Grace

We have to be on guard against judging ourselves. We have to be on guard against feeling like we have disappointed God. We have to be on guard against thinking we are not doing enough for God.

Because all these things will make us feel downcast and depressed, first of all. And second, and more importantly, they will make us assume that God views us in this way as well. When we feel unworthy then we hesitate to ask God for what it is that we really need. What we really need is grace from Him! And what if we have convinced ourselves that we cannot obtain that grace?

Well, that says a number of things which are all lies. First of all, it presumes that God "rewards" us for our good works and "punishes" us for not doing what we think we ought to. Our view of God is as a harsh judge rather than as a loving father. Second, it presumes that we received grace and forgiveness in the first place because we were worthy of it. Get this through your head: you were never worthy of any grace or forgiveness. Grace means "unmerited favor." It is God's riches that He pours into us because it is HIS nature to be loving and generous and kind and merciful. God has NEVER given you anything you deserve, ever. Not once. Everything you have is because of His love towards you.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

God IS LOVE. God's GIFT to you is salvation. God's GIFT to you is forgiveness of sins. God's GIFT to you is eternal life. You have only to believe and receive it. Have you received it? Do you believe?

Then why so downcast? How are you praying? "God, help me?" Hasn't He already done that? Hasn't He already paid for your sins and set your feet upon the rock of Christ Jesus? Then PRAISE HIM! Rejoice in God your salvation!

Now, let's look at this portion of Jesus's parable of the talents...

Matthew 25:24 “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. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

26 “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. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29 ‘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. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Now, from this parable, it seems like Jesus is saying He will punish those who do not make a profit from what He has given to them. But let's examine this story in the light of what we know about Him and about the nature of His gift of salvation.

First of all, listen to how this man described His lord: "Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed." Now, does that sound like an accurate description of Jesus? Is Jesus a hard man, or is He not the most amazingly loving and gentle and kind and giving Man? Does Jesus reap where He has not sown or gather where He has not scattered seed? No! Jesus, first of all, provided all the seed, and His Spirit both sowed and waters the seed. He, in fact, rewards us for gathering what He has scattered.

So based on this man's own words, is He serving Jesus Christ? Is he serving the same Lord we serve? Does it sound like he knows Jesus at all? No, it doesn't. It sounds like this man is serving a very false religion, and a miserable one at that. So this man knows his lord as a hard and a stingy master, and this man was afraid. That is not a picture of any Christian who has experienced the Lord.

Now if we assume, which may not be correct, but if we assume that multiplying the talents might possibly represent spreading the Gospel and bringing new people into the Kingdom, it is no wonder that this man would not want to spread his gospel of misery and of serving a stingy master.

But brothers and sisters, we know the kindest and most amazing Person ever, Who has given us exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, and we don't "work" for Him as for a hard man or a stingy boss, but we gladly serve Him out of gratitude and joy for what He has done for us and continues to do for us.

Colossians 1:13
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love

That's a done deal. Give Him praise!

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God

You HAVE BEEN saved. It is the free gift of God!

Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Everything we have is as a result of Him giving it to us even though we did nothing to earn it or deserve it. Everything about His nature that has been revealed to us is that He is loving and giving and magnanimous and generous and gracious.

Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Luke 11:11-13
If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!

You need grace and mercy and forgiveness? You need His touch? You need more of His power, His joy? His freedom? Ask Him! Let's pray for that together right now. I pray God, right now, touch everyone here with Your grace and mercy and fill us to overflowing with Your power, with Your love, with Your joy, with Your holy presence, Lord. Because we are in need of You, and most of all, Lord, because You are good and loving; You are kind and merciful! We praise You, oh Lord, and give you thanks! We worship You Lord, and we gratefully receive Your Spirit and Your blessings right now. Thank You, Lord.

Amen.