DID YOU MAKE A PROFIT
SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 25:14-28 CONCEPT: WE ARE TO USE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US (OUR CAPACITY) AND MAKE A PROFIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD
INTRO: TALK ABOUT THE 25TH CHAPTER. THREE PERICOPES OR BIBLICAL PASSAGES. FIRSTLY TEN VIRGINS WHO HELP US TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING SPIRITUALLY AND POSITIONALLY READY. WE MUST KEEP OURSELVES FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT IS THE LIGHT WE NEED TO SEE AND BE SEEN. SECONDLY, WE MUST BE IN PLACE. WE MUST FIND OUR PLACE IN GOD AND THEN REMAIN THERE, PREPARED AND WAITING FOR THE COMING CHRIST.
SECONDLY, IT SPEAKS ABOUT THE PARABLE OF THE TEN TALENTS. I'LL EXAMINE THIS PART MORE DEEPLY IN A MOMENT. BUT THEN THIRDLY, WE ARE GIVEN AN ACCOUNT
OF HOW GOD SEES WORKING AND SERVING THE LEAST AND THE JUDGEMENT THAT AWAITS THOSE WHO REFUSE TO MINISTER UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE OUR BROTHERS AND OUR SISTERS.
STEWARDSHIP: ABOUT HAVING DONE, WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. (TEN VIRGINS) AND ALSO DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. (TALENTS) ALSO, WHAT WE ARE DOING, WILL DETERMINE WHAT WILL BE DONE TO US (THESE)
GOD CALLS US TO RECEIVE AND ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN 3 T’S. TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE. EACH OF US HAS BEEN GIVEN TALENTS. CAPACITY. WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO WITH OUR 3 T’S. DIFFERING BASED ON OUR FAITH AND THE WILL OF GOD, BUT ALL GIVEN SOMETHING WE CAN DO WELL, ACCORDING TO THE DESIGN AND PLAN OF GOD AND THE 3 T’S.
WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS CAPACITY - 3 T’S, IN ORDER TO FULFILL OUR DESTINY AND PURPOSE IN GOD. NONE OF US IS ALLOWED TO SQUANDER OR HIDE OR GIFTS AND TALENTS (OUR CAPACITY). WE SHALL BE JUDGED ON THE BASIS OF HOW WE HAVE USED OUR CAPACITY AND MADE A PROFIT FOR GOD. PROFIT? THAT’S A BUSINESS TERM REV. THAT’S FINANCIAL, NOT SPIRITUAL RIGHT. GOD ISN’T EXPECTING A PROFIT. GOD IS NON-PROFIT. RIGHT?
WELL LET’S SEE. WHAT IS PROFIT? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AMOUNT EARNED AND THE AMOUNT SPENT IN OPERATING SOMETHING. THE ADVANTAGE OR BENEFIT. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT GOD GAVE YOU AND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO GOD? ARE YOU A BENEFIT TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. WHAT BENEFIT DO YOU GENERATE FOR GOD? ARE YOU AN ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE?
ARE YOU A PROFIT OR A LOSS? DO YOU HAVE MORE TO GIVE BACK TO GOD THAN HE HAS GIVEN YOU. ARE YOU MAKING
A DIFFERENCE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD? HOW? ARE YOU ONLY WARMING A PEW OR ATTENDING CHURCH WHEN YOU CAN? ARE YOU SIMPLY TIPPING GOD AND GIVING HIM A PART OF WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT? ARE YOU LEADING FOLK TO GOD AND SEEKING TO BE FISHERS OF MEN? DO YOU COME TO CHURCH TO WORSHIP GOD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH AND ALLOW HIM TO GIVE YOU POWER TO SERVE HIM WITH GLADNESS AND LIVE A LIFE OF HOLINESS AND PURITY?
DID YOU MAKE A PROFIT? IF GOD WAS TO COME FOR US TODAY AND LINE US UP AND ASK US ONE BY ONE, SHOW ME WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH WHAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU? WHAT WOULD YOUR RESPONSE BE? WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT YOU RECEIVED WHAT HE GAVE YOU AND YOU INCREASED IT, MAYBE EVEN DOUBLED IT. TURNING FIVE OPPORTUNITIES INTO TEN OR MULTIPLYING TWO TALENTS INTO FOUR ACTS OF SERVICE. WHAT WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SHOW AS YOUR PROFIT? WOULD YOU BE LIKE THE ONE WITH FOUR OR TWO TALENTS? OR WOULD YOU BE LIKE THE ONE WHO HID HIS TALENT IN THE EARTH. HID YOUR MONEY
FROM GOD. HID YOUR TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE FROM GOD. HID YOUR CAPACITY FROM THE LORD.
