Greg Laurie - So What? (09/02/2017)
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Pastor Greg Laurie teaches from Matthew 25 on how the soon return of Jesus should affect our daily lives, using the Parable of the Talents to urge believers to actively use their God-given time, talents, and treasure in the church for His glory. The church exists to glorify God (upward), edify believers (inward), and evangelize the world (outward). He challenges us to have "skin in the game" by participating, serving, giving, and sharing the gospel instead of being spectators or critics.
Welcome and Announcements
Well, good evening. That's great. How are y'all doing? All right, why don't you grab your Bibles and turn to Matthew chapter 25. And while you're turning there, a couple of quick announcements. Number one, next Thursday night, my friend Pancho Juarez will be here speaking. Now, you've got to love Pancho. This guy knows how to preach. And he's a good friend. And there's always a lot of humor. And he just brings a message home in his own unique way. So, he's going to be speaking next Thursday. I'll be here for that, but he'll be speaking. And then the following Thursday, we're going to wrap this essential series up with a message that I'm calling Iran, Israel, and Isis in Bible prophecy. And you might be surprised to know that the Bible actually has quite a bit to say about the scenario we are watching unfold before our very eyes.
So, next Thursday, Pancho, the next Thursday, we get into the series. And one little thing I wanted to mention, when we do that Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the actual date is July 26th, we will not be meeting that Thursday. That is Thanksgiving. So, we're not meeting on Thanksgiving night because I know you will all be in a food coma. So, we'll be meeting the Wednesday night before. So, that's what's coming down. And then Sunday, my message title is, Hurried, Worried, and Buried. How to Overcome Fear and Anxiety. So, that's pretty much all the time I have. Good night and God bless you.
Alright, but the title of my message tonight is, So What? I know that sounds like a cynical title, but it actually isn't. Because the subtitle is, How the Return of Jesus Should Affect Us in Day-to-Day Living. So, what? So, what are we supposed to do? So, what are we supposed to think? So, how are we supposed to behave in light of this great truth that Christ is coming back again? That's what we're going to talk about. So, let's start with a word of prayer. Father, we thank you for the clarity of Scripture. The timelessness of your Word. The power and the authority of it. And the complete relevance to what we're facing in life. So, speak to us as we look in your Word together. For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
The Talking Dog – Missing the Point of Church
Heard about a guy who was driving through Oklahoma. And he saw a sign in front of a house that really got his attention. The sign said, Talking Dog for Sale. Says, I have to check this out. So, he pulls his car over and gets out and goes up to the man who's sitting there in the front porch. And says, Sir, I would like to see your talking dog. And the guy says, Yeah, he's over there in the backyard. Go over there. And so, he walks back and he hears a lava door just sitting there in the backyard. And so, the man asks, So, you talk? The dog says, Yep. And this is a true story, by the way. So, the man asks, So, what's your story? And the lab says, Well, actually, I've been able to talk since I've been very young. And I wanted to help the government. So, I hooked up with the CIA and I did a lot of work for them. Jetting from country to country. You know, sitting in rooms where people were talking. They never thought a dog could understand them. Much less talk and repeat the information. So, I did that for many years. But, you know, it was starting to wear me out. All the travel. And so, I decided I needed a job with less stress. So, I worked security in the airport. And I'd go over to suspicious characters. Eavesdropping their conversations and so forth. But I finally retired. I got married. You know, had some puppies with my wife. And now, I'm just kind of kicking back a little bit.
Well, this guy's just blown away. He couldn't believe what he's just heard. He runs back to the owner. He says, Sir, how much do you want for the talking dog? The man says, You can have him for $10. He says, $10? Why would you sell them so cheap? The guy says, He's a liar. He never did any of that stuff. Talk about missing the point. You know, sometimes, I think we miss the point. When it comes to church. Let me explain. Do we really get what church is supposed to be? You know, I think some people sort of think of church like a movie theater. Right? You have your seat. And you take your seat. And, you know, you watch the trailers. And maybe you talk. And maybe you get in late or whatever. But, you know, you watch the film. You're there to be entertained. And then the movie's over and you leave. And that's going to a movie theater. There's a lot of things that irritate me about people in movie theaters, by the way. I wonder if these irritate you. People that bring in five-course meals. You know what I'm talking about? They bring in all this food. They're like... It's like, really? Or people that are checking their cell phone constantly. And you know how bright that is in a dark theater. Or, you know, people that talk during the film. Well, anyway, I think sometimes people will come to church that way. Sort of that mentality. Like, okay, entertain me. Impress me. Do something for me. But that is not why the church exists. And this is why a lot of us miss out on all that church can be.
The Three Purposes of the Church – Upward, Inward, Outward
The church has three basic purposes. We're here for three reasons. The glorification of God. The edification of the saints. And the evangelization of the world. So, we're here to glorify God. To build up one another. The edification of the saints. And the evangelization of the world. Or a simpler way to put it. Upward, inward, and outward. So, if you're taking notes, it's there up on the screen. Upward, inward, outward. We're here to honor the Lord. Upward, inward, building up one another. And outward, taking this message out to others.
