The Once And Future King

THE ONCE & FUTURE KING

[The Great Sin of Doing Nothing]

Luke 19:11-27

INTRODUCTION

A. DEMONSTRATION: LIFE IS LIKE BROWNIES

1. My wife makes the best brownies. I’m going to give away these brownies to those who got the slips of paper. Please come up and get them.

2. Imagine this pan of brownies represents our resources; they represent how most Christians divide up their paychecks - showing our priority system.

3. “When I call out your expense, come and get your brownie.” (Slips labeled as: house payment, light bill, doctor bills, groceries, eating out, car payment, insurance, water, Internet, oil change, clothes, cell phone, gasoline, daycare, dentist, and God.)

4. One by one the people come forward to redeem their slips and claim a brownie. The last brownie disappears.

5. One slip of paper remains with ‘God’ written on it. I call out, “God!” A man (with slip) comes forward, hoping there’s one more brownie hidden somewhere.

6. I hold the pan sideways and scrap the crumbs from the bottom of the pan into the last baggie. The man (God) looks like he got a raw deal — just crumbs.

7. “The brownies in the pan represent your money. Many people don’t give God His share right away. Often He doesn’t get anything at all, except maybe the crumbs.”

8. Give God His share first. Are you being faithful with what God has given you, or does He get the leftovers?

B. TEXT

11 [Jesus told] them a parable, because…the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ 14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ 15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. 16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ 17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ 18 “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ 19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’ 20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 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.’ 22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ 24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ 25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ 26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Lk. 19:11-27.

HUMOR ON “MINAS.” The parable mentions 10 minas. No, this is not about 10 people who work underground, wear hard hats and look for precious minerals. Those are miners. We’re talking about was a Greek unit of currency.

C. SUBJECT OF PARABLE & THESIS

1. ALL HUMANS IN 2 GROUPS: those who recognize Jesus (Man of Noble Birth) as King and serve him or those who reject His Kingship.

2. REASON FOR JESUS’ BEING GONE A LONG TIME.

3. PICTURE OF FUTURE ACCOUNTABILITY.

a. Jesus has been crowned King by the Father and will return to establish His Kingdom on Earth.

b. Daniel saw Him elevated to the throne of God; 7:13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED!