MATTHEW 25:14-29
A Story about Three Servants
(Luke 19.11-27)

The kingdom is also like what happened when a man went away and put his three servants in charge of all he owned.  The man knew what each servant could do.  So he handed five thousand coins to the first servant, two thousand to the second, and one thousand to the third. Then he left the country.

As soon as the man had gone, the servant with the five thousand coins used them to earn five thousand more.  The servant who had two thousand coins did the same with his money and earned two thousand more.  But the servant with one thousand coins dug a hole and hid his master's money in the ground.

Some time later the master of those servants returned.  He called them in and asked what they had done with his money.  The servant who had been given five thousand coins brought them in with the five thousand that he had earned. He said, "Sir, you gave me five thousand coins, and I have earned five thousand more."
"Wonderful!" his master replied. "You are a good and faithful servant.  I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more.  Come and share in my happiness!"
Next, the servant who had been given two thousand coins came in and said, "Sir, you gave me two thousand coins, and I have earned two thousand more."
"Wonderful!" his master replied. "You are a good and faithful servant.  I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more.  Come and share in my happiness!" 

The servant who had been given one thousand coins then came in and said, "Sir, I know that you are hard to get along with.  You harvest what you don't plant and gather crops where you haven't scattered seed.  I was frightened and went out and hid your money in the ground. Here is every single coin!"
The master of the servant told him, "You are lazy and good-for-nothing! You know that I harvest what I don't plant and gather crops where I haven't scattered seed.  You could have at least put my money in the bank, so that I could have earned interest on it."
Then the master said, "Now your money will be taken away and given to the servant with ten thousand coins!  Everyone who has something will be given more, and they will have more than enough.  But everything will be taken from those who don't have anything.

2 CORINTHIANS 9
The Money for God's People

I don't need to write you about the money you plan to give for God's people.  I know how eager you are to give.  And I have proudly told the Lord's followers in Macedonia that you people in Achaia have been ready for a whole year.  Now your desire to give has made them want to give.  That's why I am sending Titus and the two others to you. I want you to be ready, just as I promised.  This will prove that we were not wrong to brag about you.

Some followers from Macedonia may come with me, and I want them to find that you have the money ready.  If you don't, I would be embarrassed for trusting you to do this. But you would be embarrassed even more.  So I have decided to ask Titus and the others to spend some time with you before I arrive.  This way they can arrange to collect the money you have promised.  Then you will have the chance to give because you want to, and not because you feel forced to.

Remember this saying,
"A few seeds make
a small harvest,
but a lot of seeds make
a big harvest."

Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give.  But don't feel sorry that you must give and don't feel that you are forced to give.  God loves people who love to give.  God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others.  The Scriptures say,
"God freely gives his gifts
to the poor,
and always does right."

God gives seed to farmers and provides everyone with food.  He will increase what you have, so that you can give even more to those in need.  You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous.  Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift.

What you are doing is much more than a service that supplies God's people with what they need. It is something that will make many others thank God.  The way in which you have proved yourselves by this service will bring honor and praise to God.  You believed the message about Christ, and you obeyed it by sharing generously with God's people and with everyone else.  Now they are praying for you and want to see you, because God used you to bless them so very much.  Thank God for his gift that is too wonderful for words!