11, as we think about the King's story and ours.
Probably if you are paying attention to the news, you would have recognized once again
that still today there is a lot of royal interest. We had that rather strange, rather sad, I think,
story of so much attention being given to the royal Mother's Day photo. You know, that little
bit of editing that generated days and days of media interest and speculation and chatter.
In the absence of the princess, so much misinformation and misunderstanding was used to fill the vacuum.
Thinking about that story this week perhaps helps us, in a sense, to appreciate some of the royal
expectation there was as the crowds were heading to the festival in Jerusalem in that scene that we
just read in Luke chapter 19. We have been following a crowd at fever pitch, waiting for the Messiah King.
Is Jesus the one? And we have seen so much misunderstanding about the kind of King Jesus is and the timing of His kingdom.
Now, we may or may not have paid any attention or be particularly bothered about royal stories in the press,
but I would suggest that we all need to listen as King Jesus tells the story of God's King.
Because in this little story, we have an explanation for history and how history will end,
and we have revealed from Jesus our purpose as people until that point.
This story, if we hear it well, will encourage us to live well as we mind the gap.
You know, if you visit London and you're on the tube, and as the tube is drawing into the station,
you hear that voice announce, please mind the gap.
Now, watch your step as you continue on your journey as you leave the train.
Well, the story Jesus tells strikes a similar note.
He encourages the crowds and He encourages us to mind the gap between Jesus' first coming
and His second coming.
And again, what we see is that the timing of Jesus' return is unclear,
but the reality that He will return is certain.
And we are to mind the gap in the sense of being careful how we live, how we journey through this life.
We have to be careful about our response to King Jesus and His summons for us to be servants.
The story tells us that God's King has come, that His kingdom will come,
and that His kingdom must grow.
It's a story we all need a healthy interest in, a story that reminds us to mind the gap.
Let's think, first of all, about the king's story, the story about a king.
Perhaps you are familiar with the famous quote,
those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat its mistakes.
Well, did you know, I discovered this this week,
Jesus bases this parable on a famous event in history.
This was living memory for the people in Judea, Israel, Jerusalem at the time.
So in 4 BC, and this is history, Herod the Great died.
And when he died, he divided his kingdom between three of his sons.
And to his son called Archelaus, he was given the title King of Judea.
And so Archelaus, when the will was read, then made the procession to Rome to claim that title,
to claim kingship.
But as he traveled, a delegation of 50 people from Judea followed him
to go to the Roman emperor to say,
we don't want this guy as king.
He is unfit for service.
And so what they expected to be routine actually took a really long time.
But the upshot was,
Archelaus was crowned king.
And he did return to Judea as king.
And he came and he dealt very severely with those who opposed his claims.
Do we hear the parallel?
Hear what Jesus is doing?
Now Jesus is not saying,
my character is the same as Archelaus.
Absolutely not.
Because Archelaus was a terrible king, an awful king.
And Jesus is a wonderful king.
But he is saying,
my circumstances follow that pattern.
Follow that story and history.
Now before we get to the story,
why does Jesus tell it?
So sometimes Jesus tells stories
and we're not always invited to know what was the context.
Why did he choose to say it?
But here we are led to understand why.
Verse 11,
Jesus went on to tell them a parable
because, two things,
he was near Jerusalem
and the people thought that the kingdom of God
was going to appear at once.
So he's coming to the climax of his journey to Jerusalem
and the crowds are hoping,
well, if Jesus is the Messiah King,
then he's going to be crowned in glory.
His kingdom is going to come now.
Our enemies are going to be defeated.
We're going to live in a renewed promised land
and it's going to be peaceful.
And Jesus comes to say the reality is different.
Now he has said to them that his kingdom is now.
We've heard that on the journey.
For example, in chapter 17 and verse 21,
nor will people say of the kingdom,
here it is or there it is
because the kingdom of God is in your midst.
So he's quite happy to say, yes, the kingdom is now.
But he also invites us to recognize
the kingdom has not fully yet come.
It will not be final glory right away.
So just like every king, Jesus will ascend,
though in the first instance,
Jesus will ascend across
before ascending to the throne of glory.
When Jesus arrives in Jerusalem,
he will be crowned,
but it will be a crown of thorns,
not a crown of gold that he will wear.
