Great Expectations
Text: Luke 19:11-27
Introduction: In the early 1990s the American media reported on the case of Michael Fay, an18-year-old American residing in Singapore. He was charged with defacing personal property and had to face the state’s legal punishment for the crime...which in this case was four months in jail, a $2,200 fine and 4 strokes of a cane. No matter how much protest was made in this country (President Clinton appealed on his behalf) regarding the cruelty of the punishment, in the end no one disputed the right of the Singapore government to follow its own rules of governing. So in the spring of 1994, Michael Fay stripped naked in the caning room of the prison in which he was housed. He bent over and his arms and legs were fastened to an H-shaped trestle by straps. A protective covering was placed over his kidneys. A prison official, a medical officer and the caner were the only ones present. The caner wound up and, using his full body weight, struck with the 13mm-thick rattan rod, which had been soaked overnight to prevent it from splitting. Each stroke on Fay’s exposed buttocks came about half a minute apart. It was over in minutes, but not without much pain. It’s good to remember that rules governing a group of people are set by the one who rules, not those who are ruled. In the parable we’re going to look at today, we discover that Christ rules heaven and earth as King. He sets the rules for life in His kingdom and judges His subjects based on them.
Background: In Luke 19:9, Jesus proclaimed, "Today salvation has come to this house..." This He said, while journeying toward Jerusalem. It wouldn’t be long before the crowds would be calling out, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord." They would watch Him exercise His authority by cleansing the temple and astonishing the Pharisees. Because of this many in the crowd would have taken His words to mean that the Messiah, the long awaited hope of Israel, was about to take His rightful place as the King of the Jews. Seeking to correct this misunderstanding Jesus tells them a parable in which He categorizes people based upon their response to His rule over their lives.
Christ often used categories to define people. In Matthew 23:32, 33 we find that upon His return He will separate the sheep and the goats; in Matthew 13:30 He refers to some people as wheat and others as tares. Luke 8 tells us that He used different kinds of soil to represent different kinds of people. In this passage, our Lord sees everyone as fitting into one of three categories: Those who accept Christ’s rule; those who neglect Christ’s rule; and those who reject Christ’s rule. Before we look at these, it would be helpful to consider a few assumptions that are made about Christ in this parable.
A. Christ is King (See Luke 19:12).
1. He was born "King of the Jews" (See Matthew 2:2).
2. He introduced the kingdom during His time on earth (See Matthew 12:28). Because His kingdom was not of this world (See John 18:36), He refused any attempt on the part of the people to make Him an earthly king that could wield earthly power (See John 6:15).
3. Following His resurrection, Christ was given by God the Father authority over "heaven and earth (See Matthew 28:18) so that He is King of kings and Lord of lords (See Revelation 19:16).
B. Christ is Coming (See Luke 19:12, 13).
1. He will come again and take us to Himself (See John 14:3).
2. He will come in the same way He departed, in a personal, visible and bodily return (See Acts 1:11; Revelation 1:7).
3. While His coming can occur at any moment, it will be at an hour that we do not expect (See Mark 13:32, 33). We must stay awake and be ready for His coming.
C. Christ is Judge (See Luke 19:14, 15).
1. He will judge the living and the dead (See 1 Timothy 4:1).
2. He will judge righteously (See 1 Timothy 4:8), i.e. without prejudice or partiality.
Now bearing in mind these assumptions let’s look at the kinds of people He will find upon His return.
I. There will be those who have accepted Christ’s rule (See Luke 19:16-19). How we treat things, tells us a lot about who we serve. Ten of the nobleman-turned-king’s servants were entrusted with a sum of money called a "pound." It was the equivalent to 100 days wages for a common laborer. The expectation was that they would "put this money to work until (the king had) come back." The parable doesn’t tell us how many followed the man’s instructions. It does, however, tell us the positive experience of two who did. When called to give an account, they had invested wisely, turning one pound into ten and five respectively. What can we learn from their example?
A. God commends faithfulness. "Well done, my good servant." These men did not serve their own selfish desires, but they invested the money in such a way as to provide the greatest return for their King. Who of us doesn’t long to hear our Lord say the same when we find ourselves in His presence? I am always amazed at what a simple "well done" can do for a person.
