Live Ready

Pastor John Talcott
Christ's Community Church

(9/24) Good morning. Welcome to all of you. I am so thankful that you decided to join us today because I’m going to be talking about remaining faithful in difficult times. The title of today’s message is Live Ready and this is so important because of the increase of wickedness in these last days. We are living in the midst of constant change which can cause us to doubt or question God and ultimately to be confused in our faith. And so, today we want to talk about the reality that God can literally show up at any time, in any situation, and so we must learn to Live Ready.

Let’s go to the gospel of Matthew, chapter number 25, as I share with you those things that God has pointed out to me to be relevant to the church in these last days. We are in the first book in the New Testament, and so let’s look at verse 14 of chapter 25, because the Holy Spirit has been directing us on a course or a path over the past weeks and months. I was reflecting on Wednesday how every message seems to overlap the previous one, building a staircase, rising up line upon line, climbing brick by brick, as together we are being built up as living stones on this spiritual journey.

Today as we look forward to the day of God, we are coming forth in the name of Jesus, learning to Live Ready but it’s not only for us. It also includes our emotions, our minds, and our will, breaking free together from the trauma of this world that has held us in bondage; because we know that the whole of creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And not only creation, but we who have been born again, who have the Holy Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for the redemption of our bodies, for in this hope we were saved (Romans 8:22-24).

And so, as we turn to Matthew chapter 25, verse 14, once again, Jesus tells us what it’s going to be like in that day. He says,

"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 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" (Matthew 25:14-15).

"The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money" (Matthew 25:16-18).

"After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 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" (Matthew 25:19-20).

"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!" (Matthew 25:21).

"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' "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!" (Matthew 25:22-23).

"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. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you" (Matthew 25:24-25).

"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? Well 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" (Matthew 25:26-27).

"Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 25:28-30).

This chapter and the previous one are applied in the context of the end times as Jesus tells his disciples what will be the signs of his coming and the end of the age. And so, the context of this passage is to give the church a better understanding of the suddenness of the coming of the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, but it’s really so much bigger than that because Jesus is talking about his plan for the world in its entirety, not just what he is going to do with Israel, or with the church, but with everybody, because everything is under his authority.

Now, last week he talked about that unexpected moment of his coming and how many people will be surprised and unprepared. And in today’s text, he is telling us to prepare for that unexpected moment because when he arrives, we will have to give an account for what we have been given. In other words, he’s teaching about stewardship and he begins teaching about the value of money.

"Again," he says in verse fourteen, "it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 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" (Matthew 25:14-15).

We know that he is not talking about talents like being able to sing or play an instrument because he says,

"Well 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" (Matthew 25:27).

In other words, when he says, he gave to one five talents, another two, and then to another one, he is talking about resources, money, and investments. And so, he’s teaching us about stewardship, to properly value, use, and invest money.

Now, we know that he owns the cattle on a thousand hills, for the world is his and all that is in it; but we also know that if he didn’t value money and natural resources, he wouldn’t have told the Israelites to borrow from the Egyptians before he brought them out. But the Bible tells us in Exodus chapter twelve,

"The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for" (Exodus 12:36).

And then, once they were in the wilderness, the Lord asked for what they had been given by the Egyptians to build a tabernacle for himself. And so, it was with the offerings of the Israelites that they were able to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary (Exodus 36:3). In fact, the people donated so much gold, jewels, fabric, and oil for the lamps that Moses had to tell them not to bring any more.

Here in Matthew chapter 25 Jesus is teaching about money, teaching us about stewardship, because God is watching how you manage both your time and your money. And so, he’s teaching about self-discipline, integrity, patience, and self-control, because you had to be prepared to persevere and stay ready because no one knows the day or the hour when the master was returning. And in verse sixteen, he is teaching us about accountability, about utilizing what we’ve been given to its greatest potential and he says,

"The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money" (Matthew 25:16-18).

It’s a terrible thing to fail to act on an opportunity, to have great potential, but receive poor results; because having the potential is not enough. It’s how you steward the potential that determines whether you go up or go down, whether you come in or go out. You see, God gives each one of us an opportunity, we all got up this morning, we all came to church this morning, and some of us are ready to take advantage of the opportunity and yet others are not.

And so, how we steward the opportunity given, the talent given is up to us. In other words, you can dig a hole in the ground, you can bury it, you can hide it, you can blame your parents, blame the economy, blame whatever you want to blame, but you’re only playing games with your potential. And so, you may have thought it would be easier than it is, sooner than it was, and you put it away, you didn’t get ready, you didn’t invest it, but Jesus said,

"Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20-21).

And honestly, there is nothing worse than the regret that comes from getting serious too late and investing too late.

You see, each of the servants were in the same place, at the same time, when they were presented with an opportunity. One was given five talents, one was given two talents, and one was given one talent. And each one was expected to work with what they had, just like each of us, because everything you have, everything you’ve been given, every breath you breathe is a gift from God. Every time you stand and every move you make is a gift from God. In fact, this day is the gift of God, and the Bible says,

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalms 118:24).

