# Using Your Talents For The Lord

Key Passage: Matthew 25
Date: June 7, 2024

Matthew chapter number 25, if you would please, Matthew chapter 25. We’re really just going to go through this passage a little bit tonight. It was talking about talents. Now, these talents are monetary; they’re money. But we’re going to, of course, compare that to the gifts God has given you. When you got saved, you got gifts from Jesus Christ, the Olivet Discourse. We’re going to kind of use that comparison. I really just studied this parable out a little bit tonight. We’re going to start just by reading two verses to get us going. We’ll use our Bible a lot. We’ll be in Matthew 25 a lot tonight, so keep your finger there. We’ll keep going back to it as we go through it. But just to get us started, we’ll read 14 and 19 of Matthew 25 just to get us started in this thing tonight. Would you please stand as we read God’s Word together tonight?

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country. Of course, that represents Jesus Christ, when he died on the cross and he traveled back to heaven. He ascended back, sitting on the right hand of the Father. That’s what that represents there.

Who called his own servants. By the way, we’re all servants. Even the lost person here representing this passage is a servant because we’re all created for His pleasure. Revelation 4:11 tells us that everyone is. Some are good servants, some are bad servants. Every person in this world is created as His servant, and they’re created to bring Him pleasure and to serve the Lord, whether they do or not is their choice. But notice he says, who called his own servants and delivered unto them His goods.

By the way, everything you have is His. “This car is mine.” No, who gave you the raw material? You say, “Well, I earned it.” Who gave you the hands to earn it with? Who gave you the air to breathe and the lungs to breathe it with? Someone said, “Well, these hands earned everything I have.” Who gave you the hands? That’s all the Lord’s. “Well, I don’t work with my hands. I’ve got intelligence and all that others.” Who gave you the brain you have? I mean, it’s all the Lord’s. And delivered them His goods.

Now look down at verse number 19. After a long time—that’s right, now we’re waiting for the Lord to return—after a long time, the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them. By the way, you better look up. Might be real soon. We’re supposed to be discussing end times on Wednesday night; we might be discussing it in heaven, who knows? Look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. And the signs of the times are there. And He’s coming again, friend. And we’re going to see Him one day, and I’m excited about that. Man, what a day! That’ll be a glorious day. I’m looking for the second coming after He comes for us in seven years, and then we come back with Him. The second coming, when He comes, is slow, and every eye will see Him. Every knee shall bow, and they’re going to tremble before Jesus on that day. That’s exciting. Can’t get to that day without the rapture, though, amen. And He’s coming again. That’s what we’re talking about there, reference to in verse number 19.

Just kind of getting us going in this parable here with those two verses. Let’s pray, and we’ll try to dive into this thing tonight. Father, would You bless as we discuss Your word? Father, would You take the truth and Lord encourage, challenge, convict, have Your will and Your way through Your word tonight? Father, we thank You for what You do. Lord, we ask for these things in the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.

Let’s just keep going. We start in verse number 14. Let’s jump down to verse number 15. Before you read that, let me just say a word about it. How many have heard of the Sermon on the Mount? You know that you’ve heard at least. That’s kind of at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, really, where he was kind of setting the tone of what kind of ministry he was going to have. It really raised the bar every time, showing that nobody can meet that, so that’s why he needs a Savior. But then the Olivet Discourse, we call it. I’m not exactly sure why they call that the Sermon on the Mount, but this is a discourse. Really, it’s the last sermon Jesus preached before He ascended. He’s giving some last words, His last sermon He preaches right there. It’s very fitting. He’s talking about this man that goes away on a long journey, because Jesus is about to go on a long journey to heaven, and He’s giving this in His last sermon. So that’s what’s going on, kind of the surroundings around this.

Look at verse number 15. “And then one, he gave five talents.” Now, we’re going to kind of use just to give a number out—it’s not accurate—but we’re going to say $5,000 just to kind of give us a number and kind of help us concentrate a little bit. Another one he gave $5,000, to another $2,000, and to another one or $1,000. “To every man according to his several ability,” or if you will, however much he can handle. Some people can handle more than others. God knows what we can and can’t handle. So He gave them according to their ability. And then watch what He says: “and straightway took his journey.” Right away, right after that. By the way, remember when Jesus ascended, He gave men gifts. See, that’s what He’s referring to. Jesus left; He’s in heaven now, but He gifted you. He gave gifts unto men, and that’s what He’s speaking of right there. Some more than others. I don’t get too focused on that, but it’s however much we can handle.

