Click here for the Luke 19:16-27 PODCAST
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.’”
Today, we return to the parable of the ten minas or talents. In this parable the Lord Jesus explains the nature of His grace and the different responses to it. These responses are our focus for today.
In v.16-17 we read, "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.’"
Each of the servants received ten minas equalling three months’ wages. Two of the ten servants gave back to their master more than he had given to them.
In yesterday's message, I said there were three responses to the Master. Actually there are four. We have the first two who made a profit, the third who made no profit, and then there were the others who didn't even attempt to make a profit.
The first servant goes from three months’ wages to ruling ten cities. These were faithful, even though before the master departed, they were promised no rewards and had no assurance that their master would even return.
Here, the Lord Jesus is describing the nature of His millennial reign. This is what faithful believers will do when we enter into His kingdom with Him. We will lead with Him over multiple cities. This is about living our Christian lives and everything the Lord puts in our lives, now, and maximizing it for His glory, then. And, the fuel behind our faithfulness will always be His grace.
In v.18-19 we read, "18 The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ 19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’"
The second servant earned five more minas for his master. As a result he was given five cities to rule over. Not everybody has the same opportunity. He didn't have the same as the first. Not everybody has the same giftedness, ministry or influence. We live according to His design.
Faithfulness is the key principle here. When the faithful servant succeeds, we give Him all the credit for everything that happens. According to 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 believers in Christ will rule over His kingdom with Him.
In v.20-21 we read, "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.’"
Now, we go from the faithful to the faithless. This third servant is a different kind of servant. This servant had not lost his master's money. He hid the money in a piece of cloth. He had no desire to invest his master's money. Fear motivated him, not love. He viewed his master as a hard man.
This man did not obey his master and as a result lost even the money that his master had given him. This servant was unfaithful because his heart had not been gripped by his Master's grace. He saw his master as a hard man who was demanding and unfair. As a result, this servant had no love for his master. In fact, he feared him and was afraid to displease him. Since when, though, were we saved because of our performance. This isn't about justification.
As believers in the Lord Jesus we are either motivated by debilitating fear or by loving faith. While there is a proper “fear of the Lord” that should be in every believer's heart, that “fear” should be the respect of a loving child and not the dread of a frightened slave.
In v.22-23 we read, 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?’"
Biblical fear leads to humble submission before a loving, gracious God. Respect is built in to a relationship with the God of love. A. W. Tozer once said, "Nothing twists and deforms our soul like a low concept of God." If we have a low concept of God, we're going be ill-equipped to be motivated to do His work in this world. If we have a high concept of God, we are going to live the life the Lord Jesus died to provide us.
In v.24-27 we read, 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.’”
All that we have is a gift from God. And, if we understand this, we will live our lives out of such grace. And, when we live out of God's grace, we are freed to be free. This is the point of this parable.
The fourth group, those who did not care about the honor of the King, they did not even like Him. Their response to Him will be due to their incorrect assessment of His person. Not recognizing His grace, they think Him to be harsh, demanding, unjust and unfair. As a result, they will choose to lose all they have been given and all they have. They were never moved by God's grace and they will be found to be His enemies.
Grace is love that seeks us out when we have nothing to give in return. It communicates the heart of the giver that is greater than any bad found in its recipient. Grace melts the heart of the most hardened. Grace is our only hope for a meaningful future. And, when it grips us, we are mesmerized by the One who gives it.
