DO BUSINESS TILL I COME
SELECTED SCRIPTURE
START: LUKE 1913
A. In the Parable of the Minas we see some very critical points for the Christian
1. First, Our Lord is coming back – “until I come”
a. Jesus is returning
b. We are living in a day and age where most people don’t believe that
I don’t expect the lost world to
But I certainly expect the church to
c. But there is great evidence that the church doesn’t Christ is returning:
NO urgency
No Passion
No Purpose
2. Second He expects us to be about His Business until He does return
a. What is the Lord’s Business
We are to be Busy equipping Believer’s
First that means we must equip ourselves
+ Know God’s Word
+ Apply God’s Word to their lives
then We must Equip Others
+ Matt. 28:19-20
- Evangelistic in scope
- But Discipling is the actual command
- Ex. Sasha has this down
two, we are to be busy Evangelizing the Lost
Consider the last words of Christ before He ascended – Acts 1:6-9
+ Don’t worry about the “When”
+ Get busy with the Witnessing I have empowered you to do:
Notice what He doesn’t say:
+ Build buildings
+ Offer more programs
+ pave the parking lot
+ Run the best commercials
Are those things wrong? NO
But we better keep our perspective on what the Lord considers MOST IMPORTANT
Our MAIN EVANGELICAL GOAL FOR THE CHURCH IS TO LEAD AS MANY PEOPLE TO CHRIST AS POSSIBLE
= Go into all the world and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ
+ Every other thing the church does better line up under that
Three, We are to be Busy Encouraging the Church
Hebrews 10:24-25
+ This may surprise some people
+ Because honestly some people have committed themselves to the opposite:
- They tear down by gossipping, not coming, not giving of their time, talents, and tithe
+ We need to take seriously the fact that we have a responsibility to one another
+ Hebrews 3:13
- Today encourage
3. Third It matters how we go about the Lord’s Business while we are here
a. Matthew 19:15-27
All of us are given different gifts and abilities
Yet our job is the same
= Share the Word of God so that it multiplies and fills the World
Example
+ Acts 1:15 Day of Pentecost 120 Believers
+ by the end of the Day 3000 – Acts 2:41
+ before long 5000 – Acts 4:4
+ soon later the Jewish leaders accused the disciples of “filling Jerusalem” with the message – Acts 5:28
b. Consider what would happen in Olney if OSBC took personal responsibility for spreading the Gospel
ex. Church runs commercials = All of us hand out the matching visitor cards
We go to work/school ready to invite people to church
We put the coaches on notice that there is church on Sundays and we won’t be allowing our children to miss
We become so bold we make the Mormons nervous
It get’s so big that Schools start planning around Christian events
The City takes notice of the fact policies and procedures need changed
Instead of winning people to morality, we win them to Christ
c. Wouldn’t it be awesome to:
Not only HEAR the Lord’s Voice
But to ACT upon it
Application
B. The Alternative: We do nothing
1. By nothing I mean we:
a. Don’t Seek a Deeper walk with God
b. Don’t seek a Deeper Worship Service
c. Don’t Disciple
d. Don’t Evangelize
e. Don’t Minister
f. Don’t Encourage One another
= In essence we draw the line right where are and say “I am Comfortable here”
2. To do this is to be like the man in v.20-23
a. Notice he didn’t lose what he was given
b. But nor did he obey the Master’s Command in v.13
= He was commanded to DO his Master’s Business while the Master was away
c. He didn’t busy himself with the Master’s Business
He very well could have been in church every Sunday
He might have been a deacon or a Sunday school teacher
He might even have served on a committee and tithed regularly
But He wasn’t about the Master’s Business, He was about His View of what he decided the Master’s business should be
d. How sad it is for so many people to have a professed faith, but have no fruit to show for it
Read Matthew 7:16-20
Fruit trees bear Fruit
+ apple trees = apples
Christians Bear Fruit
+ Yes Spiritual Fruit – Gal. 5:22-23
+ But in even a true sense – we are to bear other Christians = Disciples
A Christian:
+ wins people to Christ
+ Disciples them to maturity
+ Disciple then completes the circle
IF we are not doing that
+ Then Biblically we must ask ourselves the Question: Are we really a Christian, or are we just Religious?
e. So many people who profess to be Christians:
Trust in a prayer they prayed
Church membership/baptism
Time = been here long enough
People think they are saved
Right theology
f. But where is the proof:
For us individually
For the Church
g. It’s not good enough for us to be:
right theologically
or even get along in Unity
h. There must be an accounting for our lives
right now
Because if we don’t, the Lord will
C. The High Price for Unfaithfulness:
1. It may mean you were never saved
2. It may mean you will lose your reward
a. I believe God is the giver of all things
But the only thing we can have assurance of is our Salvation – ex. Holy Spirit
Every thing else is subject to being taken back
= talents, money, health
= TAKE SERIOUS THE WORK GOD HAS LAID BEFORE ALL OF US:
1. Never measuring yourself against someone else
a. After all,They may be lost
2. Measure against the Lord