Look at verse number 16. We’re just going to do a little Bible study tonight. Verse number 16. “Then he that had received five talents,” or $5,000, “went and traded with the same.” So with the same, with those talents, with that $5,000. God has gifted you. Every person here tonight, if you’re a born-again Christian, you have some amount of talent, if you will, gifted for the Lord. And with that same thing right there, you trade, or you use that for the Lord Jesus Christ. You put that in the work of the Lord with the same. Watch this, what it says: “and made them of their five talents.” So help me out. Five plus—not three, but five, all right. Five plus five equals what? You’ve got 10 now, right? Good. And verse number 17, “And likewise in the same manner, likewise he that received two, he also gained other two.”

Now here’s what I want you to notice. It’s the same proportion. They gained, if you will, 100%. It doubled. See? The $5,000 doubled to $10,000; the $2,000 doubled to $4,000. By the way, God is for proportionate giving. He—that little, that little—just put in the two mites. He said proportionately, she gave more than everybody else. Well, the others put in more as far as the amount. Oh yeah, they had big bucks. They were architects, structural engineers. They were putting in the big bucks, and she’s just a widow; she just put in the two mites, but proportionately she gave more. God is for proportionate giving. He realizes what talent He has given you, how He has gifted you. If you’re a one-talent person, don’t compare yourself with a five-talent person. If you’re a one-talent, don’t compare yourself with the two-talent or the five. If you’re a five-talent, don’t you dare compare yourself with a two-talent. I say this so often: if you start comparing, one or two things are going to happen. Either you’re going to have a pity party, sucking your thumb, “Oh, I’ve got it so bad,” or you’re going to get proud. Looking unto whom? Yeah, not unto yourself. No, no, that always messes you up. No, don’t compare.

Watch this, watch this. Both of them—one gained five, one gained two—proportionally the same thing: the double. Watch this, watch verse number 21. Look at verse number 21, if you will. “His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of the Lord.” Look at verse number 23. His Lord said unto him, “Well done.” Kind of sounds a little familiar, isn’t it? Same thing as verse number 21, verse number 23, about the same thing. Really only one word difference, to be honest with you. Look at it: 21, we just read it, 23. His Lord said unto him, “Well done, well done, good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy.” Same thing. You say, “Well, I can never do what so-and-so does.” You don’t have to do what so-and-so does. God never requires you to do what so-and-so does. God doesn’t want you to do that. If you take the talents God has given you and you use them just the same, and maybe you’re a one-talent person, but you use them just the same as that five-talent person, God gives you the same verse, same thing—21, 23, same verses. Look at it, you see it. Don’t just take my word for it. Look at it right there. Same verses. Same thing. God is for proportionate. He’s for you using what talents you have.

Now look at verse number 19. We’ve read it already, but I want you to notice one thing. He said, “After a long time.” We’ll get verse 18, just so we don’t miss a word here. Verse 18: “But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord’s money.” And after a long time, the Lord of those servants cometh. And what’s the next word? Oh, yeah. Reckoning day is coming.

Hey, those that just use all their talents for here on the earth and they’re never living for the Lord—they’re not in church on a Sunday night or Wednesday night, they’re not on a bus route, they’re not out in the yard sale, they’re not doing Liberty Station, they’re not giving their tithes, and they’re not doing all that—hey, can I just say something here? Reckoning day is coming, friend. Reckoning day is coming. Ever look and say, “Well, man, if I had my Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night back, I could do so much with that time”? And what about these people? We’ve got all the time around the lakes here and there and yonder. Hey, friend, hey, reckoning day is coming. Amen. Yeah. Every single person in the world, saved or lost, will stand before the Lord—one at the Great White Throne judgment, one at the judgment seat of Christ—but reckoning day is coming. That’s what they say. Read verse number 19. Hey, hey, they can curse and do all that. They look like they’re doing so good. They live like they all live so wickedly. It looks like they’re doing so great. Hey, hang on, friend. Reckoning day hasn’t happened yet, but it’s coming. Well, they look like they’re doing so good, and they’re wicked and foul and hurt everybody and promote the wrong thing. That’s all right, friend. Reckoning day has not happened yet, but it’s coming one day. That’s exactly what he was saying, verse number 19. Hey, He’s going to come back, and there’s going to be some reckoning due with the Lord right there. It’s coming. Reckoning day is coming.