He will be greeted by great crowds,
but those crowds will turn and cry,
crucify him.
We have no king but Caesar.
He will win a victory,
but that will be a spiritual victory
over Satan and sin and death
by his sacrificial death on the cross.
So he needs them to know
that the reality is different.
So let's follow the king's story.
Verse 12, we have a king who departs.
A man of noble birth went to a distant country
to have himself appointed king and then to return.
And so the idea of going to a distant country
implies this is going to take a while.
There's going to be delay.
Jesus teaches that.
His kingdom is not coming.
His return is not immediate.
His authority is clear, though.
The end of the story is never in doubt.
He is going to be crowned
and he is going to return.
Jesus has been preparing his followers
and us as we've listened for his departure.
So ever since Jesus went up a mountain
with James and Peter and John
and shone with the glory of God,
he spoke to them of his departure.
He was going to leave.
His departure involved his suffering and his death.
And it involved his resurrection.
And it involved his ascension
to the throne of heaven.
Now Jesus knows the response
of many to him as king.
Verse 14,
his subjects hated him
and sent a delegation to say,
we don't want this man to be our king.
And so we've seen on the journey
and we'll see at the cross
that he is the perfect king
of perfect love,
of absolute authority,
of the kingdom and the glory of God
that he brings.
And yet he was rejected
and he is rejected
and he will be rejected
by many throughout history.
Sad reality.
So the king departs.
As the king departs,
we also discover in verse 13
that the king commands,
he called ten of his servants
and gave them ten minas.
Put this money to work
until I come back.
Again, there's those two elements,
ten servants, ten minas.
They're told,
put my money to work
and do that until I come back.
So they are going to be working.
And again, verse 14 is in the background.
There are going to be those
who are serving the kingdom of Jesus
who are going to be working for him
while there will be others around them
who say,
we don't want him as king
and we don't want to receive him
or his message.
So the kingdom will be opposed
and the kingdom will grow.
Do we recognize that?
As true in our day as it was back then.
So we have the same call.
The church is to be doing the work of the king
until the king's return.
That's our purpose.
It's our duty as Christians.
We're doing the king's work.
We have the promise of his presence,
his power, his spirit,
but we also know
that we will face opposition
and there is spiritual battle.
Jesus prepares us for it,
for us at that in the parable.
So the king departs,
the king commands.
Then notice the king returns,
verse 15.
He was made king, however,
and returned home.
So remember that opposition.
We don't want this king.
It is to no effect.
The king is crowned.
He does receive glory,
does have authority.
And so Jesus is preparing us
for this reality
that as he approaches the cross,
death is not the end for Jesus
or for his mission,
for his kingdom.
Opposition,
rejection
does not stop the plan of God.
Jesus will take the throne of heaven.
That's where he's sitting right now,
ruling and reigning over the universe
and over the church,
and he will return one day
to draw history to an end,
to establish the kingdom of God
on this earth,
to establish his final
and ultimate victory
over all the forces of evil,
and God will dwell
with his people forever.
The king returns.
When the king returns,
we also discover
the king judges.
It's the bulk of the story,
isn't it,
from verse 15
down to 27.
In verse 15,
then he sent for the servants
to whom he'd given the money
in order to find out
what they had gained with him.
So we are invited to imagine
here is the king
on his throne,
and here is a day of reckoning.
It's judgment day.
And as the servants come,
we see two categories in view.
We find those
who are described
in verse 16 and 19
as good and trustworthy.
They have put the money to work.
They have kept going
until the king came back.
And the result is
they are given honor
and responsibility
in the kingdom,
sharing in the king's rule,
responsibility for ten cities
or five cities.
But then there's another judgment,
isn't there?
Verse 22,
the master speaks to one
who is described
as a wicked servant,
the one who doesn't work,
the one who doesn't do anything
with what has been given to him
from the king.
And we discover
he loses everything
and ultimately
is given a sentence of death.
So Jesus,
as he has spoken to us
in the gospels,
announces that the father
has given him authority
to judge all people.
And he will reward some
with salvation,
those who receive him by faith,
those who honor him
in their lives,
those who are ready
to serve him
with the grace
that he provides.
But others
will know punishment
and condemnation,
Jesus says.
