THE TRAGEDY OF A WASTED LIFE

1. THE TRAGEDYOF A WASTED LIFE MATTHEW 25:14-30

2. “For all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: “IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN” John Greenleaf Whittier

3. “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6

4. “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

5. Matthew 25:14-30

6. A talent in NT times was comprised of 6,000 denarii. • A denarius was a silver coin equivalent to a day’s wage. The Parable of the Talents

7. So a talent=6,000 days wages or about 20 years wages @ 300 working days a year. • $1 million @ $50,000/year. The Parable of the Talents

8. “That the talent denoted something weighed has provided the meaning of the English word as a gift or ability.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary of NT Words The Parable of the Talents

9. The Parable of the Talents illustrates 4 BASIC ASPECTS OF SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITY

10. 1. THE RESPONSIBILITY WE RECEIVE. • 2. THE REACTION WE HAVE. • 3. THE RECKONING WE FACE. • 4. THE REWARD WE GAIN. 4 BASIC ASPECTS OF SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITY

11. All 3 are called his servants. • All 3 are entrusted with his property. • All 3 are entrusted with different amounts of money, according to their abilities. 1. The Responsibility We Receive

12. The master of those servants did not expect an equal return from each servant. • But, he did expect a relatively equal effort according to their ability. 1. The Responsibility We Receive

13. “Each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers.” 1 Cor. 3:8-9

14. “The man who had received the 5 talents went at once and put his money to work and gained 5 more.” 25:16 2. The Reaction We Have

15. “The one with 2 talents gained 2 more.” 25:17 2. The Reaction We Have

16. “The man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.” 25:18 2. The Reaction We Have

17. “Seize the Day.” Carpe Diem

18. “After a long time…” • “The master of those servants returned…” • “And settled accounts with them.” 3. The Reckoning We Face

19. “The man who had received the 5 talents brought the other 5. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with 5 talents. See, I have gained 5 more.’” 25:20 3. The Reckoning We Face

20. “The man with the 2 talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with 2 talents; see, I have gained 2 more.’” 25:22 3. The Reckoning We Face

21. “Then the man who had received the 1 talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard (harsh—HCS) man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’” 3. The Reckoning We Face

22. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body whether good or bad.” 2 Cor. 5:10 3. The Reckoning We Face

23. 1st--“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!” 25:21 4. The Reward We Gain

24. 2nd--“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!” 25:23 4. The Reward We Gain

25. “I will put you in charge of many things.” • At least for the 1000 year reign of Christ. • “They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a 1000 years.” Rev. 20:6 4. The Reward We Gain

26. In the parable of the minas (pounds—KJV, about 1/60th of a talent) the reward is: • 1st man--- “Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.” Luke 19:17 4. The Reward We Gain

27. 2nd man—”The master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’” Luke 19:19 4. The Reward We Gain

28. 3rd--“You wicked lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?” 4. The Reward We Gain

29. 3rd---”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.” 4. The Reward we Gain

30. “Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.” 4. The Reward we Gain

31. “Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 25:26-30 4. The Reward we Gain

32. “By their fruits you will know them.” • “Whosoever believeth in Jesus will be saved.” Tension in Scripture

33. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Matt. 25:13

34. “Run in such a way as to get the prize…we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 1 Cor. 9:24-25

35. “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” 1 Cor. 10:12

36. “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:26

37. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

38. 1. THE RESPONSIBILITY WE RECEIVE. • 2. THE REACTION WE HAVE. • 3. THE RECKONING WE FACE. • 4. THE REWARD WE GAIN. 4 BASIC ASPECTS OF SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITY

39. A brick was thrown into the side of his new Jaq on a Chicago street. • “Please mister, I’m sorry, I threw the brick because no one else would stop!” • Don’t go thru life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you. • True story by Josh Ridker Josh and his Jaquar