Final Account Final Account with Godwith God

Matthew 25:14-30

I. Life Stewardship

II. Settling Account

III. Deciding Factor

Final Account Final Account

I. Life Stewardship

1. Entrusted Assets

2. Different Ability

1. Entrusted Assets

14 Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted

his property to them.

2 Facts:

1. Assets not Mine“Entrusted his property to…”

2. Owner not Around“Going on a journey”

Life is a

Stewardship

Everything we have are Entrusted,

not Owned

We have NO control over our Life:

Birth, Death, Health Gene, Parentage,

Appearance, Intelligence

Entrusted:

We are Answerable to the True

Owner for the Usage of these Assets

The Master is Away only for a time,

but He will surely Return someday.

How will I face Him?

How do I View these entrusted Assets?

Do I Think on behalf of the Owner?

Do I Act in His best Interest?

2. Different Ability

15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents,

and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then

he went on his journey.

Everyone has a Different Ability.

Each is entrusted Talent / Assets

According to one’s Ability.

God knows our Weakness

and Limitation.

We are normally given what

we can handle.

II. Settling Account

1. Different Response

2. Giving Account

1. Different Response

16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five

more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the

man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

How they View the Talents/Assets

Decides How they would

Respond

His money: “I am responsible for

what is entrusted to me”

His Master’s money: “This is not Mine so I am not responsible.”

My Money My Master’s

Put it to work

Actively Using

Diligent

Productive (gaining)

Hid in the ground

Passively Hidden

Lazy

Unproductive (no gain)

2. Giving Account

19 After a long time the master of those servants

returned and settled accounts

with them.

“After a long time”:

Possibly Longer than my

Normal ExpectationBeyond my

Conscious Waiting

“the Master returned”

He may Delay,Even for a Long time,

But He Surely

will Return

“Settled account”:

The Day will come when we must

Face our Master to

Settle Account

III. Deciding Factor

1. Good and Faithful

2. Wicked and Lazy

1. Good and Faithful

20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents.

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 one with 5 talents, and the one with 2,received the same

Approval:“Well done, good and

faithful servant!”

The Key issue is

Productivity:

5 gaining 5: 100%2 gaining 2: 100%1 hidden away: 0%

The Judgment is not about

Talents, but about our

Productivity

2. Wicked and Lazy24 “Then the man who had received the one talent 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 talent 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? 27Well 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.

“Wicked”?

Viewing his master as “a hard man”

= unreasonably demanding, and

impossible to please

Blaming his Master:

“It is your Fault. You are impossible to

please. It is useless for me to even try”

Note the Judgments:

“Good & Faithful”“Wicked & Lazy”

Why?

“Faithful” & “Lazy” describe Ability and

Performance

“Good” & “Wicked” describe the condition

of the Heart

Our Heart

Determines How we

Handle our

Stewardship!

We are given Stewardship according to our

Ability, but we are Judged according

to our Heart!

Key Question:

Am I productive in putting my talents to work or do I just hide

it away unused?

I. Life Stewardship

II. Settling Account

III. Deciding Factor

Final Account Final Account