Those who reject him
as king,
those who rebel
against his will
and his word,
those who are guilty
of treason.
And so Jesus tells us
this story
because we are invited
to learn
from history.
Just as the people
in Jesus' day
could learn from
the story of Archelaus
since he parallels
with Jesus' own story,
we are invited
to see Jesus
is the king,
God's king.
He has departed,
he is now in heaven,
but he will return
with glory
after a delay.
Only the father knows
how long
that will be
and we are invited
to receive him
today.
We're also reminded
in this parable
about how history
will end.
History will end
with a bang
and not a whimper.
But that bang
will not be the bang
of an atomic bomb.
It will not be the bang
of an asteroid
colliding with the earth,
some of those
fearful expectations
that people might have.
It's the loud thunder
that announces
the returning
of the king.
It's the trumpet blast
that says,
the king of kings
and the lord of lords
has come
to establish
his kingdom
on the earth.
And the teaching
of Jesus
and the teaching
of the Bible
reminds us also
that history
is working
towards a certain end.
It is not chaos,
it is Christ
who is in control.
And there's a wonderful
invitation in that,
I think,
to trust the one
who sits on the throne,
to trust the one
who rules over history
and who will rule
for all eternity,
to place our hope
in him,
to pray,
your kingdom come,
your will be done.
But this parable
also reminds us
that all through history
we're going to see
these opposite responses
to King Jesus.
And we will see them
in our own heart.
And what we need
to understand
is that our response
to Jesus
determines
our eternal destiny.
That's the King's story.
But I want to think
just for a few minutes
about the King's treasure.
So last,
maybe some of you,
if you were here
on Sunday evening,
you might be thinking,
I feel like you told us
this story last week.
I had a panic
late on Sunday night.
I usually,
on Sunday night,
think about what's coming
next Sunday.
I was like,
oh, no,
it's the same story.
This is going to be bad.
We're going to have
the same sermon.
But it's not the same story
that we looked at.
And actually,
one of the things
that makes it so different
is the money.
And I'm going to show you that.
If you weren't here,
you might be thinking,
why is he even bothered?
But, you know,
there's some stories
in some movies
where money or treasure
becomes central
to the plot.
Maybe you've read
Treasure Island
and you realize
what that treasure does
to various characters
in that book.
Or you think about
the Ring of Power
in Lord of the Rings
and how central
that becomes
to the plot.
Well, Jesus
tells us this story
and he told similar stories
where the money
becomes an important part
of the storyline.
I'm going to show you
how this story
was different
from the one
that we looked at
in Matthew 25,
verse 14 to 30.
There's the parable
of the talents.
And there was a key
difference there
because there was still
a king
and there were still servants
and there were gifts
that were given.
But one servant
got ten talents,
representing a huge amount
of money.
Somebody got five talents
and somebody just got one.
So, they were given
different amounts
according to their abilities.
Now, that was Matthew 25.
What about here?
Look with me at verse 13.
He called ten of his servants
and gave them ten minas.
Okay?
Ten servants
and they all get
the same amount.
The same treasure
is given to them all.
Now, that's significant.
What does it mean?
Jesus is telling us
that everybody
that listens to him
receives the same good news.
The good news
of God's king
and his coming kingdom
of grace.
That's the mina.
That's the treasure
that we are given.
Just stop and think about
what is the gospel?
The gospel is the announcement
that we are made
by God,
our good and holy creator,
and we are subject to him
as our good
and gracious king.
But as subjects,
we choose to say no
to God's rule
in a whole variety of ways.
Breaking his law,
refusing his will,
rejecting his love.
That every person
who has ever lived
stands guilty
of rebellion
and treason
against God
and God's king.
And wonderfully,
despite our rejection
of him,
God chooses
to show grace.
And God,
in his grace,
sends his son Jesus
as his promised king.
And Jesus
is the king
who will rescue
his people
by dying
in our place
for the sins
of all who will put
their trust in him
on the cross.
Jesus is the king
who rules
over us,
building his kingdom,
the church,
sending his spirit,
giving forgiveness
in new life.
And Jesus
is the king
who will return
to take his people
to live with him
one day
in his eternal
kingdom of love.
And he invites us
to receive
his treasure,
to believe
the good news
of saving grace,
to turn from rebellion,
to trust in him
as Lord and Savior,
and to enter
into this kingdom.
