Introduction:
A OID
B This parable has a historical background because in 40 B.C. Herod (the Great) went to Rome to receive authority from the emperor to rule as king of Judea (granted).
1 In 4 A.D. when Herod died and left his son, Archelaus, the kingdom.
a Archelaus went to Rome to claim his inheritance.
aa He was not popular & there was a public outcry against his possible kingship.
bb 50 Jewish subjects went to Rome to argue against Archelaus being king of Judea.
cc Augustus Ceasar allowed Archelaus to rule Judea but didn’t give him the title of “king.” (Ethnarchy)
b The audience Jesus speaks this parable to were immediately captivated because its parallelism to a well-known ancient event.
2 Luke 19.11-27 NASB
a The people were asking about the king and it’s immediate appearing; its complete display of kingdom authority.
aa Is the Kingdom here? Yes & No.
bb What they are asking in Luke is when is Jesus going to make all wrong, right? Full display of kingdom authority.
b Jesus is saying the kingdom will not display its full authority until the King returns to rule. (2nd coming)
c The interesting part is that Jesus leaves a plan in place in the interim period while we wait for the king to return!
I The King has come!
A The Bible says He is the King of the Jews, Israel.
1 Ps. 24.8,10
a He is the King of Righteousness, Glory, Ages.
b Heb. 1.3; 1 Peter 3.22; Rev. 19.16
aa He is the King of Kings & Lord of Lords.
bb He is unchangable, unstoppable, unmovable.
cc Commander of an army that has never been defeated.
2 The nobleman went away to receive His Kingdom and He returned to rule & reign.
a Despite the complaints, rejection of him as king . . . he’s still king!
b Regardless of people complaining about, questioning, rejecting Jesus, He is still King!
aa He was rejected, despised by those who should have served Him as His subjects (v.14.)
bb Lost people do not want Jesus to reign over them, and if it were possible, they would cast Him off & never submit to His reign.
cc He is King & He’s coming back.
2 How sad that the last servant wrapped his opportunity so carefully in a napkin so it would be safe.
a Wrapped in tissue paper, layer of foam before he put in bubble wrap and then laid it in shipping peanuts.
b This approach brought the wrath out in the king!
aa The servant was supposed to use opportunity!
bb IL. I grew us with some kids who freaked if their pants got grass stains, rips in their shirt because their moms were going to go ballistic. I was blessed to have a dad who thought that school of thought was best left on Bravo. Boys play & get dirty. Go ahead & run, have a good time. “That’s why they make needle & thread.”
cc I had been given a green light to run, jump, fall w/o fear of getting in trouble. Given permission to seize the opportunity to have fun, be a kid!
(By the way: your children only have one childhood, so do your best to give them a good one.) Feb. Family Series: Keeping Your Family Out of the Pot (When the World is Going Down the Drain).
c To the King, the opportunity missing servant squandered his blessing because he didn’t use it.
aa The king’s thought was that he should it have given to someone who would use it.
bb When accounting time came (and it did come), to the king, he saw the servant as if he would have never received anything.
B The mina (or 100 days wages) is an opportunity to do something for the Kingdom whose King is coming.
1 Each one of us has been given something (or some things) from God.
a No one can say that he/she has received nothing from Him.
aa . . .What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? 1 Cor 4:7 (NASB)
bb Like taking credit for “Sgt. Peppers” because we downloaded it from iTunes.
cc What we have comes from Him (Whether we have little or much)
b It may be wealth, talent, learning or time. YOU GOT SOMETHING.
c What He has given us we are responsible for & will give an account on how we used it.
d Wasted opportunity means loss of reward.
aa Possibly loss of the privledge of service in the kingdom.
bb I’m saying, If you don’t use it (opp.), God and take it from you and give it too somebody else.
Notice to Sermon Central Users:
My name is Mike Fogerson, and I pastor a Southern Baptist Church in Chester, Illinois. I have been a long-time user of Sermon Central and truly appreciate its content and contributors. Some of the best sermons I’ve ever preached have been reworked material from this website. As you use the material from my sermon bank, understand that it is work that has been done from not just myself, but from hundreds of other pastors as well. If you see part of your message, or a bunch of your message with my name on it and this upsets you, please email me and I will quickly respond and cite you as the main source. My intent is not to claim someone’s work as my own. I am disclaiming up front that I use the resources from Sermon Central and appreciate the tool. I simply want all those who use my work to know that some of these messages were inspired by the Holy Spirit working through other pastors. Because I do use the messages of other pastors I waive all claims of originality or origin of creativity for the messages posted under my messages. I pray God blesses your preaching ministry for the glory of His Kingdom.
Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
