A Study of the Book of Luke
Sermon # 53
“The Parable of the Investments!”
Luke 19:11-26
I believe that one of the great heroes of the faith in our day is Dr. Billy Graham. Although he is now in his 80’s and battling Parkingson’s disease he is still preaching the gospel. In 1996, he and his wife were awarded the Congressional medal of honor for their service to America. After the presentation, Dr. Graham was being interviewed by Diane Sawyer. In his characteristic way he turned the attention on Jesus when he said, “Ruth and I are humbled to receive this award. But the only recognition I am looking forward to is when I stand in before the Lord Jesus Christ. My greatest reward will be to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” What Dr. Graham is referring to is a phrase from the parable that we are going to be looking at today.
What we have before us this morning is the only parable that Jesus told that was based on an actual historical event. The story that Jesus told must have really grabbed the attention of the people. In 4 B.C. Archelaus (the son of Herod the Great) traveled to Rome with the hopes of being crowned ruler of Judea. When Herod had died there was confusion over his will (he had written six of them). Two of his sons, Antipas and Archelaus both claimed the throne. Archelaus traveled to Rome with the hope that Caesar Augustus would confirm him as the ruler. The Jews were outraged with the prospect of Archelaus being the king because he was as cruel and brutal as his father. Therefore they sent a delegation of 50 of the leading citizens to Rome to oppose Archelaus being appointed the ruler. The result was that Archelaus did not become king of the entire region but was appointed ruler of Judea (in fact he had his palace in Jericho), Galilee was given to his brother Antipas, and Jordan was given to his other brother Philip.
Verse eleven begins with, ““Now as they heard these things,” Perhaps Jesus had been discussing with His disciples what had happened at the house of Zacchaeus. They heard Jesus say to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house.” (v. 9) They has also heard Jesus say, “The Son of Man has come to seek and save that which is lost.” (v. 10). We are told in the remainder of verse eleven tells us exactly why Jesus tells the parable of the pounds; “He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.” As he is drawing near to Jerusalem the expectation rises that he will establish the kingdom immediately. So he tells the parable now to correct the mistaken idea of the immediate appearance of the kingdom. Also clearly Jesus wanted them to know what they are to do while the king is gone and before he comes back.
Notice with me three important facts.
FIRST, THE MASTER HAS GIVEN US A JOB
Jesus begins his story in verse twelve, "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. (13) So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, "Do business till I come.’”
He gave them ten minas – (the equivalent of 100 days or a little over three month’s wages). He told them to according to the KJV “occupy until I come.” The word means to “do business.” The Greek word (pragmateuomai) is the word from which we get our word “pragmatic”. To be pragmatic means “practical.” And I find it very instructive that “pragmatism” is the doctrine that ideas have value only in terms of their practical consequences and that results are the sole test of the validity or truth of one’s beliefs.
There is confusion between this parable and the parable of the talents found in Matt 25 (vv. 14-30). The parable of the Talents found in Matt 25 teaches us that we all have been given different spiritual gifts and abilities. But in this parable, that which is given to each servant is equal – one mina. The comparison of the two parables helps us to understand that although we do have different gifts and abilities, there are some things that we have all been given equally by God.
First there is time. We are not talking about the length of life, because that varies. Some live well into their nineties and beyond but others die relatively young. But each of us has the same amount of time in each day – 24 hours, it is what we do with it that matters.
Truth. Every Christian has been “entrusted with the gospel.” (1 Thess. 2:4, 1 Tim. 1:11, 6:20, 2 Tim. 2:2
Opportunities.
We all have the same job – to live for Christ. We must invest the investment that Christ has made in us.
THE MASTER HAS GIVEN US A JOB AND…
SECONDLY, THE MASTER WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE
But after some time the nobleman did return, but now as king. In the parable when the King returned, he required a personal accounting from each of his servants. We are living today in the period between verses 13 and 15, when our Master is absent but who will return according to His promise. Verse fifteen says, " And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.”
In the same way, we will give an account to the King on how well we managed the resources we were given. The Bible records two great judgments; “The Great White Throne Judgment” of Revelation 20 and the “Bema Seat Judgment” of 2 Corinthians 5. The Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20 is where those whose names are not found written in the Book of Life are cast into the Lake of Fire. This judgment is not for Christians but for those who reject Christ’s offer of eternal life. The judgment of 2 Corinthians 5 is entirely different. In 2 Corinthians 5:10 we read, ”For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” This judgment is called the “Judgment Seat of Christ or Bema Seat Judgment” – the “Bema” (the word here trans-lated “judgment seat”) was a raised platform from which prizes were awarded to athletes who had competed in competition. The “judgement seat of Christ” then is not for the punishment of unbelievers but for passing out of rewards for the faithful.
