We're going to do a sermon series today in the Gospel of Luke.
So if you'll turn with me to Luke chapter 19, that's where we're going to get it.
That's page 825 in the few miles.
Luke chapter 19, page 825.
This time of year, the time between Christmas and Easter, is this hard time when the church
has focused its attention on the person of Jesus.
We're always focusing on Christ because we've just sung.
What we want is to see Christ more clearly, but it's good to regularly return to the Gospels
themselves and get a firsthand encounter there with the one that we worship, the one that
is at the center of our worship, Jesus.
Now, as we start into the Gospel of Luke this season, just a quick orientation to this book.
The Gospel of Luke falls roughly into three parts.
The first, chapters 1 through 9, deal with Jesus' birth and his ministry in Galilee.
And the big question that Luke deals with there is, who is this Jesus?
And the picture that emerges in Luke 1 through 9 is that Jesus is, in fact, Israel's Messiah,
the Lord, the liberator that we've been waiting for.
And then begins the second section of the Gospel of Luke, in chapters 9 through 19.
And there Luke recounts Jesus' long journey from Galilee to Jerusalem.
And here we join the disciples on the road with Jesus.
And Luke is dealing with the question here of, what does it mean to follow Jesus?
What does it mean to follow him?
And the picture that emerges in 9 through 19 is that following Jesus means complete allegiance
to him as our Lord.
And if you were here last winter and spring, we preached through that section of Luke.
You can find those sorts on the website if you want to go back and listen to some of those.
But now, we come to the third and final section of Luke's Gospel, chapters 19 through 24.
And these chapters deal with the climax of Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem.
And the big question here that Luke takes up is, what has Jesus come to do?
This liberator who calls for our utmost allegiance, what is the work he's come to accomplish?
How will he set us free?
And the shocking answer to that question, the answer that will turn everything upside down,
the answer that will make Jesus and Christianity completely different than every other religion,
the answer to that question is, the cross.
Now why is Luke right on this?
In the opening chapter of Luke, chapter 1, the opening verses,
he says there that he's taking time to research and gather all these first-hand accounts of Jesus.
Luke's writing in the 60s, 70s, the first century, 60s, 70s, 80s.
He says he's gathered all these first-hand accounts of Jesus,
put them into an orderly account, so that his young friend named Theophilus
might know the certainty of the things he did.
He wants the faith of his friend not to rest on wishful thinking or on vague notions,
but on the certainty of who Jesus is and what he's done.
So it's our prayer that as we launch into the gospel, Luke again,
that that same sort of assurance, that same sort of assuring certainty will increasingly be ours.
And out of that assurance, we can be the kind of people who are people of love and hope and even joy
in the midst of our city that so desperately needs all of us.
So why don't we pray?
And then we'll dive into those things.
Let's pray.
Father, we are grateful that we get a chance on Sunday mornings to gather together as your people
in this new covenant that you want for us, where there's grace and forgiveness in life.
Amen.
God, thank you that through your word you speak to us.
Thank you that we have these documents that have been written and preserved and inspired by your spirit
so that we can hear afresh the truth of who you are and what you've done, Jesus,
and what you continue to do through your spirit in your church and in our own lives.
God, do your work this morning, we pray as we attend to your word.
We ask this humbly in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
So we're getting up to Luke 19, verses 11 through 28.
This is the passage that ends the second section of Luke's gospel and begins the third and final section
of Luke's gospel, Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem.
So Luke 19, verse 11.
As they heard these things, he, that is Jesus, proceeded to tell Pharaoh, because he was here to Jerusalem,
and because they supposed that the kingdom of God to appear, he is.
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 meetings 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 move me and give him the money to be called to him,
that he might know what they would gain by doing business.
The first came forward and saying,
Lord, your mena has made ten meetings.
And he said to him,
Well done, good servant, because you have been faithful and very little,
you shall have a foreign meeting.
And the second came, saying,
Lord, your mena has made five meetings.
And he said to him,
You are to be over five meetings.
