As with last week’s message, the written version of this is below
LUKE 19:11-26 THE PARABLE OF THE TEN MINAS
Note: 10 minas were valued at between 2 and 3 years’ average wages. 1 mina was about 3 months’ average wages.
While they were listening to this, (Jesus) 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.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.’
“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?’
“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 they have will be taken away.
Luke 19:11-26 SERVE
WITH WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN
Springford: March 29,2020.
Each time that Jesus tells one of these Parables, (these stories with a lesson) there is something for us to learn. What can we learn here about serving with what we have been given?
Something I have read during this Covid 19 crisis when our world has been turned upside down and so many of our regular routines and expectations have been changed and countless things have been cancelled is this:
And this is all true! I would add to this: SERVING GOD IS NOT CANCELLED!! In this time, we could focus on the many limitations and the ways we cannot do things as we normally would, but this story that Jesus tells in Luke 19 urges each of us to consider what we have been given and to use that to serve Jesus.
vs. 11 When Scripture says here that “the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once,” we can realize that the people then were expecting the Messiah to appear in power and glory and to set up his kingdom on earth. They expected that the Messiah would defeat all political and military enemies.
I have had conversations lately with people wondering if this present pandemic is signalling that the end of time is near, the coming of God’s triumphant kingdom. Jesus’ response then is helpful for now. Whenever the end does come, when the king returns, we each need to be found making the most of what we have been given.
The noble man in this story that Jesus tells is going away to a distant country to be appointed king and then to return (vs. 12)
Did you notice here that each of the servants is given the same amount (1 mina) and told, “Put this money to work until I come back” (vs. 13).
When each of us looks at what we have been given, how will we choose what we do with it?
This is not a time to say, “I only have this small amount, what can I possibly do that is worthwhile with it”?
This is a time to recognize what God has placed in our hands and to prayerfully wonder, “What can I do with what I have been given to serve God.”
Some of you will recall the words of a song we have sung with the children at Springford Baptist Church, “Love is something if you give it away, you end up having more.”
This is the whole point of Jesus’ teaching here. We have each been given the capacity to love and to care and to express God’s love for people. When we invest the love we have been given in other people, it increases. We are not left with less, but rather more.
All the ways that people are finding to love and to care when so many things have been cancelled and altered in our current reality, will need to be remembered and lived when the time comes (and it will come!) that we return to our regular routines.
During the time that the
king is away, what do the servants in this story from Luke’s Gospel
accomplish?
The king is eager to find out.
On his return, he
calls 3 of the 10 servants to him to report on what they have done
with what they were given.
The king wants to know, “what they have gained with it.” (vs. 15b)
When the first servant comes, he reports, “Sir your mina has earned ten more.” (vs.16)
The king is pleased and
responds, “Well done my good servant.
Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take
charge of ten cities.” (vs. 17)
Then the second servant
comes and says, “Sir, your mina has earned
five more.” (vs. 18)
The master’s
response? “You take charge of five cities”
(vs. 19)
Clearly, there is an expectation that something be done with what has been given!
Each of these 2 servants refers to what has been given as “your mina”. Each knows that it is a gift from the master and each takes very seriously the responsibility to use this gift well and wants to have something more to present to the master when he returns.
I am thankful for what God can do when we look at what we have been given and choose to invest it for God and God’s kingdom.
We will find different things to do and different ways to invest. The key necessity is to do something with what we have been given.
The interaction between the king and the third servant is a strong indication that the king is not pleased with doing nothing with what we have been given.
That third servant comes and says, “Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth…” (vs. 20)
What happens? The king says, “Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.” (vs. 25)
There is protest from those around. “Sir they said, he already has ten minas.” (vs. 25)
And what does the master have to say about that? “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.” (vs. 26)
There is an important spiritual principle here. God knows who he can rely on to invest what they have been given for the building up of His kingdom. Those who show themselves to be reliable will be given more and more opportunities to love and to serve. Love that is given away does not deplete the supply. Love that is given in serving others grows and grows and more and more can be given and shared.
Now there were 10 servants and 1 mina given to each of them. We only have indication here of what 3 of them did with what they were given.
What about the other 7
servants?
What about each of us?
What will we have to show for
what we have been given?
We all know that during these uncertain
times, there are people who have been keeping things for themselves.
Even if people are not hoarding in large amounts, many of us are
thinking about making sure that we have enough for ourselves for
however long this goes on. This is not investing if we simply hold on
to what we have been given.
As we release our grip on what is in our hands and allow what we have been given to be available to bless others imagine what can happen.
This is a time for taking inventory of what we have been given and then letting God show us how it can become more by giving it away!
Be inspired by the words of the song we had planned to sing together for this Sunday in Springford:
“I will serve You because I love You.
You have given life to me.
I was nothing before You found me.
You have given life to me.
Heartaches, broken pieces, ruined lives are why You died on Calvary. Your touch was what I longed for, You have given life to me.”