So, let me ask you. Is that why you're here tonight? Are you here to glorify the Lord? That's why we worship. That's the purpose of worship. The praise band is not the warm-up act. That's prayer set to song. So, you know, when we come late to worship. And I know you guys work. And you can't always get here on time. And I understand that. And I appreciate you all coming out on a Thursday night. But sometimes, maybe we take our sweet time. And even when the worship band is up there playing. We're just kind of, you know, checking our, you know, emails. Or texting friends or whatever. And wait a second. We're praying. Would you do that while we're in prayer? I hope not. Maybe some would even do it then. But the idea is, this is where we're honoring the Lord. We're effectively fulfilling the purpose for which God created us.
Now, we don't only worship God in song. There are many ways we worship Him. But it's certainly one of the ways. Do you engage during the worship? Say, well, I don't know the words. Well, that's why we put them up on the screen. So you'll see those words. And you'll sing those words. And isn't it great when these songs get embedded in your mind. And you find yourself singing them through the day. Or you wake up in the middle of the night. And one of those worship songs is going through your mind. We're here to glorify God.
What about the edification of the saints? See, this is that part of the church where we're not just here to be ministered to. But we say, what can I do? How can I help others? I've been so blessed. How can I serve? Where do you need some help around here? In Sunday school? In ushering? In counseling? Or is there some other need? Man, I would like to help. That's the edification of the saints. Building up one another. Realizing this simple truth. It's not about you. If I come to church and it's all about me. What are you going to do for me? How are you going to bless me? Man, I can miss out. But Jesus said, The Son of Man did not come to be served. But He came to serve. And I think when we come saying, How can I be used of God to help others? The whole paradigm can change.
And then thirdly, We're here for the evangelization of the world. To get the gospel out. You know, my job as your pastor Is to teach you the word of God. It's to declare to you the whole counsel of God. But that's not all. The church is not merely a classroom. The church is a place where we get armed for battle too. You see? Because in Ephesians 4 it says That God has raised up pastor, teachers, evangelists For the equipping of the saints. For the work of the ministry. So my job is to help you to do your job. Which is to go out into the world And fulfill the great commission. So it's not just about learning data. And hearing information. There's a place for that. But it's about finding out How we can be used by God. I'm here to feed you. To equip you. And challenge you to serve God. And change our world.
Now why do I bring this all up? For the simple reason. News flash. Jesus Christ is coming back again. How many of you believe that? Okay. So what? There's a message title. So what? Okay. Christ is coming back again. So what am I supposed to do? Well for starters. I'm supposed to be an active functioning Part of the church. Here's what Hebrews 10:22 says. Let's hold tightly without wavering To the hope we affirm. For God can be trusted to keep His promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another To acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together As some people do. But encourage one another. Especially now that the day of His return Is drawing near.
So let me loosely paraphrase. In light of the fact that Christ Could come back at any moment. We need to be in the church Encouraging one another. Motivating one another. And listen. If one of us is overtaken in a fault We need to go and try to rescue those people. Of course you all know the Bible says If someone is overtaken in a fault Expose it to as many people as possible And kick him to the curb. Right? Well the way some people act Do you think that's what the Bible does say? But no. What Scripture actually says Is if Galatians 6:1 If someone is overtaken in a fault You who are spiritual Restore such a one In a spirit of meekness. So our job is to confront when necessary And restore. Not hunt down and destroy.
I have a friend who is a dermatologist And he specializes in treating skin cancer. And so he was in a store the other day And he saw someone that had What appeared to him to be And he would know A malignant melanoma. Now you know melanoma is a very serious form Of skin cancer and can be deadly. And so he didn't want to go And tell this person that But he went up and said Hi excuse me But I'm a dermatologist And I specialize this And I believe on your cheek You have a malignant melanoma Well they were angry. You know hey I'm out shopping You going to lay that trip on me? But wait a second That's what he does He's a doctor He wants to save their life. But he had to You know Bring this topic up To a total stranger And they kind of got offended And walked away And he wanted to give them a card He wanted to help them But see The whole point is Sometimes before we can restore a person We have to confront a person And we have to say Hey man I got to just tell you You know You say you're a Christian Here's what the Bible says And your life Isn't lining up with that And then they retort Hey man Don't judge me. And you say Yeah but you know The Bible tells us That we are to Help one another And build up one another And I want to help you You know So this is what we are to do This is the whole purpose The church exists Again coming back to that passage Let's think of ways To motivate one another.
So, how are you doing in that regard? Here's a question. What if everybody attended church the way you attend? What if every Christian was just like you? If every Christian was just like me, we would need a lot less hair product in the world. I mean, think about it. Life would be so much simpler. You know how long it takes me to get ready in the morning and take work? Okay, let's go. So, we'd have a church of bald people if every one was like me. But what if everyone was like you? You know, would services be attended faithfully? Would pews be empty or full? What if everyone prayed like you prayed? Would we be a praying church? What if everyone worshipped like you? Would we be a worshipping church? Or would we be a silent church? What if everybody evangelized as often as you evangelized? Would we be a church reaching a lost culture? What if everybody gave as faithfully of their finances as you give? Would we have a church that had the needs met? Or would they be neglected?