Then another came, saying,
Lord, here is your being,
which I kept laying away in the hand of chief.
For I was afraid,
because you are a severe man,
you take what you did not deposit,
reap what you did not sow.
And 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,
reap what I did not sow.
Why then did you not put my money in the bank?
And am I coming?
I might have collected it with interest.
He said to those who stood by,
Take the need of him,
give it to the one who has ten meetings.
And he said to him,
Lord, he has ten meetings.
I tell you,
that to everyone who has,
more will be given.
But to 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,
break from the air,
it's a lot of them for me.
When he said these things,
he went on ahead.
I'll go back to Jerusalem.
Well,
our passage today
is about expectations.
Expectations, of course,
can be a very powerful thing.
Imagine the school child waking up,
seeing snow on the ground,
one expecting for a snow day.
And yet being told,
let go,
despite their expectations,
they still have to go to school.
That's going to be a rough morning
for the fall.
Or imagine a newly married couple
settling into their new home,
and one expecting that the other
will gladly do the bills,
or take care of the shopping,
because, well,
that's how it was growing up for them.
Think about getting a new job.
Finally, this is the place
where I can make my mark,
get ahead,
earn respect.
It's not hard to see
that these kinds of
almost unconscious expectations
can be the source
of all sorts of
misunderstanding,
disappointment,
but have you ever considered
that that's also true spiritually?
Many expect
religion to always say
basically the same thing.
And then are very surprised
when they find out
that they're actually quite old.
Many expect Jesus
to be just another
good moral teacher,
and then are surprised
or even taken aback
when they find out
that he's claiming
a whole lot more than that.
Many expect
that following Jesus
will always make our life easier,
and then are surprised,
even upset,
or discouraged,
when the road gets rough
and trials come.
in verse 11 of our passage,
we see that Jesus
tells this parable
because he's about
to arrive in Jerusalem,
and the people around him
expect the kingdom of God
to appear immediately.
The kingdom of God,
that is,
the world healing,
justice-bringing,
evil,
and the in-taking
reign
of the creator God
on the earth,
where the world's last
would be put
right next to the kingdom
of God.
And had God
Jesus himself said
that that kingdom
was at hand,
and that the kingdom
was even in their midst,
so they're expecting
the kingdom of God
now to remain
under Jerusalem
to appear
in the earth.
But although Jesus
had indeed
launched God's kingdom
in his own person
at work,
the kingdom of God
in its complete fullness
was not going to appear.
in other words,
in Jesus,
the kingdom of God
was inaugurated,
but its consummation
was not going to happen
right away,
as the disciples expected.
And so our expectations
can cause us
such problems
relationally,
vocationally,
and so the spiritual.
And so this parable
is the just for the first
disciples following
Jesus' own Jerusalem.
It's for us,
today,
as well.
So what should we expect
as followers of Jesus?
Well, the first thing
that this parable shows us
is that we should expect
not immediate victory,
but ongoing responsibility.
We should not expect
immediate victory,
but ongoing responsibility.
Look at it,
verses 12 through 14.
Jesus said,
therefore,
a nobleman
went into a far country
to receive for himself
a kingdom
and then returned,
calling ten of his servants
to give them ten units
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 bring our kids.
Now,
this idea
of a nobleman
going away
to receive a kingdom
or to receive
the authority
to be king
would have been familiar
to Jesus' contemporary.
In fact,
when Herod the Great died,
his son,
Barbeleus,
actually went to Rome
to try to convince Caesar
to make him king
over Judea
in the place of his father.
And the Jewish citizens
disliked Barbeleus
so much
that they sent
an embassy probe
to tell the emperor
that they didn't want
to be a king.
So I think the emperor
ended up making him
sort of a sort of
semi-classic war
and said,
well,
if you move into our menu
and you can use him.
So this idea
that one would go away
in order to receive
the authority
to be a king
was a true man.
I don't know if I could
get him to the
volume to the sword
together here.
And Jesus,
is your client
to his co-signition?
