our series of messages
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 from Matthew chapter 24 and 25
00:06:20 --> 00:06:24 on the second coming of Jesus Christ.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 And we've been learning that Jesus taught
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 that the end of the world
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 and his first coming
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 are two separate events.
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 That was something that was new
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 for the mindset of the people
00:06:36 --> 00:06:37 amongst who he lived.
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 There will be a period of time
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 before he returns.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 Jesus will return.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 He will return suddenly and unexpectedly.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:49 People will be going about normal life.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 The world as we know it will end
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 with the return of Jesus Christ
00:06:54 --> 00:06:55 as Lord and King.
00:06:56 --> 00:06:57 And for some,
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 his return will be a wonderful surprise
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 and for others,
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 a very unpleasant one.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 No one will escape the event.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 Everyone who has ever lived
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 will be raised to life
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 to face the judgment of God.
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 And understanding these things
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 has really important consequences.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 We have power to call false teaching rubbish
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 when people make predictions
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 about Christ's return.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 Jesus says,
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 no one knows the hour or the day,
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 only his dad.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 There's been a great story in the media
00:07:32 --> 00:07:32 even this week.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:37 The American pastor called Howard Camping
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 died at 92.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 And he was famous
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 or he was infamous
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 because he predicted the coming of Christ
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 several times in his life.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 He finished well.
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 He apologised for a very grave mistake.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:56 But what was incredibly sad to me,
00:07:56 --> 00:07:57 the news this week
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 showed some of the stories
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 at the time when he did these things
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 and he had people in his church family,
00:08:03 --> 00:08:03 his followers,
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 who literally gave their life savings
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 to advertising the date
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 on which Christ was going to return
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 and telling people to get ready for it.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:17 And they showed the other protesters
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 gathered out his side,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:18 his church,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 on the day,
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 one of the days
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 when it was supposed to have occurred
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 and there were people there
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 with placards and banners
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 and saying things like,
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 trust science,
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 don't trust religion.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 So when we move beyond
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 what God's word allows,
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 we can cause the name of Christ
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 to be dragged through the mud.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:41 In Matthew 25,
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 Jesus uses two pictures
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 to describe what he has already taught
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 in Matthew 24.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 And the pictures show us
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 how to live
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 between the two comings of Jesus.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:53 Last week,
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 the first picture
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 was the parable of the ten virgins,
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 five who were wise,
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 they were well prepared
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 for the delayed return
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 of the bridegroom,
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 and five who were foolish,
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 who thought they knew
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 the bridegroom,
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 but didn't.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 And this morning,
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 the second picture
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 in Matthew 25,
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 the parable of the talents,
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 the Bible reading
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 that Josh has just read to us.
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 And again,
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 this is a story
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 about how to live
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 in the light
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 of Jesus' delayed return.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 And you pick that up
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 from verse 14
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 because Jesus said,
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 again,
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 it will be like a man
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 going on a journey.
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 He's about to go
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 on a journey.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 And in verse 19,
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 after a long time,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 the master
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 of those servants
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 returns.
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 So it's going to be
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 a long period of time
00:09:47 --> 00:09:48 between his departure
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 and between his return.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 This is about life
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 between the two comings
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 of Jesus.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 It's a great story.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 The master's going
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 on a journey.
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 He calls his servants in.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 He entrusts them
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 with the running
00:10:01 --> 00:10:01 of his business.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:02 He gives them a task,
00:10:03 --> 00:10:03 something to do.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 One of them
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 gets five talents
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 to look after.
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 One gets two.
00:10:09 --> 00:10:10 The other gets one.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 He gives each of them
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 responsibility.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 And verse 15 says,
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 each according
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 to his own ability.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:20 He gives them
00:10:20 --> 00:10:20 what he believes
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 they're capable
00:10:21 --> 00:10:21 of handling.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:22 There's nothing more,
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 nothing less,
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 not too much
00:10:24 --> 00:10:24 and not too little.
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 But this is big business.
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 I worked it out
00:10:31 --> 00:10:31 the other day.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 Our talent was
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 a measure of money.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 It's not a God-given
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 gift or ability.
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 It's a measure of money.
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 And a talent was equal
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 to 6 days wages,
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 6 denarii.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43 And the average
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 Australian wage
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 at present
00:10:45 --> 00:10:45 is something like
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 $70.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 You divide that
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 by 52.
