Latest / HBCWestminster / 10.31.21 Luke 19:11-27 Pastor Danny Gardner

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10.31.21 Luke 19:11-27 Pastor Danny Gardner · HBCWestminster

• 0:00
  luke 19 verses 11 to 27 i've titled this morning's message the return of the king and when we read the text it'll make sense why if you're able to stand in honor of god's word as i read i would ask you to do that beginning in verse 11 as they heard these things he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near to jerusalem and because they supposed that the kingdom of god was to appear immediately he said therefore a nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return
• 0:28
  Calling 10 of his servants, he gave them 10 minas and said to them, engage in business until I come. But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him saying, we do not want this man to reign over us. When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him saying, Lord, your mina has made 10 minas more. And he said to him, well done, good servant.
• 0:57
  Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, your mina has made five minas. And he said to him, And you are to be over five cities. Then another came, saying, Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.
• 1:22
  And he said to him, I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant. You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit, reaping what I did not sow. Why then did you not put my money in the bank? And at my coming, I might have collected it with interest. And he said to those who stood by, take the mina from him and give it to the one who has the 10 minas. And they said to him, Lord, he has 10 minas. I tell you that to everyone who has more will be given, but from the one who has not.
• 1:50
  Even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me. Would you pray with me? Father God, you sit enthroned above the earth and you hold the universe in the palm of your hand. We stand in awe of your majesty and your holiness. Lord, we stand in awe of your trinity. You're beyond even our comprehension. And Lord Jesus.
• 2:21
  This makes your condescension in becoming a man all the greater. Your presence cannot be contained even in the highest heavens. And yet you became like us in every way but without sin. You lived in perfect obedience to the Father. You became our substitute and our sacrificial lamb. And you sent the Holy Spirit to live in us and to guide us and to help us. And so we ask you to teach us, we pray, to live according to your word. Illumine our hearts.
• 2:52
  and minds to receive it in jesus name amen amen thank you church well you may notice as you've been reading through luke with us and going through the gospel of luke these last couple of years that this is christ's final parable as recorded by luke you see next sunday in verse 28 that we begin the passion week of christ arguably the most important week in christ's life next sunday is palm sunday we have the triumphal
• 3:22
  entry the king of the universe jesus himself has been preaching about his coming kingdom since luke chapter 9 and now finally in luke 19 11 chapters later the king will finally arrive in his city jerusalem but as we have said and don't miss this church his appearing and his kingdom will be different than the people expected although this is the final parable of luke it was probably a parable that christ often repeated
• 3:51
  Matthew's parallel account in Matthew 25 is different enough from this one. It has talents instead of minas. In fact, you may even recall hearing this parable before, but as the parable of the talents. Rather than a king, it has a master. It's probably a different telling. But the other details are similar enough that it has caused most commentators to agree that the parable may have been the same story, but told in different ways at different times.
• 4:20
  and to different crowds and so church let me ask you why would jesus do that why would jesus tell the same parable but in different ways to different people at different times and let me go beyond that why would he tell this parable that way what was so important about this one that he would say it all over the place probably ask well what's the parable about because that's probably the answer to that right what is the parable about it's about a king leaving his kingdom you guys catch that
• 4:53
  And coming back to judge. And so as we're looking to launch the Passion Week, as Jesus is looking to get to Jerusalem and declare his kingship, it is important for his hearers to understand that he will leave and come back. Has this not been the consistent theme as Jesus has been talking about his...
• 5:18
  kingdom throughout the gospel of luke this has been his consistent theme my kingdom is coming but my kingdom is here because the king is here but don't forget that the kingdom that will come will be different probably than you anticipate has that not been his consistent theme you may even recall two sundays ago when pastor sam preached just a couple of sundays ago about jesus telling his apostles do you remember this the son of man will be handed over
• 5:47
  to the Gentiles and will be crucified and buried and will rise again. And Pastor Sam talked about their spiritual blindness. They couldn't see it. Jesus has been so clear about the fact that his first coming would end differently than probably people imagined and that his second coming would usher in the kingdom that they'd always wanted.
• 6:11
  And so now he is telling this parable again and again, and it makes sense. Now, we know that parables are often misinterpreted. When they are, improper conclusions regarding the character and nature of God often follow. You know, this morning's parable is probably not one that you used to see in your second grade children's church class, right? There aren't very many flannel graph characters of this story. Not very many veggie tales done.
