Sermon Tone Analysis

Stewardship 09 #1

Luke 19:12-27

What’s Mina Is Yours

A week before Jesus was crucified, Jesus went through Jericho.

While he was in Jericho, he met a tax collector named Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus took Jesus to his house and there gave himself to Jesus in repentance and Jesus said, in With that backdrop, and a crowd gathered by the salvation of a tax collector, Jesus took a moment to tell a parable.

This parable deals with the topic of stewardship – and we are going to focus on this topic month

It is more than just about money

DEF - A Steward – one employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns; a fiscal agent; one who actively directs affairs

And so Stewardship is the office, duties, and obligations of a steward; the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care

So, after meeting and seeing the Repentance of Zacchaeus, … and literally directly before entering Jerusalem the week before he was crucified … Jesus takes this teachable moment and tells a story about a King, his Servants, and Stewardship

Read with me Luke 19:11-27

We need to look closely at this story if we are going to learn anything

Jesus never told stories just to tell stories

Jesus told stories to teach a lesson

So we need to know who these people are and if we FIT in the story and if there are instructions and promises?

*1.

Who’s The King?*

Let’s see, was Jesus telling a Random story?

Or was this talking about someone in particular?

*A.

He Was Noble From the Start*

The lead character in this story was a King.

But before he was known as King in this land, he was of “noble birth” … He was NOBLE before they knew he was King

John said in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was With God and the Word was God … All things were made by him, and without him nothing was made that was made … and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us … and we beheld his glory …

Jesus said “Before Abraham was, I am”

Jesus is called “the firstborn of all creation” not meaning that he was born at the beginning like we are, but that he is the height of all, the beginner of all, the prototype of all.

So the King was Noble BEFORE Him Came …

And he “went to a distant country to have himself appointed King”

*B.

He Was Appointed King*

Oh can’t you see that Jesus is talking about himself

Phil 2:6 and following says that Jesus being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to grasped … he made himself nothing, taking the nature of a servant … he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on the cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place … that at the name of Jesus ever knee should bow, … and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord

He was appointed by God as Lord over all because of his obedience

But his mission was more personal than that

Jesus came to be made King over the heart of every person who would humbly receive him in to their hearts and lives

Romans 10:9-10 – says If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved, for with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confess is made into Salvation

If you are here today and that verse is your testimony … And one day in your life, you humbled yourself to God admitting his RIGHT to be LORD and Confessing your Sin and believing the he is Risen … giving yourself to Jesus …

would you Raise Your Hand?

You are a Christian by your confession and so … Jesus is Your King

He has Been Appointed King

But when he rose from the dead nearly 2000 years ago, he appeared to his disciples for 40 days … and then he gathered with them one last time on the Mount of Olives and he ascended into Heaven and is presently seated at the Right Hand of the Father and Ephesians 1 says with all things subject to him

Eph 1:20-22 - … seated him at this right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church

He has been appointed King … But

*C.

He Will Return*

Our text says in v13 “until I come back”

This King in the Story Promised that he would come back

It was a promise but it was also a statement of accountability

He gave money to each of his servants … the equivalent of 3 month’s salary and told them “put this money to work” “until I come back”

He was saying, I’m going to be coming, I’m going to check on what you have done with what I have given you

So, can we all see, that Jesus is the King in the Story

He is the one of noble birth who left his home and came to a distant country to have himself appointed King …

But …

*2.

Who Is The Servant?*

In Isaiah 49:3 God says You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor

Israel was a unique Old Covenant Group that God chose as a vehicle to display his splendor to the world

In the New Covenant that group has been enlarged to all those selected and known by God, responding in faith who make up the Church of Jesus Christ and we too are his Servant.

The word here in the parable is the Greek Word Doulos

It means “slave, bondman, one who gives himself up to another’s will; those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men; devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests

This was one of the Apostle Paul’s favorite terms for himself, Paul, a Bond Slave for Christ

Paul said in 2 Cor 4:5

2 Corinthians 4:5 (NIV)

5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

James referred to himself as a servant or bond-slave

Peter as well

Jude also

But this is NOT just for the apostles

The Book of Revelation according to 1:1 was written to us of revealing to his “Doulos” “what must soon take place” –

We as those who have repented and followed Jesus, confessed our sin, proclaimed him as Lord, are his servants, his self chosen slaves, freed but choosing to serve

We are the Servants referred to in this Passage

*3.

What Is Your “Mina”?*

He called together 10 of his servants and gave them each a “Mina” –

Now let me stop for a minute and put us back in their shoes as they listen to this story

V11 says he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once

These people were sick and tired of the state of the world they lived in

They LONGED for God to rule them again through the promised one who would be in David’s line.

Those who didn’t believe in Jesus hoped he or someone would be the one

Those who believed in Jesus believed he was the one but wondered if NOW was the time

Jesus told them this story to show them something

1. YES he was the one

2. he was WITH them

3. he would leave them and he would return

So if he was with them, that meant that in the story line, there was still much to develop.

He still had to leave them and return before he established his Kingdom

You see they were just focused on what THEY wanted

Jesus was saying, I have expectations

This is not YOUR story this is my story

I went to school and studied HIS STORY not MY Story

It’s about Him …

So he gave them Ten Minas or Ten Pounds … it is the equivalent of 3 Months Wages.

You do the math.

But the point is not the amount but the giving, the owning, He gave them resources … that means he had them, he owned them, but he gave them to them.

And he gave instruction … the NIV says “put this money to work” … KJV says “occupy till I come” … that rendering is a little weak and passive …

The Young’s Literal is closer to the NIV and says “Do business, till I come”

They were GIVEN something by God … they did not EARN it they were GIVEN it …

What have you been given by God?

*A.

Your Physical Life*

You didn’t earn physical it is a gift from God