You see, the church is made up of all of us together. And we either contribute to its strength and growth or to its weakness and decline. But every one of us plays a role in the church. A story is told from history of the king of Sparta. And he was boasting to a visitor about the walls of Sparta. The visitor looked around and couldn't see any walls at all. And the Spartan king told his guest, you see, in Sparta, every man is a brick. And pointing to the army, he said, these are the walls of Sparta. And that's true of the church. Every believer is a brick, or as the Bible says, we're living stones, as the great theologians. Pink Floyd reminded us, all in all, you're just another brick on the wall. Yeah. So we are. We're a brick. We're a stone. We play a part in the church. So we should not be spectators. We should be participants. And this is what can make the difference between church being. life-altering for you or just another thing that you do. You just come when you have time and when you can work it in and you just kind of check in and check out early and you're in a passive spectator mode, then church is one thing. I mean, it will do you some good still. But then you come and say, no, I want to be in the game. I want to be involved. I want to serve. I want to glorify God. I want to play a role in this church. Man, it will make all the difference in the world.
President Theodore Roosevelt said years ago, quote, it's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or the doer of deeds could have done better. No, says Roosevelt, the credit belongs to the man who's actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat in blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, end quote. So in the same way, the credit goes to the believer that's in the arena that doesn't just talk about it, but the believer who's doing it. You know, some Christians are setting the world on fire while others are still looking for a match or coming up with excuses as to why it can't be done. So we all have a role to play.
Harvest's History and Looking Forward
You know, our church is at a critical junction right now, as Pastor Mike was reminding us, and when we watch the Lord bless, you know, I've, of course, been ministering in Orange County for years. I did the Monday night Bible study at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa for at least 14 years. And I don't think I'm exaggerating all, at all, when we would look back and say we probably saw some 30,000 people make a profession of faith over those years. It's amazing. Okay, but that was kind of a long time ago. I saw people come up to me and say, I used to go to your Monday study. And then some people would even say, I go to your Monday study. Yeah, I haven't done that for a long time. So clearly you've not been out for a while. And that was a great time. But back in 2009, we felt specifically led by the Lord to come and plant a church here. And since this church has been planted since 2009, we've seen about 4,500 people come to Christ. And you know what, folks? That's great. It's worth applauding for. Listen, we're just getting started. We're just getting started. How many of you believe God wants to move in this area mightily? Okay? We don't have to live in the past and say, oh, weren't those great days 40 years ago? Hey, they were great days. But what about today? And what about tomorrow? I believe God can and will work. And that's why we're moving forward in this bold new plan with this new building. And you know what? It's not about a building. Who cares about buildings? It's just a warehouse. We're building out. You know, so when we invest in that financially, you're not investing in a warehouse. You're not investing in a building. You're investing in a life, see? And that's true of all of us. When we're involved in the church, we're a part of seeing lives change for time and eternity.
So What? – The Return of Christ Changes Everything
Well, you know, people are saying things like, no, I don't know. I'm so over the church. I kind of hate the expression when anyone says they're over anything. I'm so over people saying they're over things. I'm so over that. And I'm especially so over people that say, I'm so over the church. Really? I mean, seriously? Where would this world be without the church? Where would this country be without the church? I mean, where do people turn when crisis hits? When a marriage is unraveling? When you're having problems with your kids. Oh, they come to the church. Trust me. We see them all week long. Where do people go when a loved one dies, especially if it was unexpectedly? They come to the church. Where do they want this service to be done for that loved one? Even if they didn't attend church, oh, they want it done in the church. When your child is having struggles, maybe with addiction, you're a teenager. Where do they go? They go to the church for help. Where did you meet your husband or wife? Good chance you met them at the church. Where do you want to get married? Oh, probably at the church. And that's good. We're here to serve you.
I mean, where else are you going to go? The YMCA? The gym? The spa? The mall? Retail therapy. It does it every time. Will it? Oh, how about the bar? Pour your troubles out to the bartender. Oh, the movie theater. That'll solve it. See a good film. No. The movies can't help you. The bartenders can't help you. The yoga teacher can't help you. But the church can't. And God has raised up the church. Listen, it's the only organization Jesus ever started. I'll never get over the church. Well, Greg, you must live in a dream world because the church is full of hypocrites. You don't think I know that? I know there's hypocrites in the church. There's no such thing is a hypocrite free church. And if there was, if you joined it, you'd wreck it. But just because we're still works in progress doesn't mean that God has not raised this wonderful thing called the church up. Listen, you need the church. And the church needs you because we're part of a family.
This is one of the problems with church hopping. A lot of people like to do that. I like to go to lots of churches. I go to this church Sunday morning and this church Sunday night. And then sometimes I go to a different church the next Sunday morning. And then a different one the next Sunday morning. And then sometimes I'll just watch something on TV. And they think that's a great thing. They're so mature. They go to all these churches. Actually, that's a bad thing. I think you'd be surprised. I know that most pastors would agree with me on this. I mean, if someone's coming to our church and we're just one of the churches they visit, you know what I say to them? I say, Hey, you're welcome, glad you came. But you need to lock into a single church and be a part of that church. Why? Because first of all, you need a consistent theology. Number two, you need a pastor. Number three, you need a body of believers where you're accountable, who will help you and build you up and call you out if you're crossing the line. You know, some people, I think, they don't want to walk as they ought to walk as a believer, so they figure if they keep moving, no one will know. And that's a way for them to avoid that. You need to be in a place where you can contribute with your gifts that God has given you. You need a place to serve. You need a place to give. We all need to be a part of the church.
