Use it or Lose it

Use it or Lose it - Matthew 25:14-30

by Estelle Nazary

1. Talents - What is meant

No talents? Can anyone say this truthfully? Does God know our ability?

Talents are whatever God gives us to use and improve.

2. According to ability - verse 15

God does not expect more of us than we can produce. God does not entrust

us with more than we can handle. What counts is how we use what we have!

3. Venture and risk - verse 16

They were trusted and wanted to demonstrate that they were trustworthy

4. Fear and laziness - verses 24-27

Shift the blame - "hard master"

Afraid - excuses

Get by - idleness

5. Not to use is to lose - verse 28

Great tragedy of living is to fail to use gifts God has given us.

6. To use is to gain - verses 21-23, 29

Doubled!

What can Christians do that would pay double?

1. Invest gospel in lives of others.

2. Invest ourselves in needs of others

3. Invest in growth spiritually

Faithfulness:

1. Is demonstrated by using our talents for God; rewarded by increase in talents. God blesses those who use what gifts they have. Keep busy for God - doubled what they had.
2. Is nullified by hiding our talents. No challenge in living for God - no vision of his potential.
3. Will be rewarded at return of Christ, according to each believer's endowment. "Well done, my good and faithful servant of the Lord." enter in joy - great satisfaction Christ will give.

Results of unfaithfulness:

1. A harsh, critical spirit - lack of faith causes believer to doubt God and his work - see him as harsh tyrant, rather than loving master.
2. Fear and confusion - fearful of making things worse - timid - ridicule - reputation (Perfect love casts out fear)
3. Divine judgement ( by word and deed)
4. Unreasonableness - unbelief is always irrational

What are some gifts God has entrusted to you?

"it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy" I Corinthians 4:2

Faithfulness until Jesus comes - Be thou faithful until death!