Reach Beyond Your Limit
Text: Luke 19:11-26.
It is 2005! Wow!
If someone had told me ten, fifteen years ago that we would be here today, I would have called them ignorant and insensitive to the soon return of the King of kings, the Messiah, Jesus Christ! I was too sure that Jesus would have returned before 2003. But, this is 2005! His coming is nearer than when we think. Jesus is coming soon! Rom. 13:11.
Now I know a little bit better. I have learned to be prepared for His coming as though He is coming the next second. If you have ever been in the Boy's Scout, you will be familiar with these two words: BE PREPARED! All day, everyday in 2005, be prepared. Be prepared as if He is coming today, while you work as if He is coming fifty, sixty years from now. Programme yourself to last.
Reading through our text above, verse 11 tells us that Jesus told this parable to those who thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear. I believe that this story is very relevant to us today.
The king in our text sets out on a journey. Before he sets out, he called his ten servants and gave each of them ten pounds. That is, a pound to each servant. No one had more than the other. No one had more. No one had less. Each was EQUALLY GIFTED. Do you know that you are as GIFTED as anyone one you know or admire? Yes, you are! The difference between you and those you admire and celebrate is that they discovered what they have. They went further to develop what they have. They went further still to deliver what they have to their world. By so doing, making a difference that was not there before they gave of themselves.
The challenge you are faced with today is for you to DISCOVER what you have that can make a difference. Take a further step to DEVELOP what you have discovered. Then take another step to DELIVER to your world what you have developed. You will be amazed at the difference your gift will make in the lives of many around the world.
When the king in our text returned from his journey, he called each of his servants to declare their estate. Each came to declare what their pound had gained. The first one had multiplied his pound ten times what was given to him. The king commended him. The second one had multiplied his one pound by five times. It went on to the last one who did nothing with his one pound and you can read his report sheet in the text above for yourself. The lesson here is that what you have can be multiplied to impact your life and world. The multiplier effect is possible when you trade what you have. The word trade here means to thoroughly occupy oneself with or to earn by making business with.
Remember that the king had told them, OCCUPY TILL I COME. To occupy means to busy oneself with or to trade. All of them heard the instruction. The king gave that instruction because he was expecting a turn over on his return. He did not take them unawares when he returned requesting each to declare their gains. Luke 19:13, 15.
Jesus, the King of kings, ascended to the heavens more than two thousand years ago. Before He left, He gave each one of His servants, believers in Him, gifts. Whatever name you call it doesn't matter. Gifts, talents, pounds, callings, ministry, grace, etc. The issue is that He gave each of us gifts equally. Eph. 4:7,8. He is coming back with EXPECTATIONS. Will you be among those who will meet His expectation or will you be among those who will disappoint Him. No expectation, no disappointment. King Jesus has given ALL of us an instruction. He said, GO into ALL the world…make disciples of ALL nations. Matt. 28:18-20. Mark 16:15. It is up to you to BUSY YOURSELF with His instruction. I want to show you how you can GO into ALL the world and make disciples of ALL nations from where you are. Is that possible? Yes, it is.
Before I show you five ways to reach ALL the world and make disciples of ALL nations, I want you to see something from our text. All servants received the same instruction, each returned different results and were commended by the king. Except for one who did nothing at all. Our results as individuals don't have to be the same as long as we are ALL participating in the King's business. The first one gained ten pounds with one pound. The second gained five pounds with one pound. I am sure that the third may have gained two or three. Yet, they were all commended by the Master. The most important thing is not what they gained but that they participated. They obeyed the King's instruction.
FIVE WAYS TO TRADE YOUR GIFT
One, Pray. Matt. 7:7 tells us three levels of prayer: Ask, Seek, Knock. Ask is to desire, require or petition. In your private prayer times, desire to know from God what He has given to you that you can trade. Ask why, what, who, when, where. Don't accept it just because somebody told you. Ask questions. One thing about God is that He is always answering questions. He never gets intimidated or threatened or tired of answering your questions. When you ask, you will be given. God will give you the answers. Next, seek. To seek is to inquire into, to search by thinking, meditating and reasoning. God wants you to engage your mind as you reason with Him. Isa. 1:18. Rom. 12:2. Search your heart. What does your heart want to do to make people better than how you met them? What has your heart been tilting towards? Prov. 16:1. Who does your heart tilt towards to help or invest in? Those to whom your heart tilts towards are the people you have been assigned to help or trade your gifts with. 1 Chron. 12:17, 18. When you discover what your gift is and those to whom you have been assigned, then you are getting ready to reach beyond your limits.
Two, Preach the Word. Rom. 10:15. Preaching is a tool for both warfare and welfare. As you preach the gospel, you are engaged in spiritual warfare. The warfare is the greatest battle of life between light and darkness. The gospel is the power of God at work when we preach. It is so powerful that it is able to change lives. Rom. 1:16. John 1:5. Preaching is also for your welfare. As you preach, you are empowered, protected and your needs are supplied. Matt. 10:7-10.
Three, Plant your seed. Your gift, talent, calling or pound is a seed that has the possibility of being multiplied only if you plant it. The forces of multiplication go to work on your seed the moment you plant it. Each servant was commended because they multiplied their seed. You will be commended by the King of kings for the seeds you multiply. The power of your seed is tremendous. Your seed can break any hard and dry ground. Gen. 1:9,11,12. Can you imagine what your seed can do in nations that are hostile to the gospel today? Don't imagine it. See it. Read the stories of people like Benny Hinn, Reinhard Bonnke and myself as we plow the fields of nations in Asia like India as well as other nations in Africa.
Four, Partner with others. There are others in the harvest fields doing great works for the King. As you partner with them, you become a partaker of the harvest with them. Luke 5:6,7. This is what Jesus meant when He said that the sower and reaper shall rejoice together. They are both partakers of the harvest. John 4:34-38. 1 Sam. 30:24,25. Look out for ministers who are out there in the nations laboring and reaping the harvest. Send them money and materials to help their weary hands and feeble knees. By so doing, you become a part of GOING into ALL the world and making disciples of ALL nations. Eccl. 11:1-6.
Five, Participate. All of the above are the different ways you can participate in this global harvest. You must not stop in praying. If all you do is to pray, people will perish with your prayers. What saves is the gospel when it is preached with simplicity. Participate by preaching yourself. Be a witness in your home, office, classroom, etc. Tell someone about this gospel of Christ. Tell it to your spouse, parents, relations, colleagues, etc. Tell someone in the bus, taxi, and sidewalk. When you celebrate your next birthday, make it a net for harvesting some souls.
Whatever you do, participate in the harvest. Reach beyond your limits. Trade your gift. Occupy till He comes!