The Parable of the Talents – Use What God Gives You
Okay, now, with that in mind, let's look now at the words of Jesus in Matthew 25. This is a parable that he told. Now, you know what a parable is, right? A parable is a story. It's an illustration. It's been defined as an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. So, to make his point, Jesus would tell a story. We all love a good story, don't we? We remember stories. Jesus illustrated his messages a lot and told stories to bring the point home. So, Matthew 25 is one of those stories showing us how we are to live as we wait for the Lord's return.
Matthew 25, starting in verse 14. And I'm going to read from the New Living Translation. Jesus says, Again, the kingdom of heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a trip. He called together his servants and gave them money to invest for him while he was gone. He gave five bags of gold to one, two bags of gold to another, one bag of gold to the lost, dividing it to the last rather, dividing it in proportion to their abilities, then he left on his trip. The servant who received the five bags of gold began immediately to invest the money, and he soon doubled it. The servant with two bags of gold went right to work and doubled the money. But the servant who received the one bag of gold dug a hole in the ground and hid the master's money for safekeeping.
After a long time, their master returned from his trip, and he called them to give an account on how they used their money. The servant to whom he entrusted the five bags of gold said, Sir, he gave me five bags of gold to invest, and I doubled the amount. The master was full of praise. Well done. My good and faithful servant, you have been faithfully in handling the small amount. Now I'll give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together.
Next comes the servant who received two bags of gold with a report. Sir, he gave me two bags of gold to invest, and I doubled the amount. The master said, well done. Good and faithful servant. You've been faithful in handling this small amount. Now I'll give you more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together.
And then the servant with one bag of gold came and said, sir, I know you're a hard man. Harvesting crops you didn't plant and gathering crops you didn't cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money. So I hid it in the earth. And here it is. Yes. Pulls it out of the ground. Worms coming out of it. That's my commentary, by the way. That's not in the text. But the master replied, you wicked and lazy servant. You think I'm a hard man to you? Harvesting crops I didn't plant and gathering crops I didn't cultivate. Well, at least you should have put my money in the bank so I could have gained some interest. Take the money from that servant. Give it to the one who has 10 bags of gold.
Now here's the conclusion. Jesus always comes to a conclusion. To those who use well what they're given, even more will be given, and they'll have an abundance. But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away. We'll stop there.
Alright, so in this parable, each person is given a different amount to invest. Verse 15, he gave five bags of gold to one, two bags of gold to another, one bag of gold to the lost, dividing it in proportion to their abilities, and then he left on his trip. So, this master did not give them his money to keep, but to invest. He didn't say, here, this is yours now. It was still his. He said, invest my money. Not everyone was given equal amounts. And in the same way, we don't have equal abilities. You know, it's not how much you have that matters to God. It's what you do with what you have that matters to God. Some of us are what we might describe as a five-bag person.
You know, we have a lot of advantages in life. Some may be a, you know, one-bag person. That doesn't matter. Well, what matters is what you do with the opportunities that are given to you. We're not all dealt the same hand, if you will, at birth. You know, some are born into wealth. Some are not. Some are born perfectly healthy. Others are not. Some are born into intact homes. Others are born into broken homes. So again, we're not dealt the same hand. But each of us has a God-given opportunity to play the cards we've been dealt for the glory of God and the good of others. Let me say that again. Every one of us has a God-given opportunity to play the cards you've been dealt for the glory of God and the good of others.
So look at this first guy. He could hardly wait to show the master what he had done. Verse 20 of Matthew 25. The one that he gave five bags of gold said, I gave, I doubled what you gave me. So the master is very pleased with that. Well done. Now the second guy did well as also, he took what the master gave him. And doubled it. But this third guy, man, he's just pathetic. He didn't really do anything with what the master gave him. You know, the first two servants brought forth effort. The servant brought forth an excuse in the third category. He says, well, I know you're a hard man. Harvesting crops you didn't plant. Gathering crops you didn't cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money. So I hid it in the earth. And here it is. Instead of loving his master like the other two, it sounds like this guy resented his master. He actually blames his boss for his own shortcomings. And sometimes people are that way with God. We'll say, well, you know, God is just not fair the way my life turned out. It's not fair the hand you dealt me. And I'm mad at you. I'm angry at you. Because you were always out to get me. What a faulty view of God. Maybe it's true. God's always been out to get you. But he's been out to get you in the same way that the father was out to get the prodigal son. He wanted to get to him and throw his arms around him and show him his love. But maybe you have a concept of God as someone who's out to ruin your life, to spoil your fun, etc. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Here's the problem with this third guy. He was just lazy. My friend James Merritt summed it up this way. James spoke here a few weeks ago. He said this, quote, Instead of doing the possible, he's attempting the impossible. He's trying to defend the indefensible. That's because there's no excuse and there's no defense for refusing to seize an opportunity to take responsibility to use any ability for the glory of God, end quote. It was Benjamin Franklin who said, and I quote now, I've found that people who are best at making excuses are not much good at doing anything else. And there's some people, they're just great excuse makers. Well, this is why it didn't happen. And they always have their excuses. And then there are those people that just go out there and get it done. You see, this guy was offering an excuse, or to be blunt, it really was a lie.
