THE GOLD COINS
Luke 19:11-27
I. THE SETTING
While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. (Luke 19:11)
A. Where does this take place?
B. Where were Jesus and the disciples?
C. Who is “they?”
D. What is this they listened to?
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19:10)
1. In OT “Son of man" is a common term used to accentuate the difference between God and human beings.
2. Daniel 7:13-14 describes a coming son of man who is
- coming with the clouds of heaven and was led before God,
- given authority, glory and sovereign power,
- all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him.
- His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
3. Son of Man – favorite term Jesus used to describe himself and he is identifying with the son of man of Daniel
E. Why did Jesus tell this story?
1. Because they were near Jerusalem and time was running short
2. They thought the kingdom of God was going to appear at once – disciples thought they would be important figures in the new kingdom.
3. Jesus tells this parable is to explain that the coming of the Kingdom will be delayed.
F. What were their kingdom expectations?
1. One group expecting a messiah who would overthrow Rome - Simon the Zealot
2. Another group was expecting an apocalyptical messiah who bring the world to an end
3. No one expected a messiah like Jesus.
4. Prior to his ascension back into heaven, the disciples asked him. “Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” They still did not fully understand his mission.
II. LEAVING TO BE APPOINTED KING
But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' He was made king, however, and returned home. (Luke 19:14-15a)
A. Jesus’ hearers in Jericho would have immediately brought to mind the story of one of Herod the Great's sons, Archelaus. This happened while Jesus was a boy in Nazareth and it was a matter of common knowledge.
1. Archelaus, the son of Herod the Great, went to Rome in 4 BC to have his father’s will confirmed, by which he was to be his successor. But a crowd of Jews followed close on his heels with a protest to the emperor: “We don’t want this man to be our king.” They had good reason for hating him: Josephus records that at the first Passover after his succession he massacred 3,000 or his subjects. As a result Augustus severely limited his powers, denying him the title ‘king’ until he should prove worthy of it (which he never did). Jesus was probably using this incident as a basis for the parable.
2. One scholar said that there would be special fitness in an allusion to Archelaus in this region, for, as Josephus relates, he had built a magnificent palace in Jericho and also made an aqueduct for irrigation purposes.
B. The Jewish leaders hated Jesus.
1. His enemies include the Pharisees, the scribes, the chief priest's family, and members of the Sanhedrin.
2. They hate Jesus, not because he is an evil ruler, but because as Messiah he threatens their power and righteousness.
3. Each of these groups will, in the next week, redouble and refocus their efforts to see him killed.
III. SMALL INVESTMENTS IN 10 SERVANTS
So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.’ (Luke 19:13)
A. Mina = $20-$30
B. Servants = followers of Jesus, you, and me
C. What did the gold coins really represent?
1. Every person’s equal gift of grace and forgiveness.
2. A life with all of its potential.
3. The spiritual gifts, abilities, and knowledge that he has passed on to his disciples - to you and to me.
D. The Question: what will we do with what God has given to us?
IV. A DAY OF ACCOUNTING
Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. (Luke 19:16)
A. The nobleman had put no restrictions on the servants in how they were to invest the money.
1. They were free to do it in different ways.
2. He simply said, 'Put this money to work . . . until I come back.'
B. Notice, the nobleman was not expecting the same gain from each servant.
1. God does not expect all of us to have equal gain.
2. We all have different abilities and opportunities.
3. God just wants us to use what we have been given.
C. The servants had no reason to expect any reward.
1. The king had not said, "Take my mina & invest it & when I come back I’ll pay you a percentage of the profit."
2. He didn’t promise that at all. He simply said, 'Put this money to work . . . until I come back.'
D. They invested because they were faithful to the king.
The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.' 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.' The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.' His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.' (Luke 19:17-19)
E. The king isn't concerned about the amount of money earned –
1. He calls it "a very small matter."
2. He is interested in the faithfulness demonstrated by the increase.
3. The focus was on whether the servants did something with the money.
F. The king's reward to these productive servants is not monetary.
1. The reward is a greater responsibility proportional to their demonstrated faithfulness and ability.
2. They were faithful in a very small thing. Their faithfulness has shown their ability to take on more.
G. The focus was on whether the servants did something with the money, not the size of the return.
Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.' (Luke 19:20-21)
1. Greek scholar A.T. Robertson said that last phrase is probably a proverb for a grasping profiteer.
2. It is a matter of record that some people hid their money in handkerchiefs or other cloths, but it was considered to be a very unwise way to save money.
His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?' (Luke 19:22-23)
3. Why is the servant wicked? Because he refused to trust his master and do what the master asked.
4. He is faulted for not even taking the simplest and most conservative steps to get some increase on the money by depositing it with the banker.
V. GRACE AND JUDGMENT
Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.' (Luke 19:24)
A. This is where some of us have difficulty – let’s look at this film clip.
B. Film clip [any clip that illustrates human sense of fairness]
C. The crowd interrupts: 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!' (Luke 19:25)
D. This parable is about grace.
1. The coins and rewards were given by the grace of the master.
2. He was under no obligation to give them anything.
3. The wicked servant has not been merely lazy, he has deliberately done nothing that will benefit his master.
a. He was so afraid of his master that he could not take the risk of failure.
b. I have known students with all kinds of potential, but never realized that potential because of their fear of failure.
He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.’ (Luke 19:26)
4. This is simply the old saying, “use it or lose it.”
5. Michael Clark is a gifted young pianist and will have opportunity other persons won’t be as gifted
G. The parable is also about judgment.
1. Judgment is based upon trust or no trust.
For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior. Whoever believes in the Son is not judged; but whoever has not believed has already been judged, because he has not believed in God’s only Son. (John 3:17-18, GNB)
2. The judgment of the servants was based upon their faith in action and not the results.
3. Our judgment will be based upon our faith in action and not the results.
4. We should never deal with God as we think we know him to be.
5. We should deal with God as we trust him to be.
6. When Christ gives us a grace gift, we need to do something with it.
7. At the same time, we should never care about the results, but care about whether we are acting in faith