That good news
is the treasure.
And that good news
is powerful.
So here's the other difference
from the story
in Matthew.
When there's the time
of reckoning,
when the servants
stand before the king,
we find them saying,
you entrusted
these talents
to me,
and see,
I have gained
ten more.
I have gained
five more.
How does Jesus
tell the story here?
Verse 16,
the first one
came and said,
Sir,
your mina
has earned
ten more.
Verse 18,
the second came and said,
Sir,
your mina
has earned
five more.
Where does the growth
come from?
It comes from the money.
It comes from the treasure.
It comes from the power
of the gospel of God.
The transformation
comes from God
and His good word
about His good king.
It is the good news
of the Lord Jesus
that brings forgiveness.
It is the good news
of the Lord Jesus
that brings spiritual freedom.
It's the good news
of King Jesus
that establishes us
in fellowship with God
and with one another
in the church.
It's the good news
of King Jesus
that we receive
by faith.
And so we teach it
and we share it
and we proclaim it
all the while
trusting
that God's word
does its work.
That it's the gospel word
that is powerful.
It's the gospel word
that saves.
And we are called
to be obedient
and faithful servants.
That takes us
to the last thing
I want us to think about
the king's servants.
I remember
I think it was probably
my first week
as a Scottish history
student
we had
a very energetic
slightly eccentric
perhaps
a professor
of Scottish history
who told us
two things
that first week.
One
who told us
just how bad
and historically
inaccurate Braveheart was.
That can kind of
help you gauge
my age
and stage in life.
And the other thing
he told us
was that he was only
recently back
from Canada.
When Scotland
had had a referendum
about independence
from the UK
and that referendum
failed
he'd had enough
of UK rule
and he left
to go and live
in Canada.
For years
and years
a particular
government
or a particular
form of government
can lead us
to vote
with our feet
to say
nope
I don't want
that form of rule
I don't want
that king
and so I'm
leaving the country.
We know this
we see it
in the world.
Jesus' story
reveals something
hugely significant.
While many
dislike his rule
hate his rule
oppose him
as king
we cannot
avoid the reality
of his rule.
My feelings
about the rule
of Jesus
your feelings
about the rule
of Jesus
does not change
the fact
that he rules.
He is king
he will always be
king of kings
and lord of lords.
He is
God's king
we all stand
accountable to him
and one day
he will pass
judgment
on all of us.
That's something
we need to reckon
with.
Return with me
for a moment
to verse 11.
I think this is
really interesting
how it's introduced.
While they were
listening to this
he went on
to tell them
a parable.
What have they
just been listening to?
They've been listening
to Jesus
talking with Zacchaeus
and they've just
heard Jesus say
today salvation
has come to this
house because
this man too
is a son of Abraham
for the son of man
came to seek
and to save the lost.
What are they
listening to?
This good news
that Jesus has come
on a rescue mission
that he brings
saving grace
that he comes
to seek
and to save
the lost
that he has
the power
to call people
from darkness
into light
from death
to life
to make people
who have deliberately
made themselves
strangers to God
to bring them
into the family
of God.
He's come on
this loving
rescue mission
and yet still
there are those
who say
we don't want him.
There are two
responses in this
story of course.
There's the
positive response.
There are those
servants who hear
the call of the king
they acknowledge
his authority
and they gladly
serve him
honoring him
with their obedience
and in particular
according to this
parable
they are those
who put this
money to work.
The king gives
a treasure
they put the
treasure to work.
If the treasure
is the good news
of who Jesus is
and what he's done
for us in dying
and rising
what does it look
like to put that
to work in our lives?
Well it begins
of course by
personally receiving
by faith
this good news.
We apply it
to our lives
so that we might
enjoy eternal life.
We put it to work
in our lives
by seeking
by God's grace
to grow
spiritually.
So we want
to read
God's word
that we might
hear him speak
to us.
We might receive
grace.
We want to draw
on our communion
with him as we pray.
We want to gather
together to worship.
We put it to work
as we seek
to grow
in obedience.
As we recognize
that he is king
and yes I am
a servant.
We look to grow
in love.