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 And again,
00:10:51 --> 00:10:51 for five,
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 by five,
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 for a five-day
00:10:53 --> 00:10:53 working work,
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 it comes out
00:10:54 --> 00:10:54 at something like
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 $270 a day.
00:10:56 --> 00:10:56 So if you're getting
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 less than that,
00:10:57 --> 00:10:57 you're not getting
00:10:57 --> 00:10:58 the average wage.
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 And if you're getting
00:10:59 --> 00:10:59 more,
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 you're getting far
00:11:00 --> 00:11:00 more than you
00:11:00 --> 00:11:00 should be getting.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 Not true.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 But you work it out.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 A talent
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 in today's values
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 is nearly
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 $1.5 million.
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 So five talents
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 is $7.5 million.
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 And two
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 is $3 million.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 So these guys
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 are actually entrusted
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 with running
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 their master's business.
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 They're given
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 really big sums
00:11:29 --> 00:11:29 of money
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 to be responsible
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 for.
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 And they're running
00:11:33 --> 00:11:33 the business
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 until the master
00:11:35 --> 00:11:35 returns.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:38 You see,
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 the first two,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 they get to work,
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 they double the money
00:11:41 --> 00:11:41 over a long time.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 These are not
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 short-term
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 money market gains.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:48 This is solid,
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 hard work
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 building a business.
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 And the third,
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 verse 18,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 went off
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 dug a hole
00:11:57 --> 00:11:57 in the ground
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 and hid
00:11:58 --> 00:11:58 his master's
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 money.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 Now that wasn't
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 such a strange
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 thing to do.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 A rabbi
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 at the time
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 said that the
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 best way to
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 protect money
00:12:14 --> 00:12:14 was to bury it.
00:12:16 --> 00:12:16 In a world
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 without banks
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 and without
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 chub safes
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 and all sorts
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 of security,
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 a normal way
00:12:21 --> 00:12:21 to protect
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 your money
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 was to bury it
00:12:23 --> 00:12:23 and not tell
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 people where
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 you'd planted it.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:26 So much
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 for your family
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 if you died
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 suddenly.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 HSC
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 Ancient History
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 teaches that
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 soldiers going
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 off to war
00:12:36 --> 00:12:36 would bury
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 their personal
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 fortunes in the
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 ground to keep
00:12:39 --> 00:12:39 it safe
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 until they
00:12:40 --> 00:12:40 return.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 These three guys
00:12:44 --> 00:12:44 are entrusted
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 with the master's
00:12:45 --> 00:12:45 business.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:47 They're given
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 responsibility
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 and the master
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 has expectations
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 of them
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 according to
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 their ability.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 They are to be
00:12:56 --> 00:12:56 on about the
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 master's business
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 while he's absent.
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 They are to work
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 industriously
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 for him.
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 So a day of
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 reckoning comes.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 The day of
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 settling accounts
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 comes a long
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 time later.
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 a delayed
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 return.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 And the
00:13:21 --> 00:13:21 first has
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 turned
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 seven million
00:13:23 --> 00:13:23 dollars
00:13:23 --> 00:13:23 into
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 fourteen
00:13:24 --> 00:13:24 million
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 dollars.
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 And the
00:13:27 --> 00:13:27 second has
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 turned
00:13:28 --> 00:13:28 three million
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 dollars
00:13:29 --> 00:13:29 into six
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 million
00:13:30 --> 00:13:30 dollars.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 And the
00:13:32 --> 00:13:32 master says
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 exactly the
00:13:33 --> 00:13:33 same to
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 both of
00:13:34 --> 00:13:34 them.
00:13:36 --> 00:13:36 Excellent.
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 Good and
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 faithful servants.
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 You have been
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 faithful in a
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 few things.
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 I will put you
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 in charge of
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 many things.
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 Come and
00:13:44 --> 00:13:44 share your
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 master's
00:13:45 --> 00:13:45 happiness.
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 He's delighted.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 He recognizes
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 their hard work.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 They rejoice in
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 their success
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 together.
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 It's not their
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 money but they
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 have been successful
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 for their master
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 and he is pleased
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 for them and he
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 is pleased with
00:14:01 --> 00:14:01 them.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 They are well
00:14:04 --> 00:14:04 prepared for their
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 master's return
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 because they have
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 been faithfully
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 discharging their
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 responsibilities.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 They share joy
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 all around when he
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 comes back because
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 they have been on
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 about the master's
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 business.
