Joy Entered

(8-15-04)

Mat.25:14-34

          What is Joy? Is it something sitting on the shelf in the kitchen? Where does joy come from? The reading for today can be a very sobering passage. The two servants who were willing to risk success or failure made the attempt to increase the masters belongings. They were told afterwards: ‘…Come and share your master's happiness!' Your version may read ‘joy’ as the KJV does.

          In this we see that joy is entered into. Several time in Paul’s letters to the churches he makes the comment: Eph.5:10  and find out what pleases the Lord. (see also Rom.12:2, Col.1:10, 1 Tim.5:4, Heb.11:5, 13:21) When I read Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 I must ask the question: Lord am I pleasing you? It’s a sobering question. What id do not want to do is find myself in the grave having failed to walk in the good pleasure of my Lord and master Jesus.

          Can we know with any degree of certainty, on this side of the grave, that we are in fact pleasing our Lord? I think we can. From our reading we can learn much. The two that were invited to enter the joy of the master were equal to the one who was rejected. Equal in that they each had opportunity and time and means. What they each chose to do with these three elements however was not equal.

          Each of you who have accepted God’s invitation to be freed from your sins and become one of His children He has granted to you opportunity, time, and means. And what does God expect back from you? A return on His investment!

          Since the moment of your salvation you have entered into opportunity. Every day that you live and breath you are given opportunity to do what pleases Jesus.  He has prepared and is orchestrating events so that you can work his will and prove yourself. You must be willing to invest yourself even at the risk of personal loss for the hope of gain.

          Also since the moment of your salvation you have entered into time. Time is precious and we each are given our share to use for His glory or our shame. Time is not replaceable. Time is relentless, it does not stop for no man. If you wish to have achievement and success in anything you do then you must seize time and make it serve you. Time should not be wasted or squandered but used up. (see Eph.5:16-17 and Col.4:5-6)

(As a side note: Part of the time package needs to be spent on preparation so that when those moments come they can be taken advantage of with some success.)

And finally ‘means’. God gives to each of his valued, purchased, positions, the means to accomplish a return on His investment. If I give you a bushel of wheat you have several choices with what you can do with it. You could eat it. (no return there) You could grind it and sell it for a profit. (a possible return) You could bake bread and sell it. (another possible chance for a return) You could plant it and trust that it will grow and produce a yield. (the greatest potential for a return) Of course you could just keep the bushel safe too. (no return)

God has not given you wheat but he has given you joy. In Acts 13:52, who does the  filling? In Neh.8:10, whose joy is it? In  Psl.16:11 has the  circumstance  of this filling been met in you by Jesus at you birth in Christ. What I am saying is this – Jesus has given you a basket full of Joy, what on earth are you doing with it?   You do have choices just like the bushel of wheat –  what do you risk?