Matters of Faith

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Reverend J. Loren Russell 

Matthew 20:11-16

And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

Dr. Benjamin Mays penned a poem entitled “I Have Only Just a Minute”.  It’s a poem about the value and use of time. He wrote;

“I have only just a minute. 

Only sixty seconds in it. 

Forced upon me, can’t refuse it. 

Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it. 

But it’s up to me to use it. 

I must suffer if I lose it. 

Give account if I abuse it, 

Just a tiny little minute 

But eternity is in it.”  

In our text, we see a parable that Jesus shared with His disciples to address their misunderstanding about time served and the reward or payment for their service. The disciples were under the misguided impression that there is a greater reward based on

• their length of service to the Master, 
• their commitment to serving the Master, 
• their diligent efforts while working for the Master. 

They were not much different than the followers of Christ today, who think they qualify for a greater reward because 

• I am an usher….
• I am a deacon…
• I am a tither …
• I am a preacher …
• I have been in this church 40 years.

All these roles and commitments matter. They are valuable and necessary. Yet none of them, by themselves, entitle us to a greater reward.

Jesus teaches that the true motivation for service is not the payment at the end, but the privilege of serving itself. Kingdom work is about the process, not the payoff. If we labor in God’s vineyard merely for what we expect to receive, then Jesus says we already have our reward.

When the workers who were first hired came to receive their wages, they assumed they deserved more because they had worked longer than the others. Their expectation caused them to miss the heart of the lesson. God’s grace is not measured by hours logged but by hearts transformed.

This parable calls us to a deeper examination of our hearts. It challenges our assumptions about fairness, reward, and entitlement, exposing the subtle sins of envy, superiority, and jealousy that often distort our discipleship. Yet, it also offers hope. God’s mercy and generosity are not simply rewards at the end of our labor; they are revealed in the very process that reshapes us. 

In the economy of God’s grace, the greatest reward is not what we receive for our work, but who we become as we submit ourselves to the transforming power of faithful service.

Be Blessed! 

Reverend J. Loren Russell

Isaiah 9:6-7

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, up on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. 

We began this Advent season on Sunday, November 30^th, the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day and will conclude on Christmas Eve, Wednesday December 24^th. It is in anxious anticipation that we await the Advent, the “coming” or “arrival” of Jesus the Christ. 

Christ means the anointed one, the Messiah, or divinely appointed savior or king. The name Jesus translates into Joshua, which means God saves. Jesus Christ is the divinely appointed and anointed one who saves us from the consequences of our sins. Jesus Christ is the salvation of the world because there is power in the name of Jesus!

This is evidenced in Paul’s letter to the Philippian church (2:9-11), “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. Luke further clarifies in Acts 4:12 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

The Advent not only celebrates the birth of Christ, but it symbolizes the spiritual journey of individuals and congregations. We affirm in our worship that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power. 

John puts in order the advent and the magnitude of Jesus’ presence when he shared Jesus’ discussion with the Apostle Thomas and then explains why he wrote at all in the final sentence; “Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:29-31). 

The birth of Jesus brings life. His life leads to the cross. The cross gives way to the resurrection. And without the resurrection, faith has no foundation, forgiveness has no power, eternal life has no promise, and hope has no voice.

Advent invites us into eternal gratitude, for apart from gratitude, the promise of hope cannot be received.

Be Blessed! 

By Reverend J. Loren Russell

1 Kings 17:13–16 (NLT)

“But Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!’ So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her household continued to eat for many days. There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.”

Proverbs 25:21–22 (NKJV)

“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.”

In a world increasingly shaped by scarcity, competition, and self-preservation, scripture offers a countercultural promise that still challenges and comforts believers today: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink… and the Lord will reward you” (Proverbs 25:21–22).

This promise is not theoretical. It is vividly embodied in the Old Testament account of the widow of Zarephath found in 1 Kings 17:13–16—a story that reveals how faith-filled generosity invites divine provision, even in the most desperate circumstances.

The setting of 1 Kings 17 is bleak. A devastating famine grips the land, revealed by a prophetic word spoken by Elijah during the reign of King Ahab. Food supplies are exhausted, hope is thin, and survival is uncertain.

God sends Elijah—not to a wealthy benefactor, but to a widow in Zarephath. In biblical times, widows were among the most vulnerable members of society. This woman had reached the end of her resources. She tells Elijah that she has only enough flour and oil to prepare one final meal for herself and her son before they expect to die.

It is here, at the intersection of desperation and divine purpose, that God issues an extraordinary test of faith. Elijah’s request seems unreasonable: “Make me a little bread first.” Then, it is followed by a word of reassurance—“Do not be afraid.” 

The widow faces a stark choice: cling to her last portion or trust the word of the Lord spoken through His prophet. In an act of remarkable obedience, she gives first—placing faith above fear and generosity above survival instincts. Her obedience unlocks a miracle.

Scripture tells us that the flour did not run out and the oil did not fail. Day after day, God sustained that household until the rains returned. Notably, God did not provide abundance in advance. He provided enough—enough for today, enough for tomorrow, enough for as long as it was needed. 

This pattern reflects how God often works in our lives. He supplies daily bread, inviting daily trust.

During the Advent season of celebration and anticipation, generosity often flows easily toward family and friends. But Scripture challenges us further. The scripture from Proverbs call us to extend compassion not only to those we love, but also to those who oppose us.

Feeding an enemy is not sentimental kindness—it is radical obedience. It is a refusal to let resentment have the final word. It is a declaration that our trust rests not in retaliation, but in God’s justice and provision.  

The widow of Zarephath learned a lesson still true today: you cannot out-give God. The reward may not always come in material form, but it will come—in peace, provision, strength, and spiritual assurance.

God honors faith that acts, generosity that costs, and obedience that trusts Him beyond visible resources.

In a time marked by division, hostility, and uncertainty, believers are called to live differently; feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, extend grace where it is undeserved, and love where it is least expected.

When you trust God enough to give—especially when it is difficult—you will discover that the supply never runs dry, and the Lord will reward you. 

Be Blessed!