Luke 19:11-27

Luke 19:11-27 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. He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ “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. “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ ‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’ Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 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.’ 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? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ 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. 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 Jewish people expected Jesus to establish his kingdom on Earth quickly, but Jesus tells this parable to correct that impression. He tells them about a man of noble birth who goes away for a while and then comes back as king to take control of the land. Many of his subjects did not like him and did not want him to be their king. Jesus is referring to the Jewish people who would reject him as the Christ by crucifying him. They would crucify him, but someday He would return as Lord and King.

The minas in the parable were worth approximately 2,000 dollars each in our money. One servant multiplies his mina to twenty thousand dollars, another multiplies his to ten thousand dollars, but a third hides the coin. The latter chose to hide the mina rather than use it for the Lord. He figured it was a waste of time to multiply the mina, for the master would take the profits, leaving the servant with nothing for his efforts but the gift of the mina. However, this man was judged harshly for his laziness. The two thousand dollars he was given was taken away and placed in the hands of the one who earned twenty thousand dollars. The king made the profitable servants rulers over cities, but he gave the unprofitable servant nothing. The king also dispensed with those in his kingdom who hated him, who chose to rebel rather than coming under his authority. Jesus is telling the Jewish people that He will return as king in the future to reward those who are faithful to his Word, but those who reject him or who are unprofitable He will judge harshly.

We are those servants. How will we use the minas that we receive? Are we willing to serve Jesus even if He is far away in another country? Of course the answer is yes, we will serve him. We who are in the Kingdom serve him now. We might not be as profitable as we want, but we serve him with our words of praise and with our dedicated lives. If we are not serving him as willingly as we should, the Bible says we will come under discipline. We can receive that discipline in many different ways. The Lord wants us to commit more of ourselves to him, to actually use the minas fully for his benefit. In this parable, the servant who was lazy received nothing and was chastised for his laziness.

Laziness in the Christian world is living our lives as WE DESIRE: hiding our talents, our gifts of strength, the essence of our lives, away from God's service. How many of us are doing that? How many of us think we can serve God in isolation at home, away from people, away from gathering ourselves together with believers? Do we smugly believe we are part of the church of God without community or without testifying of Jesus in the wider world of the unbelievers? Unfortunately, if we think we can live that way, we are hiding our mina; we are deceiving ourselves. God did not breathe spiritual life into us for our benefit alone; it was given for God's purposes. That knowledge challenges me. The Bible says we have been bought with a HIGH PRICE, Jesus Christ's suffering and crucifixion. Therefore, we are not OUR OWN: we are his. We no longer have the right or the privilege to hide from God in our homes, our schools, and our workplaces. If we do, we are hiding our mina and failing to reap a harvest for our Lord.

Eventually, our lives will be exposed to God's righteous light. Nothing will be hidden. We might be able to deceive ourselves, but we will not deceive God. Consequently, my fellow servants, seek him while it is yet day, or while you can still work, for the night comes when no one can work. Each of our hearts will stop one day; our work for the Master will stop as well. What we have done while it is day will be exposed for the Lord. If we have done little or nothing because of fear, doubt, and unbelief, our hearts will weep because our mina has been wasted as we lived our lives for ourselves. But none of us need to follow that route: we can pray in our closets, we can write emails and notes of encouragement, we can visit the sick; we can be servants to all through Christ in us and the power of the Holy Spirit. Consider your gifts and your responsibilities today and praise God for the gift of life and the strength to serve him.