Category: Matthew

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Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

Summary of my sermon, based on Matthew 25:19-21. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on January 26, 2025.

This is the final message in our series on stewardship, and I want us to reflect on where we began. Back in Colossians 1:15–17, we saw that everything is God’s. Jesus is described as the firstborn of all creation—not meaning He was created first, but that He holds authority over everything. He’s supreme over all.

And when we understand that, it changes how we live. It changes how we see everything we have. There’s a wrong way to respond to this truth—idolatry. Worshiping the created things instead of the Creator. Or thinking we can bargain with God, trade with Him like we’re equals—“God, I’ll give you this if you give me that.” That’s ridiculous, because everything already belongs to Him. Romans 11 says, From Him and through Him and to Him are all things.

So we defined stewardship this way: bringing glory to God through the careful and responsible management of what He has entrusted to us. That includes our gifts, our time, our resources, our lives. And the key passage that shaped this whole series was 1 Peter 4:10–11. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another… in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”

Last week, we looked at Ecclesiastes 3 and Isaiah 46. The idea that time just “happens” to us doesn’t hold up when we realize God is the one directing it. He holds time in His hands. He’s sovereign over all of history and also the details of our lives. That challenged us to ask: are we stealing time from God? Are we giving too little? Or maybe giving too much, and neglecting the other good things He’s given us to enjoy?

So today, to close the series, we’re going to look at where stewardship is heading. And for that, we turn to the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. Now, this parable is part of a much bigger section in Matthew where Jesus is teaching about His second coming. It’s His final discourse—His last big teaching block—and it begins with the disciples asking, “When will these things happen? What are the signs of your return?”

Jesus does answer that question. He talks about the signs—tribulation, the Gospel reaching all nations, the Abomination of Desolation—but then He says in Matthew 24:36 that no one knows the exact day or hour. Not the angels, not even the Son, but only the Father.

So Jesus shifts the focus. Instead of just looking for signs, He wants us to be ready. And that’s where our parable comes in. It’s a picture of a man going on a journey, entrusting his property to his servants—five talents to one, two to another, and one to another, each according to their ability.

Now let’s pause and talk about what a “talent” is. It’s hard to pin down. Some say it’s a large sum of money, others give dollar estimates that range from thousands to millions. But a safe estimate is to compare it to wages. If one talent is roughly two years’ wages, then we’re talking about $70,000 per talent, give or take. That means the one with five talents received about $350,000. The point is—it was a lot.

And this parable teaches us a few critical truths about stewardship. First, because it’s set in the context of Jesus’ return, we realize stewardship is eschatological. In other words, how we manage what God has given us is shaped by the fact that Jesus is coming again. We don’t know when, so we should live ready—always managing what we have with that day in mind.

Second, we see that each servant was given according to ability. That doesn’t mean the one with more is necessarily more capable. We see this in the world all the time—wealth passed down from previous generations, not always to people who know how to handle it. I shared the story of the Nut Rage incident in Korea. Someone with lots of wealth and power, clearly more than they could handle. So the point here is not how much we have, but what we do with what we’ve been given.

Because when we look at the two servants who invested their talents, the master’s commendation to both was exactly the same. “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.” So God’s not looking for a certain amount of return. He’s looking for faithfulness.

But then there’s the third servant. The one who buried his talent. He had a distorted view of his master. “I knew you to be a hard man,” he said. And that fear led him to do nothing. And here’s what we need to see: a distorted view of God’s character will lead to unfaithfulness. It gives us excuses. But the master responds by calling him wicked and lazy. He didn’t expect a big return—but at the very least, he could have earned interest. But this servant didn’t even try.

That’s why knowing God’s character matters. And it’s why right doctrine matters. Because churches and believers who twist God’s character tend to stop being fruitful. We see that in churches that have embraced worldly ideologies. I mentioned one pastor who claimed Jesus would say, “Blessed are those who end pregnancies.” That’s a gross distortion of God’s heart, and that church has been rapidly shrinking for decades. Because you distort who God is, and people stop being transformed.

