The Good and Faithful Servant

Dr. Sujith concludes our 2025 MissionsFest with a message from Luke 18.

(Luke 18:18-23)

Sermon Outline

Question 1: What do you have?

• Luke 18:23-24: “’Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.”
• 3 perspectives for mission on the basis of “what you have”
• A faithful servant is one who seeks and discerns as to why his master has given all that he has (possessions, wealth, education, vocation, time and even his own life) and then puts it to use fruitfully according to the Master’s directions out of His love for the Master.

Question 2: What drives you?

• 1 John 2:15,16 (NKJV): “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.”
• The three driving forces that love for the world brings about:
• Is our life mission driven by our love for the things of the world or by overwhelming love of God demonstrated in His plan of salvation for human beings?

Question 3: What is the definition of “good”?

• Luke 18:19: “Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.’”
• Good servant is one who seeks and discerns the will of the Master (the story that the Master wrote even before the foundation of the world) and enters the journey of learning obedience even through sufferings. The reward for being “good” in God’s definition is RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.
• God is not bothered about our capability to do something but about our availability to be used by Him according to His capability.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What has been your definition for mission until now? Has it changed after what you heard today? How different is it from what you have heard today?
2. Why do you do what you are doing? Do you have a secular-sacred dichotomy for your life?
3. What is it that you have in your hand? Are you intentional in persistently seeking and finding what God intends out of you for each of the things that He has given you?
4. Which of the following are you most driven by: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life, overwhelming love of God? (All of us have predominantly one among the first three —have you identified yours) How do we navigate towards the fourth?
5. What has been your definition of “good” or “good works”? Is it different from what you heard today and if so, what is the most crucial thing for being a “good servant”?
6. What are the intentional steps and decisions that you would take from today’s sermon to move towards that final trophy—“Well done, good and faithful servant of Mine!”

DIG DEEPER

Exploring Faith

• If this is the first time you’ve really heard about missions or started learning about it, you can take the next step by visiting lausanne.org or picking up the book Let the Nations Be Glad in the lobby’s Mission Spot.

Growing in Faith

• After today’s sermon, you may feel like the disciples who said, “this is a hard teaching”. Set time aside with someone from your small group to talk through and process some of the things you’re wrestling with.

Centered in Faith

• As we go out in missions, we can drift to it being God’s mission to ours. Dedicate one day a month for the rest of the calendar year to step away from work and ministry, and rest with God. Let His Spirit minister to you, and loosen your grip on the work He has given you.