Sunday Message – Today Jesus 134

25/11/07
<Matthew 25:14-30>
BECOMING GOOD SERVANTS OF TALENTS
• Read <Matthew 25:14-30>
• v21 Hopefully, we are able to hear the Lord telling this to us everyday. God has already
accepted us
• v25 Do I have such characteristics in our lives where our spiritual lives remain the same
regardless of how long we have accepted the Lord? If so, these people haven’t seen the love of
their master. They thought that their master has not given anything to them yet
• v27 Where are the bankers? It means the church. The least we can do is to go to church
because we will surely receive our interest there

1. Count our gifts from God

“To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each
according to his ability.” When we count our gifts from God, we will be filled with surprise and awe
for what he has given is infinite

• When God’s time for us is up, He will definitely settle accounts with us. It is not true that we
don’t have any gifts on us. However, did we count God’s blessings?
• How do we settle the accounts? It does not depend on our conditions. In fact, we come to
earth with nothing. However, while we were still sinners, God made us alive

1) All I have are blessings from God and none came from our own hands.
- My body, soul and spirit, time, wisdom, power, status, role/workings of all things in the
universe that surround me/new blessing each day, protection, provision, rewards/spouse,
children, parents, brothers, relatives…
- There is always a role [to play] and a goal [to achieve] in what God has given = to enjoy
God’s blessings, live out his glory, and be fruitful and multiply
- As long as we are restored to God’s good will, we’ll live a life of happiness, fulfillment,
power and [producing] fruits.
- In our allotted time, there shall be settling accounts=each day, at every stage, and upon
return to our heavenly abode

• When we were still formless, God gave us, our bodies. God gave birth to us
• All our appearances, lives and conditions come from God, who loves us. He made us a
new creation
• We complain whenever we meet something that isn’t pleasing to us. That is because we
have yet to count God’s blessings
• Very often when we are healthy, we will take our healthiness for granted. It is only when
we have some illness that we will realized that we are walking on the path of sins
• All our conditions, bodies, beauty, family members, etc come from God’s grace. Have we
ever counted God’s blessings?
• We cannot give thanks if we have never counted God’s blessings

2) Though “five talents” and “two talents” are not the same, our “rewards” remain the
same <v21-23>
- The more we receive in terms of “time, status, role, ability, wisdom, power, and wealth”,
the more fruits we are to bring forth.
- God’s focus is on whether we “love God and man” with all our hearts, all our minds, all
our strength, and all our soul.
 • The persons who had received five and two thousands talents from the Lord respectively
had received the same blessings from God after they’d counted God’s blessings. Thus,
we shouldn’t compare with others, thinking others have better conditions than us
• The conditions that God has given each individual are unique
• We aren’t noble only when we have acquired a high status or possess good conditions
• There is a father and a mother in a family. We cannot say that the father is nobler than the
mother. Neither can we say that the child isn’t as noble as his parents. Everyone has his
own role to play
• There are also different roles in the church, like Pastor, Deacons, brothers, sisters,
preachers, those who clean up the tables, etc. The definition of nobility doesn’t depend on
our roles. Noble are those who did what the Lord has asked them to do
• Joshua and Caleb. Joshua wasn’t nobler than Cable. In the end, the possession of Caleb
was even greater
• Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel were all God’s Prophets. However, all their roles were
different
• Jeremiah cried when he saw how weak the Israelites were. Ezekiel lived among the
people and comforted them with God’s word. Daniel blessed the Israelites from the
Palace
• Although all of them had different conditions, the prosecutions, objections, challenges,
and tribulations they faced were all the same. The important thing was each of them
received their inheritance with their faith
• Whether a person is married or single, each of us has our responsibilities. Those who
earn a lot and those who earn little will have different ways of spending. We just need to
do our part faithfully according to our roles
• We must become the most contented people in the Lord
• Sometimes, we have neglected God given roles and conditions. Thus, we can’t perform to
our best capability
• A person who dies and resurrects with the Lord will possess all the new conditions. All of
us have received the noble roles of being God’s children
• We are already God’s children, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and have the holy spirit
dwelling in us. We are already kings. Although we dress and live among the commoners,
our identities and purposes are different from them

