Faithful Living: Embracing Risk for Kingdom Multiplication
Summary
### Summary
Today's sermon focused on the concept of living faithfully and how it transcends mere maintenance to embrace multiplication. We began by celebrating the work of missionaries like Kirsten, who exemplify saying "yes" to God's call, even when it diverges from their original plans. This led us into Matthew 25, where Jesus' parable of the talents illustrates the kingdom principle of stewardship. The parable tells of a master who entrusts his servants with varying amounts of money, expecting them to multiply what they have been given. The faithful servants who took risks and doubled their master's money were praised, while the servant who buried his talent out of fear was condemned.
The core message is that everything we have—our time, talents, and resources—belongs to God and is temporarily entrusted to us. We are called to use these gifts to advance God's kingdom, not to hide them out of fear or complacency. Living faithfully involves taking risks, stepping out of our comfort zones, and being proactive in our faith. The sermon also emphasized that God is an accountability God, and we will one day give an account of how we used what He entrusted to us. The ultimate goal is to hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant," and to know that our faithfulness has contributed to the expansion of God's kingdom.
### Key Takeaways
1. Faithfulness Requires Risk and Action: Living faithfully is not about maintaining the status quo but about taking calculated risks to multiply what God has entrusted to us. This involves stepping out of our comfort zones and being proactive in our faith. Faithfulness is about action, not passivity. [54:33]
2. Everything We Have Belongs to God: Our time, talents, and resources are all on loan from God. We are stewards of these gifts and are called to use them for His glory. This perspective shifts our focus from self-centeredness to a kingdom mindset, recognizing that our lives are temporary and meant for a greater purpose. [46:35]
3. God is an Accountability God: One day, we will stand before God and give an account of how we used what He entrusted to us. This accountability is not just about money but includes our skills, time, and influence. Understanding this should motivate us to live purposefully and faithfully. [55:02]
4. Fear is the Enemy of Faithfulness: Fear often holds us back from taking the steps God calls us to take. Whether it's the fear of failure, the fear of others' opinions, or the fear of uncertainty, these fears can paralyze us. Overcoming fear requires trust in God's guidance and a willingness to take risks for His kingdom. [07:25]
5. Faithfulness Leads to Multiplication: The parable of the talents teaches that faithfulness leads to multiplication. The servants who took risks and invested their talents were rewarded, while the one who played it safe was condemned. This principle applies to all areas of our lives, encouraging us to use our gifts to their fullest potential. [58:37]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[39:33] - Celebrating Missionaries
[43:05] - Introduction to Matthew 25
[45:08] - The Parable of the Talents
[46:35] - Everything Belongs to God
[48:44] - The Value of a Talent
[51:14] - Gratitude for What We Have
[53:26] - The Risk of Faithfulness
[55:02] - Accountability Before God
[58:37] - The Reward of Multiplication
[01:03:03] - Overcoming Fear
[01:06:24] - The Challenge of Faithfulness
[01:10:01] - Taking Action
[01:12:40] - Real-Life Examples of Faithfulness
[01:17:31] - Call to Action and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Matthew 25:14-30
- 2 Timothy 2:13
#### Observation Questions
1. In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), what did the master expect from his servants when he entrusted them with his property? ([45:39])
2. How did the first two servants respond to the master's trust, and what was the outcome of their actions? ([53:00])
3. What was the reaction of the master to the servant who buried his talent, and what does this reveal about the master's expectations? ([55:02])
4. According to 2 Timothy 2:13, how does God's faithfulness compare to human faithfulness? ([44:07])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think the master in the parable praised the servants who took risks and multiplied their talents? What does this tell us about the nature of faithfulness in God's kingdom? ([54:33])
2. How does the concept that "everything we have belongs to God" change the way we view our time, talents, and resources? ([46:35])
3. The sermon mentioned that fear is a significant barrier to faithfulness. How can fear impact our ability to take risks for God's kingdom? ([59:13])
4. What does it mean that God is an "accountability God," and how should this understanding influence our daily lives? ([55:02])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God nudging you to take a risk. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? How can you be more open to taking risks for God's kingdom in the future? ([39:57])
2. Identify one area of your life where you have been "burying your talent" out of fear or complacency. What steps can you take this week to start using that talent for God's glory? ([53:26])
3. How can you shift your mindset from seeing your resources as your own to viewing them as temporarily entrusted to you by God? What practical changes can you make to reflect this perspective? ([46:35])
4. Think about a specific fear that holds you back from living faithfully. What scripture or prayer can you use to combat this fear and take a step of faith? ([59:13])
5. The sermon emphasized the importance of hearing "Well done, good and faithful servant" from God. What actions can you take this week to ensure you are living in a way that aligns with this goal? ([56:48])
6. How can you be more proactive in seeking opportunities to multiply what God has entrusted to you? Identify one specific action you can take this month to invest in God's kingdom. ([54:33])
7. Discuss with the group how you can support each other in overcoming fears and taking risks for God's kingdom. What practical steps can you take to encourage and hold each other accountable? ([59:13])
Devotional
Day 1: Faithfulness Requires Risk and Action
Living faithfully is not about maintaining the status quo but about taking calculated risks to multiply what God has entrusted to us. This involves stepping out of our comfort zones and being proactive in our faith. Faithfulness is about action, not passivity. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 illustrates this principle vividly. The servants who took risks and invested their talents were rewarded, while the one who played it safe was condemned. This principle applies to all areas of our lives, encouraging us to use our gifts to their fullest potential. [54:33]
Matthew 25:24-26 (ESV): "He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?'"