So what do we do about that? We gather kindling. Remember that from the first message? Kindling are the little pieces of wood that start the fire. We gather kindling when we read Scripture, pray, worship—those spiritual disciplines that help us know God.

And we do that in community. Growth happens in community. That’s why our church prioritizes Growth Groups. Hebrews 10 says we should stir one another up to love and good works—not neglecting to meet, but encouraging one another all the more as we see the Day approaching.

Now I know this is a different approach to stewardship. Most sermons on stewardship talk about money—about tithing. But stewardship is bigger than that. Tithing, especially the 10% rule, isn’t really a New Testament command. What God wants is generosity. 2 Corinthians 9:7–8 says each one should give what he’s decided in his heart—not under compulsion—for God loves a cheerful giver.

So the point of this whole series has been to give that bigger context. Stewardship isn’t just about what we put in the offering plate. It’s about how we live, because everything belongs to God—our time, our resources, our very lives.

And the more we know Him—the more we seek Him through His Word and through His people—the more faithfully we’ll steward what He’s entrusted to us. And then, when Christ returns, we will hear those beautiful words: Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.

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The Escape of Jesus

Summary of my sermon, based on Matthew 2:13-23. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on December 29, 2024.

One of the hard truths about the Christian life is that we will face discrimination and persecution. It has been this way from the beginning, and it remains a reality today.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned Richard Dawkins and the New Atheist movement. Their so-called intellectual objections to Christianity often serve a deeper agenda—freeing people from what they see as the “repressive” nature of religion. Their campaign slogan, “There’s probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life,” reveals their true mission. They want people to pursue joy in worldly things—money, power, and pleasure—rather than in God. But does that really lead to fulfillment?

Take John D. Rockefeller, the first American billionaire. When asked how much money was enough, he replied, “Just a little more.” That’s the trap of worldly pursuits—they never satisfy. Yet, atheists like Dawkins would have people chase those things in the name of “enjoying life.”

But their efforts don’t stop at persuasion. Dawkins, in a speech at the Reason Rally, called for open ridicule of Christians, saying, “Mock them. Ridicule them. In public.” The persecution we face in the West may not be as severe as in other parts of the world, but it is real. According to OpenDoors’ World Watch List, 365 million Christians today suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination. In just one year, nearly 5,000 Christians were murdered, over 4,000 were detained, and more than 14,000 churches were attacked.

For example, in Burkina Faso, a Compassion center was recently forced to suspend operations because its staff, all working in a local church, had to go into hiding due to death threats from armed groups. Christianity is, without a doubt, the most persecuted religion in the world. Even secular sources like the BBC acknowledge this, with a 2019 report stating that Christian persecution was at “near genocide levels.”

But persecution is nothing new. Even from the first Christmas, Jesus himself was a target. In Matthew 2:13–23, we see how King Herod, upon hearing of the newborn “King of the Jews,” sought to destroy him. An angel warned Joseph to flee to Egypt, fulfilling the prophecy in Hosea 11:1: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” When Herod realized he had been tricked by the wise men, he ordered the massacre of all male children in Bethlehem under two years old. This fulfilled another prophecy, from Jeremiah 31:15, about Rachel weeping for her children.

Matthew repeatedly highlights how Jesus fulfilled scripture. Sometimes, this fulfillment is precise, as in Isaiah 7:14’s prophecy of the virgin birth. Other times, it is a pattern, like Jesus’ journey paralleling Israel’s Exodus. The key message is that Jesus is the long-promised Messiah, not just for Israel, but for the whole world.

Even in persecution, God’s sovereignty remains. Psalm 115:3 declares, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” Herod’s brutality could not stop God’s plan. Jesus, though despised as a Nazarene (John 1:46), fulfilled Isaiah 53:4–5, suffering for our salvation.

Christians today can take heart. Our Savior suffered before us, and He stands with us. As Titus 2:11–12 reminds us, “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people… to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.” No matter what we face, we remain steadfast, knowing that God is in control and His purposes will stand.