• 6:39
  Because at the end of it, nobody wants to see Larry the cucumber slaughtered, right? Can you imagine your second grade children's church teacher, that sweet lady who's been doing it for like a thousand years? Can you imagine her digging through the box? Now, where is that slaughtered flannel graph? Like, no, it's not one that we often come back to, but yet it was important for Jesus's ministry. So important, in fact, that he said it again and again and again.
• 7:06
  And so what are the main themes of this parable? What made it so important? Let me just give them to you right off the bat, and that way there's no confusion. You notice here, Jesus will depart to heaven. He'll come back. His disciples' faithfulness will be determined by their actions during his absence. Jesus has authority, we find, to judge those actions and will offer either reward or punishment upon his return. It is about eternal reward.
• 7:36
  or eternal punishment. And church, may I ask, do you think we ever take our heavenly reward for granted? Do you think we ever presume upon the grace of God when it comes to judgment day? If you're willing, would you close your eyes just for a moment with me and imagine your first moment in heaven? Church, if you're in Christ, then that will be a real day.
• 8:05
  where you will cross over from this life to the next, where you will pass through that thin veil which separates this life from eternal life in paradise. There will be a day when you have your first minute in heaven's throne room. Do you ever just pause and imagine what that will be like? Here are the millions of the redeemed who have gone before us. There are the angels singing, screaming the holiness of God. There is the throne exalted. There is Jesus.
• 8:37
  And do you imagine what that first moment will be like when he will come down those steps and put his hand on your shoulder and utter his first words to you? Do you ever try to imagine what will those first words be? Probably everybody imagines something along the lines of, well done, good and faithful servant. Isn't that what we assume? I mean, that's certainly what we aspire to. That's what we want to hear. But will those actually be the first words?
• 9:10
  We will all hear, does it seem like, we presume upon our eternal reward the way that our kids presume upon their Christmas presents. Anybody else's kids looking forward to Christmas already?
• 9:30
  Anybody else's kids already started talking about it? Anybody else's kids already doing countdowns and other things like how many days until Christmas they can't wait? We've only just now had Halloween. We haven't even had Thanksgiving yet. And yet there are kids, if we allowed them, would already be watching Christmas movies, preparing, plowing their hearts, right? To receive the good seed of Christmas presents. My sons certainly do this. And unfortunately, my two older ones have kind of...
• 9:58
  grown out of this to some degree but here's what my sons do okay and they've done this forever you guys my oldest son doesn't do it anymore because he's 20 and his friends would make fun of him but my youngest son chase still makes these every year my sons make christmas countdowns they hang them above their bed they're always homemade they have boxes that represent each day and sometimes some years you guys they start when it's still hundreds of days out i mean they'll make these things they really do they make them in the summer
• 10:27
  And they start counting down from like the 180s. This is Chase's current one. It hangs above his bed and every night he takes his pencil and he scratches off another day. You notice there are some days scratched out in the top left corner. Those were days in October, no doubt. Then there are always like these teleport things where like there's a gate and you go through the gate and it launches you to another section. So you see there, they start climbing again. The Xs start climbing again toward the pumpkin, which is Halloween, no doubt.
• 10:52
  right and then there's probably some other teleport thing which ends up down here by the turkey because there's thanksgiving and then another one where it kind of climbs around and whatever and i i don't totally know where where it goes to be honest with you but uh you know the days of december there they are you see december coming out the days of december up till christmas christmas eve is the great big one that he'll scratch out after our candlelight services here at the church
• 11:16
  They do it every year, and one year, they were so excited. Chase specifically was so excited that he came into our room. Hallie and I were still in bed, woke us up early by climbing onto our bed with us, jumping up and down, and saying, only 100 more days. Only 100 more days. 100 more days. I'm like, Chase, if we're still in triple digits, do not wake me up. We're not even in the same season as Christmas. It's still so...
• 11:45
  Far away. You know, our kids know that despite our threats, we will never take their Christmas presents back. They know that. They see through the ruse. I mean, we may say naughty or nice, right? We use that maybe as a hollow threat to see if we can manipulate their behavior around the holidays. You better be good. But can I ask, has anyone honestly not bought Christmas presents for their kids? They could be the naughtiest kids on the planet.
