Return to the House of God (Christ the Redeemer)

 

INTRODUCTION

Culturally we have a relatively strong liturgy for Christmas but a weak liturgy for Easter. This is an area where recovery and reformation are needed. That reformation must start in the church. One way to begin this is to become very familiar with the story itself. Just as you should read and re-read the Christmas story, read and re-read the account of Christ’s final days on earth. Scripture spends significantly more time on the final week of Christ’s life, leading to his death and resurrection, than on his birth and life as a child. So naturally we should do the same with our time spent reading this story.

THE TEXT

Luke 19:11-28 – “And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and realest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.”

SURVEY OF THE TEXT

In verse 11 we see that Jesus is nearing Jerusalem and He sees that the people expect him to bring the kingdom of God immediately. They think that he will bring political deliverance in Jerusalem and so he tells them this parable: There was a certain nobleman who went away to secure the kingdom (vs 12). Before he left, he charged his servants with engaging in business until his return and gave them each a mina which is about 3 months salary (v13). We see there is an antithesis in the kingdom for his citizens hated him and sent a delegation to try and stop him from receiving the kingdom (v14). This delegation fails for in verse 15 he returns having received the kingdom and calls his servants to account for their work while he was gone. The first servant had faithfully earned 10X interest and he is rewarded with authority over 10 cities (v16-17). The second servant faithfully earned 5X interest and his is rewarded with authority over 5 cities (v18-19). But the third servant comes making excuses. He has his one mina, but he did not earn anything with what he was given. His excuse is that he knew his master was harsh expecting to take more than he had given and so he was afraid to lose the money he was given (v20-21). The master condemns the wicked servant and uses the servant’s own words to convict him. He knew what was expected of him, he knew his master’s standards and he did nothing (v22). He could have at least placed his money in the bank to receive some interest. That little would have been acceptable, but instead he did nothing (v23). The master takes his pound and gives it to the one who made 10X interest (v24). This causes an outburst of surprise from the others. Why give it to the one who has the most, why not give to the one who has less? (v25) But the king declares that to those who have been faithful will be given even more. And to those who have made nothing, even what they have will be taken away (v26). And lastly those enemies of the king who did not want his kingdom to come are brought before the king and killed (v27). After saying this parable Jesus went on ahead to Jerusalem (v28).

INTERPRETATION OF THE PARABLE

So how do we interpret this parable? Jesus is the nobleman who is going away to the Father to receive His inheritance. He has given gifts to men and commanded them to use those gifts to bear fruit. Those who bear fruit will be rewarded but those who bear no fruit will be condemned. The wicked citizens who hated the nobleman are those men in the dark who reject the light of the gospel and reject the kingdom of God. They will be judged on the last day with eternal death.

APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE 

The context of the parable is important for its interpretation. We are told Jesus gave the people this parable because they expected the kingdom to come immediately. The point of the parable is then a proper understanding of the kingdom and the proper response to such a kingdom. Like the crowd we are not to expect the kingdom to come instantly. It was not to come in a political coup. But likewise, it would be just as wrong to assume that there is no kingdom or that you will never see it. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem where He will enter as the true king. The king whose kingdom is not just over Israel but over all of creation.

CONCLUSION

We are all servants of the true king, and our lives are to be marked with diligence in bearing fruit. This involves investment, education, hard work and in all of it faith to see the race to the end. Our king came humbly on a donkey and went as a servant to the cross. How much more are we the servants of such a king to serve others?

Read Full Article