MAKING EXCUSES. BEING AFRAID AND ACTING LIKE THAT'S A REASON THAT GOD WILL RESPECT. TELLING GOD WHAT HE ALREADY KNOWS AND ACTING LIKE HE'LL GIVE YOU A PASS BECAUSE YOU'RE UNFAITHFUL OR UNWILLING TO TRUST HIM. HOPING HE'LL OVERLOOK OUR UNPROFITABILITY.
BUT
REV. THE GUY WITH THE ONE TALENT, HE DIDN'T WASTE IT, SOMEONE MIGHT SAY. HE STILL WAS ABLE TO PRODUCE IT. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, HE PRODUCED IT; BUT HE WASTED THE PROFIT HE COULD HAVE MADE. HE WASTED IT BY NOT USING IT. HE WASTED IT BY BEING AFRAID OF WHAT OTHERS MIGHT THINK OR AFRAID OF TAKING A RISK.
COMING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND WALKING BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT. WHO WANTS TO WALK ON WATER, WHEN ITS SO LIKELY THAT WE MIGHT FAIL. WHO WANTS TO LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, WHEN IT'S POSSIBLE THEY MIGHT NOT BE OUTWARDLY HEALED. WHO WANTS TO SPEAK
UP FOR THE LORD, WHEN ITS LIKELY I MIGHT BE JUDGED OR OSTRACIZED BY MY FRIENDS. WHO WANTS TO TELL SOMEBODY ABOUT JESUS AND RISK BEING SEEN AS A HOLY ROLLER. WHO WANTS TO TAKE THE CHANCE TO WITNESS TO SOME LOST SOUL AND RISK BEING REJECTED OR RIDICULED.
IN THIS WORLD, NOT MAKING A PROFIT, ALLOWS TWO RESULTS. EITHER YOU BREAK EVEN OR YOU TAKE A LOSS. BREAKING EVEN MEANS YOU ONLY GOT BACK WHAT YOU PUT OUT. YOU ONLY EARNED ENOUGH TO COVER WHAT YOU SPENT. YOU BROKE EVEN. BREAKING EVEN IN THE WORLD, IS OFTEN SEEN AS A GOOD OUTCOME, COMPARED TO TAKING A LOSS. NO BODY WANTS TO TAKE A LOSS. IN THE WORLD, WHEN IT COSTS YOU MORE THAN YOU EARNED, THAT'S A LOSS. WHEN YOU GET BACK LESS THAN WHAT YOU PUT OUT. THAT'S A LOSS.
BUT KNOW THIS, IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. GOD IS NOT LOOKING TO BREAKEVEN. BREAKING EVEN WITH GOD IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. GOD IS A GOD OF PROFIT. GOD WOULD
PROBABLY BE A CAPITALIST IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS FROM A SPIRITUAL POINT OF VIEW. WHY? GOD EXPECTS TO MAKE A PROFIT. GOD HONORS THOSE WHO MAKE A PROFIT. HE REWARDS THOSE WHO MAKE A PROFIT. AND HE PUNISHES THOSE WHO DON'T. THE MAN IN OUR TEXT BROKE EVEN. ALL HE HAD WAS WHAT HE STARTED OUT WITH. ALL HE INVESTED, WAS THE TIME AND ENERGY NECESSARY TO HIDE IT. HE GOT BACK ENOUGH TO EQUAL WHAT HE STARTED WITH. BUT WITH GOD, THAT WAS SEEN AS WICKED AND SLOTHFUL.
WHY? BECAUSE THERE IS NO FAILURE IN GOD. THERE IS NO LACK IN GOD. GOD IS A GOD OF MORE THAN ENOUGH. HE IS JEHOVAH JIREH. GOD OUR PROVIDER. WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE, IF WE ONLY BELIEVE. IN THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER, WE LEARN:
THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO GENERATE 10, 20, EVEN A HUNDRED FOLD RETURN. BUT IT IS BASED ON THE SOIL YOU PLANT OR INVEST YOUR GIFTS AND TALENTS IN. IF YOU'RE TRYING
TO PLANT YOUR SEED (GIFTS AND TALENTS) IN HARD AND UNBROKEN SOIL. IN A PLACE WHERE IT CAN'T BE RECEIVED, IT IS NOT GOING TO BEAR FRUIT. IF YOU TRY TO PLANT YOUR SEED OR INVEST YOUR CAPACITY IN A PLACE THAT IS SHALLOW. IMMATURE AND NOT CULTIVATED. IN A PLACE WHERE ALL YOU GET IS PEACHES AND CREAM, AND SWEETNESS WITHOUT CONVICTION.