Is it going to result
in an evening king?
Would you say
was that?
Rather,
he's going to be
a king
for some time
and then return
in the future
and fold forward
into the future.
And as the story
of Luke's gospel
unfolds
and as the story
continues
into the past,
that's exactly
what we see.
Jesus accomplishes
his glory personal
and then ascends
to the Father
promising that
he will one day
return in glory
to the Lord.
This is what Jesus
himself
and the rest
of the New Testament
teaches
and is what the
church has professed
from the very beginning
that we live
in between
Christ's first
and second coming.
His first coming
in grace
to purchase
our redemption
and to ignorate
the kingdom
and his second coming
in glory
to judge
and to cause
them.
And so,
like those first
disciples,
we should not
expect immediate
victory in this
in-between time.
We still wrestle
and we will still
wrestle with sin
and temptation.
We will still
battle sickness
and death.
Our relationships
will be hard
at times.
Our emotional life
will not always
be easy.
Being a follower
of Jesus,
being filled
with his spirit
does not maybe
guarantee health,
wealth,
or sinless
temptation.
And if we
expect those things,
we will be
sorely disappointed.
And we can even
end up shaking
our fist to God
when he tells
that he hasn't
accomplished those things.
Rather than
immediate victory,
Jesus is telling
us to expect
ongoing responsibility.
In the parable
10, servants
are each given
one beating,
which is a unit
of money
that's about
three to four
months' wages
for a day worker.
And they're told
to engage
in business
until he comes.
Engage in business.
Now have you
ever thought about
engaging in business
as a benefit
for discipleship?
That's what Jesus
is doing here.
Had Jesus said
that there were
12 servants
entrusted with money,
we might have thought
he was talking
about the 12 apostles
maybe.
But no,
there's 10 servants
and that might
have been
talking about
all of us.
Engage in business.
Use what the
master has given
you.
Your time,
your talents,
your treasure,
all of it is a
gift for him
to be used
in the engagement
of his business.
Now I'm not
a business person,
but I do know
that if you want
to be a successful
business person,
you need a plan.
Have you ever
stepped back
and thought
how your time,
your talents,
your resources
can be used
for God's
kingdom?
As you engage
in your location,
as you engage
in your family life,
as you engage
in your community
life,
have you ever
thought,
and made,
yes,
a plan,
about how
I might be
engaged in
the business
of God's
kingdom?
But a business,
you don't just
need a plan,
you also need
to be willing
to take risks,
don't you?
Following Jesus
is like that.
There will be
times when you
need to step
out and do
something risky,
but no great
business venture
ever really was
a success without
a little bit,
or maybe a lot
of risk,
right?
You have to do
something outside
of your comfort
zone,
like striking up
a conversation
with your neighbor,
or maybe volunteering
with a classroom
full of first
graders.
Could there be
anything
you want to do
that?
But in
business,
I've heard
you don't
just need
a plan,
and you
don't just
need a
willingness
to take
risks,
you need
planners.
You can't
move along.
And discipleship
is the same,
we need
each other.
The business
of God
isn't a
one-person
operation.
We need
various
things and
talents and
resources
working together
in this
business of
the kingdom.
But let me
mention just
one last
thing.
In business,
it seems to
be,
you need
confidence.
Because it's
not easy.
Look at
verse 14.
Jesus tells
us to expect
that many
people will
not let
complain to
business.
Some will
passively
reject Jesus
as their
king.
Some will
actively
reject Jesus
as their
king.
So as we
engage in
business,
things are
going to
be easy.
Discipleship
is going to
be hard.
We will
face setbacks
physically,
emotionally,
relationally.
What
confidence
can we
have in
the midst
of the
trials?
Well,
the glimmer
of good
news here
in this
first part
of the
Bible
is this,
that our
king has
looked upon
us,
servants,
and he's
made us
partners.
The
gospel,
the news
that God
accepts us
by grace
and not
works through
Jesus,
elevates us
and gives
us a
statement
that we
want to
be not.