You say, “Well, I can’t stand to watch so-and-so because they promote all the filth and junk and are pushing their agenda on this old world. I just wish I got them, you know.” I don’t want you to be bitter against the individual, but sometimes you just want justice. You know what I’m saying? Anybody out there just wants justice sometimes? Hey, it’s coming one day. It’s coming. You say, “How can those that stand for the bad and the wicked seem like they’re doing so good?” Hey, hang on, friend, reckoning day’s coming. That’s verse number 19. He’s going to come back, and there’s going to be some reckoning going on there in that day and time, verse number 19. “And reckoneth with them.” It’s coming.

By the way, if you’re using your talent for the Lord, you’ll be so thankful on the day of reckoning. He said, “Man, I’m tired.” How many of you are tired tonight? Man, I’ve been busy all weekend. Well, that’s just about all of us. Let’s bow our heads and go home, hey, man. Everybody’s been busy this weekend. Hey, you won’t regret it on Reckoning Day if you do it for the Lord. You’re doing God’s way and do it for the Lord. Hey, on Reckoning Day, you’ll say, “Praise the Lord, I got a sunburn out there working for the Lord.” Some of you all can say amen on that right there. I can see the redness on your face. I thought some were embarrassed for a minute and said, “No, they’re not embarrassed; they’re just red from the sun,” you know. Brother Josh, I see him coming back this afternoon. Man, he was… I heard the tires squeal a little bit when he pulled in the parking lot there, you know, and that old Dodge, the tires are smoking a bit. He’s trying to get here, get going on that night bus. Man, he’s been… He got here first thing that got here probably before anybody this morning, to get on the bus. And then Sunday afternoon, he’s getting back in here real quick before anybody really, besides Garrett. Garrett sleeps here, amen, you know, on Sunday afternoon. He doesn’t even go home. Amen. And glad he’s here. But between me and Brother Garrett, Brother Josh first went in here tonight and getting on that old bus and taking off. That’s a busy day. Amen. It’s got to get weary. He was getting on that bus. I pray, Lord, don’t let him get weary in well-doing, you know. But you know what? One day, on Reckoning Day, Brother Josh is going to say, “Man, praise the Lord, I did that.” I love this verse, Romans 8:18: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Man, you’ll be thankful you did that. Reckoning day is coming.

Keep going here. We’re just going down through this saying. Look in verse number 20. “And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, ‘Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.’” And his Lord said unto him, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of the Lord.” He also that had received two talents came and said, “Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.” His Lord said unto him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord.”

Now, I want you to notice a phrase. I want you to notice a phrase in verse number 21 and verse number 23, used in both those verses. Look at verse number 21. His Lord said, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” You know, faithfulness goes so far. If God is going to bless us, He says, “I require of stewards that a man be found faithful.” By the way, praise the Lord, you’re all tired Sunday night, busy, busy weekend, but you’re still faithful in church on a Sunday night. That’s what God requires. When it’s all said and done, those that have used their talents for the Lord—those are the ones that the Lord says, “Well done, thou good and faithful.” Faithfulness. You just can’t replace faithfulness. What an amazing thing. Look what He says: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful.” He repeats that word: faithful. “Over a few things.” “Well, I wish I had this.” That doesn’t matter. What are you doing with the few things you got right now? That’s the key. Are you faithful with the few things?

And Brother Bill just said that’s true. Praise him, Brother Bill. Brother Bill, he really kind of oversees the lawn ministry out here. Somebody’s going, “Well, that’s not a big deal.” But it is if he’s faithful to the few things. “Well, I don’t have a big task around here. Just a few things.” Are you faithful? “Well, maybe all I do is come to church Sunday morning and Sunday night.” Well, are you faithful with that? Just faithful with the few things. That’s key. When the Lord is giving them rewards, He says, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things.” Hey, are you faithful just meeting with the Lord? Would your children say you’re faithful? Would your parents say you’re faithful? Just faithful over a few things.