Now, here's an interesting thing. The ancient Roman Empire had a banking system, not unlike what we have today. The interest earned on deposits back then was around 6%, which isn't bad. And so this guy could have just put it in the bank and earned 6%. But instead, he buries it in the ground. What kind of person takes money and buries it in the ground? Well, actually, I read a little news article the other day about a Sierra Nevada couple who dug up $10 million worth of 19th century gold coins stuffed into rusty cans. Turns out that the original owner of them took all of this money and put it in cans and buried it in their yard. They felt that was the best place to keep it. Well, that was a bad decision. And we can do the same thing. We can take a gift that God gives to us, and we can just Bury it. I'm not going to use that gift. I'm not going to develop that gift. I'm not going to cultivate that gift.
But think about this. There is three things that God has given to every believer to use in life. Three things. They are time, talent, and treasure. We all have it. So, look at how the master deals with this one irresponsible servant. Verse 28, excuse me. He says, Take the money away from this servant. Give it to the one with the 10 bags of gold. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. And they will have an abundance. And for those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away. Interesting. In God's kingdom, the redistribution of wealth has a different meaning, doesn't it? So, it's not take it from the guy who has a lot and give it to the guy who doesn't have anything in this story. It's take it from the guy who didn't do anything with what he was given and give it to the man who is faithful with what the Lord gave him.
So, maybe we need to be thinking about God, what God has given to us. Because, as I said, He has given to us gifts. When you become a Christian and you ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit, the Bible promises that He gives gifts of the Spirit to Christians. In fact, Romans 12 says, We have different gifts according to the grace that's given to us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy according to your proportion of faith. If your gift is serving, then serve. If your gift is teaching, then teach. If your gift is encouraging, then encourage. If it's contributing to the needs of others, then give generously. If it's leadership, then govern diligently. If it's showing mercy, do it cheerfully.
We have different gifts. Not according to our merit. The Bible says we being many are one body in Christ. Having then gifts differing from each other. According to the grace that is given to us. So, God gives you these gifts, but the gifts don't come fully developed. You have to take that gift and develop it through the passing of time. I've shared this story before, but I only have four stories, so I'll recycle it. I always wanted to be a graphic artist, a cartoonist. And I loved the Disney films when I was a kid growing up. And so, I really wanted to be an animator. And so, one day, my mom, who had a lot of husbands and boyfriends in between, brought a home guy, brought a home guy, brought a home guy home. I don't know what a home guy is. Kind of like a homeboy, but he's a home guy. Right?
So, she brought a guy home who was an actual living, breathing animator for Disney. I didn't believe it. I said, prove it. He pulls out a pencil. Draws a flawless Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck. I can't recall. And then he said to me, Greg, if you will take this pencil and go away, and go to bed now, and put the pencil under your pillow, when you wake up in the morning, you'll be able to draw like me. Well, I believed it. Sadly, I was 30. No, I was very young. So, I grabbed the little pencil, in my mind, the magical pencil. I went to bed so excited, I could hardly see, when I wake up, I'm going to be able to be a Disney animator. And I woke up the next morning, pulled the pencil out, and sure enough, I drew the same way I drew the day before. Because there's no such thing as a magic pencil. Now, looking back in retrospect, I think that guy just wanted to be with my mom. But sometimes, that's how we want a gift to come to us. Fully developed. No, God will give you a gift. Now, you take that gift, and you develop it through you.
It's even a talent can be compared to it, though gifts and talents are different in many ways. But maybe you have a musical ability, but you get good at what you do through practice. I'll tell you, these musicians, they practice. They work hard at what they do. And if you have a gift in another area, you work at that. Well, in the same way, God gives you these gifts of the Spirit, so you develop them. And sometimes, one of the best ways to find out what you're called to do is by just volunteering to do stuff. I discovered what I was gifted to do through process of elimination. Speaking of music, back in the early days of Calvary Chapel, everybody was forming bands back then. I mean, bands were forming left and right, and playing at church that night.
So I was sitting around with a bunch of people in a home Bible study, and one guy was a gifted singer-songwriter type, and another guy was an amazing flautist. Is that the right way to describe it? Play the flute? Flautist? And so they were working on a song, and I was just sitting there at the Bible study. So I started pounding on the tabletop. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, you know. And they said, let's form a band. They even had a name. And Greg, you'll be the percussionist. So I said, yeah. And then we showed up at church. We'd like to play tonight. Go ahead. And I don't know why they let us do this. We walk up there, and I'm standing there with a conga drum. And I realize I have no musical skills at all. Why am I doing this? Everybody else can play their instrument. And I'm playing. I'm not in the right rhythm. It was a humiliating moment. And I still wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. No, I don't. But I'm still looking for that magical pencil. No, but here's the thing. That was not my gift.
Sometimes they're saying, I'll do that. Oh, I'm really bad at that. Okay, I won't do that. But then as you find out what you're not good at, sometimes that sort of narrows it down to what you are good at, and you're surprised to find God's gift to you in an area you never expected to be gifted in. And so that's why we need to just get out there and do what we can do.
