UN-AVAILABLE - Part 1
Time and Talents
Randy Hageman
Part of Un-Available—All I Have Is All I've Got
July 24, 2021

Time and Talents

July 25, 2021

Randy Hageman

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How often do we make ourselves

to God?

The problem is that we don’t see ourselves from God’s

, and too often we don’t truly believe in His , at least in that moment.

When I imagine it being hard for God to really use me, I’m really making it all about

instead of about God and what He can do in and through me!

The real issue isn’t ability but

- , because all through the Bible, God used people.

Often, just being available, using the time and talents one has, entrusting them to Christ,

does incredible things.

moment has the potential to be a holy and life-changing moment when our lives are fully submitted to Christ and available to be used by his Spirit.

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‘For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.’ —Matthew 25:14-15 (ESV)

Jesus is telling a parable, a story designed to essentially make

point.

A steward was a manager, committing to taking care of the household or real property entrusted to him by its

in the same way the would.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. —Genesis 1:1 (ESV)

Christianity understands from Genesis 1 and elsewhere that God is the Creator, that He created all there is, and, what’s more, everything is ultimately

.

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. —Psalms 24:1 (NLT)

God chose to delegate or assign His ownership responsibility, but not His ownership, to the most unique creature in all His Creation because only this creature was created in the image of God -

.

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. —Genesis 1:27 (NLT)

And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ —Genesis 1:28 (ESV)

God, who made everything, gave human beings the responsibility to be the

of all God created.

This is what GOD said: ‘Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations—that’s what I had in mind for you.’ —Jeremiah 1:4-5 (Message)

Our stewardship includes living our

in accordance with the Owner’s plans, with God’s Will for our lives.

We won’t understand all the

behind all God has entrusted to us.

The master in Jesus’ parable had a purpose for how he wanted his servants to steward or care for his resources, regardless of what

each had.

‘His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”’ —Matthew 25:21,23 (ESV)

The two verses are word-for-word the

, even though one servant returned five additional talents and the other returned two additional talents.

God loves for us to be faithful in even in the

areas, to prove He can trust us in the things of life.

‘He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.”’ —Matthew 25:24-25 (ESV)

‘But his master answered him, “You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”’ —Matthew 25:26-30 (ESV)

The master’s response here is harsh and it’s to make a point – there are

when we fail to be good stewards.

The first two servants, who were both extremely

by their good stewardship and obedience, regardless of what they had to work with.

God sees each of us as individuals, and He’ll never judge you by someone else’s life or purpose – only by your

.

God has entrusted you with time and talents for the sake of His

.


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