I like this. He uses this phrase down at the bottom of those verses there, 21 and 23. He says, “I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” You know a good description of heaven? You’re entering into the joy of thy Lord. Look over in Psalm 16. Look at Psalm 16. Down here we have to work at it: “Rejoice evermore.” You can be down; everybody gets there. You have to rejoice. That’s why: “Rejoice evermore.” Always working. Always work. You’ve got to work at that thing. But when you get to heaven, it won’t be like that because you’ll be entering into the joy of thy Lord. You’ll just enter into it. You’ll be baptized into it. You’ll be surrounded with it.

Look what He says. Very interesting. Look in Psalm 16. Look at verse number 11. “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is what?” That’s heaven. “In thy presence is…” Fullness of joy. “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” At Thy right hand, as Jesus. At Thy right hand, there are pleasures evermore. You just enter into the joy. Can you imagine going into heaven, and you just, as you’re—it’s like you’re entering into a realm, a surrounding—and it just overtakes you? Not even your joy; it’s the joy of the Lord. As you enter into that, it just kind of fills you. You say, “Man, I battle the pressure.” You won’t battle it in heaven. I have high highs and low lows, you know. By the way, that’s kind of typical. You get to heaven, you don’t have to worry about all that. You enter into the joy of thy Lord. Wow, what a day this is going to be. That’s for the one who’s been living, working for the Lord Jesus Christ. You enter into it. A wonderful thing, enter into the joy of thy Lord. What a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Now I’m about to change gears. We’re going to get to this one-talent person here. Look in verse number 24. Verse 24, we’re trying to go quick. I figured you’d be tired and a little quiet tonight; that’s understandable. So we’re trying to move on quickly here on this thing. Look at verse number 24. “Then he which had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not strawed. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.’”

Let’s identify what this one talent that he gave him is. Look over, if you will, in Romans chapter number 12. Romans chapter 12. Look in verse number three, if you would please. Romans 12, and look in verse number three of the Bible. He says right there, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Every man, saved and lost. Every man, as given a talent or a measure, the measure of faith. Everybody. Hitler was given the measure of faith. President Biden was given the measure of faith. Madonna was given the measure of faith. Taylor Swift was given the measure of faith. Every person was given the measure of faith.

By the way, help me out, how are you saved? “For by grace are you saved through…” Yeah. Every person in the world was given—all the servants were all created for the pleasure of the Lord—were given the measure of faith. Here’s the thing: this person, they didn’t want to put their faith; they put it in the earth. We’ll get that in a minute. They didn’t want to put it in the Lord. It’s a sad thing what happened there. Let me say this: if they take their one faith and put it in Jesus Christ, you know what happens? More faith.

Look over in 1 John 5. We use this verse so often out soul-winning. I don’t know if any of you ever wonder why he kind of words it like he does. We always use that first part: “That you may know that you have eternal life.” But did you ever finish the verse out and say, why did he say that again? You ever just kind of wonder that? You’ll know. Look at 1 John 5. And look at verse number 13. 1 John 5:13. How many ever use this out witnessing? You’ve ever used this verse witnessing something? It’s a great, great verse. Look, you can know. You don’t have to doubt and worry if you’re going to have it. He’s given us a Bible specifically, 1 John. He’s given it so we can know we have eternal life. But did you notice all the wording of this verse? Look at it right there. 1 John 5:13. He says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” All right. We always cover that, and that’s right. But it seems like he’s saying the same thing again. What does he say there? After that: “That ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the…” Well, you already said that. What does that mean? Here’s what he’s saying: Look, you put your belief in Jesus Christ. You take this little, one little talent of faith He gave to you. You place it on Jesus Christ. It gives you eternal security. What happens? Now you have more faith to believe on Jesus. That’s why he adds that again. You using your faith and putting it in Jesus Christ gives you more faith to put in Jesus. Same thing with this parable: those that use their talent, and at the end He gave them more talents. And you use your one faith and put it in Jesus Christ, and that you may believe on the name, you get more faith. That’s what he said. That’s why it’s giving you that again in 1 John 5:13.

