The Little Things Do Count

It’s the “Little Things” that Count 7/26/04

Luke 19:11-27

I heard a Christian talk show this week talking about this subject. The little things your spouse does or the little things that your children do that just get under your skin. One of the pet peeves is the proper way to place a roll of toilet paper roll. I, of course, could care less as long as there is toilet paper there when needed. But I was surprised that 30% of the people who said that this was one of their pet peeves admitted if they were using the facility other than there own and found the toilet paper not in the proper way; they would change it.

It’s hard to believe that something as little as which way the toilet paper is loaded would matter to anyone. But we all have little things in our lives that seem minor to us, but mean the world to another.

My Grandmother when she passed away had very little as far as possessions are concerned. But in her will she requested all of her belongings be auctioned off and the money raised is to be split among the children. Most people come to auctions looking for a bargain, but not so in this case. You had cousins bidding against cousins. Brother’s against Sisters. I paid $10 for a little cap gun that I had played with as a little boy. To what seemed junk to one, was treasure to another.

You see it is the little things that matter.

Today I want to look at a parable that Jesus talks about this subject and we will see that little things do count.

(Read Luke 19:11-27)

This happened right after Jesus had met Zacchaeus and went to his house. And we read about the conversion of Zacchaeus in verse 8. In verse 9-10 we read the words of Jesus, And Jesus said unto him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost”.

This happened in Jericho as Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem; His final destination before His crucifixion. The disciples thought that Jesus arrival in Jerusalem would be the signal of the arrival of the kingdom of God. This parable was meant to dispel this misconception. (Verse 11)

Here in this parable we find each servant receiving mina. One mina was worth about four months wages to an average worker. So we have 10 servants all receiving a mina apiece. The noble man was leaving to set up another kingdom. And he in-trusted these servants to take care of his business while he was gone. Upon his return he calls the servants together to give an account of the money he had left them.

We read that the first one came and with the one mina he had made 10 minas. The Master is pleased and rewards him to be a ruler over 10 cities. The next one like wise took the one mina and turned it into 5 minas. And he was made ruler over 5 cities. Then the next one came back to him and he did not loose anything, but he did not gain anything either. The master called him a wicked servant and his mina was taken from him and given to the one who had made the 10. His unfaithfulness resulted in the loss of his reward.

What is the meaning of the parable?

Jesus is the master who left to receive a kingdom.

John 14:2 In My Fathers house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

The servants represent Jesus’ followers. They are to serve faithfully until Jesus returns. The citizens who hated him refer to those who reject Jesus outright. The rewards that were given to the faithful servants are those we read about in Revelation 2:26, And he that overcomes, and keeps My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

The first and second servants were rewarded for their faithfulness. Their faithfulness is commended and rewarded with greater opportunity.

The unfaithful servant came and made excuses for his failure. If the servant had really feared the master, he would have done something with the money or at least put it in the bank to draw some interest. So what he had was taken away from him. Now this is not saying that he lost his status as a servant, but he lost his reward. And in comparison to this, sense Salvation is by grace. We can lose our reward but not our salvation.