• 12:19
  You could spank them every day the month of December, but their stockings are still going to be full, right? They're your kids. Do you ever wonder if heaven works the same way? Is that promise of reward or punishment that Jesus so often talked about, is that really just a hollow threat that the Lord uses to kind of manipulate our behavior? But in the end, I mean, everyone pretty much gets a full stocking no matter what they do. Is that what the scriptures teach?
• 12:49
  Hebrews 11 and verse 6, without faith, it says, it is impossible to please God, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards everyone equally. This is where you find out who's paying attention and who's not. It's not what it says, that he rewards those who seek him. Do you suppose there are some who don't seek him and therefore will not be rewarded? That seems to be the implication. The Apostle Paul said this to the church at Corinth, chapter 3 and verse 10.
• 13:24
  According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder, I laid a foundation and someone else, namely all of us, every generation of church after him is building upon the foundation which the apostle Paul laid. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. He is the foundation of our faith. Amen. I mean, he is it.
• 13:51
  He is the capstone and the cornerstone. He's both. He is the foundation of the church. And yet believers are called to do good works in his name and so build upon that foundation. The Apostle Paul continues. If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one's work will become manifest for the day will disclose it. That is the day of judgment because it will be revealed by fire.
• 14:20
  And the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. Now, obviously, the wood and the hay aren't going to do very well in the fire, right? If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, in other words, if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you are saved, but then everything else, you devote the rest of your life to things which do not matter for eternity, he says all of those works will be burned up.
• 14:49
  if anyone's work is burned up he will suffer loss though he himself will be saved but then what is it said but only as through what fire i had a pastor growing up who used to word it this way he'd challenge us the foundation is jesus the good works build on that foundation right you're saved by the foundation he says you could be saved in jesus and really not have any good works to show for it necessarily although you can make an argument that
• 15:19
  The works probably are a good indication of the genuineness of your faith. So I think the Apostle Paul's point in this text. He says it is possible to get to the end of your life, be judged in the fire, and be saved because of the blood of Jesus, and yet have nothing else really to show for it. No other reward really to show for it. That's what he's saying. And so my pastor growing up used to say it this way.
• 15:43
  excuse the vulgarity of it but he says you'll be saved but as through fire in other words you will go to heaven but with singed underwear that's how he used to say it every time he says it's like you would go swooping across hell's fire it would burn everything off by the time you get to heaven your clothes are still smoldering right he says it's a possibility that that will happen to some and despite
• 16:10
  scripture is clear teaching to the contrary i think we sometimes assume that we will all hear well done my good and faithful servant even if we don't actually do anything and don't serve anybody this morning's parable reminds us that our king is temporarily absent that we have been entrusted with an eternal treasure that we will be rewarded according to our stewardship of that treasure upon his return and so allow me to use
• 16:39
  verse 11, to give some introductory remarks that will help us kind of set the stage for the parable. You notice verse 11. It says, as they heard these things. The Greek sentence there actually begins with the word now. Now, as they heard these things. Connecting it to the previous event. In other words, this parable was told...
• 16:59
  immediately following jesus's last statement so go back to verse 10 here is jesus's last statement these are the words that the people have ringing in their ears still as jesus tells his parable verse 10 for the son of man came to seek and to save the lost in other words seeking and saving is what jesus does it's what he does and with those words still ringing in their ears
• 17:28
  He proceeded to tell a parable because he was near to Jerusalem. Now, church, we are a mere matter of weeks from the crucifixion. Although Luke's gospel doesn't record it, the gospel of John records that right in here, either right before or right after, was the raising of Lazarus. Lazarus, I think, has probably just about to happen or has just happened somewhere in there. It's on this journey up to Jerusalem where Lazarus is raised just in the next few days of Jesus' life.
• 17:58
  It continues, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. The Greek word parakrima means presently, soon, straight away, forthwith. As Christ was drawing near to Jerusalem, he's been preaching about the kingdom. He's been calling himself the king. Expectation regarding his imminent coronation was running high.
• 18:23
  Because the king is making his way to the city of kings. And so you can imagine what the people are thinking. Boy, when he gets there, we're going to topple some stuff. When he gets there, we're taking over. When he gets there, we're crowning him king. That's what coronation means. It comes from corona, crown. In fact, it's where the coronavirus got its name, right? The little spikes and whatever all over it makes it look like a crown, I guess. The coronavirus, right? So we're waiting for this coronation.