As we recognize
that the rule
of faith
for the Christian
is summarized
by Jesus
and love the Lord
your God
with all your heart
soul mind and strength
and love your neighbor
as yourself.
So we put it to work
as we seek
with his help
to grow in our love.
We put it to work
as we grow
in our commitment
to his mission.
As we recognize
that he is the king
and that everybody
should recognize
his glory.
We want to support
the work of the church
here locally
and globally
in our prayers
and our giving
and our going.
Well those
we're told
who put the money
to work
who have that
positive response
they receive
don't they
a positive outcome.
Jesus says
verse 17
because you've been
trustworthy
in a very small matter
take charge
of ten cities
faithful with
just a little
honour of
greater responsibility
that promise
that we will
rule with the Lord
Jesus
in the new heavens
in the newer
made to rule
one day
that rule
will be perfectly
restored
and we will rule
and reign
with him.
There's honour
there's joy
waiting for us
as the people
of God.
There's a positive
response to the king
but there's also
the negative response.
Jesus knew he was
going to meet
a negative response
by and large
at the cross.
Verse 20
there's that servant
who said
here's your mina
I've kept it
laid away
in a piece of cloth
I was afraid of you
because you're a hard man.
He does someone
refusing to do anything
with the treasure
that the king gives
not receiving
the good news
personally
not receiving
Jesus as Lord
and Saviour
no desire
to share it
with others
here's someone
who misrepresents
the king
harsh
unworthy
of loyalty
unworthy
of service
ignoring the fact
that he's been
joyfully generous
you've looked after
a little bit of money
look after ten cities
for me
missing his generosity
and failing
in their duty
as servants
to the king
it's a sad picture
in our day
of someone
who is religious
but with no spiritual life
got that mina
but doing nothing
with it
and that brings
the negative outcome
verse 24
take his mina away
and give it to the one
who is ten
to take the money
means there's now
no relationship
with the king
no connection
to his kingdom
they are in fact
the enemies
of the king
in their rejection
those enemies
of mine
who did not want
me to be king
over them
bring them here
and kill them
in front of me
Jesus is very honest
sounds a loving warning
you don't want
to hear
condemnation
from king
jesus
the lesson
is loud and clear
of this parable
when it comes
to the good news
of king jesus
the good news
of his victory
over sin
and death
of his gift
of forgiveness
and eternal life
of entry
into his kingdom
of the privilege
of serving him
we either use it
or we lose it
and each of us
must decide
use it
or lose it
we're going to close
with this reminder
that the king
comes to us
today
to offer us
grace
today
remember verse 11
while they were
listening to this
while they were
listening to the one
who said
I've come to seek
and to save the lost
I've come to bring
salvation and grace
I imagine
that at least
some of us
might be here
today thinking
jesus calls me
to put
what he's given me
to work
and what have I done
for jesus
perhaps that's true
of most christians
as we reflect
william carey
who brought the gospel
to india
on his birthday
when he was 58
he wrote a letter
to his son
he said I'm 58
and I've done so little
I imagine if that's true
for william carey
it's something that we
perhaps resonate with
and we need to be reminded
by the king of grace
you are not saved
by what you have done
I am not saved
by what I have done
but only by what
jesus has done
for you
remember
we're saved by grace
remember our generous
king and savior
and remember
that he loves to reward
even the cup of water
given in his name
when we feel
kind of flat
I've done so little
we remember his goodness
and his grace
that's where we're going
to find our motivation
to keep on
seeking to be faithful
with a cup of water
being faithful
in our weakness
as we remember
the grace that he shows
to us
and that he gives
to us day by day
but maybe some of us
are here today
and you know
we read this story
and you see yourself
and I'm like the king's
subject saying no
saying I don't want him
to be king
I'm the servant
who's had the gospel
I've had gospel privileges
and I've done
nothing with it
if that's you
remember
grace is offered
to you
from Jesus
today
Peter the apostle
will remind us
that the delay
in Jesus' return
is actually good news
it's patience
because it represents
a chance to repent
to turn away from sin
and to turn to God
to submit to him
as Lord
and King
so there is grace
offered to
all of us today
from King Jesus
whoever we are
wherever we find
ourselves
there is that promise
of grace
if
we will have him
and if we will receive
from him
let's pray together
thank you
for the
in
the
world
and
it
within
and