Today we are going to be looking at two parables that cover our favorite topic here, money. Of course I'm joking, no one likes sermons on money, especially me, but it's in the scriptures, and Jesus cared enough about it to make it his most talked about topic. In fact, if you've been paying attention, 11 of his 39 parables deals directly or indirectly with the issue of money. The two we will tackle today are the two which talk most directly about the issue. Why did Jesus talk about money so much? Could it be that he knew that the one thing we would struggle with more than anything else would be the pursuit of money, the love of money, the lack of integrity when dealing with money, and the misuse of money?  Jesus knows this is a struggle for us. In Luke 12:15 He tells us to “take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. It is clear this morning that... we need to be reminded frequently that our wealth should be used for things of eternal value rather than temporary trinkets.

Those who use what they have to build the kingdom of God, they will not be forgotten. When we invest the kingdom in others we will see a return. We cannot escape the fact that we are all called to be Stewards of Christ's love and salvation. And, we most certainly cannot determine to merely exist as “Christians” and do nothing for the kingdom. The Bible tells us that those who take the salvation of Christ and all that that entails and refuse to reproduce it in the lives of those around them, that they are wicked and lazy.  Some play it safe and choose not to risk their lives for the sake of building the kingdom of God, while others risk it all to please their God and multiply themselves in the lives of others. Some have no thought of how to strategize and plan to see Christ glorified through the transformation of a dark world into light, while others methodically, and tactically plot ways to grow the kingdom of God in their community. The question to us is simple: “When It Comes To Being A Steward Of The Kingdom Of Jesus Christ, Are You Going To Play It Safe, Or Risk It All?”

Let me ask you a question. What does it mean to be a servant of God? Perhaps when you hear the phrase, “servant,” you balk. Perhaps you feel that the word is too demeaning or patriarchal. I think many think the word “servant” is a word reserved for a more primitive time in our past. No one should be a servant in today's progressive world of freedom and civil rights.  And this is where we as believers must adopt a different philosophy than the popular opinion of the day. The Bible speaks about servitude a lot. All the way from the beginning to the end. Genesis to Revelation. Even in the perfect Garden of Eden, Adam was told to serve the planet and the animals, Eve was told to serve her husband; Adam, and as husband and wife, they were told to serve each other. After the fall, Noah was told to serve God by building a cruise liner for animals. Abraham was told to serve God by leaving his homeland in search for an unknown place. Abraham was later told to serve God by sacrificing his son Isaac on the altar. Moses was told to serve God by leading the Israelites out of Egypt. He was also told to serve the people for 40 years while they wandered in the wilderness. Joshua, the Judges, David, Solomon, they were all commanded to serve God and to serve others.  And of course there is Jesus, who being God in the flesh served the Father by humbling himself to become a man and die on the cross for our sins. There is no greater act of service than to die for others. And this is what Jesus has called us to do as we follow him.  When you think about it, there is no such thing as a Christian who doesn't serve. Our faith and religion is defined by who we serve and how we serve. To be a Christian is to be a servant. In a world filled with people longing to be served by others, we are called to serve others and God, sacrificially, without hesitation. It is through our service that we show the love of the God we serve. Though Servitude Can Seem Demeaning, And Though We Are Called To Serve God And Others, We Are Still Unworthy Of Such An Assignment

God chose Israel to tend the garden of His glory here on Earth but time and time again they killed his messengers.  They killed his prophets, they killed John the Baptist, and eventually they even killed his Son, yet even then God has remained patient, not wanting any to perish.  Now He has entrusted His kingdom here to the Church and he gives us this warning; God calls us to tend to His vineyard and make it productive. Failing to do so, will bring about consequences on Judgment Day.

How many of you have a garden? How many of you have ever sown seeds in the ground before? Does every seed that you plant grow up? No. Some get eaten by the birds don't they? Some seeds sprout up and then immediately die. Some seeds sprout up but get entangled with weeds and don't ever mature. But some seeds do what they are supposed to do; grow up and provide food or shade or beauty.

And what Jesus is trying to convey is this... we, humans are just like those seeds. When we hear the Gospel we are susceptible to the enemy coming and snatching away our faith, or the troubles of the world snuffing it out, or the riches of the world choking it out. So what we must have is a good soil for our faith.

Which seed are you this morning? Which soil are you sown into? Remember this; In This Life, Though It May Be Filled With Weeds, God Always Provides Good Soil For The Gospel Seed To Grow.