Session 32

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WELCOME

Where were you 35 years ago? How have you seen God's grace at work in your life from that time until today? (for those not yet born 35 years ago, you may still respond to the second question)

WORD

Matthew 25:24-30 New International Version (NIV) says

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.' (read Matthew 25:14-30 in its entirety)

Blessed 35th Anniversary CCF! Now when we celebrate anniversaries, we tend to look back which is quite appropriate. But as we celebrate 35 years of CCF as a spiritual movement of Christ-committed followers who make Christ-committed followers, we want to look towards the future. We will focus on what Jesus shared to His disciples on the last days of His earthly life. Jesus wanted His disciples to be prepared for the future. He taught them of His second coming & the signs that will precede it.

Matthew 24:6-7 New International Version (NIV) says

6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Today, there are at least 25 major wars & conflicts all over the world. Famine devastates places in Africa despite our high tech abilities. Earthquakes happen more frequently in stronger magnitudes. Diseases are rampant around the world. God is also fulfilling His declarations for the nation of Israel.These signs that Jesus talked about are all around us! After the warnings, Jesus gave a valuable lesson on how His followerrs must live their lives through the 'Parable of the Talents'. The context for this is for us to BE READY FOR HIS RETURN.

Matthew 25:14-30 New International Version (NIV) says

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

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,[a] 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.'

1.) YOU MUST KNOW YOU ARE STEWARDS

'You are not the boss, you are a manager!' This is how we can best put into words this first point. God entrusted to each of us something precious: our family, our business, our finances, our health,our influence-& we must do our best to manage these gifts properly. Jesus likened us to the servants in the parable who were entrusted with talents. A talent is a measure of weight (32kg-33kg). A talent of gold is worth about $1,400,116.57; a talent of silver is equivalent to about $16,500 today.

Matthew 25:14-18 New International Version (NIV) says

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

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,[a] 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.

Similarly, some of us have been entrusted with more 'talents', others with less according to our abilities. Paul presents the same concept in

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 New International Version (NIV) says

The Nature of True Apostleship

4 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

We are STEWARDS of the "mysteries of God", the revelation of JESUS CHRIST & what He has done for all of us. These precious truths are given to us & we must do our best to share these truths to others, that we may gather a great return for our God. Our job then, as stewards is to make sure we be worthy of the trust given to us. How are we managing our finances? How are we managing our families? How are we managing our relationships?

2.) YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE

Matthew 25:19 New International Version (NIV) says

19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

tells us that there is a day of accountability, between the master & servants. Upon his return, the master settled accounts with the three servants. Notice the differing attitudes of the servants on this day of reckoning:

Matthew 25:20-21 New International Version (NIV) says

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!'

The first servant was very excited to face the master & report to him that he was able to double the five talents & so gained a profit for his master. The master expressed appreciation & gave a glowing commendation & a promise to the first servant.

Matthew 25:22-23 New International Version (NIV) says

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!'

The same thing happened with the second servant who was able to double the two talents entrusted to him; he gave back four talents to the master. Our lives are not our own-it is God's.

1 Corinthians 6:20 New International Version (NIV) says

20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

reminds us that "we were bought with a price". We belonged twice to the Lord, by creation & by redemption. SInce we belong to Him, a true follower of God should & will eagerly wait for Jesus.

Hebrews 9:28 New International Version (NIV) says

28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Philippians 3:20 New International Version (NIV) says

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

The clincher of the story, however, is the third servant's response to the Master.

Matthew 25:24-25 New International Version (NIV) says

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.'

When it was his turn to give a report, this servant gave excuses for why he did not gain anything for the master from the talent entrusted to him; he even blamed the master for his own failure! The real reason for this servant's unprofitable handling of the talent was his wrong ideas about the kind of master he served. When we face GOD'S real judgement & give an account to GOD for what we have done with the life He entrusted to us, will we hear HIM say, "WELL DONE, GOOD & FAITHFUL SERVANT, ENTER INTO MY JOY"? or are we going to stand before HIM empty-handed because we have not known HIM well enough & have therefore lived unprofitable lives?

3.) YOU NEED TO BE FAITHFUL

It is not the amount gained, but the servants' faithfulness in taking care of the things entrusted to them that mattered to their master. The master called the first two servants as GOOD & FAITHFUL. When GOD gives you something. He expects you to grow it. By faith in who Jesus is, do your best to serve the Master. The parable ends with the master giving more to the faithful servants as a reward to their good stewardship, while the unfaithful servant ended up with nothing.

Matthew 25:29-30 New International Version (NIV) says

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.'

It is FAITH in who God is that fuels us to press on & do our best with the lives we have been given, as we await the Second Coming of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11:6 New International Version (NIV) says

6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

reminds us: "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is & that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." As we look towards the future, may we be like Paul, eager to see Jesus & be consistently faithful to give our best for the Lord. In his last letter Paul says,

2 Timothy 4:8 New International Version (NIV) says

8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

BE READY FOR THAT DAY BY BEING A GOOD STEWARD. BY FAITH IN CHRIST, LET US PLEASE THE KING OF KINGS & LORD OF LORDS IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO THIS YEAR & THE REST OF OUR DAYS AS WE AWAIT OUR MASTER'S RETURN.

DISCUSSION QUESTION: (DONT INCLUDE HERE YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE ARE NOW AT THE PRESENT, POST THIS IN YOUR WATTPAD)

1. What things have God entrusted to you as a steward? How are you maximizing these to fulfill the mission God has given us?

mia answer: The things God have entrusted to me as a steward is my family, my co-teacher, my officemate & my friend; I am maximizing these to fulfill the mission God has given to me by sending them His word through all the for that I can.

2. There were three servants in the parable, which one characterizes you more? How can you improve & be a more faithful steward of God's gifts & resources?

mia answer: the second characterize me more; I can more improve & be a more faithful steward of God's gift & resources by using it.

3. Do you feel ready for the Lord's return? Why or why not?

mia answer: I feel like am not kinda ready for the Lord's return; because sometimes I commit failure

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