Accountable to God
Written by Ed Allen
Saturday, 02 October 1999 19:00
Effective Living in a Busy World
We are accountable for the wise use of what God has given us.
Matthew 25:14-30
(14) "For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; (15) to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. (16) The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. (17) In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. (18) But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
(19) After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. (20) Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.'
(21) His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
(22) And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.'
(23) His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
(24) Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; (25) so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'
(26) But his master replied, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? (27) Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.
(28) So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. (29) For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. (30) As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
1. God invests in our lives
- In forming a relationship with us.
Þ "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men?s sins against them." 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
- In making/creating us
ÞWe are fearfully and wonderfully made, Ps. 139
Þ God is the primary cause behind all of creation
- By giving us our SHAPE
Þ Spiritual gifts
Þ Heart
Þ Abilities
Þ Personality
Þ Experiences
- Why?
Þ Because He wants us to participate with Him.
Þ Because He wants us to be His co-workers.
? Like a father who wants his son to go into the business.
Þ Also, because He wants us to experience His joy.
2. We will be held accountable
- "So then each of us will give an account of themselves to God." Rom. 14:12
- In the parable, the 1st servant was rewarded. In this life, God will reward faithfulness.
- The 2nd servant was rewarded.
- 3rd servant:
Þ He had the wrong view of God.
Þ He was lazy.
? The master could have hidden the money himself, but wanted the servant to experience fruitfulness.
- Oswald Chambers: "The essence of sin is the refusal to recognize that we are accountable to God at all."
- For his disregard of the master?s investment, the 3rd servant is judged.
Þ Final judgment will happen.
Þ Illustration:
In the movie, Casualties of War, Michael J. Fox plays Private Erikson, a soldier in Vietnam who is part of a squad that abducts and rapes a young Vietnamese girl. He didn?t participate in the crime.
Afterward, as he struggles with what has happened, he says to the other men in his squad, "Just because each of us might at any second be blown away, we?re acting like we can do anything we want, as thought it doesn?t matter what we do. I?m thinking it?s just the opposite. Because we might be dead in the next split-second, maybe we gotta be extra careful what we do. Because maybe it matters more. Maybe it matters more than we ever know."
Death, for all of us, is a breath away. And the nearer death is, the closer we are to answering to God for all we have said and done.
Conclusion:
- Some today have never recognized God?s immense investment in your life. Never realized your life was not your own.
- Some today need to hear God say "Well done, good and faithful servant."
- Some today need to step up and say "you can have all of me".
- We live in an age of entitlement. We believe happiness and comfort are our right. But they are God?s gift. And we are held accountable for the wise use of all of God?s gifts.