Here’s the sad thing: if they don’t use that faith, they don’t put it in Jesus Christ. A sad thing. Look in verse number 25 right there. Verse number 21: “And I was afraid.” The first thing he said, “I was afraid.” This guy had to one time; he said, “I was afraid.” Look over in Revelation 21:8. Sometimes we’ll use this in soul-winning when someone doesn’t admit they’re lost and only will help. Great verse. Sometimes we’ll use it. Look over Revelation 21. Look at verse number 8. Some use this in their plan of salvation every time they present it. Many different ways to do it. But notice what it says, verse number 8, Revelation 21:8. What’s the first thing? Fearful. The guy over there, he had the one talent; he was afraid. But the fearful and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. This one-talent person—no, no, they didn’t want to. Notice what it says in verse number 18, back over here, verse number 18. Pretty much the same thing he says in 25. Verse number 18: “But he that received one went and digged in the what?” What’s the next word? Earth. Look at verse number 25: “And I was afraid and went and hid my talent in the what?” They take that faith and they put it in things down here on earth.

“Well, if I can’t see it, I can’t put my faith in it.” Well, fully on that, friend, you can’t see electricity, but you turn that light switch on. You can’t see the air you breathe, but you breathe it for sure. They just want to use all these little things, and they want to put their faith in things down here. Some of them say, “Well, I’m going to put my faith in science.” Really? You want to do that? Check the science books 30 years ago and today; how much have they changed? Right. When I want to put my faith in so-and-so, so-and-so is going to die like all the rest of us, friend. They want to put their faith in the stock market. Wow, that’s a mistake for sure, I tell you, friend. I’m not saying don’t invest in them. I know people lost $30,000 plus in the stock, $100,000 in the stock market. No, but this guy, he just wants to hide his one talent, that thing. He wants to put it in the earth. Well, that’s a shame. I’m not going to get much. It’s just going to end up a pretty sad deal. You put all your faith in the earthly things.

I thought about the story I’ve told you before about the—I met at a preacher’s fellowship about two years ago. One of the men gave this amazing testimony. His wife had gotten saved, but he wasn’t saved. He didn’t want anything to do with him. She was just a sweet wife to him, and he was just a lost, sinful man. He liked to go coon hunting. True story, I heard him tell it. The wife was sitting there. He had his buddies who go out drinking with his buddies and all that, and they made a little bet and said, “We could go to my house.” It was about 3 or 4 a.m. He said, “We go to my house, and my wife—I could wake her up, and she’d make breakfast for us.” Another guy said, “No way. No way. You go wake that woman up at 3 a.m., she’s going to knock you over the head with a rolling pin.” Amen. I mean, you know. He said, “She’ll do it.” And they went home, a bunch of dirty, rotten, sorry men. The husband went there, woke his wife up, and she says, “All right, give me a little bit of time; I’ll get up.” She got up and made him breakfast. One of the men said, “How can you do this? In the middle of the night, you’re getting up, and he’s treating you like this.” She said this. She wasn’t trying to be mean, but she said this: She said, “Well, I figure if he doesn’t get saved when it’s all over, he really didn’t have anything to look forward to; he’s going to be in hell. So I might as well make it as good as I can until he goes to hell.” He couldn’t get past that, and not just what she said, but the life behind it. He got saved, and he’s a preacher.

Friend, if all you have is down here on earth, it’s not going to get you very far. He went and hid his talents in the earth. What a sad thing. Notice something else about it. Look back at verse number 18. Something else about this thing here: “But he that received one went and digged in the earth and what?” And hid his Lord’s money. Look at verse number 25: “And I was afraid and went and hid my talent in the earth.” They take that faith and they put it in things down here on earth.

He didn’t want to put his one talent of faith; he just wanted to hide it in the earth. Wouldn’t put it in Jesus Christ.

Let’s keep going here in this parable. Verse number 26. We’re going to go quick, all right. “His Lord answered and said unto him, ‘Thou wicked and slothful servant.’” By the way, this is someone standing before the Lord that did not want to put their faith in Jesus Christ. So they are going to stand. If you’re born again, you’re standing in the grace of God. He’s not hard; He’s so merciful and gracious. But if you don’t want to put your faith in Jesus Christ, this is what you’re going to stand before right here at the Great White Throne judgment. His Lord answered and said unto him, “Thou wicked and slothful servant.” Man, I like 21 and 23: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” The lost guy? Uh-uh. “Thou wicked and slothful servant.” What a difference. “Thou knowest that I reap where I sow not and gather where I have not strawed.” I think there He is really saying, I gave you the faith, but I’m not going to make the decision for you. I allow free will. It’s your choice to put that seed in the Lord Jesus Christ or not. You chose not to do it. So you’re going to face a hard, just, righteous judge. He came as a Savior. He came as a Savior. He came as a judge. Then those people.

