First the stage is set in v.11 when the disciples/followers still show a lack of understanding in Jesus’ mission and the Kingdom of Heaven. They are seeking an earthly kingdom as they had been taught… and they were looking for it to happen the moment Jesus set foot in Jerusalem!
Putting this event into a timeline we can visualize… the healing of the blind man just outside of Jericho had happened, but just before they had reached the blind men… Jesus had to deal with a squabble among the disciples. They were arguing who was going to be the highest ranking person under Jesus.. they were looking to this earthly kingdom that they had been taught about all their lives. Jesus wants to clarify their role in the kingdom and so He shares a parable with them in v.12-27:
This story Jesus tells is NOT a story about their position or power in the Kingdom but their duty and responsibility in the Kingdom! It is a story of spiritual stewardship!
v.12 [read]- picture of , a crowning moment for Him. Have someone read Matt 28:18 and someone else read Col 1:15-16… Jesus ascended to take His place on a royal celestial throne!
v.13 [read]- slaves= . Here is a picture of God’s initiative and the fact that salvation comes FROM God… we are called by Him. Have someone read Jn 6:44 and Eph 2:8-9. These disciples were being given something by God to multiply… not money but their faith in Him… and they are called to do this until he comes back… not a def timeline.
v.14 [read]- subjects=those , those who do NOT believe Jesus is God’s Son, those who refuse to submit to His lordship! WE don’t want… human pride and selfishness… a cry out from the sinful nature of the human soul…
Like this still today, have someone read 2 Tim 4:3-5…give commentary
v.15 [read]-leap to the future…a picture of the
a picture of the coming day of the Lord where we all stand in judgment of Christ. Will be summoned before Him… and an accounting of our life will be required… This day will come for ALL of us… those saved and those who have rejected Christ! We all will stand b4 Jesus on the day of judgment!
v.16-27- reveals the outcome of those who serve and those who do NOT serve Him… of those who accept Him and of those who reject Him
v. 16-18 [read]- reveals 2 in their stewardship, but I want us to see what their reward was… it was more service to the King. We are called to use the gifts God has given to us to prepare ourselves to serve Him in a greater capacity… this then can apply to our lives here… and it is NOT only for the afterlife and the judgment day. Jesus will task us for service and then calls us into account FOR that service… if we are faithful, He will then give us MORE to serve Him even more…
v.20-26 [read]- seems too harsh for our taste… seems heartless and cruel… but the fact remains, if we are to serve God, it is a use it or lose it type service… there is NO !
God has called us all into service… God has set us all up with spiritual gifts and abilities and He fully and rightfully expects us to use them to serve HIM!
What about this 3rd servant? Is this a picture of one person LOSING their salvation? This servant does not display the characteristics of one who serves… His attitude toward the Master is and even accusing the master of in reaping where he did not sow… this is NOT the attitude of a servant, but merely one who with the Master.
Have someone read Matt 7:20-23, and comment on this story! This 3rd servant falls into the category that John describes in have someone read 1 Jn 2:4-6, 19-20… if he was truly a servant, he would have to the master’s authority… he would have relented to the master’s sovereignty to do as He pleases…
Ours is NOT a position to dictate what God can or cannot do…we cannot set morality for God… He is the creator and master and sets morality for US! This servant was NOT submissive, he did not believe the master was worthy to invest his time into… he was NOT worth his … because he believes the master will just ROB him of his efforts.
The other servants are fully and totally faithful understanding that ALL belongs to the master… they submit to his … but this servant is called wicked by Jesus because of his refusal to submit more so than his laziness and lack of production. One who works faithfully will be rewarded! This is illustrated in the actions of the master… this wicked slave’s heart is revealed in the accounting of his stewardship of the master’s task/resources.
We are called by Christ, who is the King, who has all authority to take what He has given us and multiply it….
Again have someone read Eph 2:8-9, Titus 3:4-5 and Matt 28:18-20… our ‘minas’ or ‘gold coins’ are the and we receive! We are to take that resource and multiply it in ALL nations… this is our spiritual stewardship! A Stewardship that we WILL be held accountable for!
One day we will have to stand in front of the Lord and He will demand an accounting of what we have done with the resources He provided! To those who are faithful and submissive to His sovereignty and lordship… he will bless! To those who are NOT, He will NOT bless!
Finally in v.27 [read]- we find the king dealing with those who had rejected Him totally. is their end… seems harsh to us… but this was the culture of the 1st century… and it does carry with it a spiritual significance. Those who reject the lordship of Christ will be destroyed on the day of the Lord! Have someone read, Rev 20:15…
Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of life when we submit and surrender to the Lordship of Christ and to His sovereignty in our lives! When HE becomes Lord of our life… those who reject Him will NOT be written in the book and their fate is sealed… it is death…
SO WHAT DOES THIS TEACH US?
First… ! Christ is over all things…
Over who gets the gospel, who is saved, what punishment is viable for whom… We do NOT get to set the moral compass for God, He is sovereign and rule over all! We must surrender to that fact!
Second… Salvation is a , but it is also a for the believer. The servants were under the care and protection of their master, but they were called to serve Him and had responsibilities in His house! We are called to SERVE after we are saved! God has tasked us to tell the world about Him… seek to invest and multiply disciples of Jesus Christ! That is our spiritual duty and responsibility
Third… obedience to God’s plan… stewardship leads to
in the plan of God! Jesus clearly implies here that those who are faithful will be given MORE responsibilities and those who shirk or ignore their responsibility… they will be stripped of the task and shame brought upon them…
That is the classic scenario for the believer. You have been tasked with a duty/responsibility and you have been gifted and talented [given the tools] to carry out that duty, if you refuse, God is going to take those tools away from you and discipline you!
When we look at this from a corporate spiritual perspective this could represent the disobedient church who loses its witness and ultimately dies because they refuse to submit to the Lordship of Christ… but the church that DOES surrender to Him is blessed and given MORE responsibility to serve!
Finally, fourth I see that God is going to reward us based on our actions. If we are faithful to Him, if we submit to His lordship and are obedient… He will reward us… here on earth that reward will be with more spiritual responsibilities to see growth and success in Christ!
However, if we are NOT faithful, if we refuse to submit to His lordship and simply go thru the motions and superficially proclaim Him, He has told us that in the end He will deny that He knows us…
Like John said, they SAID they were part of us, but because they refused to submit to His sovereignty we now know that they NEVER were part of us… this brings about the stripping away of the resources God has entrusted… and then giving those resources to those who ARE faithful and surrender to His sovereignty!
And to those who totally reject His sovereignty… their fate is sealed with DEATH… they will suffer the ultimate judgment!
Let us be about the duty of the faithful servant who works diligently to do the will of his master… serve Him! Serve Him! Serve Him!