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The Visitors of Jesus

Summary of my sermon, based on Matthew 2:1-12. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on December 15, 2024.

Last week, I had a conversation with a friend of mine who lives in Tokyo but is originally from Vietnam. He was curious about the idea of a pardon, particularly in light of recent news about Joe Biden pardoning his son, Hunter Biden. He asked me if something similar could happen in Canada. I wasn’t sure, so I looked it up and found out that yes, the Governor General can grant pardons in Canada. But rather than getting into the complexities of it, I simply told him, “The King can.”

That really confused him! He wasn’t aware that Canada has a King. So, I explained that King Charles is also the King of Canada, but his role is largely ceremonial. Even when the Governor General grants a pardon, it is merely a rubber stamp on decisions already made by the government. Unlike in the United States, where a presidential pardon is fully within the president’s power, the Canadian monarchy has no real political authority.

This conversation reminded me of how different the world is today compared to most of human history. Kings used to have real power. In Matthew 2, we see a contrast between different kings that teaches us how we should respond to Jesus.

The first king in our passage is Herod the Great. He was king of Judea but not from the line of David. Instead, he was appointed by the Romans, who were the actual rulers. Though he held the title of king, he was a vassal—his power only existed as long as he remained loyal to Rome. When the wise men came searching for “he who has been born king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2), Herod was troubled, along with the ruling elites of Jerusalem. They knew the prophecy about the Messiah, but instead of rejoicing, they feared the coming of the true King.

The second group in our passage is the wise men, often mistakenly called kings because of the Christmas carol, “We Three Kings.” The Bible never says they were kings, nor does it say there were only three of them—just that they brought three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These wise men were likely astrologers from Persia who had studied the Hebrew Scriptures, possibly influenced by Jews who had lived there since the Babylonian captivity. When they saw the star, they understood it as a sign that the promised King had come. Unlike Herod and the Jewish leaders, they sought Jesus to worship Him.

Matthew 2:10-11 tells us their response: “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”

These wise men, who served the powerful kings of Persia, bowed before a baby in a manger. They were the first Gentiles to do what Paul describes in Philippians 2:10-11: “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

So, the question remains—how will you respond to Jesus? Will you reject Him like Herod and the Jewish leaders, or will you seek Him, worship Him, and offer your life to Him like the wise men?

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The Birth of Jesus

Summary of my sermon, based on Matthew 1:18-25. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on Deember 8, 2024.

Scandal. That’s the word that best describes the situation in Matthew 1:18–19.

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” (Matthew 1:18-19, ESV)

To understand the full weight of this moment, we need to grasp what betrothal meant in the first century. Today, we think of engagement as a promise to marry, but it’s not legally binding. If a couple breaks off an engagement, there’s no legal action required. But in Joseph and Mary’s time, betrothal was much more serious. Families arranged marriages, often when the bride and groom were young. Once betrothed, they were legally bound as husband and wife, even before living together. To break a betrothal, one had to go through a formal divorce.

And this is why Joseph, upon discovering Mary was pregnant, resolved to divorce her. Legally, it was the only way to handle what appeared to be unfaithfulness. In that culture, Mary’s situation wasn’t just embarrassing—it was devastating. A woman found guilty of adultery could be ostracized, rejected, or worse. Even today, pregnancy outside of marriage can be a scandal in certain communities. I remember growing up in a church where “Family Meetings” were called to address situations of church discipline. Though meant for restoration, let’s be honest—some people were just there for the gossip.

Joseph, however, was different. He was both just and gracious. Justice required him to act—he could not simply overlook what seemed like unfaithfulness. Yet he chose to divorce Mary quietly, sparing her from public humiliation. Most of us, when wronged, demand justice. But when we are the ones in the wrong, we beg for mercy. Joseph displayed both justice and grace, reflecting the very character of God.