Verse number 27: “Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers.” Now that’s interesting to me. I think a little bit, He’s saying, at least take your talents and at least put it into some Christian people, those in exchange for the Lord, getting a church somewhere. I mean, just getting in the Holy Spirit; He’s the Lord of the harvest. Let Him lead and guide you. And put your money to the exchange. You ought to at least do that. You know I’m a righteous, just God. Man, you ought to put your faith in Christ, or else you will have to be called a wicked and slothful servant. “But put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming, I should receive mine own with usury.” “Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.” Yeah. “For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. Cast ye the unprofitable servant into the uttermost darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” He didn’t want to put his one talent of faith; he just wanted to hide it in the earth. Wouldn’t put it in Jesus Christ.

Now let’s just close it out here real quickly. Hey, how many of you say, “I’m saved tonight”? You’re saved tonight? I’ve trusted Jesus Christ. So you have some gift that God has given to you. Some—I don’t know—maybe one of these 12 we listed off. I think there are other talents or other gifts that we don’t have listed on there. But you’re gifted in some way. Are you taking your gifts and giving them to the money exchangers, if you will? Are you giving them to the Lord? Don’t look at how much you do or don’t have. That is not the key. The key is what you’re doing with what you have. Same principle when it comes to money. It’s not about how much you have or don’t have; it’s about what you’re doing with what you have. Same thing with your talents. Are you using your gifts for the Lord Jesus Christ? Don’t compare. Are you faithful with what you have? That is the key.

Hey, go to the Holy Spirit tonight and say, “With the talents I have, would You guide me to use them for You?” And Jesus said, “I’m going to depart.” That’s the parable. I’m going to leave, but He said, “I’ll send Him unto you.” Who’s that? The Holy Spirit, the Lord of the harvest. He gives directions in the harvest. And your body is His temple. Hey, I’m giving my talent to You, the Lord.

Charles Tenney, we talk about him every once in a while. His parents were slaves back in the days of America, years ago, about 150 years ago, very sad. Charles Tenney grew up in that, didn’t know how to read when he was a boy. But he ended up at a church in Philadelphia as a janitor. You’re talking about few things. He swept the floors and mopped the floors and cleaned it up, but he was faithful with the few things. He traveled a little bit at the beginning. He pastored the church in Cape May, New Jersey—just a little church, God bless that—and a couple different places he served the Lord. But he was faithful in just a few things. Eventually, God made him pastor of that church in Philadelphia where he was a janitor. He was faithful with the little things, and God said, “You know what? That man’s faithful with what I give him.” God gave him more, and more, and more, and more. They say eventually that church in Philadelphia—they had said, “Hey, in Cape May, that little bit of the island town there, yeah, you can do it there, but you’re not going to do it in the big city.” That was the second largest city of the United States at the time, Philadelphia. You can’t do it there. But he was faithful with a few things, just very small when he took the pastorate there. God blessed because he was faithful with a few things. Eventually, they say the membership was around 10,000 people at that church.

God used him to write some of the hymns we sing, “Nothing Between My Soul and the Savior.” God used him to pen that. “Take Your Burden to the Lord.” That came from a counseling meeting he had. He pastored that church, but it took the few things, and he was faithful with those. God said, “He’s a good investment over there.” God’s a wise investor. I think I’ll give him some more.

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes tonight? I’m just asking that. Would you take your talents to the Lord? Would you take your talents? I’m not going to have you raise your hand, but I’m just going to ask, would you take your talents to the Lord tonight? Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you: How and where can I use my talents for You? You’ve got me. I’ll do it. Maybe if you haven’t taken the faith that is given you and put it in Jesus Christ for salvation and beyond that, would you do that tonight? Now, stand if you would please. We’re going to have a word of prayer. Would you come? Father, thank You that You’ve gifted us all. Thank You for that, Lord. Help us to use the talents for You. Help us be faithful in the few. Thank You, Lord, for the principles. Thank You we get to be Your servants, Lord, that we yield to You and Your Spirit. Would You guide us and tell us where and how You’d like to use the gifts You’ve given us? We thank You for it, and in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - - Using Your Talents For The Lord - Sunday PM 04212024