"Invested or Buried"
May 7, 2006

The Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 145: 1 - 9
The New Testament Lesson: Luke 19: 18 - 25

To help people think through their financial attitudes for the church

I.  The Parable is really about our attitude toward the gifts God gives
   A. What’s the point in burying a treasure?
        1. There are recent stories about finding hidden historical documents
            a. several are about masterpieces hidden under cheap paintings
            b. The One I liked best was about the Declaration of Independence.
        2. A couple purchased a nice but in expensive painting.
            a. They took it home and decided to reframe it.
            b. When they removed the painting, they found an old document
            c. one of the original copies of the Declaration was hidden there.
        3. We’re certain it had been hidden in order to protect it.
            a. But one has to wonder what the point was.
            b. No one got to see it.  It did no one any good while hidden.
            c. It could very well have been destroyed by accident!
        4. Positive that those who hid it thought they were doing the right thing.
        5. Might just be a lot like the servant in this parable.
   B. I think many sermons focus on the wrong part of this parable.
        1. Preachers talk about the talents: What hidden talents do you have?
            a. might mention that they really represent a great sum of money.
            b. Often link those parables into our own resources.
        2. The story hinges on the servants’ attitudes to the master, not money!
   C. The faithful servants displayed a great deal of trust in their master
        1. He had already displayed his trust in them in giving them the money.
            a. these are not ordinary slaves or household servants.
            b. They are skilled administrators who have worked with the king.
            c. So, He entrusted a great deal of money to them.
        2. Their acknowledgement of that trust is shown in the level of risk
            a. They invested in some very risky ventures.
            b. That’s the only way to make such a high profit in such a short time.
        3. They are rewarded for being aggressive.
        4. Could only have done it because they trusted the Lord.
   D. The bad example was very suspicious of the king.
        1. He had watched his master carefully and figured it out.
            a. He thought he had seen some shady dealings.
            b. He wasn’t about to take a risk.  Why?
        2. His main concern was for his own skin!
            a. He wanted to make sure he survived this test.
            b. He didn’t care whether or not he made anything for his king
            c. Fact that is shown in that he didn’t even make a safe investment

II.  An attitude of fear will make us useless to the Kingdom of God.
   A. Now lets fast forward to 2006 at FPC in Ogden UT
        1. What does a parable like this say to us?
        2. Let’s base that application on two questions
            a. First, What’s our attitude Toward the Master? and Second…
            b. Is our main Goal building the kingdom or organizational survival?
   B. First, I think we will agree that we are always pushing trusting God.
        1. Our theology clearly states that God is our Heavenly provider.
        2. Everything that we have and everything that we are comes from God.
        3. We look at Jesus as the source of life…abundant life…eternal life.
        4. We SAY we base of very lives on Him and he’s trustworthy.
        5. In that sense we are certainly like the faithful servants.
   C. Now lets look at the way we are handling our budget.
        1. We are doing our best to cut back our expenses.
            a. We have trimmed here and there…not a lot.
            b. We are worried that we can’t continue to spend like we are.
            c. We are being very careful while we have Thousands in the bank.
        2. It would be my assertion from this parable that we are backwards.
        3. We can’t afford to continue to be frugal as we have!
        4. We have attitude like the 2^nd servant…we’re worried about survival.
   D. What we really need to be worried about is building God’s kingdom
        1. The goals that we have been given by our absent King
            a. To make disciple
            b. To love other people in the name of Jesus.
        2.  To do that, I guarantee we’ll take risk.
            a. We might spend money.
            b. We might not even survive.
        3. But if we survive at the expense of neglecting our task to build the kingdom, what’s the point in survival?

     My friends, I’m asking you today to join the faithful servants of the master.  Instead of hunkering down and protecting our resources, I want to move out and take a risk.  I want us to make plans to use those resources for ministry and mission.  Let’s take a risk and do what God has asked us to do for the goal of spreading the gospel.