WHERE YOU ONLY GET WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, BUT NOT WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW, THEN IT'LL SEEM TO MAKE A PROFIT, BUT WHEN THINGS GET HOT AND TRIBULATION CHALLENGES YOUR INVESTMENT. IT WILL BECOME QUICKLY EVIDENT THAT IT WASN'T PLANTED IN THE RIGHT PLACE. OR IF YOU INVEST IT AMONGST THE TARES OR WEEDS. IF YOU PLANT IT AMONGST FOLK WHO CAN'T BE TRUSTED OR WHO DON'T HAVE YOUR BEST INTEREST IN MIND. IT'LL GROW, BUT IT WILL BE DESTROYED BY THOSE YOU SOUGHT TO INVEST YOUR GIFTS AND TALENTS AMONGST. THEIR ENVY WILL KILL YOUR INVESTMENT. THEIR JEALOUSY AND THEIR UNFORGIVING SPIRIT WILL PREVENT YOU FROM BEING
PROFITABLE.
BUT THE BIBLE SAYS, IF YOU PLANT YOUR SEED, IF YOU INVEST YOUR CAPACITY, YOUR GIFTS AND YOUR TALENTS IN GOOD GROUND, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT SOME WILL BRING FORTH EVEN A ONE HUNDRED FOLD RETURN. THAT'S WHY GOD PUNISHES THE PERSON WHO ONLY BREAKS EVEN. HE DOES IT BECAUSE HE IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL WE COULD EVER ASK OR THINK. HE CAN MAKE A WAY OUT OF NO WAY.
GOD HAS THIS CRAZY KIND OF MATH THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. GOD CAN TAKE TWO FISH AND FIVE LOAVES AND FEED OVER FIVE THOUSAND AND HAVE A MAJOR PROFIT LEFT OVER. HE CAN TAKE WATER AND TURN IT INTO WINE. GOD CAN TAKE ONE SEED AND TURN IT INTO A HUNDRED. GOD CAN TAKE ONE AND CHASE A THOUSAND AND TAKE TWO AND CHASE TEN THOUSAND. GOD'S GOT THIS CRAZY MATH. HE CAN TAKE TWELVE MEN AND SAVE MILLIONS.
THAT'S WHY GOD CHASTISED AND PUNISHED THE UNPROFITABLE SERVANT, BECAUSE WE CAN'T HELP MAKING A PROFIT IF WE GIVE IT TO JESUS. IF WE LET THE LORD GUIDE US AND DIRECT US. IF WE SURRENDER WHAT WE HAVE INTO THE MASTER'S HANDS.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT FAILURE. ITS NATURAL TO HAVE SOME FEELINGS OF ANXIETY WHEN WE TAKE A RISK. BUT YOU CAN'T BE SO AFRAID THAT WE STOP TRUSTING IN GOD. SOMETIMES THINGS MIGHT LOOK LIKE FAILURE BUT DON'T YOU EVER COUNT GOD OUT. SOMETIMES IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS ARE WASTED AND THAT WHAT YOU TRIED TO CREATE OR WHAT YOU TRIED TO ACCOMPLISH CAME TO NO END OR SEEMINGLY WAS ALL WASTED.
BUT DON'T FORGET, GOD IS ABLE. HE MAY ALLOW YOU TO BE TROUBLED ON EVERYSIDE, BUT DON'T BE DISTRESSED, YOU MIGHT EVEN GET PERPLEXED, BUT DON'T DESPAIR. YEAH, THE WORLD MIGHT EVEN PERSECUTE YOU, BUT DON'T FORGET HE PROMISED NEVER TO LEAVE YOU NOR
FORSAKE YOU. AND THAT'S RIGHT, SOMETIMES, ITS GOING TO EVEN GET SO BAD THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE CAST DOWN, KNOCKED DOWN, SEEMINGLY WIPED OUT. BUT DON'T FORGET, GOD PROMISED THAT YOU WON'T BE DESTROYED.
HOW CAN YOU MAKE THAT STATEMENT. WELL, THEY TELL ME HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITY AND THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM; BUT WITH, BUT WITH, BUT WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.
