To The One Who Has
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
One of my favorite movies is Brewster’s Millions. Not many people have heard of this movie, but it came out in 1985 and it stars Richard Pryor and John Candy. The premise of the movie is that Pryor’s character Montgomery Brewster is a minor league baseball player and he inherits $30 million from his uncle. However, if he wants to keep his inheritance, he has to give it all away within 30 days. Obviously, there are some provisos that come along with the demand to give it away. He cannot give it all away to one place or in the same way. He can’t waste more than a certain amount of it. He can’t invest the money to make more money. And most importantly, he cannot reveal why he is doing it. If he succeeds, he will actually inherit the full $300 million; if he fails, he loses everything.
Brewster begins to spend the money like no one’s business. He buys a baseball team, a helicopter, he throws parties, pays for expensive dinners for his so-called friends. He gives to charity, the homeless, and so on. And as much as he spends, he begins to make back. So he now has to spend that money too!
Everyone thinks he’s crazy. They try to talk him out of what he is doing. They argue and plead; all to no avail. At the end of the thirty days, with seconds left, Brewster finds himself bankrupt and the inheritor of $300 million. He is finally able to tell everyone why he was doing what he did. What was the point that his rich uncle wanted to teach him? It’s just money. Life is more important than money.
What looked like lavish and foolish spending of his rich uncle’s money, was actually Brewster taking to heart what his uncle commanded in order to gain a full reward.
This morning, Jesus tells a parable about money with a similar idea. Most people are more familiar with his other parable about talents. This one is similar to that one, but there are a couple of other things that happen in this one which tell us that these are not the same story. In this parable, Jesus taught that his servants were to use their money rightly,and if so, they gain a full reward. But in reality, it’s not just about money.
And so what we see are three directives that the nobleman gives. The first involves the responsibilities to his servants. The second is about the rewards for his servants. And then finally the retribution against his subjects.
Responsibilities to His Servants
Rewards for His Servants
Retribution Against His Subjects
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.
Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten 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 ten minas more.’
And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! 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.’
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 and 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 ten minas.’
And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’
‘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.
But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’ ”
Responsibilities to His Servants
Responsibilities to His Servants
The first directive that we should see is the one that is given to the servants. Jesus has left Zaccheus’ house and is once again making his way to Jerusalem. The road that he would have traveled on is one that has lasted for millennia; it was a dangerous road known as the Valley of the Shadows with some, like David, tacking on an ending: “of Death.”
As he walked along this valley, he told this parable about the nobleman. Notice first that this nobleman is only a nobleman at the beginning of the story. It isn’t until he goes away that he receives his kingdom. Luke explained in verse 11, that Jesus was telling this story because the people were expecting the kingdom to appear immediately. Remember that we are dealing with what is known as inaugurated theology here. In other words, the kingdom was inaugurated, but it has not yet been consummated. Jesus ushered in the kingdom at his coming. “The kingdom of God is at hand.” But he did not consummate it; he had not completed or perfected it yet. That is still to come. And that was what people were expecting to happen.
And in reality, many Christians have expected that to be the case too. It’s why so many lose heart and get discouraged when things don’t work out as planned or as hoped. They think because the kingdom has been inaugurated and that they have been removed from the domain of darkness and placed in the kingdom of the beloved Son that life is supposed to work out. Maybe not exactly perfect, but good. If not good, then tolerable. But the kingdom has not yet been consummated and Jesus told this parable to help his followers understand that. He goes away a nobleman and returns a king.
And while he is away, the nobleman gives his servants some money and a directive.
Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’
Minas are worth much less than talents. While a talent was about twenty years’ wage, a mina was about three months’ wage. And he gives this to ten of his servants, not three like in the parable of the talents. And he directs his servants to engage in business. In other words, they were to put their money to work. They were to use it to gain a profit. Now, technically, this was not their money in the first place. This was the nobleman’s money and he had given it to the servants with the understanding that they would be responsible with making him more money. They knew he would return. They knew that he would return as king. They knew he would return as king and expect a return on their investments and his servants to be obedient.
Now, no business venture is guaranteed. But the nobleman did not demand a guarantee. He directed his minas to be used for his kingdom.
We get what the parable is convey, do we not brothers and sisters? Christ has ascended to heaven and will return as King. As he has gone, he has given directives as to what we are to do while he is away. This is not simply about money and it isn’t about talents or gifts, though those are part of it. What is the last directive that Jesus gave before going away to receive his kingdom? Luke tells us in Acts.