No longer
just serving,
but partners
in this
business of
the kingdom.
What
wonderful news
is that?
That even
if setbacks
and trials
come,
we are
partners with
the king
representing
his interests
in the
world,
awaiting his
glorious
review.
What
better
business
to give
our
help?
What
other
business
venture
could be
more
adventurous
than to be
engaged in
the business
of the king
of the universe?
believers.
This is the
life of
discipleship.
This is what
we should
expect.
Not a
beginning
degree,
but an
ongoing,
glorious,
hard
responsibility.
But there's
more.
The rest of
the parable
is just as
important when
it comes to
our spiritual
expectations.
Because you
see, many
of us expect
that this
life is
all
there is.
Or if
there is
something
more to
come,
it's not
very connected
to what
happens here
and now,
or maybe
only marginally
so.
It sort
of reminds
me of
J.J.
Abrams'
TV show
Lost.
If you
were a
Lost fan,
you'll know
that it was
six seasons
of high
drama,
plot twists
and turns,
character
development,
and then
in the
final episode,
rather than
drawing all
those threads
together and
making a
meaningful
whole out of
the series,
the final
episode simply
had the
characters
reunite,
realize that
much of
their story
didn't matter,
and they
simply walk
into the
light of
the afterlife.
You can
tell I
have to
the light
on the
process.
They
simply move
on.
Is that
what we
should
expect?
Mere
reunion?
According to
Jesus in
verses 15
through 27,
we should
expect not
a mere
moving
on
of
your
reunion,
but a
thorough
coming
reckoning.
In the
parable,
the noble
returns
under being
granted a
kingdom,
and he
calls to
him above
his servants
to whom
he entrusted
his money
and the
citizens
who rejected
him.
Now,
it's this
final group
that probably
causes us
the most
concern.
That
description
of judgment
in verse
27 strikes
us as
incredibly
harsh,
offensive.
But think
for a
moment of
all great
parts.
Sometimes
we need
something
shocking,
something
in your
face to
wake
this
whole
reality.
Is it
much
good
art
like
this?
Whether
it's a
modernist
painting,
or a
punk
from
an album,
it's
raw,
it's
in your
face,
so that
the viewers
of the
minister
will
actually
wake
up
to the
reality
of the
problems
that are
trying to
be
exposed.
So what
is the
reality
in which
Jesus
is trying
to wake
up?
Well,
it's to
the reality
of the
choices
that we
make
in this
life.
have
eternal
meaning.
Life
is not
meaning.
That
thing that
we feel
deep in
our
bones,
that this
life
matters,
that our
choices have
dignity,
that we
aren't
simply dust
specks on
a turntable
of oblivion.
No,
this
throttable
reckoning
by the
King
brings
the good
news that
our choices
matter,
that life
does not
be
used.
But the
harsh reality
is that
one day
some
will be
granted
exactly
what they
have asked
for.
Those who
happen to be
rejected,
who want
nothing to
do with
one,
who want
to be
ridden
once and
for all,
they will
be granted
just that.
In God's
justice,
they will
be excluded
from his
presence,
eternally
separated.
And if
God is
the eternal
source of
all life,
what can
separation
from him
be like
but eternal
death?
Some
modern art
can make us
unworthy
whole,
who will
walk through
the LR
and tolerate
finds a
freedom
in people
pieces,
but that
doesn't make
it any less
true.
The question
this part of
the parable
puts to
us is,
are we
in line
rejected
the world
to right
the king?
But lest
we think
that Jesus'
parable
is unfair,
notice that
thoroughgoing
reckoning
also comes
to the
nobleman
servants.
In
particular,
notice that
the bulk
of the
parable
deals with
the last
servant,
the servant
who merely
returns
and
ultimately
be that
having
hidden
away
in
the
king
of
king.
Now,
outwardly,
this servant
would have
been
identified
with
becoming
king.
He would
have been
named
among
the business
partners,
and yet,
the reckoning
proved that
he had no
lasting place
in the
kingdom.