I want to remind you in this time of national and international crisis; when we have soldiers in Iraq, and Afghanistan, fighting terrorism that our security does not lie in the United Nations Security Council. Thank the Lord! Our security does not lie in the American military might, although I believe it is the best in the world. The final battle will not be biological or nuclear; it will occur when the King comes back in the battle of Armageddon. We do not have to live in fear; armed with plastic wrap and duct tape, we are already sealed by the Holy Spirit of God.
THE MASTER WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE AND…
THIRD, OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE MASTERE WILL BE REVEALED BY WHAT WE DO OR DON’T DO!
There are three attitudes toward the king exemplified in this parable.
First, there were those who did not what him to be king. (v. 14, 27) Verse fourteen says, “But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, "We will not have this man to reign over us.” But the opposition failed. The man did become king in the far country and returned to rule. And so will all opposition to the King of Kings WILL FAIL. As the nobleman, Jesus went into the far country to receive a kingdom. After he rose from the grave he ascended to Heaven, where He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:3) and there he was declared King by the Father. The apostle Paul declares in Philippians 2:9-11, “…God also has highly exalted Him and given him a name above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, of those on earth, of those under the earth, (11) and that every tonque should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.” So one day He is coming again. Verse twenty-seven reveals the fate of the enemies of the king, “And now about these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king--bring them in and execute them right here in my presence.’ " (NLT) Our King came once as the Lamb of God but he is coming back and when he comes it will be as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! And when he does he will put his enemies under his feet.
Secondly, there were those who serve him gladly. (vv. 16-19) Verse sixteen tells us that, “Then came the first, saying, "Master, your mina has earned ten minas.” This faithful servant increased that which was given him 10 times, which is a 1000% increase.
The master responds in verse seventeen with, “Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’’Well done!” The master’s response was “Well done,” I would imagine the modern equivalent would be to say “that’s great!” Notice that the reward for faithful service was an opportunity for greater service.
The second servant’s report is found in verse eighteen, " And the second came, saying, "Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ (19) Likewise he said to him, "You also be over five cities.”
The second servant gave his report. This servant had shown an increase of 500%. Each of the faithful servants received a position of authority directly proportionate to their faithful-ness.
Third, there are those who refuse to use what they have been given. (vv. 20-23)
The third servant has a completely different story as revealed in verse twenty, " Then another came, saying, "Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. (21) For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.”
The master obviously expected his servants to take his words literally and seriously which this servant did not do. The third servant seems to think he has done a good thing by simply retaining that which was entrusted to him. But as verse twenty-two reveals this is not how the king looked at it for he said, "Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. (23) Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?”
The master also took the words of the servant seriously and judged him according to what he said. In effect Jesus says, “I will judge you by your own words.” His own words proved him hypocritical. His excuses make no sense. The man told the master that he feared him, because he was a “hard man,” literally (austeros- the word that we get austere from). But the master refused to accept this explanation, for if the slave really feared the master he would have made an effort to produce a profit for him, which he did not do! He did not even go so far as to put the money out at interest, so as to get some return for the master. If the servant was really fearful he would have been obedient.
All of us know of men and women who tell us that they are followers of Jesus Christ. We know that they, like each of us have been given equal opportunity to make an investment in the kingdom of God. But because they have a distorted view of the king they have been disobedient and have hidden that which was given them and they are living wasted lives. If you think that God is some kind of hateful, cosmic tyrant you will expect him to treat you that way. “Nothing twists and deforms the soul more than a low or unworthy conception of God.” A. W. Tozer [as quoted by Warren Wiersbe. p. 77]
In fact Herbert Lockyer says, “Our churches are full of those guilty of this sin. They seem to have no desire to serve the Savior.” [Herbert Lockyer. All the Parables of the Bible. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1963) p. 309]
In verse twenty-four we are told that the master turns to those standing nearby and ordered, “…(24) "Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’ (25) (But they said to him, "Master, he has ten minas.’) (26) "For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
The master orders that the mina be taken form the third servant who ends up with nothing, and be given to the servant who made ten minas.
The crowd or perhaps the other slaves saw this as unfair. Why take away what little the one has to give to the one who had more than enough.
Which attitude characterizes your life?
1. You do not want Him to be your King.
Your don’t want God telling you how to live your life.
2. You gladly recognize Jesus as the Lord of
your life and you look forward to hearing Him say of your life, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
3. You have taken what Jesus has invested in
your life; your time, your talents, your opportunities and you have refused to use them for Him.
The answer to that question reveals what you really believe about Jesus.
