The Parable of the Mina
Introduction: Ill. Once a man said, “If I had some extra money, I'd give it to God, but I have just enough to support myself and my family.” And the same man said, “If I had some extra time, I'd give it to God, but every minute is taken up with my job, my family, my clubs, and you have every single minute!” And the same man said, “If I had a talent I'd give it to God, but I have no lovely voice; I have no special skill: I've never been able to lead a group; I can't think cleverly or quickly, the way I would like to.”
And God was touched, and although it was unlike him, God gave that man money, time, and glorious talent. And then He waited, and waited, and waited . . . . And then after a while, He shrugged His shoulders, and He took all those things right back from the man, the money, the time and the glorious talent. After a while, the man sighed and said, “If I only had some of that money back, I'd give it to God. If I only had some of that time, I'd give it to God.”
And God said, “Oh, shut up.”
And the man told some of his friends, “You know, I'm not so sure that I believe in God Anymore.”
(God is no fool, 1969, Abindgon Press)
If you are too lazy to put God's gifts to work, don't blame God for it.
This morning we will be examining the lesson behind the parable of the minas (pounds) (if you have your bibles with you turn with me to Luke 19:14)
I read that Josephus records that Herod as you know was ruler of Judea. He was appointed king by Caesar. Once he died his son, Archelaus went to Rome, a far away country (to them at the time) to be made king in his father's place. The people hated him and sent a large group to petition Caesar saying “We will not that this man reign over us.” but Caesar made him an ethnarch, a ruler with less power than a king. When Archelaus returned to Judea he brutally punished all his detractors that petitioned Caesar not to make him ruler of the land but he rewarded all of his loyal defenders. According to Jewish historians, this would have happened about 30 years before Jesus speaking this parable. So the disciples would have been very familiar and could relate with the story behind the parable. The disciples expected at any moment, the Romans to be ran out and immediately the old Israel restored, like the good ole days of King David. And everything would be great again. But Jesus explains how their expectations of the coming kingdom were misplaced and that he will go away and they (we) must work until he returns.
In the parable, the nobleman who becomes King is Jesus. The servants are his disciples (then and today). The mina (pound) is any spiritual gift, ability, or resource, that we have in our life to be used to spread the gospel and increase the kingdom of God. (read v.11-14)
Transition: I just have three points to share- we learn that there are 2 types of people in the world, second that there will be good accounts, and thirdly we learn that there will be bad accounts. Let's begin..
I. There are 2 types of people in this world. (Luke 19:14,15)
You are either an enemy or a servant of the king. No middle ground...
a) Enemies of Jesus
Whether you work and live for yourself, the world, or the devil, all three masters are the same, or at least might as well be the same, because they carry the same punishment.
There were those who said “we don't want this man to be our king.” There were those who shouted “NO! Not Him!” when Pilate offered to release Jesus. They had rejected Jesus as king and made themselves the first enemies of the cross.
Many have followed in their mold ever since. Some today are infuriated with the notion that Jesus is King. Michael Brown from his 'In the line of fire' column with Charisma magazine recently said “I believe there is a common thread that unites the new atheism, the radical left, and the gay activist revolution. It is the philosophy that says “we will not have God and his Son rule over us!” He also notes that “Philosopher Richard Rorty was even more direct, wanting parents who send their children to college to know that, as professors “we are going to go right on trying to discredit you in the eyes of your children, trying to stop your fundamentalists religious community of dignity, trying to make your views seem silly rather than discussable.” (Michael Brown: what's so great about Christianity: Dinesh D'Souza)
Sadly, enemies of the cross today remind us of what was said in Psalm 2;2 “The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed, saying 'Let us tear off their bands and cast away their ropes from us.”
The cross is too much for some to carry not because it is heavy, after all, we know his yoke is easy and his burden is light, but because it bears shame, scorn, and persecution. And it also requires responsibility and that is a responsibility that is too much for some to bear.
By rejecting their king, they hope to escape responsibility for his minas. They may escape responsibility but they also escape the reward, but mark my words, they will never escape punishment. They didn't want Jesus to be their king then, and many people don't want Jesus to be their King now.