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 Very different
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 story from the
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 third man or with
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 the third man.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 Verse 24.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 Oh master I knew
00:14:25 --> 00:14:25 you were a hard
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 man.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 Harvesting where
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 you have not sown
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 and gathering where
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 you have not
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 scattered seed and
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 so I was afraid
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 and I went out
00:14:33 --> 00:14:33 and I hid your
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 talent in the
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 ground and say
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 here it is.
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 Here is what
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 belongs to you.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 I've kept it all
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 safe.
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 I haven't lost
00:14:42 --> 00:14:42 a cent.
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 But as he says
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 these words he
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 almost accuses his
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 master of being a
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 venture capitalist
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 making his money on
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 other people's
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 efforts.
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 You just trade on
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 everybody else.
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 Saw it in the
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 bush.
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 Saw it in
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 Wee-Woo.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:00 Farmers had
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 planted their
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 crops and they
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 would pay big
00:15:03 --> 00:15:03 money to grow
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 them.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:05 And they would
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 live with the
00:15:06 --> 00:15:06 risk of the
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 season.
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 And then they
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 sold their crops
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 into markets where
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 the price was
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 controlled by
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 commodity and
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 money traders in
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 cities around the
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 world like New
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 York.
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 Men and women in
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 business suits who
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 wouldn't have a
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 clue what dirt was
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 let alone putting
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 their hands into
00:15:22 --> 00:15:22 it.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 That's not your
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 job is it?
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 In Sydney.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 They're probably
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 those people in
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 churches higher up
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 the north shore.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 Is that correct?
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 Or lower down.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 There you go.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 But this third
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 servant seems to
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 have little respect
00:15:42 --> 00:15:42 for his master.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 He goes, he gets
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 the money, tosses it
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 back to him.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 I've looked after it
00:15:47 --> 00:15:47 for you.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 I was afraid of you
00:15:48 --> 00:15:50 and so I made sure I
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 kept every last cent
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 safe.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 mongrel boss that
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 you are.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 He didn't say that.
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 The master's filthy.
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 You wicked, lazy
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 servant.
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 So you knew I
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 harvest where I
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 haven't sown and
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 gather where I
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 haven't scattered
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 seed.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:10 Well then you
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 should have put
00:16:11 --> 00:16:11 your money on
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 deposit with the
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 bankers so that
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 when I returned I
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 would have received
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 it back with
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 interest.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 Jews couldn't
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 charge fellow
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 Jews.
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 interest.
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 But money could be
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 borrowed in the
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 Roman Empire to a
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 maximum of 12%.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 Could have at least
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 put it in the bank
00:16:30 --> 00:16:34 and this last man is a
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 piece of work.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 He has a shot at his
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 master to pass off
00:16:37 --> 00:16:37 blame.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 He's drawing a wage
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 from the business but
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 he doesn't care two
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 bits about his
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 master's business.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:44 He's dumped a vast
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 sum of money in a
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 hole in the ground
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 for the entire time
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 that his master was
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 away and presumably
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 got on with life and
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 his own business.
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 He did his own
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 thing.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 His master said he
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 was wicked and he
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 was lazy.
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 How long would you
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 last in your job if
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 you went to work and
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 you used all the
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 company's stationery and
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 computer peripherals?
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 If you spent all day
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 on the phone on
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 personal business,
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 wouldn't your employer
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 have every right to
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 throw you out of the
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 place?
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 See the third servant
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 in this parable might
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 have been working his
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 butt off while his
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 master was absent but
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 growing his own share
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 portfolio, doing a
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 stack of beneficial
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 trades on eBay, running
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 around and doing work
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 for mates all over the
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 place, he may have been
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 busier even than the
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 other two.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 But Jesus called him
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 wicked and lazy because
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 he was squandering his
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 master's resources and
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 business.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 He wasn't responding
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 at all to the one who
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 had the right to tell
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 him what his work was,
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 he did his own thing.
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 Is that not a picture of
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 the church that I read
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 about at the beginning?
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 Full of religious
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 activity and a
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 beautiful infrastructure
00:18:01 --> 00:18:04 and not touching their
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 Muslim neighbours?
