Life Happens

TMR. Time. Money. Relationships. For the last couple weeks we have been talking about how we make Jesus known to the world through our actions. Specifically how we steward the life (and everything in it!) that we have been given. We have been using Matthew 25 and the parable if the bags of gold/talents as our background text. We began by looking at our time.

A consistent theme throughout Scripture is that in the big scheme of things, our life is short. Like a mist. How we spend our time has eternal significance. It is all a gift and it has been entrusted to us to steward well during our time on this rock. Do you feel like you spend enough time doing “Kingdom” business?

Then we looked at the dreaded “M” word…money. The reality is that the Bible speaks of money and wealth more often than nearly anything else. Why? Because as Jesus says, where your treasure is your heart is also. In other words, money and where you spend/invest it is simply a reflection of where your heart is at. So…invest in the Kingdom, whether it be the church, world vision, or treating people to coffee. It’s the only thing in this life that pays eternal dividends…

This morning at Oasis we are going to be looking at relationships…and truthfully I think this is the hardest of the three for me. Am I investing in the people that God out in my life in a way that represents and honors Jesus as my King?

Lots to pray about…

I just love love love this song. What a beautiful description of the Gospel…

We applied this parable to our churches?

Luke 13:6-9 NIV

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Matthew 25:14-30 NIV

For the next few weeks at Oasis Community Church we are looking at this parable in relation to how we spend our time, money, and relationships. Last week we started with asking the question of time and what it looks like to be good stewards of the time we have been given.

What do you think? What does it mean to be a good steward of your time in regards to the Kingdom?

Something about seeing a hundred people in “Hammer” pants makes the world a better place…

As we ring in 2012, may we remember that we are all made in the image of God, we are all His children (whom He loves), and how we treat each other has eternal consequences. God bless ya and we’ll see ya next year.