Some of us need more joy.
Some of us need more peace.
Some of us need more purpose. Dr. Tony Evans says the Lord blesses us because of what those blessings free us to do for the kingdom. We need more, but what God wants to know is: are you a steward or are you an owner? This is the alternative broadcast, featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr.
Tony Evans. Everything we possess, even life itself, is a gift from God. Today, Dr. Evans talks about how the Lord wants us to invest his blessings to get the biggest return for God's kingdom. Let's join him in Matthew chapter 25 as he begins.
We're introduced to this very wealthy man. Who has three servants? He comes to a servant and he gives one five talents. That is a body of money. A talent was, you would call them dollars today.
He gives them five talents, this embodiment of resources. He comes to a second servant and he gives them two. And he comes to a third servant and he gives them one.
Now, at the heart of this story, because we're talking about the kingdom of heaven. Is this principle? What was given to the servants was not owned by the servants. What was given to the servants was owned by the man. The man was entrusting to the servants that which belonged to him.
The first principle of freedom. and responsibility is to understand the principle of being a steward. And that is, you don't own it. The fundamental principle whereby the kingdom of heaven operates. is you are a manager and you're not an owner.
Anytime a manager starts acting like an owner, you got problems in the company. He says that he gave them his possessions. These belong to the owner.
Now, of course, in the story, God is represented as the man, and his people are represented as the servants. And he has placed under their charge talents. Everybody in the room today has three things, three of the same things, but not the same amount of any of the three things. The first thing that the owner, the creator, has given all of us is time. We all have Time.
Now we don't have the same amount of time we're not all going to die At the same age, in the same month. We have varying amounts of time, but we all have an allocation of time. Time is tied to the story because the man goes on a long journey. And as you'll see in a moment, after a matter of time, he returns.
So, the one thing you have is time. The second thing that all of us have been given is a certain skill set, abilities, gifting, the Bible calls them. These are the Holy Spirit-inspired talents that God has provided every individual and particularly every Christian to serve the purposes of the king and his kingdom.
So, everybody in here. Has been gifted by God with some capabilities, some capacities that the king of heaven wants to utilize for the benefit of his kingdom. The third thing that all of us have been given, which is resident in the story, is treasure. It's treasure. He gives them talents.
That was a body of resources. We've all been given various levels of resources. These resources, in terms of the parable, are to service the purpose of the kingdom of heaven.
So we have time. We have talents and we have treasures. Please notice something in the story. Verse 15 goes on to say that they were given different amounts. One was given five, another was given two, and another was given one.
In other words, Everybody got the same thing, but they didn't get the same amount of the same thing. In other words, It says God gave them based on their capacity to handle them. He gave it according to their ability. He didn't give the guy who can only handle two five. He didn't give the guy who could only handle one two.
God doesn't simply give you what you ask for. He gives you what you ask for that he knows you can handle. He will not give it to you merely because you want it. He will give it to you because wanting it, he knows you have the capacity to handle it, that you will, here it is, manage what he gives you properly.
Okay, so Tied to what God gives you is what God knows your managerial capacity to be. And if He knows you can't handle it, no matter how bad you want it. He's not interested in giving it because he knows you're going to waste it. The story unfolds in verse Sixteen. What's the first word in verse 16?
Immediately, the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them and gained five talents more. Then it says in the same manner, which means immediately, the one who had received two talents gained two talents more. Please notice something about the first two gentlemen. The first word is the word immediately. In other words, they did not procrastinate with regard to maximizing the management of that which belonged to somebody else.
It says immediately they began to take advantage of what had been placed under their charge for the purposes of the owner. Here's the principle of stewardship. or the principle of management. What God gives you, he expects you to make more out of. For the benefit of his kingdom, not just for the expansion of your portfolio.
Because his statement is: the kingdom of heaven is like.
So, what God wants is he wants you to multiply time, multiply talents, multiply treasures, so that the kingdom of God advances because you make more out of it than what you started with.