• 18:53
  of jesus and so expectation regarding that imminent coronation regarding his toppling of the roman empire was running high now we understand church with the value of hindsight that the kingdom being offered by christ was not a physical kingdom at his first appearing rather a spiritual one when christ came 2 000 years ago he did indeed usher in a spiritual kingdom
• 19:19
  with spiritual citizenry. When we are born again, we are born into a new kingdom, a kingdom of heaven rather than of earth. But don't forget, church, the only reason we know that is because we've had 2,000 years of history. We've gotten to see the remainder of the story play out. But when the Old Testament saints, and namely his own apostles, when they read the scriptures, they understood it to mean that the Christ would only come one time, that he would usher in a geopolitical kingdom.
• 19:50
  His first time. And so with this in their minds, with Christ's close proximity to Jerusalem, you can imagine the anticipation of the people running at a zenith. They wanted him to be crowned. And church, can I ask, would he be crowned? He would. He would. But not with a crown of gold, right? Rather a what? A crown of thorns. He would indeed be crowned.
• 20:24
  but with a crown of thorns. And that's important to note. He would be crowned with the very curse that God levied against the earth because of the sin of mankind. If you were to go all the way back to Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve sinned, rebelled against God, and cursed the whole human race, men and women, and even the earth, God pronounced a judgment on the earth upon which we walk and upon which we depend.
• 20:52
  for our lives, for our sustenance. And he said, from now on, it will not produce for you what you want. Rather, it will produce thorns. And Jesus, when he was crucified, wore the thorns. We can't forget that Christ's disciples didn't know he was about to be crucified. Despite him telling them again and again, they thought, they really did think that he would topple Rome, that he would be crowned king of the Jews.
• 21:21
  that he would be granted complete authority to rule. So Jesus tells this specific parable. I believe he repeats it in order to remind his hearers that his full kingdom authority would not be granted until when? According to the parable, until after his departure and then his return. And so you may ask, well, why this particular parable? Why did he word it that way? Was there any historic significance? And for that, Jesus tells a story. Notice.
• 21:51
  The departure of the king in verse 12. He said, therefore, a nobleman, this is a man of noble birth, a king, went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. This is not what we're used to, right? Normally, kings are determined by birth. So if the king dies, then his son becomes the king. But that's not how Israel was running at the time of Christ.
• 22:21
  Why would a king, a king of the Jews, have to leave, have to depart in order to receive the kingdom? What does it mean and to whom was he referring? I believe he was referring to the Herods. You'll recall that at the time of Jesus' birth, Herod the Great was the Jewish king. Herod the Great was the one who tried to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem, right? Herod the Great was the one who tried to manipulate the wise men to get them to reveal.
• 22:48
  where is this baby that's been born king of the jews i desire to worship as well go and find him and report back to me this was the herod who would have brutally murdered him and no doubt brutally murdered other baby boys in that same effort this was the king herod the great who joseph jesus's dad was warned about in a dream saying don't go back right flee to egypt herod is on the throne stay away from that guy he is a murderous man herod was hated
• 23:17
  By his own people. He was the king of the Jews and yet the Jews hated him. And you may ask, well, why would they hate their own king? There were a lot of reasons to hate Herod the Great, but I'll give you one. He wasn't Jewish. That was one and that was a big deal for them. Genealogy is a big deal to the Jews. Apparently, you get your one year Bible reading, you hit numbers and you're like, dude, right?
• 23:43
  Every March, I'm like, I don't know. I've made a bad decision. When do we get to the New Testament? Then you finally get to the New Testament. You start in Matthew and you're like, another one. Genealogies, genealogies, where you came from, whose you are, matter. They matter. And so for their Jewish king, not to be Jewish was a big deal. Herod the Great was the son of a Nabataean princess. The Nabataeans were Arabic. They lived across the Jordan in what is now today the modern state of Jordan.
• 24:13
  So he was Jordanian? I mean, if you want to think of it that way. Right? Not Jewish. His father was an Idumean. That's how they said it by the time of Jesus in the Old Testament. They were called the Edomites. You guys remember the Edomites? The Edomites and the Moabites were like the two worst enemies. These were the arch nemeses of Israel. And so now, an enemy of ours sits on our throne.