Here's what the Bible says. 1 Timothy 1:6 Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of hands. Stir it up. The word stir means to fan into full flame. It's sort of like when you go camping. You know you want to build that fire. And then when you're done camping, you extinguish the fire. The problem is some of us are extinguishing the fire when we ought to be building it. Because the Bible also warns to not quench the Spirit. And that word quench could be translated extinguish. You know, don't extinguish the work of the Spirit. Don't take a gift that God has given you and Bury it in the ground like the foolish servant. God has given you certain gifts. Maybe you're overburdened for lost people. Maybe you're called to be an evangelist. You know, you don't have to have a pulpit to be an evangelist. You don't have to preach in a stadium to be an evangelist.
Some of the best evangelists I've ever seen go out one-on-one and share the gospel with people. And when I'm around them, I'm in awe of their abilities. Say, but Greg, aren't you an evangelist? Yeah, but they're a different kind of an evangelist than I am. And they have abilities that I don't have. And see, I have to push a pulpit around everywhere now. And wheels, it's weird. No, I don't. But my point is that some people have that gift one-on-one. I've watched it. But then again, maybe your gifting is different. You might find that you always see things that need to be fixed. And things that need to be corrected. So maybe you have the gift of complaining. No, you have the gift of helps. You ever heard of that gift? The gift of helps. That means you see a problem and you fix the problem.
I'll have people come and say, well, I don't think this is right or that's right. I'll say, okay, what are we going to do to fix it? You have any ideas? Don't come to me with problems. Come to me with some ideas. I'll say, well, I thought if we change this... Well, let's do that. In fact, why don't you do that? Well, I just kind of like to complain more than actually... You might be one of those detailed peoples. Yeah, I'm not a detailed person. Everyone that knows me knows I'm not a detailed person. But there are people who are detailed people. And thank God for them. They're into minutia. You know, they're into the smallest. That's what... Oh, good. We need those people, too. Maybe you like to encourage people. You like to encourage people to reach their potential. Maybe you have the gift of exhortation. Hey, maybe you like to take people into your home and feed them and bless them. That's the gift of hospitality. Guess what? That's a real spiritual gift. And I know people that have it. Man, I go over to their home and they just have a way of making you so comfortable. And they take care of you and you're refreshed in every way after spending time with them. That's a real spiritual gift.
You know, people are talking about, well, yeah, but do you have the gift of tongues? Do you have the gift of prophecy? Yeah, those are gifts, too. What about the gift of helps? What about the gift of hospitality? What about the gift of exhortation? They're all gifts of the Spirit that God gives. And guess what? You've got some of those in your life. So what are your gifts? Well, I don't know. Well, then it's time to start finding out and just start volunteering and seeing what God will do in your life. Sometimes someone else can help you identify your gift better than you can identify it yourself. They come and say, you know, I think you have a gift on this earth. You go, no, not me. No, really, you do. And you think, you know, maybe they're right.
Leonard Bernstein, you've probably heard of him, famous composer and conductor, was once asked, what is the most difficult instrument to play in the orchestra? His answer was surprising. He said, second fiddle. He said, I get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone to play second violin with as much as enthusiasm or second French horn or second flute, that is a problem. See, I want to be the person in the spotlight. I want to be the lead guitarist. I don't want to be the rhythm guitarist. I want to be this guy, not that guy. Well, how about if we just be the guy or the girl that God calls us to be? And how about if we just be faithful in the little things? Because if you're faithful in the little things, God will give you greater opportunities, right? So these folks that were faithful with the bags of gold and multiplied them, more was given to them. No, they have enough. Take away. No, no. More was given because they showed they're faithful with opportunities and resources. The Lord says, I'm going to open up more doors for the person that hoards and holds on to it all. God says, man, I'm taking away what you already had because you're not using what I gave you.
Everyone had an ability. But God does not expect the same results from every person, but he does expect the same effort. Listen, God doesn't compare you with anybody else. He compares you with you. This is all about you just reaching your potential. We're not competing one with another. I am not your opponent. You're not my opponent. My opponent, if you will, are the world, the flesh, and the devil. I'm not trying to beat anybody. I'm not trying to, you know, beat some other pastor or church is better than your church. You know, you win. Okay, so shut up. Who cares? Let's just do it for the glory of God. You know, not who has the biggest one or who has... Hey, let's just be faithful with what the Lord has given to us and run our race well and remember who the real enemy is.
Notice Jesus calls the unproductive servant lazy and wicked. It can be a sin to not use what God has given you. Let me repeat that. It can be a sin to not use what God has given you. You say, I don't understand that. Well, it's a sin of omission. See, a sin of commission is knowing what's wrong and not doing it. Excuse me. It's doing what is wrong. That's a sin of commission. I know this is wrong, but I do it anyway. But a sin of omission is knowing what's right and I don't do it. And the Bible says, to him that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. See, you're blessed to be a blessing. So the Lord might be nudging you to take a little step of faith. Maybe he's shown you at your work, you know, there's some other Christians there and he's been nudging you. Why don't you start a little Bible study with your coworkers? Oh, can't do that. Why not? Well, I'm not a Bible scholar. Well, you don't have to be a Bible scholar to lead a little Bible study. You can just read a few verses and share what God's shown you in them and do some preparation before you get there. Well, I could never do it. Why don't you take a little step of faith and see what the Lord will do? You don't know what God has in store for you. But to blow this off can actually be a sinful thing.
