Faithful Stewards of God
Matthew 25:14-30

Part of being a kingdom person in this world is to be faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.
When Jesus started his earthly ministry; he began to preach “repent, the kingdom of God is near” (Matt.4:17)
Matthew’s main theme is the kingdom of God.  Jesus encouraged people to seek God’s kingdom and his justice. (Matt.6:33).  Jesus spoke plainly about the kingdom of God; he told people how to enter this kingdom.  In John 3 Jesus said that one must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Once you and I accept Jesus, believe in him as the Messiah and Lord and are baptized in his name, we become part of the kingdom of God.  “A kingdom person is one who is wilting to adjust his decision to God’s decision even if God’s decision is not what you prefer.” Tony Evans.
Jesus taught many things concerning the kingdom of heaven in the gospel according to Matthew.  Through his teachings, we can understand better what the kingdom is all about and the role we play as part of it.
As parts of God’s kingdom, He expects us to be faithful stewards of the things he has given us.  I believe many Christians still don’t understand this idea of stewardship.  Jesus spoke a parable to his disciples in which he addressed the issue of stewardship.  Matt.25:14-30

Our text begins with the phrase “Again it will be like….”  What is Jesus talking about here.  He is given an illustration of what the kingdom of heaven is like.  In this chapter, he began to talk about the kingdom of heaven (v.1) Here he addressed the importance of being ready while we wait for the bridegroom to come back.
Again, the kingdom of heaven will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. (v.14) Read the rest of the story (v.15-30).
In this parable, the Master (Jesus); his servants (you and me).
Everything belongs to the master, but he gives us responsibility to care for what is his. (He is the owner); he entrusts his property to his servants and leaves on a journey.
God expects us to be good stewards of what he gives us.  God entrusted the care of his creation to humanity (Gen.1:27-31; 2:15)
You are responsible to care for what has been given to you. (He called his servants and entrusted his property to them (v.14).

A talent was a monetary unit worth about a twenty years’ wages for a worker (ESV footnotes).  When we hear the word talent, we think about physical abilities.
The talents represented the master’s wealth or property, which he entrusted to his servants.
God gives you according to your ability.  He puts you in charge of what he knows you can handle.
In God’s kingdom, there are five-talent people; others can handle two and there some who can only handle a talent.  He gifts you with exactly what you can manage.  IF he entrusts it to you is because he knows you can handle it.
Whatever you receive is based on your ability to handle.
You are only responsible for what has been entrusted to you.
It’s your job to care for what you have been given.

 God will hold you accountable for what you do with you he gives you. (v.19) The master held each other accountable for what they did with what he entrusted to them.
     – Each of the servants came and showed the master what they did.

Well done good and faithful servant, you have been faithful in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. (You were faithful handling the small things, I will put you in charge of more things)  v.21
These were the words of the master to the five-talent person and the two-talent servant.
When you are faithful with little, you will be faithful with much. Being faithful stewards pleases God and increases your potential as well as your possibilities. (Remember if God put you in charge of more things is because he knows you can handle them)

 Then the servant with the one talent came. (24-30)
-He did nothing with the master’s money.  He was afraid and went out and hid the master’s money.
God does not tolerate laziness in his kingdom; he didn’t even try.  He didn’t take his responsibility seriously.
When you fail to care for the little, you will surely fail to care for big.  If you can’t manage the small, then you won’t be able to manage the large.  When you fail God with the small stuff, then don’t expect to be put in charge of the big stuff.  Your possibility decreases. You run the risk of losing even what you have.
When you don’t use it, you lose it.

God doesn’t want worthless servants in his kingdom.  Those are those who do nothing with what has been entrusted to them.
God expects us to be good stewards of what he has given us.  He is our master and we all are his servants. He has given you so much in this life. Remember, whatever we have is not ours, but we are just managing what he has entrusted to us.  He was given us: life, family, friends, resources, money, time our bodies.
How are you taking care of the things God placed under your care?  One day he will hold us accountable in how we have managed his property.
I hope we can hear the words, well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share in your master’s happiness.  Remember, if you fail God managing the small things you will never be in charge of managing big things.  Only the faithful stewards are rewarded in God’s kingdom.