3) In fact, he who has died and resurrected with Christ has a life of infinite potential.
- Each saint has already received the greatest love, the most honored identity, the eternal
and infinite inheritance, and a vessel for the display of his power.
- The Lord is not saying “you will be the light of the world” but rather “you are the light of
the world, the children of God and of the royal priesthood.
- Do not judge yourself from the perspective of the “deceived”; judge all my conditions from
the perspective that “God has an eternal plan in creating, protecting and guiding me.”
• Who are the ones that God loves the most? They are those who are able to see God’s
love the most
• They can see the reasons for thanksgiving both on rainy and sunny days
• All of us should be able to see God’s love and reason for thanksgiving when we take the
MRT daily
• We give thanks because of God’s salvation and not because of our conditions. This is the
meaning of counting God’s blessings
• Is it true that those with children will have a more difficult and troublesome time? Did it
occur to us that the tough time in raising our children is God’s way of training us up?
• Our spirituality and personality can be built up in the process of raising our children and
through the difficult things we encounter. Only after we’d experienced these things, are
we able to give thanks in times of difficulty
 • When Jesus Christ became flesh and came to earth, He possessed the worst conditions
• Everyone hopes to have the best conditions. However, how many people can experience
Immanuel regardless of what their conditions are?

4) All of my infinite “possibility” and “potential” are hidden in my current given

“conditions”
- Those in Christ, regardless of their conditions, are all capable of performing the great task
of “four gospelization”
- He who is blessed in solitude (restoration of kingdom)  is capable of blessing those
who often gather around him  God will continue expand his [ministries]
# God used many of biblical characters who seemingly came last: David, Joseph, 120
disciples of Christ.
# God put to great use numerous other nobodies who were called into service in the midst
of adversities: D.L. Moody, the divorcees, the sick, the unsuccessful…
# There are many of “God’s servants and maids” around me who are positively impacting
my life
** Do not only admire those “with five talents of gifts” but value “the precious conditions God
has prepared for me”.
• We, who are in Jesus Christ, have already received the infinite potentials and possibilities
• Our characters may make us dislike people to disturb us when we are busy. However,
those in the Lord already have the potential to learn how to stop their work, listen and
care for others in all situations
• We must learn to be like Jesus Christ in healing, blessings and caring for others, all our
lives
• All the grace we receive doesn’t just come from the church’s message, the pastor’s
teachings or through endurance. Our blessedness also come from our parents’ teachings
and nurturing, the prayers from our brothers and sisters as well as the contacts with our
colleagues etc
• All the conditions we process, and the stories we have encountered were arranged and
prepared for us by God
• Our perspective will be very shallow if we don’t have the experiences that we’d been
through in our fields
• Only those who had counted God’s blessings before will know that Four Gospelization will
definitely take place
• All our roles are important. Therefore, we must value our conditions. Be it in wealth, in
poverty, success or failures, all of us can learn different lessons
• It is already by God’s grace that we are able to come to church. We must learn from
Joseph who was able to count God’s blessings in any situations

2. How to become good servants of gifts?

* The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and
gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who
had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money…. We
need to use every gift we have received from God to gain internal and external fruits of life.
Becoming good servants begins with a conviction that our life and daily living is God’s
entrustment with us…
• How was the person who had received a thousand talents frightened? It was because he
didn’t see the Lord’s grace and love. Thus, his excuse was that he didn’t have enough

1) To gain confirmed evidence of “being called to become his servants”

- All people of God are called  upon being born again, a saint begins his life of blessings
with confirmed evidence of his calling. Otherwise, his life after being born again will be
one of “coincidence and expediency and with neither meaning nor power.”
 hearing the mysteries of gospel, believing and receiving “a new life in Christ”, seeing “all
 are oppressed and hopeless” being filled with “compassion and mercy”, hungering and
thirsting to be “equipped”, continuously praying for salvation “family, relatives and friends”,
receiving “a holy ordination” among a fellowship of saints…