We want to find our place in the church. We want to be faithful, serving the Lord until Christ comes again. You know, sometimes people study Bible prophecy almost as a form of entertainment. They'll be into all the latest information and get all excited about it and sort of miss the point. Oh, there might be a war breaking down in the Middle East. Ha ha. Yeah. Well, wait. No. We're not supposed to get excited about wars in the Middle East. Yeah, but Jesus is coming. Yeah, but people could die in the war. So let's keep perspective. And let's not be thrilled. Oh, there's an earthquake. Well, yeah. Well, signs of the times, yeah. But wait a second. Let's have a little compassion for people that are suffering, too. And it's not just about exciting us. It's about affecting us in the way that we live as followers of Christ. So that's the focus of this parable.
Invitation: Come to Christ or Return to Him
As it's been said earlier tonight, we all want to find our place in the church. And we all want to have skin in the game. You know, no one had more skin in the game, to use that expression, than Jesus Christ. I heard a story of a little boy that was very scared one night because it was a lightning storm happening. And he called out to his dad, Dad, I'm scared. Come into my room. The father said, Son, I'm trying to sleep. God is with you. You'll be okay. Jesus is with you. The little boy paused for a moment and said, Dad, I need someone with skin on right now. Now, that's who Jesus was. He was God with skin on. And he walked among us and showed the father's love for us and his love for us by going to the cross and dying in our place. Because he loves each one. And actually, we're told in the Bible that husbands should love their wife as Christ loves the church. And let me come back to the church one last time before we wrap this up. You want to get on my bad side? Insult my wife. You and me, we're not going to be friends much longer. See, because I love my wife. So don't diss my wife. Okay, in the same way, you want to insult God? Diss his bride. Who's his bride? You're his bride. I'm his bride. We're his bride. Some of you guys are saying, I don't want to be a bride. Get over it. You're a bride. You're the bride of Christ. Noah's church is not perfect. Noah's church is not flawless. But he loves his church. And he died for us. And not just the church, but he died for the whole world. And that's because of his love.
And I wonder if there's not some of you here tonight that have come with your troubles. You know, I talked about where people go. When they have difficulties in life, they go to the church. I mean, where are you going to go? You know? You know, bartenders are not going to help you. Drugs aren't going to help you. Alcohol is not going to help you. Your fitness regime is not going to help you. Your wardrobe is not going to help you. Your cool car is not going to help you. Your house is not going to help you. Your education isn't going to fix it. Your friends aren't going to fix it. In fact, they may have walked out on you already.
So here you are at church feeling pretty bad. I think you should feel pretty good because you just came to the right place. I want you to think of this as the emergency ward. That we're here to help you. The church, as I've said many times, is not a museum for saints, it's a hospital for sinners. And this church is here to help people who are in trouble. As I said earlier, if someone's overtaken in a fault, our job is not to kick you to the curb, it's to lift you up and help you get on your feet spiritually again and get right with God. And if you don't know God yet, we want to tell you how to come to Christ. Because this hospital does one thing no other hospital does. This hospital, people get raised from the dead here. And by that I mean they're brought to spiritual life. There's no hospital that can do that. But in God's church, it happens every day and every night. I don't just mean this church, I mean churches all around the world doing the work of God, but we do it in this church too. We call people to believe in Jesus and have their sins forgiven.
And have their eternal address changed. And come into a personal relationship with God. Does that need to happen for you? Maybe you were brought by a friend, maybe you didn't really want to come. But here you are. And I'm telling you right now that God can change your life. And Christ can forgive you of your sin. And listen to this, he can take that guilt away. That guilt that keeps you up at night. That guilt that drives you crazy. The guilt is just the symptom of a deeper problem. The guilt is not the problem. The sin is the problem. It's like having a pain and going to a doctor. And he treats the problem. And then the symptom goes away. The guilt is just saying you have trouble. So get the trouble fixed. And that's by coming to God and saying, Lord, I'm sorry. And I've broken your commandments. And I've fallen short of your glory. And I ask you to forgive me now. And I need Jesus. And if you'll do that, he'll forgive you. And give you a fresh start in life. Jesus said, he that would come to me, I would in no way cast out. He'll forgive you and accept you.
So we're going to pray now. And I'm going to give you an opportunity to pray and ask Christ to come into your life. Let's all bow our heads. Father, I pray for everyone here and folks that are listening and watching this well who need you. Help them to see their spiritual need is so real. Help them to come to you now, we would pray. While our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed. And we're praying. How many of you would say tonight, Greg, I want Jesus Christ to come into my life. I want my sin forgiven. I want to know that when I die, I will go to heaven. I want my guilt taken away. I want a fresh start in life. Pray for me. If that's your desire, if you want Jesus to come into your life and forgive you of your sin, if you want to be ready for his return, would you raise your hand up right now and let me pray for you wherever you are.
Just raise your hand up and I'll pray for you tonight. God bless you. Lift it up, I can see it, please. God bless. God bless each one of you. Raise your hand. Anybody else? You need to get right with God tonight. You need Christ in your life tonight. Raise your hand up. I'll pray for you. God bless you. Anybody else? Raise your hand now. God bless you there in the back. God bless you. While our heads are still bowed, maybe some of you would say, Hey, you know, I know what it means to follow Jesus, but I've gotten caught up in the things of this world, and I've done things no Christian should ever do, but I'm ready to get right with God. I need to be restored tonight. I need to come back to the Lord tonight. Would you pray for me? If that's your need, would you raise your hand up, and let me pray for you right now. You need to return to Jesus Christ. Raise your hand up. God bless each one of you.
