3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” - Matthew 24:3 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” - Matthew 24:36 “37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” - Matthew 24:37-39 “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” - Matthew 24:44 The focus is not ‘when will Jesus return?’ The focus is ‘will you be ?’ 14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ - Matthew 25:14-23 a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. - Matthew 25:14 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. - Matthew 25:15 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. - Matthew 25:16-18 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. (ESV) ““After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. - Matthew 25:19 (NLT) “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ - Matthew 25:23 Just as financial yield brings joy to a business owner, ‘spiritual yield’ brings joy to Jesus. “7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” - Luke 15:7 “11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[a] and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” - Ephesians 4:11-13 “looking to Jesus, the founder and prefect of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:2 - Hebrews 12:2 Jesus has entrusted us to use our lives to produce spiritual impact for the building up of His Kingdom. “31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31 “18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.” - Matthew 25:18 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. - Matthew 25:24-27 [acedia = a lack of care as a result of a lack of love]. ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ - Matthew 25:24-25