JESUS CHRIST: The God

who Appreciates
 Sermon Text:
1 Corinthians 15:58 English Standard Version
(ESV)

58 Therefore,
my beloved brothers, be steadfast,
immovable, always abounding in the work of the
Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not
in vain.
I. “Appreciation”: The need to
appreciate and be appreciated
 Why do we need “Appreciation”?
• Appreciation develops self-esteem

• Appreciation motivates us to continue with what

we are doing

• Appreciation connects us to others

• Appreciation makes us feel that we are being

seen and being recognized
II. Jesus Christ Appreciates us
• Matthew 25:14-30 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Parable of the Talents

14 “Forit will be like a man going on a journey, who

called his servants[a]and entrusted to them his
property.
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 Hismaster said to him, ‘Well done, good

and faithful servant.[c] You have been faithful
over a little; I will set you over much. Enter
into the joy of your master.’
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.
28 So take the talent from him and give it to him

who has the ten talents.

29 Forto everyone who has will more be given,
and he will have an abundance. But from the
one who has not, even what he has will be taken
away.
30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer

darkness. In that place there will be weeping

and gnashing of teeth.’
Value of “Talent”

A talent (Ancient Greek τάλαντον, talanton ‘scale’ and

‘balance’) was a unit of weight of approximately 80
pounds (36 kg), and when used as a unit of money, was
valued for that weight of silver. As a unit of currency, a
talent was worth about 6,000 denarii. Since a denarius
was the usual payment for a day's labour, the value of a
talent was about twenty years of labour, by an ordinary
person.

By contemporary standards (ca. AD 2009) at the rate of

the US minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, the value of a
talent would be approximately $300,000 over 20 years,
while, at the median yearly wage of $26,363, a talent
would be valued at about $500,000.
• Talent provided to us maybe synonymous to
“monetary value”

• Some theologians claim that “talent” pertains

to spiritual gifts we received from Christ
• Christ’s Appreciation for us manifested with
what He did for us on the cross

• The death of Christ is the ultimate

manifestation of His great love for us and for
the appreciation of his Creation
Ephesians 5:25, “Christ loved the church and
gave himself up for her.”

John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this,

that someone lays down his life for his friends.”

Matthew 20:28, “The Son of Man came not to

be served but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many.”
III. Our Labor is not in vain
Philippians 2:14-16 English Standard Version
(ESV)

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,

15 that you may be blameless and
innocent, children of God without blemish in
the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,
among whom you shine as lights in the
world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that
in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not
run in vain or labor in vain.
Ephesians 6:6-7 English Standard Version (ESV)

6 notby the way of eye-service, as people-

pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing
the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering
service with a good will as to the Lord and not to
man,
Colossians 3:17 English Standard Version (ESV)

17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do

everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through him.
 IV. Jesus wants us
to appreciate our brethren
• We have to appreciate our Pastor and all
workers in church

• We have to appreciate the works of our

brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus
Hebrews 13:17 English Standard Version (ESV)
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping
watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an
account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for
that would be of no advantage to you.

Jeremiah 3:15 English Standard Version (ESV)

15 “‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who
will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

1 Timothy 5:17 English Standard Version (ESV)

17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double
honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
V. We need to appreciate what
the Lord Jesus Christ has done
• As a result, we have to be steadfast,
immovable, and abounding in the work of
Christ

• We have to live life in the with hope and

thanksgiving
• Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his
love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

• I will praise the name of God with song, And

shall magnify Him with thanksgiving. Psalm
69:30

• Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His

courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless
His name. Psalm 100:4
CONCLUSION
The Lord Jesus Christ truly appreciates us by
doing the ultimate sacrifice of dying on the cross
for our sins.

In response to this, we should also show our

appreciation by doing things in accordance to
His will and by also appreciating our pastors, our
leaders, and our fellow believers.
CHALLENGE
Are we ready to show our love and appreciation to
others?

As Jesus Christ has shown us what appreciation

truly means, we as Christians, should also
appreciate what He has done by appreciating
others as well.

After all, our labor in the Lord will not be in vain.

GOD BLESS YOU!