Luke 19:11-27

Luke 19:11-27

God’s Economy

I. We must invest all God has given us for His glory; because Jesus has commanded us to faithfully multiply His investment in us (Vv. 11-14)

a. As Jesus drew close to Jerusalem for the final time, his followers were convinced that His Kingdom would be inaugurated upon His arrival in Jerusalem. Jesus knew that He must suffer before He was glorified, and a long absence would proceed His return and Kingdom on earth. So Jesus told His followers a parable of “nobleman” who went to a “distant” country to receive kingly authority. As he left, he called ten of his servants and gave them each money, instructing them to put his money to work while he was away. There were also other citizens that hated the ruler, and sent a group to depose his kingship. The nobleman is Jesus, and the travel to the distant land represents His absence. The servants are His followers, and the citizens who and reject his rule, represent those who reject Jesus as Lordship. (Vv. 11-14)

b. All His earthly followers are to be faithful to put the assets He’s given them to work for His glory. All have varying levels of ability, but the specific common asset to which Jesus refers is the gospel. We must put His costly gospel to work in the whole world. People will oppose Jesus and reject His Lordship over their lives and this world, but He will judge justly. We must faithfully to do all things for the sake of the gospel, investing our whole lives in Him for His multiplied glory, knowing we’ll also be called to give an account of our business dealings. (Ps. 110:2; Matt. 25:14-30; 28:18-20; John 19:15; Acts 1:1, 6-8; 1 Cor. 9:16-23; 2 Cor. 5:18-21)

II. We must invest all God has given us for His glory; because Jesus will judge our faithfulness when He returns (Vv. 15-27)

a. The kings return reveals two fundamental types of people, the faithful, and the unfaithful. The first servant reported an increase of 10 minas, and as he was faithful in little, he was rewarded with much, authority over 10 cities. The second servant reported an increase of 5 minas, and was rewarded according to his faithfulness, with authority over 5 cities. These servants represent those who are faithful to invest the life and gospel they’re given completely for the glory of God, trusting Him to multiply the fruit of His gospel through their faithfulness. The nobleman gave these two servants no guarantee of incentive to shrewdly invest, but they were faithful to his command, and he was gracious and generous in return. Jesus calls us to be completely faithful to invest all He’s given us, and we’re promised satisfaction, fulfilment, hope, peace, purpose, and abundance in Him now and eternally. We must not allow the world to inform us on what we deserve and what should satisfy us based on our own abilities. God is faithful to reward faithfulness, not ability. (Vv. 15-19; Ps. 103:10; Eccl. 1-2; Matt. 6:19-21, 33; Rom. 5:6-11; 1 Cor. 3:8-14; Eph. 3:20-21; Phil. 3:20-21; 4:6-9; 1 John 2:15-17)

b. The third servant reported no increase. Because he feared the king to be brutal and unfair, he hid his money away in a handkerchief to preserve it until the kings return. But the king knew the worthless servant was lying and didn’t really know him, because if he really thought the king was so harsh, he would’ve at least put the money up so that it made interest. So, the king judges the servant according to what he said he knew about the king. He orders his mina taken away and given to the servant who saw the increase of 10, and so declares his value of faithfulness over all things. Finally, he judges those who rejected him, sentencing them to death. (Vv. 20-27)

c. The great truth of this parable is that God rewards faithfulness, and He gives us everything we need to be faithful to Him. The great warning of this parable is that He will hold all people accountable for what they do with what He’s given us. The unfaithful servant never actually knew the king, so there was no way he could properly steward what he was given. There are many in the world today who profess to know Christ, but the evidence of their lives suggest that they’ve never taken God seriously at His word, and might not know Him at all. If they really knew God and took Him seriously, they’d see that there’s no option for responding to the gospel by wrapping it up in a handkerchief for safe keeping. It ultimately must either be embraced fully, or it is functionally and fully rejected. The gospel is life, and so it must be the reality and full expression of who we are. We must take God seriously, take Him at His Word, truly investigate what His Word says about Him. Then we’ll find satisfaction in Him, desire to invest our lives in Him, live urgently for Him now, multiply the fruit of His gospel, and look eagerly for His return and His reward. (Isa. 40:10; Matt. 7:21-23; 25:30, 41, 46; John 6:37; 1 Cor. 15:58; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess. 1:9-10; 2 Tim. 4:6-8; Tit. 1:15-16; Heb. 6:10; 11:1, 6; 1 Pet. 4:17-19; Rev. 3:14-22; 22:12-21)