Now, I'm going to ask every one of you that have raised your hand, if you would, please, I want you to stand to your feet, and I'm going to lead you in a prayer, a prayer of commitment. You that raised your hand, stand to your feet wherever you are. Even if you did not raise your hand, but you want to make this commitment or recommitment to Christ, stand to your feet right now, and we're going to pray together. Go on, stand up. Others are standing, by the way. You won't be alone. Stand up. Hey, if you mean it, you'll stand. If you don't, you don't have to. I'm not pressuring you. Just saying, if you want to take this step, stand up, and we'll pray together. God bless you. Anybody else? There might be a few more of you. You need to make this commitment or recommitment to Christ. Stand up. You're among friends and family. Don't be embarrassed. I'll wait one more moment. God bless you. Anybody else? Stand to your feet. God bless you too, and you. Anybody else? Stand now. God bless you. Wait a couple more moments. Stand now. God bless each one of you. Anyone else? Stand. Alright. You that are standing, I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me. Right where you stand, pray this prayer out loud after me. Okay? Pray this after me now. Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. But I know you're a savior. And I ask you to forgive me of my sin. I turn from it now. And I choose to follow you. From this moment forward. As savior and lord. As God and friend. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Alright. God bless you guys. Praise the lord. God bless each one of you. Alright. Hey, over to my left, your right. You'll see there's my son, Jonathan. He's holding a Bible up that looks like the one I'm holding. It's a red cover with a white arrow. And he's standing in front of a sign that looks just like it. And this is called the Start Bible. This is sort of designed really for someone who's making a new commitment to Christ. We want to give you a copy of this Bible. You that just prayed their prayer. And we would like to talk with you a little bit about what it means now to be a Christian. See, you know, you can just come and pray a prayer and leave and not even know what this is about. We need to take just a little bit of time with you to explain to you what it means to follow Christ. We want you guys to get connected with God and with our church. And so, if you would, all of you that stood and prayed their prayer, get up out of your seat right now. Walk over to there to where Jonathan is. Go on over and get your Start Bible right over there. Yeah, go on right over that way. God bless you guys. God bless you. Amen. Right on. Praise the Lord. Wow. God bless all of you.
Okay, so here's the deal. Now, before we dismiss you, we're going to do that thing that some people don't like to do. We're going to have you break up into a little small group and I'm going to give you two questions to talk about. I think this will really be helpful to you. So, don't leave right now. I'm watching. No, if you have to go, you can. But don't. So, here's what I want you to do. Get into just a small little group. People around you. Four or five people in your group. And here's question number one. Okay, get ready. Go ahead. Get in your little groups here. You kind of turn, face each other. Shake hands. Hello. Tell them your name. Hey, Mike, bring me those questions. I forgot them. Give me that first one. Okay, here's question number one. Why does the church exist? Now, I'm going to be like the teacher you always loved in school. I'm going to give you the answer. Why does the church exist? For the glorification of God, for the edification of saints, and the evangelization of the world, upward, inward, outward. So, here's your discussion question. Talk about this among yourselves. How can a Christian apply these principles in their life and in the church? Okay, you're here to worship God. You're here to build up one another. You're here to evangelize the world. Talk among yourselves. How have you done that? How do you do that? How can we do that together? Go ahead. Talk about it. I have another one coming really quick. So, how are you doing it? How are you glorifying God? How are you evangelizing the world? Don't leave anybody out. Don't talk too long. Let everybody have a turn. Don't dominate. Okay, we're almost done with this one. A few more moments.
All right. I have one more question for you guys. You're doing awesome, by the way. No one left. I'm so proud of you. Except for those two people. I know they have to get their kids. Okay. One more question. What are your spiritual gifts? Do you know yet? And you know, you may know and not be using them yet. You know, God revealed to Joseph his future before he got there. He gave him a dream. Sometimes it freaks people out when you tell them what your dream is. Oh, really? That's pretty prideful, man. Hey, God's given you a vision for your future, a sense of what you're going to do. Sometimes it's best to keep your dreams to yourself. Sometimes you share them. But you might say, I think God's given me this gift. So, do you know what your spiritual gifts are? A. And B, how are you using them right now? Okay. What are your spiritual gifts? And are you using them right now? Go ahead. Hear the Jeopardy theme? Almost done. All right. I hate to stop this. I really don't want to. Go ahead. In a couple of moments, we're going to have a song here.
All right, you guys. Stop fellowshipping. No, I'm kidding. Well done. I love this. Let's all stand up now. And let's pray together. Father, we've talked about the return of Jesus tonight. And we believe Jesus is coming back again. And we don't want to just sit idly by like that one foolish servant and take what you've given us and Bury it in the ground. We want to take what you've given us and dedicate it back to you and see it multiplied. You've given us time. You've given us talent. You've given us treasure. And you've given us gifts from your spirit. Help us to discover them, develop them, cultivate them, and use them for your glory. So, Lord, I just pray you'll bless us as we go away and look for those opportunities that are out there, not just outside of the doors of the church, but right here in the church, as we encourage one another and build up one another. And keep us close to you, we pray, in this coming week. And we ask all of this in Jesus' name. Amen.
You want another song? Okay. Amen.