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel God is calling you to take a risk? How can you step out in faith and take action today?
Day 2: Everything We Have Belongs to God
Our time, talents, and resources are all on loan from God. We are stewards of these gifts and are called to use them for His glory. This perspective shifts our focus from self-centeredness to a kingdom mindset, recognizing that our lives are temporary and meant for a greater purpose. When we understand that everything we have belongs to God, it changes how we use our resources and how we live our lives. We begin to see our possessions, time, and abilities as tools to advance God's kingdom rather than for personal gain. [46:35]
1 Chronicles 29:14 (ESV): "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you."
Reflection: How does recognizing that everything you have belongs to God change the way you view your possessions and time? What is one practical way you can use your resources for God's glory today?
Day 3: God is an Accountability God
One day, we will stand before God and give an account of how we used what He entrusted to us. This accountability is not just about money but includes our skills, time, and influence. Understanding this should motivate us to live purposefully and faithfully. Knowing that we will be held accountable can be a powerful motivator to live in a way that honors God and advances His kingdom. It reminds us that our actions have eternal significance and that we are responsible for how we use the gifts God has given us. [55:02]
Romans 14:12 (ESV): "So then each of us will give an account of himself to God."
Reflection: Reflect on how you are currently using your time, talents, and resources. Are there areas where you need to be more intentional and purposeful? How can you start making changes today to live more faithfully?
Day 4: Fear is the Enemy of Faithfulness
Fear often holds us back from taking the steps God calls us to take. Whether it's the fear of failure, the fear of others' opinions, or the fear of uncertainty, these fears can paralyze us. Overcoming fear requires trust in God's guidance and a willingness to take risks for His kingdom. The servant who buried his talent did so out of fear, and as a result, he missed out on the opportunity to multiply what he had been given. To live faithfully, we must confront our fears and trust that God will guide and support us as we step out in faith. [07:25]
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Reflection: Identify a fear that is holding you back from taking a step of faith. How can you confront this fear and trust in God's guidance today?
Day 5: Faithfulness Leads to Multiplication
The parable of the talents teaches that faithfulness leads to multiplication. The servants who took risks and invested their talents were rewarded, while the one who played it safe was condemned. This principle applies to all areas of our lives, encouraging us to use our gifts to their fullest potential. When we are faithful with what God has entrusted to us, we can expect to see growth and multiplication. This not only benefits us but also advances God's kingdom and brings glory to Him. [58:37]
2 Corinthians 9:10 (ESV): "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."
Reflection: Think about the gifts and talents God has given you. How can you use them more effectively to serve others and advance God's kingdom? What steps can you take today to start multiplying what God has entrusted to you?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "It's interesting how God takes you, how God takes our desires, and when we step back, we say yes to him. And when we step back, we go, oh, I'm so glad I'm so much more fulfilled that I said yes to God." [39:57](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "What we realize is that everything that we have belongs to God. Now you don't have to worry about your wallet this morning. This isn't a sermon about money. This is a sermon really about what we have. What you have. Maybe it's your time. Maybe it's your health. Maybe it's your influence. Maybe it's your children. Everything that you and I have is on loan. It is temporary." [46:10](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "You don't choose what God gives you, but you do choose what you do with what God gives you. God gives every single one of us different stuff, and all that you can control is what you do with what God gives you." [53:54](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Living faithfully is not about maintaining. Living faithfully is actually about multiplying. Maintaining is digging a hole and placing the valuable things that God has given us under the ground. Multiplying requires taking one thought-out risk after another." [54:33](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The goal of faith is not the elimination of risk. In fact, the greater risk is taking no risk. Let me read to you Matthew chapter 25 verse 29. Now from a different translation, it says, 'To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.' That haunts me." [01:11:41](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "We last week started talking about living faithfully and that really what God wants from us more than success, more than all these other things, God is looking for men and women who will live faithfully. And we built this last week upon the premise that first of all, biblically we understand that God himself is faithful. Because God is faithful, we are to live faithfully." [43:05](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "So often I'm guilty of comparing what God has entrusted to me with what God has entrusted to others. And God is just simply saying, stop. I've given you something that is so valuable. One talent alone would be the equivalency of $2.8 million. Everybody gets something. Maybe you don't feel like you have much, but you do. You have a wealth of experiences. You have talents. You have influence. You have ability. Some of you have education. We all have education living in America." [51:42](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We sometimes think that faithfulness is maintaining, but it's not. But according to this story in Matthew chapter 25, the story that Jesus is giving us, according to this account, faithfulness is actually about multiplying. I want you to understand this. Living faithfully is not about maintaining. Living faithfully is actually about multiplying." [54:33](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "God is an accountability God. We don't like this in American Christianity, but it is woven throughout scriptures, this truth that God is an accountability God. We will each give an account one day. There's going to be two judgments, by the way, right? There's a judgment of whether I received the grace of Jesus, I received his forgiveness, I confessed that Jesus is the son of God and that he's risen from the dead. And that's the judgment of whether my name is written in the Lamb's book of life." [55:02](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Some people are so paralyzed by their belief that they're going to make a bad decision that they never make a decision at all. Some of you need to think through that one again. We can be so paralyzed. What if I don't make the right decision? And what your heavenly father is saying, hey, have you sought me? Have you sought the counsel of other people? Then go and do something. He's not going to steer you wrong." [01:03:03](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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