“He was made king however, and returned home. .. v.15
Reject or receive Jesus as king, either way, He is king! And therefor, whether they agree or not, we all are his subjects, because we are all his fathers creation and his Father made his son king. But for those who take up the responsibility of being his servant, they will be responsible for what their king gives them.
b) Servants of Jesus
“. . . Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with.” v. 15
Ill. In his book when God whispers your name, Max Lucado tells the story of John Egglen, who had never preached a sermon in his life before the Sunday morning when it snowed and the pastor wasn't able to make it to the church. In fact, he was the only deacon to show up. He was not a preacher, but he was faithful and that meant on that particular Sunday morning he preached. God rewarded his faithfulness, and at the end of his hesitant sermon, one young man invited God into his heart. No one there could appreciate the significance of what had taken place. After all, all the angels rejoice when one sinner is saved, but this young man was different, he was destined to lead multitudes of sinners to Christ! This young man who was saved that day was none other than Charles Haddon Spurgeon who was preaching before he was a teenager, and was pastor of the largest church in London in his twenties, a church so large it could hold 5,000 people and yet there were people lined up outside with their ear to the wall trying to hear his sermons. He has been widely regarded as the “Prince of Preachers”. Yes, that man of God was saved that day, all thanks to a faithful deacon who showed up and did something he had never done before and share the gospel with a church on a cold snowy day. (sermon central ill)
All of us here have been given something to use to benefit our king. All of us will have to give an account of how we used our time, health, money, talents, resources, capacities.
Some are given money, resources, special skills, and some were given spiritual gifts such as wisdom, knowledge, understanding, giving, prophecy, encouragement, mercy, teaching, faith, and I believe that God gives some people more life (like Hezekiah), they escaped cancer or survived a tragic accident and they are still working for God. And I also believe that God gives a few of us a platform to share the gospel: an actor, a musician, a politician, a sports figure, etc. (Tim Tebow, Kirk Cameron, The Duggars, The Robertsons)
Transition: There are 2 good accounts. Notice that only one mina is given to all of them. No one can say “If I had more, I could have done more.” If you can not be faithful with a little you can not be faithful with much. What would they do if the Lord showed them someone who had done way more with way less and they had done it under worse circumstances. No excuse will avail you on the last day. Let's look at the first account of a good servant:
II. The Good Account Commended (Luke 19:16,17)
“the first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'” v.16
Every servant has been given a gift, an ability, a resource, but the good servant takes what is given and increases it for his king.
'I have taken a blessing and I have been a blessing to others where I live and where I work.'
'I have taken your gift and used it to glorify you.'
'I did as you asked, and here is what I made for you.'
This first one who came was more focused and applied himself to his business than the other. The Lord said “Well done, my good servant.” Those who do well, He will say 'well done!'
“Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.” v. 17
Keep in mind He doesn't owe him anything – He is a servant. We tend to focus on the servant because we put ourselves there, but notice the kindness and love of the king, He doesn't owe the servant anything, but he graciously gives him ten cities to rule over. The servant has proved He can be responsible with ten cities, because He was responsible with just 1 mina. Literal cities or figurative, we don't know. (we will assume literal ones) But those who are productive with a little prove they can be trusted with more.
Keep in mind, that in the parable, it was among enemies, that the servant had to be productive.
Fig trees do surprisingly well in the desert where it is hot during the day and cold at night. And as harsh as the desert is, this tree still produces fruit. Those that can be fruitful in the most unaccommodating places on earth will make for the best rulers in Heaven. Jesus cursed the fruitless fig tree, other fig trees in the area produced fruit but what good was this one? It just took up air and dirt – It lived for itself but not for its purpose – to produce fruit, and it was cursed to die.
When they pass from this world to the next, even though they may have been trampled on and despised like the apostles. They may have had trouble in this world but their king, their Lord, their savior, has overcome the world, and they will, some sweet day, reap the reward of their faithfulness.
“The second came and said 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.'” v.18
This servant may not have earned as much as the first, but He earned more than what He was given. That's the point – to take what little you have and do something with it for God. I find there is a lot of satisfaction in doing a lot with a little. “You may be able to do a lot with much, but watch me do a lot with a little! We are just as grateful for the small fruit trees as we are the big ones. The fruit from the smaller trees are just as sweet. As long as they produce fruit, they prove to be productive.
And “his master answered, you take charge of five cities.” v. 19
He might not have been as fruitful as the first but He was fruitful. And our Lord being kind and gracious, gave him control of five cities. He proved he could be faithful with at least that.
Transition: Now in the next verse we make our last point..
III. The Bad Account Condemned (Luke 19:20,21)
“Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth.” v. 20
Notice how he acts as if he has done some good thing. “Ah yes, I still have that ole mina. I kept it safe for you all these years. I knew you were a strict businessman so I was afraid to lose it, but I didn't! I still have it.” in other words “I didn't make anything with it but I didn't spend it or lose it either.”
What would it matter if he did lose it? He didn't do anything with it so the effect was the same.