Now, The third guy. The third guy. The one who received one talent, verse 18. Went away. Dug a hole in the ground And hid His master's money.
You see, the first two were very different than the third. Because the first two knew that the man was coming back. The one who received five talents, verse 20, he brought five more. The master says, Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things.
I'll make you in charge of many things. Putting in charge means to manage. I'm going to put you in charge of more because you handled the little that I gave you well. The second guy who had received two talents came up and said, Master, you entrust me with two talents, verse 22. I have gained two more.
His master said, Well done. The same blessing. You were faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge. That's greater management of many things.
Enter to the joy of your master. Let's look at the thinking of man number three now. Because man number three was given the same freedom. To take what God had given him and use it with the kingdom of heaven in mind, as the other two guys. The master comes back and the third God says, Well, You know, I don't have anything more to show you.
And the reason I don't have anything more to show you is you're a tough guy to please. And so I didn't want to take the risk. losing what you gave me. Look at what the master says. But the master answered and said to him, Ya wicked.
A lazy slave. I wouldn't call that a compliment. Your wicked lays his slave. And look at what he says. You knew that I reap where I do not sow.
You knew that I gathered where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank. And on my arrival, I would have received my money back with interest. Why Are we not progressing spiritually? personally Why are we not progressing in our lives?
Either because we're wicked or we're lazy or both. Our problem is not that we don't have time for God. Our problem is He's not high enough on the priority list. That we make time for spiritual things. It amazes me how many Christians want God to bless them with more who are not doing a little with what they have.
God, I want you to give me more abilities when they're not using their abilities now to serve God. I want you to give me more opportunity when they're not using their opportunities now to make any difference for eternity. You're not being responsible to manage what he has given you well when you're asking for more. We want raises from God spiritually. We want to become spiritual giants without taking spiritual responsibility to manage our priorities.
Yes, that may mean you have to get up 15 minutes earlier to spend time with God or 30 minutes earlier or stay up 30 minutes later or cut your lunch hour in half. It may mean taking the initiative. Our owner is not satisfied with our wickedness and laziness. Guess what he tells the man? He says, You're right, I'm a hard man.
What does that mean? I have high expectations. I have high expectations. Now, if you have high expectations. If your boss has high expectations.
Why do you think God has low expectations? In the book of Malachi, he complains that all the leaders, they were going to church, but not taking them seriously. And then he says, at the end of chapter one, he says, let me tell you who I am. I'm a great king. I'm a great king.
I don't have low expectations. And therefore, you shouldn't have the low expectations. He tells the third man, I'm a hard man. My expectations are high. My requirements are high.
Don't settle for low level. Dr. Evans will give us the key takeaway we need to remember from this parable. When he returns in a moment to continue this message from his Free At Last sermon series. If there's any area of your life where you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or held back, This twelve message collection was created with you in mind.
These lessons address real-life struggles. like feeling trapped by the past, weighed down by fear, discouraged in the present or uncertain about the future. and show how God's truth brings real freedom in each of those areas. We want you to experience that freedom for yourself.
So when you make a contribution to support the ministry, We'll send you the complete free At-Last series as our thank you gift. and along with it you'll also receive Tony's companion book free at last. A powerful resource that helps you understand your identity in Christ and live it out with confidence. Request the entire package today at tonyevans.org. or call 1-800-800-3222 and let our resource team assist you.
That's one eight hundred eight hundred three two two two. We'll return to Dr. Evans for the second part of today's lesson, right after this. The Unbound podcast with Dr. Tony Evans creates space for reflection in a noisy, demanding world.
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Well, doctor Evans is back now with more of today's lesson. Let's listen. What does he say to the third man? Said, you ought to put my money in the bank if you were serious, but you weren't even serious.
So you could have gotten interest by doing nothing. But that's because you're wicked and you're lazy and you didn't think there was a record. Here's the principle, verse 29. The whole parable is for this principle. To everyone who has, more shall be given.