• 24:41
  He was hated. You say, well, how did he become king then? It was because of this, what Jesus is talking about right now. His kingdom was given to him by Rome in 30 BC. Herod the Great was crafty. He didn't receive the Jewish throne by birthright, rather by cunning. He was a brilliant politician. He was a brilliant architect.
• 25:04
  In fact, if you're ever able to go to Israel and Lord, open Israel so that we can go again, it would be my hope and desire for us to take additional trips. I can't wait to get back over there to take my sons over there at some point. Lord, open Israel. But if you go to Israel today, it's basically a study of the architecture of Herod the Great. Let's get through a couple of these real quick. Here is a picture of the modern day Temple Mount. And this is in downtown Jerusalem, if you want to think of it that way.
• 25:32
  The big giant wall you can see, I'll show you a close-up of in just a minute. You see the big gold dome in the background? The big gold dome is called the Dome of the Rock. It's the third most holy site in Islam. It was not there during the time of Jesus. So that came in the 7th century A.D. Instead, there was the temple itself, the temple of God, which was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Romans. But Herod the Great is the one who built up the temple mount to the footprint, basically, that it is even today.
• 26:02
  This massive patio holding tens of thousands of people where the temple sat, the temple precinct. Up against that temple mount is this. It's called the Western Wall. The Western Wall is famous because this is the only wall of the temple left that Herod the Great actually built. Those were his stones. I mean, there they are, right? So you see all of those worshipers at the bottom. It's famously called the Wailing Wall because people will go there and pray. You see them oftentimes crying for the restoration of Israel.
• 26:31
  That's what a lot of them do. They write little prayers. They roll them up. They stuff them in the cracks of the wall in hopes that their prayers will be heard closer to heaven because they're closer to the original temple. The legend is that so many tears are shed at the wailing wall that it actually preserves and sustains the life of plants growing out of the cracks of the wall. So many tears are shed. Whether that's actually true, the Lord knows. But Herod the Great was all over the place. His architecture scatters.
• 27:00
  The countryside of Israel. I mean, he would build aqueducts. We didn't invent aqueducts. They've been around for thousands of years. They're everywhere. Herod the Great had these things going all over because he knew that if he was going to have palaces everywhere, he needed water everywhere. And how do I get the water? But by aqueduct. He built palaces where palaces had never been built before. This is Caesarea Maritima, just north of where Henry is from. If you guys know Henry, this is just north of where he grew up.
• 27:26
  So Caesarea, and Herod the Great was famous for his palaces, but also his architecture. I mean, engineering feats that had never been done before. He built false harbors.
• 27:39
  breaks in the waves that are still existing today. You see them kind of poking out. Brilliant. He would take these barges, float them out to where he wanted it, start loading it with rocks until it would sink in place. Then he'd float another one over it, load it with rocks until that would sink, and he'd stack them up like Legos, and he'd make these massive false harbors where he could use them for trade. Brilliant. Caesarea Philippi, further inland next to the Sea of Galilee. These are the ruins of Herod's palace where...
• 28:08
  The Apostle Paul was imprisoned. This is where he wrote his prison epistles. You guys enjoy Philippians? That's where it was. Masada, the middle of the desert on top of a plateau, on top of a mesa. He had these palaces everywhere. His fingerprints are everywhere, including here. This is called the Herodian.
• 28:28
  The Rhodian is one of my favorites. It looks like a volcano from afar. It's in a relatively flat area, the Judean hillsides, but you just see this thing off in the distance. It looks like a volcano. In fact, it even has a crater, except instead of a crater, it's a palace sunk down, built inside of the mountain. This was where Herod the Great died. This is where he was entombed. Herod the Great knew that his people hated him, and so he gave an order. When he was about to die, Josephus records this ancient,
• 28:58
  Roman historian records that King Herod issued this decree that 600 Jewish men would be rounded up, abducted, kidnapped, and then held in prison. And on the day that Herod died, he commanded that they would be executed so that there would be mourning in Israel. He didn't care why the people were sad as long as they were sad on the day that he died. And so here he is, you can imagine him in this palace right there, the Herodian.
• 29:29
  He is dying, and on his last breath, this is his last order, kill them all. Kill them all. After he died, his soldiers had a change of heart. They released them all to go back to their homes and their families. So it wasn't carried through. But you can imagine that kind of man being your king. A tyrannical, brutal executioner. It would have been horrific.