The warning
here is
to nominal
Christians,
that is,
those who
identify outwardly
with Christ
in name.
but for
whom there
is no
inward
reality,
no real
relationship
into Jesus.
You see,
it's not
out of my
hearts that
Jesus is
looking for,
but inward
reality,
inward
sincerity,
things like
baptism,
or church
attendance,
or being
able to
recite a
read,
those are
all good
things that
can be
fruits of
genuine
faith,
but in
and of
themselves
they are
not
sufficient.
Now,
this doesn't
mean that
we are
ultimately
saved by
our
works.
The good
fruit of
our life
does not
put us
in a
saving
relationship
with God.
We could
never be
with it.
We are
saved by
faith in
Christ's
righteousness
alone.
But as
the reformers
would say
again and
again,
we are
saved by
faith alone,
but saving
faith is
natural.
A living
tree produces
fruit,
an active
bank account
produces
fruit.
Faith without
works is
dead faith.
No real
faith at all.
And this
last serpent
has nothing
to show
when the
master returns.
He did
nothing with
his meaning.
Is this
meaning?
Is this
meaning?
having
grown up
in a
time and
place where
the
gospel is
clearly
proclaimed,
when
scripture is
printed and
available in
our own
language,
if we just
click away
on our
smartphone,
we can
read the
very
word of
God,
whatever
and
whatever
we want.
When
scholarship
again and
again continues
to affirm
the gospel's
reliability,
when friends
and family
around us
are trusting
and following
Christ,
will we
have nothing
to show
for this
theme that
God has
given to
us?
Will we
not entrust
ourselves
wholeheartedly
to the
King?
God has
done it.
Amen.
And notice
something
important here.
This servant
disobeys his
master's wishes
and does no
business with
the man.
And then to
justify his
inactivity,
his rejection of
the nobleman's
wishes,
he creates a
defined picture
of the nobleman.
And what is
that creating
a picture
like?
Well,
this nobleman
in his mind
is harsh
and demanding
and he takes
when he didn't
have a cross
and he grieves
when he didn't
have a soul.
And of course
the nobleman's
generosity to
the previous
servants
for his
own.
And yet,
in this
servant's
mind,
this is the
picture he's
creating.
And this
picture of
the nobleman
that he
creates,
as severe
as the
bandit,
then allows
this servant
to blame
for his
exoesies.
Well,
he blames
the nobleman.
I was afraid
of you,
so I did
nothing.
Because you're
so hard.
Do you
notice the
hard dynamic
of sin
that Jesus
is laying
for us?
We
disobey.
We create
a false
image of
God that
justifies
our
disobedience.
And then
we use
that false
image to
turn and
put the
way back
on the
thought
of sin.
Do you
see that
dynamic in
your own
heart?
I know
I've seen
you mine
and it
should make
us
trouble.
And so
the lesson
we're going
to take
away from
this last
circle
is that
we must
make use
of
the
meaning
that
God
has
given us.
We must
not allow
the false
images of
God in
our minds
to us
from taking
advantage of
that gift
that God
has given.
It's not
enough to be a
Christian in
name only.
As verse 20
shows us,
if you look
there,
if we are a
Christian in
name only,
even that
name will be
taken away
from us.
not our
identity,
but in
living
relationship
with Jesus,
that's what
happens.
And how
do you
do that?
First,
something called
an evidence,
which is
admitting to
God
that you're
saying,
and then
saying,
trusting in
the Lord
Jesus'
life,
death,
and
resurrection
of the
world,
that you
are
not
in
trusting
yourself
to him
as your
business.
And for
those who
make that
step,
there is
also
a
right.
In
verses 16
through 19,
the servants
who had
occasion
visits
with the
masters
being in,
we find
them there.
They've
taken
their
message.
They've
stepped
out of
faith.
They've
come,
and they
come with
what they've
gained.
Some,
no doubt,
have been
hit through
hardship and
trial.
Some have
probably spent
sleepless nights
wandering
out when all
turnouts.