The disciples and Jesus are talking about the coming kingdom and they ask him:
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
You will be my witnesses. In Matthew, he directs that we are to make disciples and teach all nations. On the one hand, there is the guarantee of discipleship from the church as a whole, but on the other hand not from the individual, necessarily. When the nobleman returned, three were set apart as an example. One had massive success. Another had good success. And the third had no success because he didn’t even try. But we don’t know about the other seven. We aren’t told because it isn’t pertinent to the story. But we do know that two of the ten actually made enough for all ten as a group to have had success, even if the others had failed or made much less than those two.
The directive for us, like the directive to the servants is to take that which has been given us and put it to work. It certainly can include our talents and gifts, the money that we have, the time we’ve been alloted. But it also is the message we’ve received. John makes this point abundantly clear in his first epistle.
the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—
that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
The gospel was manifest and they saw it. Now it was time to testify and proclaim it. Why? They wanted a return on their work: that you too may have fellowship with us. To what end? To a reward’s end: that our joy may be complete.
Rewards for His Servants
Rewards for His Servants
Which of course takes us to the second directive. The first directive was given to inform the servants of their responsibilities. The second as to their rewards.
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 ten minas more.’
And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’
The same happened with the one who made five minas. He was given five cities. I’ve brought it up before, and I’ll bring it up again. I’m not sure with language like this, how anyone can not take the promise of rewards as serious and literal. Jesus spoke of storing up treasures in heaven. He promised the rich young ruler that if he would sell all he had, give the proceeds to the poor, and follow him, he’d get treasures in heaven. He told his followers to be anxious for nothing, but trust God and seek the kingdom first, and concentrate on securing for themselves moneybags that don’t grow old and treasures in heaven.
In this case, it’s not simply about treasures in heaven, but about reigning with the King. The king has been given all authority and can distribute the cities of his kingdom to whomever he wants to have rule over them. And so here is a slave made co-regent; talk about your rags to riches story!
But notice two major truth here. First is the disproportionate size of the reward to the responsibility. Ten cities because he was faithful with one mina. Five cities for the one faithful with one mina. Do we not understand, beloved, that God is a God of generosity and grace? Have we forgotten the promises that he can do far more abundantly than we could ever hope or ask? Or the promise to have given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places because we are in Christ?
So that’s the first truth: the reward is disproportionate than the the mina. That’s amazing in itself, but the second point makes it even more amazing. Philip Ryken had pointed this out in his commentary. No one else had; I didn’t see it either. But look at the language the servants use about the mina and it’s growth. “Lord, your mina has made ten more minas.” What did he not say? He did not say, “I made ten more minas with the one you’ve given me.” Instead, he said, “Your mina has made ten minas more.” It was as if the mina did the work itself. He was faithful in utilizing it, but the mina seemed to be the one growing the wealth. This is exactly as it should be.
What did Paul tell the Romans? “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation.”
What did he say to the Corinthians? “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase!”
What did Jesus tell the disciples in John 15? “I am the vine and you are the branches; you can do nothing apart from me. As a branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine, so you cannot unless you abide in me.”
It’s been said time and again, but we have such a hard time grasping and holding to the truth that it is not ours to save. It is ours to be faithful with what has been given to us. The gospel is the power of God, not us. God gives the increase, not us. Jesus powerfully bears fruit for we who abide in him. We don’t! The minas make ten more, not us. We do what is expected of us and we will see God’s power at work and then receive a reward for simply being obedient.
None of us want to face the coming king like the last servant.
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.’
The last servant kept it hidden in a handkerchief. And the excuse he gave was one of fear. Not of man, but of the king! This is Adam’s excuse all over again. “The woman you gave me!” It’s the king’s fault for being so scary. He’s a severe man, the servant says. This guy isn’t winning any brownie points with the newly appointed king by blaming him. And whether or not he was truthful about his reasons for doing nothing, it backfires.
The king calls him on his own excuse. If he was scared to engage in business like the others, he could have invested it in the bank. He could have at least put it in a savings account. Maybe a money market account. CD’s may have been getting a good rate then, who knows? Even a Roman Empire Savings Bond. I mean it might take 20 years to mature, but at least there is some return on the investment. But he did nothing! And the king was having none of it. He could still have risked nothing and gained a reward. But he refused and so gained nothing.
Was the man saved? It’s hard to say. Perhaps he’s one that Paul described:
If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
He may have barely made it.