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 I reckon if you'd asked
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 this guy what his job
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 was, he probably would
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 have said, I work for
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 the master.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 And if you looked at
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 what he was doing all
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 the time, the master
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 away was away.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 It was nothing.
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 It was a big fat
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 zilch.
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 And Jesus called the
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 man wicked and lazy,
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 his doom assured,
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 cast away into darkness,
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 never to be heard from
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 again.
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 Now I hope it's not
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 too hard to see where
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 this is heading.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 Jesus, our King, has
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 come once and he will
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 come again.
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 We live awaiting his
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 return.
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 He's been a long time.
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 He could come back
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 today.
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 He could come back a
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 long time into the
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 future.
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 But he will return.
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 But in the meantime, we
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 are stewards of the
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 master's business.
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 We are not here for
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 ourselves.
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 We are here for what
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 God wants us to do.
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 In Matthew 24, Jesus
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 tells us that the
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 faithful and wise
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 servant is the one
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 whom the master has
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 put in charge of his
00:19:23 --> 00:19:23 household.
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 And when the master
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 returns, he finds his
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 servant faithfully at
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 work doing his job.
00:19:29 --> 00:19:34 Matthew 24 also gives a
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 huge glimpse of what the
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 master's business is.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 Verse 14, this gospel of
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 the kingdom will be
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 preached in the whole
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 world as a testimony to
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 all nations and then the
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 end will come.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 And in verse 31, he will
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 send his angels with a
00:19:52 --> 00:19:55 loud trumpet call and they
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 will gather his elect from
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 the four winds from one end
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 of the heavens to the
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 other.
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 Angel sounds all spooky as
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 in heavenly messengers and
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 sometimes they are.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12 But angel simply means
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 messenger.
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 And so it's completely
00:20:15 --> 00:20:17 valid to read this last
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 verse as he will send his
00:20:18 --> 00:20:21 messengers with a loud
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 trumpet call and they will
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 gather his elect from the
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 four winds from one end of
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 the heavens to the other.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 When I went to South
00:20:29 --> 00:20:32 Africa recently and worked
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 with Andrew Barnes who was
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 the pastor at Musenberg
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37 Community Church and the
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 pastor of the church that
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 Darian and Vanessa are at,
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 he wrote to Darian, our
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 link missionary afterwards
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 and he said about me,
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 let's blow my own trumpet
00:20:45 --> 00:20:45 for a sec, he said,
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 it's as though God sent an
00:20:47 --> 00:20:50 angel to say exactly the
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 right things to me, I feel
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 so encouraged to carry on.
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 Enormous encouragement to
00:20:58 --> 00:21:01 me and I am thrilled to
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 think that God used me as
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 his messenger in his time
00:21:03 --> 00:21:06 to encourage Andrew and
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 let me tell you that Andrew
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 was an enormous blessing to
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 me as well.
00:21:11 --> 00:21:13 But the point for me with
00:21:13 --> 00:21:15 angels is that God uses
00:21:15 --> 00:21:17 heavenly beings as his
00:21:17 --> 00:21:20 messengers and he also
00:21:20 --> 00:21:23 uses heavenly beings, he
00:21:23 --> 00:21:26 uses human beings as his
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 messengers.
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 So what's happening between
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 the first and second
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 comings of Jesus?
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 His gospel is being preached
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 to the nations.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 God's messengers are being
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 sent out into all the world
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 to gather his chosen people
00:21:42 --> 00:21:42 in.
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 It's a joyous and it's a
00:21:44 --> 00:21:46 magnificent work and Romans
00:21:46 --> 00:21:48 chapter 10 expresses it, it
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 says everyone who calls on the
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 name of the Lord will be
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 saved.
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 How can they call on the
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 one they have not believed
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 in and how can they believe
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 on the one of whom they
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 have not heard?
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 And how can they hear
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 without someone preaching
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 to them and how can they
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 preach unless they are
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 sent?
00:22:02 --> 00:22:04 As it is written, how
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 beautiful are the feet of
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 those who bring good news.
00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 See people are gathered to
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 God through the preaching of
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 the gospel.
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15 As the message of Christ is
00:22:15 --> 00:22:17 spoken in God's world, people
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 are gathered from the four
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 corners of the earth into his
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 family.