• 29:54
  to be in his kingdom. When he died, his son Herod Archelaus takes over, but he doesn't get to take over by birthright. Herod Archelaus had to sail to Rome to be confirmed by the Roman emperor that yes, you can be king of the Jews. Does that make sense? So he leaves, has his kingdom given to him, and then he returns with full authority to judge. This is a concept the Jewish people knew well. And Jesus uses that concept
• 30:23
  to teach about his departure and his eventual second coming. That'll make sense now, right? Notice, this is why in verse 14 it says his citizens hated him. He's using Herod as an example. This is why they sent a delegation after Herod Archelaus, Herod the Great's son, to the emperor saying, we don't want this man to reign over us. This is not the king we want. Herod Archelaus proved to be just as brutal and deadly as his father.
• 30:53
  He was eventually deposed. He was banished to Gaul. The Romans got tired of appointing little mini Jewish kings. And so by the time of Jesus' crucifixion, there was no king over Judea. There was no rightful king of the Jews. Instead, Rome appointed who? There was no king in Judea. Do you guys remember this? Like it's a little early for a history lesson, Pastor Dan. I love this stuff.
• 31:26
  Who was appointed instead? There was no king. They got tired of it. No more. And so instead, they give them a Roman governor named Pontius Pilate. Pontius Pilate. That's why there's no king. That's why as Jesus is up there on the cross, the accusation made against him is he claimed to be king of the Jews. There is no king in Israel. There's a Roman governor instead. They say, why does this point matter for our text? Why does it matter? Look back at chapter 19 and verse 1.
• 31:53
  Where is Jesus preaching as he says all of this? Look back. You guys have your Bibles? 19 verse 1. Jericho. He's in Jericho. He's in the last major city before you make that climb, that 20 or so mile trek up to Jerusalem, the city of kings. This is it. Jericho is way below sea level, which means the weather is always temperate during the winter. And so the Jewish kings, specifically the Herods, all had palaces.
• 32:18
  In Jericho, this is where they spent their winters. And so you can imagine Jesus in the winter and spring getting ready to hike up to Jerusalem to be crucified, pointing at palaces. Remember when Herod the Great did that? He left, came back with authority to judge. You remember when Herod Archelaus did that? He points at Herod's palace. There's another palace. Do you remember that? He's using it as an object lesson. So also will I depart, receive the kingdom, and return with authority to judge.
• 32:49
  That's the departure of the king. Notice second, the distribution of wealth. We go through the rest of this quickly. Verse 13, calling 10 of his servants, he gave them 10 minas. A mina is three months, about 100 days wages. So more than likely, that was his anticipated time of departure and arrival. I'll be gone about three months. And so he's giving them an advance. He said to them, engage in business until I come.
• 33:14
  that word engage the greek word is the root pragma where we get pragmatic pragmatism engage in something productive something profitable until i come back but his citizens hated him they sent a delegation after him we don't want you to rule over us verse 15 when he comes back he expects a dividend a return on his investment when he returned you'll notice it's unannounced it's without warning he comes back having received the kingdom now with
• 33:43
  Full authority to judge. He ordered everybody to come who he had given money to to offer an account. What they had gained by doing business. The first came saying, Lord, your mina has made ten more. And he told them, well done, good servant. You've been faithful in a very little. You will have authority over ten cities. Faithful in small things. Faithful will be given big things. That's what the Bible said. Second came saying, Lord, your mina has made five more. And he said to them, you're to be over five cities. Another came saying, Lord.
• 34:13
  Here is your mina. I kept it laid away in a handkerchief. He said, well, why would he do that? I was afraid of you because you were a severe man. You take what you did not deposit and you reap what you did not sow. And he said to him, I will condemn you with your own words. If that's who you want me to be, then that's who I will be, you wicked servant. You knew that I was a severe man taking what I didn't deposit, reaping what I didn't sow. That word for severe there is a great translation. The Greek word is austere. We use it sometimes.
• 34:44
  Austere means strict or exacting. Another definition could be, I like this one, could be frosty. Frosty. This man is frostbitten. He has no feeling anymore. He is a cold-hearted, unfeeling man. He is frosty. Now, being from Colorado, we know what that feels like. Your fingers ever gotten so cold that you can't feel them anymore? This last winter, I...
