Kingdon Thinking (Message 6)

Two Lessons for This Series:

The Kingdom of God is FUTURE, and yet it is HERE.
Luke 17: 21 . . . ’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Salvation is the KEY to entering the Kingdom.

The last thing Jesus said in Luke 19:10 was, “Today salvation has come to this house . . . for the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Before Entering Jerusalem:

Luke 19:11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.

We learned previously that 1.) Jesus was to be taken up into heaven in accordance to a divine timetable, and 2.) Jesus had resolutely determined to fulfill His divine purpose.
Luke 9:51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

The Parable of the Mina was told because the time was at hand and the people thought that Jesus was about to start His campaign to become King of Israel. Jesus on the other hand tells a story to explain how to live while the king is away.
The parable helps to define the role of a disciple in the time between the Lord’s departure and His return.

The King’s Appointment / The King’s Investment:

Luke 19:12 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.

Herod the Great had six sons. Three of those sons became ruling tetrarchs of the kingdom he left behind. Archelaus, Herod’s second son, ruled over the Judean portion of his father’s old rule.

However, Archelaus had to be granted rule over this portion of Israel by Rome who had gained possession of the territory. Upon Archelaus’ request from Rome, a delegation of men from the area traveled to Rome to oppose his appointment.

A parable is told to reveal truths set alongside the story. Jesus wanted the people to hear:

The noble empowered and entrusted his servants.

• Each of the ten servants was given one of the ten mina.
• A typical mina had the value of about three months wages.

The noble expected the servants to actively produce a return.

• The money was to be put to work in order to produce a gain.
• Upon his return the king wanted an account of what each servant produced.

The subjects, in contrast to the servants, were opposed to the noble and did not want him to become king.
Luke 19:16 “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.’

The focus of the king’s praise is on the trustworthiness of the servant. The amount of the gain was not the focus, but rather the faithfulness of each servant.

The king rewards those servants who were faithful in little things by giving them charge of great things in proportion to their work.

Luke 19:20 “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?’

The servant who had not produced anything placed the blame on the character of the king. At the time of his accounting, this servant pointed his finger at the king!

The king was not intimidated by being blamed. He placed the responsibility directly back on the servant who had hidden his gift.

We learn about discipleship:

God gifts those who follow Him. He has empowered and entrusted the work of the kingdom to His disciples. We take on Christ’s cause ‘to seek and to save the lost.’

God expects us to be active in faith in order to produce godly gain. No one can passively follow Jesus.

God will reward the trustworthy (Luke 16:10-12). He will see how you handle little things in order to give you responsibility in great things. He is willing to share His authority as a reward.

We will give an account for how we invested our lives. How we invest our lives matters for all eternity.

The King’s Entitlement:

Luke 19:24 “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 he has 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.’ ”

The parable closes with the newly appointed king proclaiming judgment on the wicked servant and on his subjects who are now called enemies.

The judgment of the wicked servant caused a strong response in the story. How can the one with 10 mina receive more?

The final lesson may be expressed as the one who is faithful is the one who receives; the one who is unfaithful is the one who suffers loss.

Those who did not want him to be king are killed before his eyes.