Matthew 25: Faithfully Managing What God Entrusts to You

Introduction

Mark Pettus, pastor of Church of the Highlands in the United States, a church friendly with Lifehouse, is in Tokyo for the seventh time. He announces his topic without hesitation: "Today, I'm going to talk about money in church." He knows the reaction: "I finally come to church, and they talk to me about money, and on top of that it's an American."

He wants to be clear: "Nobody standing here is asking you for anything." He speaks to bring you God's best in every area of your life, including your finances. Because in this area, we need help.

Starting from the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, he shows four truths about managing what God entrusts to us, then three practical changes for living that stewardship every day.

Message outline

1. Money Is a Heart Issue

• In the United States, household debt has reached a staggering total. In Japan too, family finances are under pressure: according to the pastor, two thirds of working people say they struggle to make ends meet, and many think they won't have enough for retirement.
• The good news is that the Bible brings its wisdom to this area. It contains more than 2,000 verses about money, and Jesus taught more about money than about heaven and hell.
• The reason is simple: "Money is not just about money. It's about the heart." The pastor quotes Martin Luther: three things need to be converted, the heart, the mind, and the wallet.
• He grew up in a small American town, "like in the movie Forrest Gump." His parents, both teachers, worked hard; his father also ran a small farm and cut wood. But at home, money was never discussed. It was at church, once he was saved, that he learned to manage it from God's Word.
• "I'm not an expert, and I don't need to be, because God is the expert." If Michael Jordan taught you basketball, Shohei Ohtani baseball, or Messi soccer, you would listen. Today, it is God who teaches about money.

2. Everything Belongs to God

• Matthew 25:14: a man goes on a journey, calls his servants, and entrusts his property to them. In this story, Jesus is the master and we are the servants.
• The world teaches us to take ownership: "Everything is mine." The Bible teaches us to be stewards: what is entrusted to me is not mine. "The earth is Yahweh's, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell in it" (Psalm 24:1).
• It is not only money: your time, your talents, the opportunities you are given, and even your relationships belong to God.
• As a father of four sons, the pastor recalls one of the first words children say: "mine." My ball, my hamburger, my toy. The parent smiles: "I'm the one who paid for it." It is the same with God.
• Jesus says it in Matthew 6:24: no one can serve two masters. You cannot serve God and money. Money is an excellent servant, but it becomes the worst of masters. If Jesus is a good master, we can be good servants.

3. God Entrusts You With Everything for a Purpose

• Verse 15: the master gives five talents to the first, two to the second, one to the third, each according to his ability. Being a steward carries responsibility.
• God entrusted you with what you have on purpose, for a reason. Your talents, your abilities, your economy: everything is intentional. You are God's workmanship, created for a purpose (Ephesians 2:10).
• Our role is to use what is entrusted to us according to God's intention. So we need to ask him: "What is your purpose in giving me this?"
• The pastor insists: the church does not pressure anyone to give. "Ask God, and do what he tells you." For ten years, his church has also given to Lifehouse, not only because they wanted to, but because God spoke to them.

4. God Looks at Your Faithfulness

• Verse 19: after a long time, the master returns and settles accounts with his servants. There is a moment when we see how each one handled what he received.
• The pastor pauses here. Some are under attack from the enemy in their finances: a debt, the feeling of not knowing how to feed their family, never having been taught anything about money.
• "The devil is a liar." He wants you to hide this area. But God says: "Bring this area to me. You don't have to feel guilty. There is grace, mercy, and love."
• The third servant did not manage what he had received because he was afraid. Jesus wants to move us from fear to faithfulness. "The past is the past. Let's look to the future with faithfulness."
• Verse 21: "His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’" The promise of receiving more is good, but there is something better: sharing the master's joy. It is a greater joy than buying a beautiful car, and more than anything one can own on earth.

5. God Turns Your Stewardship Into Eternal Value

• Jesus teaches us not to store up treasures on earth, where they can be stolen or destroyed, but in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20).
• The pastor is looking forward to going home and telling his church what God is doing in Japan: the four baptisms at the retreat, the joy in this room. "We are sharing in the master's joy."
• Our treasure is not a house, a Gucci bag, an expensive trip, a promotion, or an Amazon package. The reward is that heaven fills up with people. Good stewardship turns into salvation and an eternal difference for others.

