EPISODE 0021 | God Is A Capitalist
THESE NOTES ACCOMPANY EPISODE 0021
In God’s Kingdom, faithfulness is highly rewarded. Those who wisely and faithfully manage what they have been given are not only commended but also entrusted with greater responsibilities, entering into the joy of their master. In today’s episode, Pastor Stephen discusses the Parable of the Talents, where the lesson is clear: faithfulness and industriousness in God’s service lead to reward, while fearfulness and inaction result in loss.
The Kingdom of God According to the Parable of The Talents
1. God Entrusts His People with Resources.
Romans 12:6a (NIV)
6We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.
2. God Expects Faithful Stewardship.
Matthew 25:20–21 (NLT)
20The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
Faithfulness = Multiplication
3. God Rewards Faithfulness.
Matthew 25:22–23 (NLT) 22“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ 23“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
4. God Judges Unfaithfulness.
Matthew 25:26–28, 30 (NLT)
26“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ 28“Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 30Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
5. The Kingdom of God Operates on the Principle of Abundance and Responsibility
Matthew 25:29 (NLT)
29To 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.
Takeaways from the Parable of The Talents
1. God is King and the King makes the rules.
2. Everything we have comes from God.
3. God expects us to be faithful.
4. Love leads to obedience.
5. Fear leads to disobedience.
6. Faithfulness is rewarded.
7. Disobedience has consequences.
8. The goal is a long obedience in the same direction.
9. Don’t be discouraged, distracted, disheartened or deceived.
10 . And no matter what... Don’t Quit!
2 John 1:8 (NLT) “Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward.”
RESOURCES:
Honest To God • 365-Days Of Personal Devotion™ By Stephen Martin
Honest To God is a 365-Day Personal Devotional designed to help you grow closer to God each day through intentional personal devotion that prioritizes worship, Bible study, prayer, and community By following this simple but powerful template, you will grow closer to God and His plan for your life.
