This morning, we continue our series on “The Parables of Jesus.” We will seek to glean “Pearls from the Parables.”
Before we get to the parable, let’s look at a scripture we have been looking at all year. This is something I believe the Lord wants us to meditate on.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us.
(Matthew 25:14-30 TPT)
14 “Again, heaven’s kingdom is like a wealthy man who went on a long journey and summoned all his trusted servants and assigned his financial management over to them. 15 Before he left on his journey, he entrusted a bag of five thousand gold coins to one of his servants, to another a bag of two thousand gold coins, and to the third a bag of one thousand gold coins, each according to his ability to manage.
16 “The one entrusted with five thousand gold coins immediately went out and traded with the money, and he doubled his investment. 17 In the same way, the one who was entrusted with two thousand gold coins traded with the sum and likewise doubled his investment. 18 But the one who had been entrusted with one thousand gold coins dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money.
19 “After much time had passed, the master returned to settle accounts with his servants. 20 The one who was entrusted with five thousand gold coins came and brought ten thousand, saying, ‘See, I have doubled your money.’
21 “Commending his servant, the master replied, ‘You have done well, and proven yourself to be my loyal and trustworthy servant. Because you have been a faithful steward to manage a small sum, now I will put you in charge of much, much more. You will experience the delight of your master, who will say to you, “Enter into the joy of your Lord!” ‘
22 “Then the one who had been entrusted with two thousand gold coins came in and said, ‘See, my master, I have doubled what you have entrusted to me.’
23 “Commending his servant, the master replied, ‘You have done well, and proven yourself to be my loyal and trustworthy servant. Because you were faithful to manage a small sum, now I will put you in charge of much, much more. You will experience the delight of your master, who will say to you, “Enter into the joy of your Lord!” ‘
24 “Then the one who had been entrusted with one thousand gold coins came to his master and said, ‘Look, sir. I know that you are a hard man to please and you’re a shrewd and ruthless businessman who grows rich on the backs of others. 25 I was afraid of you, so I went and hid your money and buried it in the ground. But here it is–take it, it’s yours.’
26 “But his master said to him, ‘You’re an untrustworthy and lazy servant! If you knew I was a shrewd and ruthless business man who always makes a profit, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? 27 Then I would have received it all back with interest when I returned. 28 But because you were unfaithful, I will take the one thousand gold coins and give them to the one who has ten thousand. 29 For the one who has will be given more, until he overflows with abundance. And the one with hardly anything, even what little he has will be taken from him.’
30 “Then the master said to his other servants, ‘Now, throw that good-for-nothing servant far away from me into the outer darkness, where there will be great misery and anguish!’ “
So, what does this mean for you today? Yesterday, we sought to glean some lessons from the mistakes of the unfaithful steward. We will flow in this vein again today.
1. The Unfaithful Steward Underestimated the Power of Small Beginnings:
— He failed to see the potential of what seemed like a small amount.
— In the Kingdom, small beginnings can lead to significant outcomes; think of David, who started as a shepherd.
— His underestimation of the talent’s potential led him to miss out on the multiplication effect.
— He ignored the principle that faithfulness in little leads to being entrusted with much.
Here are some things you can glean from this:
(a) In the Kingdom, you must learn to find God’s value and purpose in every opportunity.
— Every opportunity, no matter how small, carries potential.
— If God gave you the opportunity, it is obviously for a reason. And here’s a hint: it was NOT for you to fail!
— It’s essential to recognize and value every chance we get because, in God, it could be the start of something huge!
(b) In the Kingdom, small things have the potential for massive growth.
— Jesus often taught about mustard seed faith and the power that can be found in one of the world’s smallest seeds.
— Just as a tiny seed can grow into a massive tree, small actions (or investments, as in the case in this parable) can lead to substantial outcomes.
— There is no limit to what God can do with something small, but you just cannot despise the small beginning. You must learn to appreciate it.
— The unfaithful steward failed to appreciate it, and he did nothing with it. Don’t let this be you!
(c) In the Kingdom, God checks your perspective.
— To grow in Christ, faithfulness matters. God is looking for faith.
— Faith, by nature, starts with small things.
— If you prove yourself faithful and diligent in small tasks, it will prepare you for greater responsibilities.
— If you can’t handle small tasks with care and dedication, you are not looking at the task the way God is, and if God sees you cannot be trusted over the little, He will NOT RELEASE MORE!
— If you think you are waiting on God to give you more, He may be waiting on you to make the most of what He has already given you.
(d) In the Kingdom, every little bit counts.
— When Jesus fed 5,000 men (plus women and children, so probably more like 15,000 people) with two fish and five loaves of bread, I love the fact that Jesus made them go collect all the leftovers. He wanted NOTHING TO BE WASTED!