And he will have an abundance. But from the one who does not have, even that which he has shall be taken away. Did you know? You could be sitting next to somebody who's enjoying your blessing because God took it from you and gave it to them. Did you know somebody could be walking out of church today with your blessing?
You praying for it, and God answers your prayer by giving it to them. Because God, the owner, will not give to managers who are mismanaging the freedom to utilize the time and talents and treasures he's made available to them. You could be praying for yourself and blessing your neighbor. Because God saw that they are doing something with the time, talents, and treasures for the benefit of the kingdom of God, and their freedom to do it, they have maximized through managing it properly, and God turns it over to them. They could be walking out with your blessing.
Look at the closing word he gives here. He gives a closing word. Flow out the worthless slave Into outer darkness. in the place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Throw out The worthless slave.
Remember I told you he was called three names? First name was wicked. Second name was a lazy.
Now we get the third name, worthless. You know what worshiest means? That means good for nothing. And guess what? God has good for nothing Christians.
He is of no value. What's the story about the kingdom of heaven? Here's my question to me and to you. What is your value to heaven? What is your value to heaven?
Now, everybody wants heaven to be of value to them. But God's question is: What is your value to heaven? He has set you free. He's not going to micromanage you. He's not going to stand over you every second of the day.
What is your value to heaven? Did the freedom he gave you allow you to be valuable for the purposes of the kingdom of heaven, or were you a valueless saint? Please notice what the judgment was. It says, throw him out. To the place where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Now, most people think that's hell. That's not hell. He's talking about his servants. It's not hell. Jesus' servants, his children, don't go to hell.
There's a party coming. It's going to be the party of all parties. You talk about, you know. Throwing a party. This party will last 1,000 years.
It's called the Millennial Kingdom. And the Bible describes it as one big party.
Okay. All right. This is a 1,000-year party, okay? And the Bible describes it in some lofty terms that we don't have time to get into now. But for you know how long a thousand years are, it's a long time.
I mean, we're dealing with living trying to live to be 100.
Well, multiply that times 10. That's 1,000 years. And the Bible says it's going to be a banquet and it's going to be a party, and it describes it. When he says, cast him out to the weeping and gnashing of teeth, that's not hell. That means put him at the party.
In other words, they will be non-participants. These are Christians who will not be allowed to celebrate.
Now, I know you had a view of heaven. of no sadness. I know that. That's tradition. Why do you think at the end of this party, the Bible says, and he will wipe tears from their eyes?
The weeping and gnashing of teeth has to do With the thousand year regret That for 100 years or 90 years or 80 years or 70 years I lived on earth I gave him very little time. I gave him very little of my talents. And I gave him very little of my treasures.
So you don't get the party.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking. I can read your mind now. I know what you're thinking. I'm going to tell you what you're thinking right now. I'm sure glad to know that ain't hell.
Some of you thinking, I'm glad to know that ain't hell. Then some other folk are thinking: well, at least after the party's over, we go into eternity.
So it'll get better. Let me explain something. Your ability To feel disappointment. will be greatly enhanced in glory. Because it will be set against the backdrop.
A perfection. See, your disappointments now aren't set against that backdrop because it's now set against the backdrop of imperfection.
So this 1,000 year Time, period, this party. will be a time of profound regret. See, here's how it works. God will look at the time from the time you were saved until the time you died. Because that's how God measures you.
You start all over again. Once you get saved, you're born again.
So you start all over again.
So from the time of your salvation, to the time of your death, That is the time. God will play your tape. Yeah. And when your tape is played, it will show that which benefited the kingdom of heaven and that which did not. It will show the youth of your talents.
And it will show whether you only use them to make money, make a great name for yourself, make yourself notoriety among men. And then it will contrast it with how the kingdom of heaven benefited. And then there will be a tape of your resources. Whether you only wanted blessings to use for you. Or whether you honored God with the tithe, with the offering, whether you gave sacrificially, whether you supported that which had eternity tied to it, or was it only to build you a bigger house, a nicer car, and finer clothes?