• 35:13
  Took my son, Zach, fly fishing with another guy here from church, Michael Juergens. Many of you know him. The three of us drove down to an area down in kind of south and west of here where we went fishing for the day. You guys, it's the coldest I've ever been in my life. It was awful. It was in the teens probably with a pervasive wind. Everything was wet. There was water in the air. We were in the water because we were fishing. And so I was, it is the coldest I've ever been. And no kidding, I thought, I thought that I had wrecked my son who is way skinnier than me.
• 35:43
  I'm about 10,000 cheeseburgers ahead of him, right? And so kind of have that extra layer where you're like, nah, I'm good. I mean, we were freezing, you guys. Our hands were cold because we're dipping them in the water to pick fish up. I took a picture of the coldest I've ever been. This was it. Now I know I look like I'm smiling. Don't be fooled by the smile. That was only for the picture, you guys. We were literally doing jumping jacks. We were doing that Bear Grylls thing, you know, where you're like swinging your hands. It was so cold. Here's a picture of Michael Juergens, same thing.
• 36:11
  I know his fish looks bigger than mine. It was not. But you guys, we were so, so, so cold. I thought that I had given frostbite to my son, who is a piano player. We couldn't feel our fingers, you know? So I'm telling him, Zach, you keep doing jumping jacks till I stop, because if you lose a finger, your mom is going to be so mad at me. She will never let me take you fishing again. Frostbitten and unfeeling.
• 36:39
  That's how this man thought of that king. Notice the other two servants didn't think of the king that way. The man wasn't actually that way. It's just how he was perceived by this evil and wicked servant. And church, the believer does not have to look very hard to find the modern parallel to the world and to Christ. We who know Christ know that he is kind and gracious and merciful and abounding in steadfast love. He is not severe. And yet...
• 37:08
  Though he is all of those things perfectly, his enemies view him as heartless and brutal and worthless. That's exactly how our enemies think of God. Notice in the remainder of the text, the king, and by parallel Christ, issues reward and punishment based upon the faithfulness of those servants whom he had left. Those who had proved themselves to be faithful, not only with their stewardship of his money, but also with their desire to have him as their king, were rewarded. But on the contrary,
• 37:38
  Those who never wanted the king's rule were shown to be what they truly are through the squandering of his trust. Pick up in verse 23. Why then did you not put money in the bank? Am I coming? I might collect it with interest. And he said to those who stood by, take the mina from him, give it to the one who has 10. And they said, Lord, he already has 10. Jesus, verse 26, I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And notice, don't be fooled by this, church.
• 38:08
  All Jesus is doing in this last statement is giving the wicked servant exactly what he asked for. You don't want me to be your king? Fine, I won't be your king. But as for these enemies of mine who do not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me. You know, like the parable, King Jesus has indeed departed to receive the kingdom. And like the parable, there are many who do not want King Jesus ruling over them. And like the parable, King Jesus has entrusted a stewardship to his saints while he's away. And like the parable,
• 38:39
  He expects a return on his investment. And no doubt some of his servants will be found faithful and will be rewarded. But perhaps some will be found not to be his servants at all. Like the parable, either reward or punishment will be distributed based on their faithfulness. And if you would, again, church, close your eyes with me again just for a moment. And imagine again your first moment in heaven. Imagine the Savior coming to you and putting his hand on your shoulder and whispering in your ear. What will he say? Will he say, well done?
• 39:12
  Or will you say, you did okay. You were average. You squandered what I entrusted to you, your time, your money, your family, your friends, even your neighbors. These were all gifts that I expected a return on. You're still my son, but your clothes appear to be a bit singed. Or will the Savior say, well done, my good and faithful servant. You ran hard. Come now and enter the joy of my Father.
• 39:38
  And Lord, it is our aspiration, our desire to hear well done. That is what we want. But Lord, I pray that it would be more than just a desire. I pray that we would commit and devote our lives to that. Lord Jesus, you are the foundation upon which we build, but may we build with costly things that will last for eternity. May we use the resources you've given us, even the friendships we have, the neighbors we have, the coworkers we have, understanding that these have been entrusted to us and that you will expect.
• 40:09
  a dividend someday, a return on those investments. God, may we on that day be found faithful, and it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.