Romans 3:23 tells us, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and Romans 6:23 follows with, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God is just—sin must be punished. But He is also gracious—through Jesus, He provides salvation. Joseph’s response mirrors God’s own justice and mercy.

But then, the revelation came.

“An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’” (Matthew 1:20-21, ESV)

This was no ordinary pregnancy. This was the Incarnation—God becoming man. A mystery beyond human understanding. Joseph obeyed immediately, taking Mary as his wife and naming the child Jesus. Just as Joseph responded to God’s revelation, we, too, must obey God’s Word, for it is His revelation to us.

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The Genealogy of Jesus

Summary of my sermon, based on Matthew 1:1-17. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on December 1, 2024.

If you’ve never heard the song “Matthew’s Begats” by Andrew Peterson, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s a fun and catchy way to hear the genealogy of Jesus from Matthew 1. I first learned it as a teenager when my youth group performed it in a Christmas cantata, so hearing it now brings back some great memories.

Now, if you compare the song lyrics to the text in Matthew 1:1-17, you might notice a few name variations. For example:

  • Aram (KJV, Greek) = Ram (ESV, NIV, NKJV)
  • Asa (KJV, NKJV, NIV) = Asaph (ESV, Greek)
  • Amon (KJV, NKJV, NIV) = Amos (ESV, Greek)
  • Jehoiachin = Jeconiah (all versions)

These aren’t contradictions, just alternate spellings. But one interesting change in the song is how it refers to Josiah “grandfathering” Jehoiachin, whereas Matthew 1:11 states Josiah was Jehoiachin’s father. The Old Testament timeline confirms that Jehoiachin was actually the son of Jehoiakim (2 Kings 24:6), meaning Matthew skips a generation. This isn’t a mistake—Matthew arranges the genealogy in a structured way, emphasizing Jesus’ place in Jewish history.

Matthew 1:17 explains this:

“So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.” (ESV)

Matthew isn’t giving a complete genealogy; he’s structuring it to highlight the significance of Jesus’ birth. That’s why many scholars call Matthew “the Gospel for the Jews.”

Each Gospel emphasizes a different aspect of Jesus:

  • Matthew: The Son of David
  • Mark: The Son of Man
  • Luke: The Son of Adam
  • John: The Son of God

Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience, familiar with the Old Testament. He quotes it 54 times—more than any other Gospel. He references Jewish customs without explanation, assuming his readers understand things like fasting, ritual washing, and temple tax. More than any other Gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah who fulfills Old Testament prophecies. That’s why he records Jesus saying:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17, ESV)

But here’s the amazing thing—the genealogy of Jesus isn’t just about Jewish history. It also highlights God’s plan to save the whole world.

Consider the five women mentioned: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba (Uriah’s wife), and Mary. Two of them—Rahab and Ruth—were Gentiles. Bathsheba was married to a Hittite, and all five of these women were associated with scandal in some way.

  • Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and tricked her father-in-law into sleeping with her (Genesis 38).
  • Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute who helped Israel’s spies in Jericho (Joshua 2).
  • Ruth approached Boaz in a way that, while culturally acceptable, could be seen as scandalous (Ruth 3).
  • Bathsheba committed adultery with King David, leading to devastating consequences (2 Samuel 11).
  • Mary was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph, which would have been scandalous to those who didn’t understand her divine calling (Matthew 1:18-19).

And it’s not just these women—many of the men in Jesus’ lineage were deeply flawed. King David was a man after God’s own heart, but he was also guilty of adultery and murder. Ahaz sacrificed his own son to idols (2 Kings 16:3). Manasseh led Israel into idolatry and child sacrifice (2 Kings 21:6).

Why does this matter? Because Jesus didn’t come from a perfect lineage—He came to save sinners. Paul writes:

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15, ESV)

We aren’t saved by our own goodness but by grace:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)

And just as Jesus came to save the lost, we are called to share this message with the world:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV)

Jesus’ genealogy is more than a list of names. It’s a testament to God’s grace. No matter our past, Jesus welcomes us into His family.