The Master’s Favor, Prosperity and Joy

Matthew 25:14-30  nkjv14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

❓What talents, gifts or opportunities has God entrusted to you❓ Has fear, doubt or complacency kept you from serving Him?❓

👉An unfaithful servant was not condemned for what they lost, but for what they refused to use." 

⭐ The servant that received one talent was just as much a servant of the Master as the one that received five.  

• The servant that received one was not someone from the outside or someone that didn’t belong to Him.

💥  The first two were blessed for their faithfulness and rewarded to receive:

(A.)  Master’s favor  

(B.) Made to prosper  

(C.)  and enter into the joy of the Lord! V23) 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

⭐ The servant that is called “unprofitable” produced nothing with what his master entrusted to him.   Important!

➤   He did not steal the talent or waste it in reckless living; he simply did nothing.

➤   Living for Christ involves more than avoiding wrongdoing. 

➤   The servant is rejected, not because he lacked ability, 

• But because he failed to be faithful with what was entrusted to him. 

💥  If we want to walk in the favor of God, prosper and live in the joy of the Lord, what does this teach?

1.   We must use the abilities, opportunities, resources, knowledge and spiritual gifts God gives us!  14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  

• Not keeping ourselves limited to our own understanding of what we feel we can do or not do.
• The question is not, “How much have I been given, but what am I doing with what God has given to me?”
• The two faithful servants received different amounts, yet both received the same approval. “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

⭐  God does not measure us by how much we succeed, but by our obedience and faithfulness to our calling.

2.   Don’t try to be who you are not!  Be you. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  

•  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12: 7 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 

➤   If you are given five talents, don’t try to be a one.   If  you are given one talent, don’t try to be a five. 

• If the five tries to be a one, they will neglect the four.  If the one tries to be a five, they will neglect the one.
• God knows how to  make us our best according to our abilities. We all have limitations and God knows exactly where He can use us best for His purposes.   We like to package it all up and make one package for all.

3.  Don’t be afraid to fail or learn.  25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.  

• I was afraid to fail!  But I had no choice!  
• It wasn’t that I had to be the smartest.  I just had to be faithful. As I focused on being faithful, I started learning and growing.   ( Sure I still didn’t do well at times, and it was still a huge challenge)  But I learned I didn’t have to fear failure and God would still use me even as limited as I felt.

💥  Spiritual obstacles:  What are some of the spiritual obstacles that darkness uses against us to deter us from God’s favor, being made prosperous and receiving His joy?

A.   We don’t know God!v24)  Certainly the other servants knew the same master as the one that had one talent.   How different!

• We must know God.   Read, pray and follow.

 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 

➤   He didn’t have the whole picture!

B.  The small matters to God! v25) 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ We think what I do won’t matter much. Not that important. Nobody will notice. Luke 16:10) He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 

➤    The small matters just as much as the big to God.

C.   Not everyone gets the same gifts! v15) 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability;  Thinking we need to be like everyone else when it comes to serving God.  

(1.)  Not everyone gets the same gifts 

(2.)  Not everyone has the same ability 

(3.)  Not everyone is given the same responsibility. 

💥  We are required to be faithful with what He has given us.

So how do we receive God’s favor, be made to prosper and live in the joy of the Lord?

1. Know God.   

2.  Do something, be faithful with your calling.  

3. Be YOU.  Who God created you to be. 

4.  Don’t be afraid to fail."Excuses may satisfy our conscience for a season, but they will never satisfy the Lord of the harvest."