The Bible talks about some people getting into heaven, 1 Corinthians 3, by the skin of their teeth. In other words, they accepted Jesus, but they had nothing to show for it. God's not skipping that. Because he didn't just leave us here. To go through the motions, he left us here so that we would use time, talents, and treasures for the parable of the kingdom.
Somebody here may say, Well, you know, Pastor. I've lost a lot of time. Yeah. I've wasted a lot of resources. And I haven't used much of the gifting that God has given me for his benefit, his glory, and his name.
And I've been saved for 20 years. and I have very little to show. Other than coming to church and you know But I have very little to show.
Well, when you're losing a race, you're in a race and you're losing the race. What you can't do is go back to the starting line. You can't go back there. You can't go back there. All you're gonna do by trying to go back to the start line is lose bigger.
Okay, you can't go back there. But there is something you can do even when you're losing a race. You pick up the pace. See You can go back, but you can speed up where you are. Yeah.
And when you speed up. You make up. See, by going faster, you make up time that you may have lost going slow earlier. We don't know when Jesus is coming back and we don't know when he's calling us home.
So that means you got to join the first two guys in immediately. Pick up the pace. You got to immediately say my time, my talents, and my treasures. In order of priority. I want to maximize them so that the joy of the Lord.
Is my portion, and so that there is an abundance, he says, so that he can do more. That's not only internity, that's in time. He can do more. in various areas of our lives. And that's not just in things.
Some of us need more joy.
Some of us need more peace.
Some of us need more purpose. Some of us need more power. More comes in a lot of categories. It's not just more money and more stuff that may be included, but a lot of stuff we need more of money can't buy. We need more, but what God wants to know is: are you a steward or are you an owner?
And it's so free-angoying. That my owner is my source.
So that means People don't have the last say in my world. Dr. Tony Evans on Ways We Can Learn to Become Better Managers of God's Blessings. and he'll return with a closing thought to wrap up today's message in just a moment. But first, if you've never asked God for the freedom He offers through Christ, Tony has this encouragement to share with you.
Today's lesson was aimed at people who are already Christians, folks who have had their sins forgiven and their eternal destiny changed because they've come to Jesus Christ in faith and dedicated their lives to Him.
Now I realize that may not be part of your experience. Maybe it's something you don't even completely understand. Or it could be a step you're ready to take, but you just don't know how. Either way, let me suggest the next step. I want you to visit my website, tonyevans.org.
And I want you to click on the link that says Jesus. You'll find a video that explains the whole process and some free follow-up resources that I know will help you. Don't let another day go by without checking them out. Again, you can do that right now at tonyevans. org.
And if you've already made Christ the Lord of your life, There's always room to grow. And that growth can be spurred on with a better understanding of what God has already done for you. That's exactly what Tony's free At Last series is all about. This 12 Message Collection will help you break free from the struggles that hold you back. and step into the life God designed you to live.
When you make a contribution to support the ministry, We'll send you the complete series, along with Tony's companion book, Free at Last, as our thank you gift. Make your request today at tonyevans.org. Again, that's tonyevans.org. or call 1-800-800-3222 We're a friendly member of our resource team is ready to help you 24-7. That's 1-800-800-3222.
The Lord didn't set us free from sin just to become slaves to a set of religious rules. But tomorrow Dr. Evans examines why so many Christians do exactly that. thinking they're doing it for God. Right now, though, he's back with this brief closing thought on managing God's gifts.
So, right now, you pledge to move forward in your Christian life. With the freedom that he's given you. To be responsible through managing the priorities so that he can do even more. than you can ask or think.
so that he can blow your mind. in time and ultimately in eternity. Let's pick up the pace. Let's make up the time.
So that he can say, well done. My good and faithful servant.