• If we want to be a good steward, we just first have the assurance that everything we had
was given to us graciously by God. Do we have little faith? Even if we have little faith,
God is able to use it
• No matter what we do, we should do it in accordance to God’s instruction. When we want
to go out, do we do it basing on our feelings or we do it because God’s instruction is so?
• We will know if we really ponder with an upright heart
• Many people, including saints walk their own lives and do their own things according to
their cravings, the lust of their eyes and the boasting of what they have and do
• In their enjoyment, many people do not know that they will leave the world 5 minutes later
(e.g. 911 incident, floods etc)
• Those who often walk with the Lord, who often live according to the Lord’s instructions will
not encounter such mishaps without reasons

2) Test and approve “God’s plan and commands”

- Testing and approving by way of God’s given identity, promise (four Gospelization, his
presence) our role, abilities, experience
- Regard everything in our daily life as “God’s personal entrustment to us” and do it with a
heart of serving the Lord.
• Everything is fixed for us by the Lord. Therefore, we do not need to worry about
ourselves. The only thing we need to worry about is that we are not being used by the
Lord
• We are being called. When we see that the people of this world are being deceived, we
will have a compassionate heart. When this happens, it means that we already have a life
which is being called
• Being called does not mean that we have to go out and serve fervently
• Many people say that they do not know what to do because they cannot hear God’s
instructions. Actually, that is an excuse. The problem lies with whether we truly have to
heart to listen. We can hear His instructions if we have the heart to examine His perfect
will
• The reason why we often cannot hear or examine is because we only want to hear what
we like to hear, and see what we want to see

3) Diagnose “the degree of our faithfulness at present”

(1) role, status (2) time (3) abilities (4) material / wealth (5) network
• We must know and value our own roles. Husbands must look like husbands, wives must
look like wives. Pastors must be like pastors and deacons must be like deacons etc
• Our time is very important. Seven days is a unit. Our seven days must begin with Sunday
service. Even when we are on a tour, we should have Sunday worship
• We must start each day with a fixed time prayer. The things we need to do each day are
different but we must do things with a balance. We should not live with anxiety everyday
or be overly indulgent in the world
• We do not want to wait till year end when we discover that we know the contents of the
television drama series but we do not know the overview of the 36 lessons
• We all have different talents. These are talents given to us by God. We just have to ask
God to give us additional grace to do the things that we are interested in, the things we
are good in, or the things prepared for me by God, much better
 • Some people say that they are lousy in all areas and not have any talents. Such people
just need to train to smile more. Use one’s smile to bless people because many people
are unable to smile. A person’s smile can brighten others’ gloom
• The way we use money and how we prioritize the use of money must be done by having
the heart of “being used by the Lord”
• When people in need come to us, every sentence we tell them can touch them. This
cannot be compared to the times when they are not in need but we tell them a lot of truths
• Therefore, do not ask those who need us to leave just because we are busy doing things
(including the Lord’s ministries). That one incident of “asking them to leave” may cause
them not to want to look for us or hear us out

4) Renew to receive evidence of “God’s pleasure with my service”

- In fact, he who loves God and continues to seek His perfect will is a “good servant”.
(1) a servant living by God’s leading and his-given abilities
(2) is one who tries to renew himself when he finds out where he is weak
(3) is one who sees his own continued growth/anointing
(4) is one who knows he’s having a positive impact on those around him.
• When we see the Lord’s pleasure in us, our lives have already passed
• We just have to rely on the Holy Spirit and not be accused
• It is evidence when one is willing to renew oneself
• Those who have the heart to restore home service have already passed