COME ON REV. MAKE IT PLAINER THAN THAT, OK. JESUS WALKED THIS EARTH AND AS AN ENTREPRENEUR, A CARPENTER'S SON, HE WAS ABOUT BUSINESS, HIS FATHER'S BUSINESS. HE GOT 12 PARTNERS TO INVEST THEIR LIVES INTO THE BUSINESS AND MADE A GREAT START. HAD A LOT OF CUSTOMERS AND CLIENTS. BUT BECAUSE OF THE MARKET CONDITIONS, HIS COMPETITION, THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES, THE SADDUCCEES AND THE JEWS; THEY CONSPIRED TO DESTROY HIS BUSINESS AND TO KEEP HIM
FROM MAKING A PROFIT.
THEY LIED ON HIM AND THEY SET HIM UP. THEY EVEN INFILTRATED HIS BUSINESS AND TOOK ONE OF HIS PARTNERS TO DESTROY HIS BUSINESS, THROUGH INDUSTRIAL ESPIONAGE, THEY CUT A DEAL ON THE SIDE TO KEEP HIM FROM MAKING A PROFIT. AND THEN THEY GOT JESUS WHERE THEY WANTED HIM AND THEN PUBLICLY HUMILIATED HIM. STRIPPED HIM OF HIS DIGNITY AND SHAMED HIM. BEFORE THOSE WHO WOULD BE HIS CUSTOMERS AND CLIENTS. AND THEN THEY KILLED HIM AND SEEMLY THE ENTERPRISE HE HAD ESTABLISHED. AND IT LOOKED AS IF THEY NOT ONLY TOOK AWAY HIS PROFIT; BUT IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THEY MADE HIM TAKE A LOSS. POOR JESUS, HIS PARTNERS SAID. HE AND HIS BUSINESS ARE FINISHED, HIS COMPETITORS SAID. BUT DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO NEVER COUNT GOD OUT. REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS, IT AIN'T EVER OVER UNTIL GOD SAYS ITS OVER.
AND WHEN IT SEEMED LIKE HIS BUSINESS WAS DESTROYED, WHEN IT APPEARED AS THOUGH ALL OF HIS WORK WAS IN VAIN AND THAT IT WOULDN'T PRODUCE A PROFIT, THAT'S WHEN GOD. THE SOVEREIGN KING. GOD THE ONE WHO GIVES THE POWER TO GET WEALTH. GOD THE EVERLASTING, TRUE AND LIVING LORD OF ALL. THAT'S WHEN HE TURNED A LOSS INTO A PROFIT. HE TURNED BANKRUPTCY INTO A DYNASTY. HE BROUGHT TO LIFE A DEAD ENTERPRISE, RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES. CAUSE EARLY, I SAID, EARLY. EARLY AFTER EVERY ONE HAD GIVEN UP ON MAKING A PROFIT. EARLY, AFTER EVERYONE HAD ACCEPTED THE LOSS. THAT'S WHEN GOD TURNED THINGS AROUND. THAT'S WHEN GOD, MADE A WAY OUT OF NO WAY. THAT'S WHEN GOD TOOK THAT INVESTMENT THAT THE WORLD SAID FAILED AND TURNED IT INTO AN ETERNAL, EVERLASTING, RESURRECTED AND DIVINELY PROTECTED PROFIT & GOING CONCERN.
GOD MADE A PROFIT. ONE THAT'S STILL PAYING DIVIDENDS AND GENERATING RETURNS UNTO ALL WHO WOULD BELIEVE. HE’S GOT THE BIGGEST FRANCHISE IN THE WORLD. I SEE HE
OPENED UP ONE HERE ALONG TIME AGO AND ITS STILL IN BUSINESS. STILL MAKING A PROFIT. A GOING CONCERN. HE HAS A FRANCHISE SYSTEM THAT’S MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN SAFEWAY, BIGGER THAN BURGER KING, MAKING MORE THAN MCDONALDS. GOD SENT THE PROPHET TO MAKE A PROFIT AND TO SHOW US THE WAY. JUST TRUST HIM. TRUST HIM. ONLY TRUST HIM. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE... IF YOU ONLY BELIEVE. BELIEVE GOD CAN TAKE WHAT YOU HAVE, YOUR CAPACITY, YOUR GIFTS AND YOUR TALENTS AND GENERATE A PROFIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. YEAH. YEAH. YEAH YEAH! SAY YEAH! ANYBODY HERE MAKING A PROFIT FOR GOD! ANYBODY, OPERATING A LOSING BUSINESS, MANAGING THE WRONG FRANCHISE AND DESIRE TO MAKE A PROFIT FOR GOD.