Wednesday, March 18th

According to Jesus, serving redefines our greatness through humility and redefines our heart posture, under Christ and for others.

Today, let’s look at a parable, story, that Jesus shares with us.

Matthew 25:14-30- 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came.
‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

There’s a lot going on in this passage. The first thing I want to draw your attention to is verse- 15, it talks about bags of gold 5, 2, and 1. Depending on your translation we miss the power of what this passage is talking about.

Take a look at verse 15- 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. That word ability is the Greek word dynamis. What other word does that look like? Dynamite. Ability is also translated as power or might or strength. Jesus is saying, “I have given you power, might, what are you going to do with the power that I have given you.”

Which is why, when we get to the last servant, who was given one bag of “power”, Jesus shares that the master was firm with him. But why?

Look back at what the servant said. 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

Who does the servant blame? The master. Essentially saying, “Master, it’s your fault that I didn’t do anything with what you gave me. I don’t trust you because you are hard and so I squandered the power, the ability that you gave me.”

The Master is firm with the servant because in his fear, lack of trust, he wasn’t responsible and didn’t obey what he was given. Which meant, because the servant didn’t want to have anything to do with the master. The master shows him in a physical expression of being separated from him for good.

According to Jesus, serving redefines power through obedience. You have all been given power, strength, ability, gifts. How are you going to use them? How are you going to steward what God has given you? Are you going to take the power, under the posture of Christ and in humility, use it to multiple for the kingdom? Are you going to take what God has given you, be responsible for that power, and obey him kingdom work? Or are you going to waste what God has given you, because you are fearful and don’t trust his ways? The choice is yours. But Jesus is pretty clear with what he desires.