Beloved, many of us are closer to this man than we want to believe. We are risk-averse. We would rather not engage in the business of witnessing and evangelism. We’d much rather keep that gospel nice and tidy in a handkerchief somewhere safe. We’d like to keep our lamps under baskets. Maybe we’re afraid of what man will say, or maybe we think so little of God and King Jesus that we think that if we make any little mistake we’ll suffer greatly for it. What if I don’t say it right? What if I answer a question wrongly? Remember that evangelism isn’t to be scary, but joyous. Remember John’s comment to his reader? We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
Most of us would rather do the investing (which while important, is the minimum expected of us). We’ll give to missions and missionaries, but we won’t engage in the business itself. Most Christians these days are not the ten mina or five mina Christians. We’re somewhere between the five and mina and the wicked servant. I only say that to say that most Christians ought not expect then to receive the ten or five cities.
‘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.
Retribution Against His Subjects
Retribution Against His Subjects
This takes us to the last directive. It’s not to or for the servants, but against the subjects. Because of the similarities to the parable of the talents, it’s easy to skip over these people in the background. But Jesus began and ended with these subjects of the king. Certainly unwilling subjects, but subjects nonetheless.
They sent word to the Emperor to not allow the nobleman to be king. This may sound strange to us, but the people hearing would have understood clearly as something similar had happened in their own region.
We’ve all heard of Herod the Great. He was the King appointed by Caesar Augustus. He was considered the King of the Jews (Judea) as well as Samaria and Idumea. That’s why he was so frightened and angry over the Magi’s news of the birth of the King of the Jews. He was that guy and he had born no heirs of late. However, when he died, Archelaus his son was to be his successor. However, he had to go to Rome in order to receive the kingdom just as his father had done nearly forty years earlier. As he traveled, a delegation of the people went to Caesar Augustus and had begged him not to appoint him king. Rather than being appointed king, he was appointed ethnarch; he ruled more like a governor over only half of his father’s kingdom. Upon return he slaughtered the delegation that went to Rome and within a decade he was banished by Augustus to Gaul.
Jesus said that his nobleman had something similar happen to him, except the Emperor apparently did not listen to the people. It was not their decision to make. But notice why they did not want the nobleman to be king. Jesus brought it up two times, in both verses about this delegation. They did not want him to reign over them. In context, this delegation represents the Jewish people; specifically the religious elites and leaders. But it can be applied to everyone outside the kingdom.
If you’re going to pick a fight with the future king, you better be sure you can win. It’s not going to work out well for you if you don’t.
But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’ ”
Every single one of us is born an enemy of God and and enemy of his Son who is coming to consummate his kingdom. We are born as sons and daughters of Satan. But in God’s grace, the King made a way.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
But if we refuse the King’s offer of reconciliation, we will receive in its place a retribution of wrath. There are two Scriptures we need to keep in tension with one another. One is from 2 Peter and one is from Hebrews. We like to think on 2 Peter, but often forget the truth of that from Hebrews.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
The antecedent to “any” and “all” is “you.” God is patient toward you, not wishing that any [of you] should perish, but that all [of you] should reach repentance. On the one hand, Jesus waits to return until the last of the elect has been saved.
On the other hand, we also see in Hebrews,
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
Jesus also is waiting until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. At the appointed time for the last of the elect to be saved, it will also be the time for enemies to receive a just retribution of wrath.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Three directives: The servants are given responsibilities and if faithful they are given rewards. The subjects who though they would be under the authority of the king, did not want him to reign over them received retribution.
Beloved, we have an opportunity to continue to invest in the Kingdom of God, to engage in the business of the gospel. Like Montgomery Brewster we can take risks with the gospel as we give some to those people and some to these people and share it here and there. We have the luxury of spreading the gospel around like a farmer who scatters seed. Some of it falls on hardened soil, some on thorny, some on rocky, but some will fall on good soil. Many Christians are so concerned about which soil it may fall on that they end up never spreading the seed at all. We don’t choose the soil. We don’t even choose the seed. But we do choose to spread it.
And the promise of reward is so much greater than what Brewster was promised. Don’t get me wrong, $300 million is a nice chunk of change, but in God’s economy, that’s all it really is: change. In fact, it’s chump change. He is able to do and give far more abundantly than we could ever ask or imagine.
Prayer
Our heavenly Father,
Make us good stewards of your gospel. May we give it out lavishly and without distinction or partiality. And because of our faithfulness, may enemies be made friends, slaves be made sons and daughters. In Jesus’s name. Amen.