IDEA: Righteousness takes effort.
TEXT: "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth' " (Matthew 25:24-30).
PURPOSE: To have listeners realize that to be faithful is not an easy calling.
Jesus tells a parable about an owner who had three men working for him.
They were in charge of funds he put in their care.
Two of the men did well; they doubled the money given to them to invest.
The third man, however, buried the money entrusted to his care.
The owner was furious.
I. What would you have expected the owner to have said to this servant?
How might the owner have described him?
II. Look at the interaction when this third man gave his report in Matthew 25:24-28.
The master says, "You wicked and lazy servant!" Just as faithful described good, so lazy describes wickedness.
Why do you think the owner describes his servant this way?
Do you think the servant stayed in bed all the time the owner was away?
Do you think it means that the servant was not busy?
What do you think he means about being "lazy"?
He means that he doesn’t make the effort to do what needs to be done.
He found an excuse easier than the work entrusted to him.
III. It takes dedication to be a righteous (as opposed to wicked) person.
You have to work at it.
The first two men worked at using the money put into their hands.
You often have to do what you would rather not do.
You often swim against the stream.
You often give up your agenda for the agenda of your master.
That takes thought and effort