Matthew 25:14-30

What do we learn?

God gives abilities, resources, and opportunities. God expects stewardship. Jesus taught that the Scriptures pointed to him as Messiah, and that those who would reject him would lose what truth they thought that they owned.

We are now stewards of our God-given abilities, resources (including time, energy & money), and opportunities.

Perspective from our study of Scripture

God’s story line tells us 4 things throughout Scripture:

1.      What God wants for us (Creation)

2.      What happened to us and what went wrong with the world (Fall)

3.      What God has done in Jesus Christ to put things right (Redemption)

4.      How history will turn out in the end as a result (Restoration)

– Timothy Keller   Good News of Jesus Christ: What God has done and will yet do.

Who is God?

·         One True Living God – Jer. 10:10-12  Psalm 18:46  1 Thess. 1:9

·         Life-Giver: Provider & Protector  Matt. 7:11  Jn. 14:14  2 Sam. 22:2-7  Psalms 138:7

·         Creator & Redeemer  Gen. 1:1  Isa. 44:24 43:1  Col. 1:15-28

·         Good Father, Relational – Gen. 1:26-28  Isa 64:8  Matt. 6:26-33

·         Rewarder of those who seek – Heb. 11:6

Who are we?

·         Someone who God loved and gave identity, value, and purpose. Gen. 1:26-28

·         Jesus follower  Lk. 9:23-24  Jn. 13:34-35

·         Child of God  Jn. 1:12-13  1 Jn. 3:1  Rom. 8:16-17

·         Coheir with Christ  Rom. 8:17

·         Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation  1 Peter 2:9

God’s purpose for our lives Genesis 1:26-31:

1.      To get to know God. Relationship

2.      To become like Jesus. Character

3.      To be an instrument in God’s hand. Stewardship

4.      To pass God’s life on to others. Reproduction

We recognize God’s passionate purpose, in the Kingdom “Jesus Movement”, in Matthew 4:17 etc and receive his “message and our ministry of reconciling people” to God, in 2 Corinthians 5:16-21.

What should we do?

1.      Pray, asking God to help us see our lives (and abilities, resources, & opportunities) the way that he wants us to.

2.      Read Matthew 25:14-30 and think about what Jesus is teaching.

3.      Consider how you prioritize the way that you steward abilities, resources, and opportunities.

4.      Think about one way that you can be a good steward of Jesus’ Good News with someone else this week.