Some people salivate at sushi and others get off on tofu. For me there is nothing like a good steak. Fire up that gas grill and drop that hunk of meat onto that hot grill. There is the divine sizzling sound emanating from that steak as it seals in that heavenly aroma. What’s your sizzle?

Our God has created every one of us unique and one of a kind. Jesus invites us to follow Him and to enter into this unique relationship that nobody else can have except you. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in….” The Bible tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

For those of us who have made that decision to follow Jesus, what’s next? How do we follow Jesus? How do we live day to day in the context of this relationship to Jesus? Being a Christian means being a lifelong disciple. It means that we are always learning what it means to be a Christian and how that plays out in our lives. I don’t believe we ever fully get it done.

As Christians one of the first things we need to do is to be a part of a Christian fellowship, a church. It is in a local church where we most fully live out what God has called us to be and do. It is in, through, and by the Church of Jesus Christ that we join together ‘to beat the Devil.’ The church is not an option because it began in the heart and mind of Jesus Himself and was birthed by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

It is in the body of Christ that we worship, introduce others to Jesus and the church, spiritually nurture those people, and then equip them to serve God, each other and the world. These are all vital aspects of how we live in this world as followers of Jesus.

We look at one such aspect of being a Christian found in Matthew 25. Please note that we are not talking here about HOW we become Christians, we are speaking to how we LIVE as Christians. In this parable Jesus talks about the talents that each person has been given. In New Testiment times, talents were pieces of money. The issue of this parable is not how many talents you have been given, but what you do with the talents you have been given. The bottom line in this Scripture lesson is that the Master was pleased with the two who caused the talents to grow, but that he was displeased with the one who buried his talent because he was afraid. In fact the Master was so displeased that we see in vs 28-30 the description of the results of this man’s lack of action. He not only lost the talent but he was kicked out as well. In this parable Jesus made is clear that the Master doesn’t mess around.

What does this say to us? Very simply—don’t mess around with what God has given you. We have focused these past several weeks on the SHAPE that God has uniquely given to us that He can use to build His Kingdom on earth. While specifically this parable deals with money, the principle here includes all that God has given you. Don’t hide it. Don’t squander it. Don’t refuse to make it grow. The two men who used their talents made something happen. The one who was afraid and maybe lazy buried it and didn’t make anything happen.

The application here is that each and every one of us has been given everything we have from God. How well are we doing with what we have been given? If right now the Master were to check in with you to see how you are doing, what would he say to you? Would it be ‘well done’ or ‘throw the bum out?’

At SUMC God has given us the opportunity to serve Him and to do something with the SHAPE He has given us. We are presenting you with a very specific and tangible way to be a “Well-done” servant and to do so in every aspect of your lives.

Serving the Lord isn’t just in one or two areas of your lives but in every area of your life! Being a “well-done” Christian means:

• making worship a high priority each week.
• developing personal communication with Jesus. We call it prayer.
• reading and learning God’s Word in order to grow in our understanding of God’s will for our lives.
• tithing.
• making a commitment to and being a part of the Body of Christ and SUMC.
• Being a ‘well-done’ Christian means discovering your particular SHAPE—spiritual gifts, heart (passion), abilities, personality, and experiences—and
• using your SHAPE to serve Jesus, the people who are SUMC, and the world.

So…are you rare, medium, or well-done? There is no greater sound that to hearing God’s Spirit sizzling in your heart and life. God calls each of us to be ‘well-done.’

Thank You for Taking The Time to Read This Message.
May God Use These Words to Help You and Strengthen You.