Can you imagine taking an appliance into a repair shop or taking an old family heirloom in to be restored and come back some months later only to see it in the corner of the shop still in the box you brought it in beside an old oil can near some crumpled up newspapers with cob webs hanging from it? And the shop worker replies “Oh ya I still have that, here you go.”
They miss the point of having it in the first place. I had an uncle who shared with me that he bought a loved one a Christmas present. He worked hard for the money to get it, he spent the time to pick out just what they needed, fought the crowds, and the parking, and wrapped it himself and put a bow on it. Later he said he visited this person and found his gift still unwrapped. He said he was hurt. Imagine how God feels when you do nothing with his gift, that was specifically created for you.
We are meant to do something with what we have been given, not to just keep it wrapped up and tucked away. Imagine Jesus showing you an image of what you were supposed to do and an image of what you did. There will be those who will be reminded that they were given something from God and they never applied it to his kingdom. They might have had the gift of knowledge but never taught anyone. They had the gift of a great testimony and never shared it with anyone, they had the gift of singing but never inspired anyone, they had the gift of many resources: they had property, houses, money, etc but never sheltered the homeless, never fed the hungry, never started a ministry. They squandered their mina, for the love of the world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Some were given certain skills; with their hands or with their minds, and they did nothing but serve themselves with them.
This servant then tries to justify himself in his omission, which made the matter worse.
“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.” v. 21
We read in Proverbs that the fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom. If what this servant said were true he would be wise man, but we know he wasn't a wise man at all. If he said “I feared you”, then why did he not do all he could to avoid his masters wrath or disappointment? If he feared him, it seems to me, that he would go out and make more with what he was given like he was told to or face the consequences.
He then insinuates unfairness saying “You take out what you did not put in” and “reap what you did not sow.” Let's begin with the obvious. That is false. The master did sow. He sowed 1 mina into this man, who did nothing with it but attempts to blame his master for it.
“His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You know, 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?” v. 22, 23
This wicked servant is called out for his laziness. If he believed what he said that he knew his master was an austere and shrewd businessman then why didn't he take the mina to the bank to draw interest? That is easy enough, you just go and leave it, but he didn't even have the ambition to do that.
Some people find its the greatest burden to do even the smallest things for God! And one day they will have to answer for it.
“Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.' Sir,' they said he already has ten minas.'” v. 24, 25
Many people today think its unfair that those who have much should have more, but is it fair to reward those who do nothing? Those who won't use their gift will lose it. And it was given to the one who had 10 minas. Everyone objected “He already has 10!” Then Jesus answered:
“. . . 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.” v. 26
“Well that's not fair.” Let me ask you, If you lay a seed for corn in the ground, is it unreasonable to expect it to grow and produce multiple kernels? If a person is using their gifts industriously for God – it makes sense to give him more. If an entrepreneur hires 3 managers to run three of his operations and he sees that one manager increases his profit 10% and another 4-6% and the other lost money; is it un reasonable to let the most productive manager take over the the operation of the worst? If a person can take a dollar and make 10 dollars, then you can trust him to take 10 dollars and make it 100, and 100 dollars a thousand.
If you had planted a garden on different parts of your property and found that one soil was more productive than the other, doesn't it make sense to start planting there, where the soil is fertile? Where it has proven it's productivity before?
God removes this unproductive servants' gift to where it will be best applied and put it where it will be more productive.
“But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be the king over them bring them here and kill them in front of me.” v. 27
Again, you are either an enemy or a servant, a wheat or a tare, a goat or a sheep, you are either walking the broad way or the narrow way, you are headed for heaven or headed for hell, you serve God or you serve the Devil.
Unbelievers want salvation, they just don't want Jesus to be Lord. They want paradise as long as they get to decide what paradise is and how they can get there. They want a share of the kingdom, they just don't want Jesus to be the king. They want to be called a Christian but they don't want to carry their cross. My friends, it doesn't work like that. You must surrender to Christ and become his servant, to receive his reward.
Conclusion: And for all of those that persecuted, mocked, and insulted Christians, then and now. . . for all of those who made a spectacle of our Lord by forcing a crown of thorns onto his brow and made a spectacle by mocking him with a nice robe and then executing him by crucifixion. Some day they will be made a spectacle before the saints and angels. Some day in epic justice of reaping and sowing, they will see all of us living in splendor and glory, just before their eyes close and are sent to eternal damnation.
Now, I don't wish Hell for anyone, it is indescribably horrible, but if you make yourself an enemy of God, knowing that he is the victor, then you have no one to blame but yourself on judgment day, for choosing to serve the loser.
