10.28- Light is key to being in a relationship with Jesus.

 10.28-

 

Light is key to being in a relationship with Jesus.  I’m guessing you have heard the phrase that people are not interested in religion, but they are interested in a relationship with God.  When we live as people of light it is possible for us to have this intimate relationship with God.  God will stand with us when no one else may be willing or able to stand with us.

 

Jesus teaches us that God is generous and so we can take reasonable risks and invest our resources and grow them.  Ten can gain ten more.  Five can gain five more.  These people believe in God’s love and power to help things work out well.  There are people who do not believe in God’s love and power for the good.  They refuse to risk and refuse to work because they are lazy.  Jesus calls these people lazy and wicked who do not invest because of seeing the Master as hard and harsh and unfair.  They isolate themselves and their resources.

 

People that have resources and use them to help people are doing the work of God.  Feeding the hungry.  Giving drink to the thirsty.  Inviting the stranger into a friendship.  The cold need clothing.  The sick need comfort and medication and a visit and support.  The prisoner needs a visit.  These are basic God things that are actions that are available to anyone to do.  The poor you always have around you.  There are needs.  If we have compassion and trust God to provide, we can make a difference.  Jesus us alive and He stands with us as we work for His glory.  God is our shepherd and He leads us out to green pastures of service and usefulness.

 

Matthew 25.

¹⁴ “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five ^[a]talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. ¹⁶ Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. ¹⁷ In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸ But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his ^[b]master’s money.

¹⁹ “Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your ^[c]master.’

²² “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

²⁴ “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. ²⁷ Then you ought to have put my money ^[d]in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ²⁸ Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

²⁹ “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. ³⁰ Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.