And so, we want to be alert and self-controlled, not in darkness like the others, so that this day would not surprise you like a thief. That’s why the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter five,

"Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16).

And there are some people who are wasting their days, grumbling and complaining about stuff that doesn’t matter, but each of us have the opportunity to live each day to our greatest potential, because Bible says,

"This day is sacred to our Lord. (Therefore) do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).

I believe somebody is about to seize the moment, about to get ready, taking advantage of now. You see, each of us have been given the same day, but I feel somebody moving, shifting your weight, about to step into the opportunity that you’ve been given. Something is happening in this place, somebody’s recognizing that they’re blessed.

"Blessed in the city and blessed in the country… your womb will be blessed... Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out" (Deuteronomy 28:3-6).

Somebody’s recognizing that they are blessed in their relationships, blessed with their friends, blessed in their marriage, blessed in their house, blessed in their apartment, whatever way it comes, north, south, east, or west, they are blessed.

But what good is all of that potential if you are not prepared to seize the opportunity. Some of you need to throw out your plans, getting rid of those safe little goals, those little plans you’ve been thinking about because what God is going to do is bigger than what you are thinking. Jesus said in verse 19,

"After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them" (Matthew 25:19).

Now, some of you got out of bed and came to church this morning ready, you were prepared, you were expecting something to happen in your life. And I believe that what God has for you is even bigger than what you imagined because the Bible says,

"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" (Matthew 25:19-20).

"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!" (Matthew 25:21).

I don’t know about you, but I long to hear those words from Jesus. I am 57 years old and I’ve only got a few talents, but I refuse to underestimate my future. I don’t know when the master is going to return, but I know I’ve got some stuff to do and some places to go today. And so, I’m getting ready in case pastoring, being a husband, or being of father is harder than I thought. I’m getting ready. I’m getting ready for something that I haven’t seen, something I haven’t experienced, something that hasn’t happened yet, and I don’t care if it takes all month, all year, or decades, but whenever the master comes, I want to be ready. No matter whether I’m young or old, rich or poor, when the Lord gets ready, I’m going to be prepared.

Each of the servants were called to account for themselves, their finances, and their business. And we don’t want to underestimate our future, missing the power of an opportunity, because we are unprepared for what is next.

"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' "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!" (Matthew 25:22-23).

Again, those words that we long to hear from the master, "Well done!" And each of the servants responded, each of them was confident that they would be rewarded when the master arrived. But the one who had one talent said,

"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. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you" (Matthew 25:24-25).

In other words, the one who had one talent was fearful and so he didn’t do anything with it. He saved it, he protected it, but it was like a pack of seeds on the shelf that were never planted. And so, 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? Well 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" (Matthew 25:26-27).

He’d ignored the principles of the kingdom like sowing and reaping, seedtime and harvest, and he missed the opportunity before him. When the master showed up unexpectedly, the servant was looking for mercy, expecting to tap into his master’s bank account, to spend his time and efforts, but it doesn’t work that way in the kingdom. The master said,

"Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 25:28-30).

When I say, "Live Ready," I’m sure there are many images that come to your mind. For me personally, I think about being vigilant, alert, and awake, because the Lord can and will show up in that unexpected moment. In fact, he said,

"You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (Matthew 24:44).

And so, it’s imperative that we keep watch, that we stay curious, that we stay in the game, committed to learning and being disciples, because Jesus said,

"Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him" (Matthew 13:12).

And so, what do you do if by the time you get yourself together, recognizing that life isn’t a game, and you start taking life seriously, but it’s too late to get any return for your investment?

When we find ourselves in seasons where we have squandered our potential, missed our opportunity, and are left feeling far from God and without hope in the world, the only answer is to come to Jesus. Because he is…

"The way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus" (John 14:6).

And so, the question is, now that you’re ready to take things seriously, will you do it God’s way, repenting of your sin, and saying, "Yes" to Jesus’ offer of salvation and forgiveness.

You see, the truth is we only have one life to live, one opportunity, one talent, and to be in that constant state of readiness, to Live Ready we need to be in a committed relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible says,

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

And so, we all come up willfully short and the only solution to save us and redeem us from sin’s power has to be a perfect, sinless, sacrifice. Because there is a cost for sin, there is a price, there’s always a price for sin, and the Bible says,

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

That’s why our hope is found in Jesus Christ, because he died in our place, he paid the wages of our sin, taking our sins upon himself, he died, was buried, and rose again. And so, we have a living hope, our salvation is found in him who has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us.

Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

And we can Live Ready and confident, overcoming the world, overcoming sin and death, when we accept the free gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. And so, we must come to him on his terms, accepting his gift, personally receiving it, and as the Bible says,

"If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

And so, you can do this however the Holy Spirit leads you to, it can begin private and personal, but it must become bold and confident as you profess your faith in baptism.

Right now, declare that Jesus is Lord, place him on the throne of your lives. Be ready, Live Ready, and stay ready because,

"He who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 24:13).

Will you give up your sinful ways of life to follow Jesus? Will you seize this moment, seizing this opportunity, to ready your soul and commit yourself to him?

Read past sermons by Pastor John Talcott