Some,
they have
lost friends
or family
members along
the way.
Some probably
made deep
sacrifices.
But at
last,
this day
of reckoning
comes.
And what we
have to see
in the
airport
is the
radical
generosity
of the
king.
I think
that it
was no
more than
three or
four months
of a
day
was
a
generation.
You know,
history tells
us,
I think it was
Mark Anthony,
history tells
us that when
Mark Anthony
tried to
reward his
soldier's
service,
he gave
them a
mina as
a gift.
And they
basically
mocked him
because he
was such
a small
man.
So he
had to
up his
gifts
over the
Lord.
Which goes
to show
that mina
was something
of that
much.
And yet
when these
servants
come before
their king,
some having
been ten
minas,
which was
not a
number of
return in
the first
century,
and some
having been
five minas,
what's the
reward?
In
return for
a minas,
run,
the servants
are rewarded
with the
rule over
whole cities.
The reward
is lavishly
disproportionate.
For the
small amount
they return,
they are
granted
unprecedented
dignity,
position,
importance,
and honor
in the
kingdom of
God.
I mean,
imagine,
if I gave
you,
let's say
I gave
you 3,000,
to invest.
No,
small amount
had a huge
amount of
money.
And you
came back
to me and
you said,
hey,
I actually
turned you
$3,000
into $10,000.
How do you
think about that?
What you
wouldn't expect
me to say,
great job,
you beat
the whole
city of
New England.
Just have
progress.
And that
is the
graciousness
of our
duty.
we are
saved by
grace,
and we
are
rewarded
in
grace.
You see,
what Jesus
wants us
to see
is that
the business
of discipleship,
the plans,
the risk,
the trials,
the hardship,
it will all
be worth it
for the king
of the
situation.
Amen.
even if you
feel as if
your demon
has gained
so little,
it is not
little in the
eyes of our
king.
If done in
love for him,
then it is
held in
greatest need.
It is worth
cities upon
cities in his
eyes.
grace.
So don't
hesitate to
give this
king your
all.
To live
your life
for him.
To plan,
to risk,
to suffer,
even to die
for him.
This is no
harsh,
severe,
tired,
despite what
that final
servant might
say,
or despite
what the
voice in
your head
might sometimes
want you to
hear,
this king's
heart is
abounding in
grace.
after all,
what gives
this king
the right
of the
church?
What is,
what is it
that Jesus
has done
that put
him to such
a place?
Look again
at verse 12,
the beginning
of Jesus'
paradigm.
The noble
that went
into a far
country to
receive her
himself.
A far
country.
Let's take
phrases used
in Luke 15
to Jesus'
parable of
the product
of the
son.
When the
elder son
leaves his
father,
he goes to
a far
country to
squander his
wealth.
And you
see,
Jesus too
would go
to the
far
country.
He would
go out
into the
far
country
where we
could
squander
them all
down into
our sin
and our
explosive
world.
And he
would go
out to
the far
country
of our
top
country
and our
rebellion.
And to the
far country
he would go
and it would
lead to
the cross.
And in that
far country
there, he
would lead
for himself
a kingdom.
no other
king, no
other religious
leader, no
other moral
teacher has
done what
Jesus did.
He alone
has gone
into the
far country
and found
him for
our sins.
He alone
has risen
again and
ascended to
the Father
and now
into a
seed
of
the
man.
This is
what gives
Jesus the
water to be
our
and to be
our
judge.
And to be
our
Lord.
Jesus did
what no
one expected
the Messiah
would do.
He died
on the
cross.
So that
we could
receive what
no one
expected
sinners
to receive.
What the
life
is
the
kingdom
of
the
world.
Let's
pray.
Lord Jesus
we pray
that you
would take
our life
and let
your
consecrated
soul
today.
Take our
moments,
take our
days,
Lord,
invite the
Holy Spirit
to let them
grow.
pray.
And when
we look
ahead to
your
return,
with the
right
expectation,
and so
we're ready
for that
great
thing.
We ask
this in
Christ's
love.