5) Seeing new blessings being added daily, rejoicing in the Lord, being thankful in
everything and expecting tomorrow
- This is the focus of the spiritual battle for the saints; if they can guard and maintain their
heart and mind like this, they will be able to bless an entire generation.
- The key to the enjoyment of such a blessed life: (1) hold firmly onto one’s identity and
promise; (2) in the Spirit; (3) With prayers and deep desires, making requests at all times
• Those who have already seen the above-mentioned points must add on new grace
• Many times, we may feel that we have not done well, or done enough. This is Satan’s
deception and attack. Actually we have already passed. Don’t we often hope that our
family members who have not known Christ would be saved sooner?
• Although we are not perfect, we have already passed. When we guard our hearts, new
grace will come upon us. Those who continue to see themselves as weak will never see
the additional grace that the Lord has given them

3. For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have more: but from him who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
* His Lord said to him, Well done, good and true servant: you have been true in a small thing, I
will give you control over great things: take your part in the joy of your lord.” The Lord lives
and those in him live, too. Therefore, life in him will surely bring forth many branches.
• The Lord is alive. Therefore, we who live in the Lord will definitely continue to grow

1) Receiving more and more a heart hungering and thirsting for righteousness
• How do I continue to maintain and increase my hunger and thirst for righteousness?
• We do not hunger and thirst for righteousness because we do not know how much God
loves us now
• If a person knows God’s heart better, knows His perfect will and love, they will hunger and
thirst more
• When we are weak, God will still love us. When we know this, we will hunger and thirst
 • We all know “out of 10 gambles, 9 will be losses” but people continue to go gambling
dens. This is because they want to get the “thrill” from gambling. Their hearts and minds
will feel satisfied whenever they gamble
• Therefore, when a person knows more of God’s love and grace, his spirit will be satisfied
and he will naturally hunger and thirst
2) Mastering more and more spiritual mysteries
• The more we see God’s reasons, the more we can be set free from our thoughts of
poverty, worries, disappointment, anger etc and enjoy the Lord’s peace and joy
• We do not need money to be freed from poverty. We are able to give thanks when we are
able to see God’s love, the reason for poverty, the reason for failure

3) Gaining more and more rooted and well-founded faith and testimonies
• Those who have grasped the spiritual mystery will have faith and testimony that have
foundation
• Many people’s testimonies and thanksgiving: when they are jobless and penniless, God
gave them jobs and money, etc. If this is so, are they able to give thanks if they do not
have jobs and money again?
• They have to see good things happening before they can have faith and give thanks.
When such saints encounter setbacks, they would not have reasons to give thanks
• People without foundation will have testimonies that are more and more ridiculous or
mysterious. E.g. often say that Jesus spoke to them in their dreams and when they
followed, they succeeded
• For those with foundation: today’s evidence will bring about tomorrow’s evidence. They
know the reason why God gives them wealth today. They also know that their wealth is
not because of money but because God is their provider. Therefore, when they are in
poverty, they can still enjoy God’s abundance
• In other words, they can glorify God in good things and bad. They can be joyful and
happy in good things and bad because they rely on the One who gives them strength

4) Witnessing more and more life impacting life and life expanding
• Only with testimonies like this can we have the power to influence, lead and touch people
• We must become a person with the greatest depth, who best understands God’s perfect
well and who can best taste God’s grace
• We must really receive God’s grace and become God’s good servants of talent
Sharing and Prayer Topics
1. Count our gifts from the Lord: In Lord Jesus Christ, how many gifts have I received? What
can I use them for? To what extent can I use them? Am I enjoying those gifts?
2. How to become good servants of talents? Am I a servant who has been called? Where’s
my evidence? In my daily life, that which I must do is what the Lord wants me to do. Do I
do it with a heart of serving the Lord? Of the many things the Lord has entrusted to me,
which are the most important? Is the Lord pleased with my service? What evidence do I
have to show for it? Where should I improve?
3. For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have more: but from him who has not,
even what he has will be taken away: Whether I am able to witness depends on the
process within which my spiritual life is being blessed more and more. Dwell more on how
closely related are my prior blessings to my doubled blessings thereafter.