B. God rewards faithfulness. How we manage God’s resources will have a direct bearing on our future rewards (See Matthew 16:24-27). As a matter of fact, contrary to what some might consider improper motivation, Jesus appeals to us live our lives in the pursuit them (See Matthew 6:19, 20).
Application: I find it remarkable Scripture often speaks of entrance into the kingdom of God in ways that don’t typically fit our evangelical mindset. When John the Baptist was speaking on the kingdom of God, some people gathered and asked him what they should do? He responded in a way that many of us would struggle with. He didn’t say, "Pray this prayer after me to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord." He gave three answers found in Luke 3:10-14, all of which had to do with our handling of material goods. When Jesus was asked by a wealthy man what he had to do to inherit eternal life, Christ responded, "Sell you possessions and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me (See Matthew 19:21). In the passage just preceding this one. Zacchaeus was said to have been saved when he repented of his sin and become generous with others (See Luke 19:8, 9). Jesus understands that money and possessions are man’s gods. When we accept the rule of Christ and submit to His lordship, we are exchanging earthly treasures for heavenly ones. The message from Christ to those who have accepted His rule is "Well done."
II. There will be those who have neglected Christ’s rule (See Luke 19:20-26). A third servant chose to do nothing with the funds with which he had been entrusted. He offered an excuse ("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."), but found no sympathy. As a matter of fact, his knowledge of the character of the king made him all the more accountable! The king took back from the man his money and gave it to another who had demonstrated faithfulness. Application: When you read this parable, you will be tempted to see in this person a believer who lost his reward in heaven, but still managed to escape the fires of Hell. I don’t believe this is what the Lord intends. While it is true that God’s kindness extends to the ungrateful and wicked (See Luke 6:35) and that He justifies the wicked (See Romans 4:5), those who act in such a way should never feel assured of their place in Christ’s kingdom. The wicked will be separated from the righteous and thrown into the fiery furnace, we’re told in Matthew 13:49. The message to those who may be neglecting the rule of Christ is...repent while there is still time! Illustration: Several years ago I spoke on integrity to a group of high school students. I shared how I had sinned and failed to own up to it until I was confronted by a believing friend. Once I dealt with the sin in the manner God desired for me, I was free of the guilt I had bore for several years. Following my message, students started coming forward asking what repentance would look like for them based on what they had done in disobedience to our Lord. That is repentance and it is what God desires for all who are neglecting the rule of Christ in their lives.
III. There are those who have rejected Christ’s rule (See Luke 19:27). To appreciate Christ’s words, it helps to have some historical background. In 4 B. C. Archelaus went to Rome to be appointed King over Jerusalem by the Emperor. Because he was not popular with the people, there was a public outcry against it. While he did not receive the title "King," he was granted enough authority to return and take retribution on those who opposed his appointment. Certainly, in this context, Jesus is addressing the leaders of the Jews are stand in opposition to Christ. But just as there were those who rejected Jesus’ kingship in the 1st century, so there are others who do so in 21st century. Christ issues these warnings to all who refuse to bow to His kingship.
A. "I know who you are." The king labeled these people as "enemies of mine." They are those who are hostile to Christ’s kingdom. The word "enemy" is used to refer elsewhere to Satan (See Matthew 13:39), death (See 1 Corinthians 15:26), of those who are friends with the world (See James 4:4), and of those who, as in this case, were opposed to Christ (See Philippians 3:18).
B. "I will hold you accountable." To those who harden their hearts and reject the Christ’s rule, the message is "Prepare yourself. Judgment is coming! Destruction awaits all who deny Christ.
Conclusion: From time to time, while traveling along some of the area roads, you may notice a white cross that marks the spot where someone died in an auto accident. Every time I pass one, I feel of pang of sadness knowing that a life was ended abruptly, without time to prepare. They are solemn reminders of our mortality, but they should lead our minds to consider matters beyond this life. If the places where men faced the second death could also be indicated by a cross, a crimson one at that (Isaiah 1:18 -- "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.") what a scene it would present! One lone red cross to mark the life of a person who loved the world, not God; another representing the hardened heart of one who rejected Christ’s rule, and still a third that resisted the last tender loving appeal to follow. If we could see those markers, Charles Spurgeon says, "Our places of worship would hardly hold the sorrowing monuments that might be erected over spots where spirits were forever lost--spirits that date their ruin from sinning against the gospel while under the (judgment) of it."