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 Preaching of the gospel,
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 declaration about Christ
00:22:24 --> 00:22:27 happens in formal settings
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 like church but where
00:22:27 --> 00:22:29 Christian people come to
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 gather or maybe somebody
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 interested in finding out.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 It also happens in informal
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 places like over morning tea
00:22:37 --> 00:22:39 at work and in time reading
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 the scriptures with our
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 children, at dinner with
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 friends.
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 Being on about the
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 master's business in the
00:22:46 --> 00:22:48 context here is particularly
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 about telling the world
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 about Jesus Christ in both
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52 word and in deed.
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 I remember feeling really
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 embarrassed at one of my
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 ordination interviews a long
00:22:58 --> 00:23:01 time ago and I was asked,
00:23:02 --> 00:23:04 have you led anybody to
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 Christ?
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 It's almost like how many
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 notches have you got on your
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 belt?
00:23:09 --> 00:23:14 And at the time I couldn't
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 think of anyone.
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 But if the question had been
00:23:22 --> 00:23:24 who had I spoken to about
00:23:24 --> 00:23:27 Christ, then the list would
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 have been long.
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 It would have been family,
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 it would have been friends,
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 it would have been workmates,
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 it would have been the
00:23:34 --> 00:23:37 occasional stranger, mostly
00:23:37 --> 00:23:39 people that I had some sort
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 of a relationship with.
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 See, we don't control the
00:23:44 --> 00:23:48 response, but we do have
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 control over whether we open
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 our mouths and speak, we
00:23:50 --> 00:23:53 have control over what we
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 say and we have control over
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 how we say it.
00:23:58 --> 00:24:01 My engineering boss would give
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 me some stick.
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 He was a bit of a rogue and
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 he would wind me up at work
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 about my faith.
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 He knew I was a Christian
00:24:07 --> 00:24:09 and we'd had numbers of
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 conversations.
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 And his girls were Christian.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:15 And I didn't convert him.
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 But I did speak to him about
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 Christ numbers of times.
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 And 30 years later, I got his
00:24:21 --> 00:24:23 Christmas card the other day
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 and it's been developing over
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 quite a few years, but it's a
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 joy to read his Christmas
00:24:26 --> 00:24:28 cards because he now strongly
00:24:28 --> 00:24:31 proclaims Christ as he cares
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 for an invalid wife who suffers
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 with MS.
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 He has been growing as a
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 disciple of the
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 Lord Jesus Christ.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:39 God has gathered another one
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 of his elect from the four
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 corners of the earth through
00:24:41 --> 00:24:43 the saving message about
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 Jesus Christ.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:50 So brothers and sisters,
00:24:51 --> 00:24:54 own your faith and speak
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 about it.
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 Understand that when people
00:24:58 --> 00:25:00 give you a hard time, some of
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 them will be people that God is
00:25:01 --> 00:25:03 gathering into his kingdom even
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 in the future.
00:25:04 --> 00:25:06 And how you respond to them
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 even now, as pain in the butt
00:25:07 --> 00:25:09 as they might be, matters.
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 See, Christmas time itself
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16 brings many opportunities to own
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 Christ.
00:25:17 --> 00:25:19 Tell people that you're going to
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 church.
00:25:20 --> 00:25:22 Tell people that Christmas is
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 much bigger than a baby story.
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 It's about what this amazing man
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 came to do.
00:25:27 --> 00:25:30 Take the opportunities that God
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 gives you to speak about what you
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 believe.
00:25:32 --> 00:25:34 Be on about the master's business.
00:25:36 --> 00:25:38 It's a wonderful parable because
00:25:38 --> 00:25:40 God recognises our different
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 opportunities.
00:25:42 --> 00:25:44 Two servants grow their master's
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 business.
00:25:46 --> 00:25:48 He's equally pleased with both of
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 them.
00:25:49 --> 00:25:51 He makes no distinction between them
00:25:51 --> 00:25:53 in terms of his pleasure with them.
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 They have both been doing his
00:25:55 --> 00:25:58 business and he loves them for it.
00:25:58 --> 00:26:00 And he speaks the same wonderful
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 word to both of them.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 He says, well done, good and
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 faithful servants.
00:26:05 --> 00:26:07 Come and share your master's
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 happiness.
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 Amen.