6. Three Changes for Good Stewardship

• Priority rather than amount. Trust is played out in the order of things: God first. We pray before going to the doctor; we put our giving first when we receive our paycheck. "Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase" (Proverbs 3:9-10). For a salary, that means the first 10%.
• The pastor had never heard of it before coming to church. Already married, he had never tithed with his wife. The first time he wrote down the amount, his hand was shaking: "Will I be able to pay my bills?" He obeyed despite the fear, and the moment of giving turned into immense joy. He has never stopped since.
• The blessing was not a bank account that explodes or a Lamborghini: his needs have always been met, and he has had the joy of being part of God's great work. On the plane, he told his sons: "We're not going to another church, we're going to our church of the heart in Japan." Part of their tithe supports Lifehouse.
• Contentment rather than consumption. He admits this is the area that touched him most while preparing this message. Never being satisfied is a dangerous state: you look around and always see what you don't have.
• He quotes actor Jim Carrey: everyone should become rich and famous and fulfill all their dreams, to understand that it is not the answer. Paul, for his part, learned the secret of being content in every situation, in abundance and in need (Philippians 4:12). Contentment begins when you see how blessed you already are, including in your friendships.
• Generosity rather than scarcity. The Bible speaks of Mammon, that spirit tied to money which makes you believe there is never enough and pushes you to hold on to everything for fear of losing it. This scarcity mindset damages every area of life and makes small a life that God meant to be big. The antidote is generosity.
• Letting go means trusting God, who bears the name of the One who provides. Several campuses of his church are in large buildings that used to be businesses: at the right time, God entrusted them to the church. "We don't give to receive. We give to be free."

7. A Gas Station and the Master's Joy

• A friend of the pastor, who grew up in a modest family but lived faithfully in this area, had once put a little extra money in his pocket before stopping at a gas station.
• On the other side of the pump, a woman alone was filling her tank. In her car, two children were crying, and her face showed her distress. He approached her, started a conversation, and told her he was paying for her gas.
• The best part is not the payment: it was the beginning of another conversation. She had come without knowing whether she could pay. He asked her: "Do you know Jesus?" She did not. Right there at the gas station, while the children were crying, he led her to Jesus.
• "This is the greatest happiness. This is the master's joy." In conclusion, the pastor prays for those who secretly carry financial pressure, shame, or even thoughts of death: God loves them, his grace is offered, and while the past cannot change, the future can.

Key Takeaways

• Money is a heart issue: everything you have belongs to God, and you are its steward.
• God entrusted you with your money, your time, and your talents for a purpose: ask him what it is.
• God does not want you to hide your financial struggles: he invites you to move from fear and shame to faithfulness.
• The greatest reward of the faithful servant is to enter into the master's joy, a joy that is seen when people come to Jesus.
• Three practical changes: God first, contentment rather than consumption, generosity rather than scarcity.

Personal Application

• In which area (money, time, talents, relationships) do you still say "it's mine" rather than "it was entrusted to me"?
• Have you ever asked God for what purpose he entrusted you with what you have? What might he answer you this week?
• Is there a financial difficulty you are hiding out of shame? Who could you talk to about it, and how can you bring it to God in prayer?
• When you receive your paycheck, what comes first?
• Where does the fear of lack keep you from being generous, and what small step of generosity can you take?

Verses Cited

• Matthew 25:14-30
• Psalm 24:1
• Matthew 6:24
• Ephesians 2:10
• Matthew 6:19-21
• Proverbs 3:9-10
• Philippians 4:12

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to be a steward rather than an owner?

For Mark Pettus, the world teaches us to take ownership of everything, while the Bible teaches stewardship. "The earth is Yahweh's, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell in it" (Psalm 24:1): your money, your time, your talents, your opportunities, and even your relationships have been entrusted to you. Your role is to use them according to God's intention.

Does this message call for tithing?

The pastor speaks of priority rather than amount: honoring God with the first fruits of your income (Proverbs 3:9-10), meaning the first 10%. He makes clear that the church applies no pressure: each person asks God what to do and obeys what God tells them.

What does "enter into the joy of your lord" mean in Matthew 25?

In verse 21, the master promises the faithful servant that he will entrust him with more. Mark Pettus stresses that the greatest reward lies elsewhere: sharing the master's joy. That joy is worth more than anything one can own on earth, and it is seen when people come to Jesus.