— In the Kingdom, even the things we consider to be small matter.
— In the grand scheme of things, every effort, no matter how minor it seems, contributes to the bigger picture.
— This is why we must learn to give our best in everything we do.
— The unfaithful steward did NOT do this. Learn from him.
— If you are going to do something, you should do it right!
— In only have ONE SETTING. If I am going to do something, I am going to do it all the way!
2. The Unfaithful Steward Was Not Future-Oriented:
— He acted as if there would be no day of reckoning.
— Being Kingdom-minded means understanding that today’s actions have future implications.
— His lack of future orientation led him to make decisions based solely on the present.
— He missed the concept that we are building up treasures in Heaven through our earthly stewardship.
Here are some things you can glean from this:
(a) In the Kingdom, accountability is Inevitable.
— We must always act with the understanding that there will be a day of reckoning for our actions, choices, and stewardship.
— This keeps us accountable and responsible.
— You must live with the understanding that “one day,” you will stand before God, and you will have to give an account of how you used the ONE LIFE He gave you.
— Jesus said that you will even have to give an account for every idle (unproductive) word you spoke! (Matthew 12:36).
(b) You must learn to live Kingdom-Minded.
— Being Kingdom-minded means recognizing that our actions today have eternal implications.
— This perspective should guide our decision-making process.
— Being Kingdom-minded will keep you from being short-sighted like the unfaithful steward was in the text.
(c) God wants you to have an eternal perspective.
— Understanding that we are building up treasures in Heaven should motivate us to be good stewards of what we have been given on Earth.
— This eternal perspective adds weight and significance to our daily actions.
— You should consider this world and the world to come!
(d) Having an eternal perspective is a sign of spiritual maturity.
— Being future-oriented is a sign of spiritual growth.
— It shows that we are not just living for the ‘here and now’ but are considering the broader picture of God’s plan for our lives and the lives of others.
— The unfaithful steward was not thinking about the long term at all.
(e) God is legacy minded.
— When God looks at you, He sees you, your children, and your children’s children.
— When we are future-oriented, we start to think about the legacy we will leave behind. I have given this a lot of thought lately.
— This can be a powerful motivator to live a life that honors God and blesses others.
(f) The Holy Spirit will help you balance the present and future.
— While it’s essential to be future-oriented, it’s also crucial not to neglect the present.
— The key is to live fully in the present while making decisions that honor God and set us up for a fruitful future.
— The Holy Spirit will help you do this the right way.
— The Holy Spirit will help you to make the most of your NOW, while, at the same time, preparing you for your NEXT!
3. The Unfaithful Steward Missed the Joy of Co-Laboring with the Master:
— He missed out on the joy and reward that comes from successful stewardship.
— Co-laboring with God brings a sense of fulfillment and purpose.
— His failure to co-labor meant he missed out on the master’s commendation and reward.
— The joy of the Lord is both our strength and reward; he missed this by choosing to act in fear rather than faith.
Here are some things you can glean from this:
(a) The joy of partnership with God.
— Working in tandem with God is one of the most fulfilling experiences a believer can have.
— It brings a sense of purpose that nothing else can provide.
— When you know you are walking with God and He is walking with you, you have a sense of eternal purpose and internal fulfillment.
— You live with the “this is not something I’ve GOT TO DO, but this is something I GET TO DO” mentality!
(b) There is joy in receiving recognition and approval from God.
— There is no approval like your heavenly Father’s approval.
— The faithful stewards in the text heard, “WELL DONE!” This is what we should all want to hear from God!
— The unfaithful steward missed out on hearing “well done” from his master. Don’t let this be you!
(c) Spiritual satisfaction.
— There’s a deep sense of spiritual satisfaction that comes from knowing you’re in the center of God’s will, doing the work He has called you to do.
— The unfaithful steward missed out on this satisfaction by choosing not to co-labor with his master.
— Walk with God, seek to fulfill His purpose, obey His voice, and make your life ALL ABOUT HIM!.
— If you live this way, you will have a sense of internal satisfaction that you can find no other way!
That’s enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me! I boldly declare:
I recognize the potential in every opportunity You provide, no matter how small.
I will not despise small beginnings; I know they can lead to significant outcomes.
I am committed to being faithful in little, knowing that it prepares me for much.
I am Kingdom-minded, recognizing that my actions today have eternal implications.
I am building up treasures in Heaven through my earthly stewardship.
I am committed to leaving a legacy that honors You and blesses others.
I am committed to walking in Your will, doing the work You have called me to do.
Living with this mindset, I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
