Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 19 : 11-27 "THE ESCHATALOGICAL ASPECT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD"
Day 235 – Luke 19
Text: Luke 19 : 11-27
THE ESCHATALOGICAL ASPECT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
The question raised by the people to Jesus was not invalid. Some of the hearers would be people who had embraced Jesus as their Messiah-Saviour. Perhaps they had also experienced growth in their new-found faith in the Lord Jesus.
There was much confusion as to the eschatological aspect of the Kingdom of God. Hence some sought further clarification from Jesus concerning the appearance of the Kingdom of God…
“Because they thought the Kingdom of God
would appear immediately…”
Luke 19:11
Misconceptions are difficult to correct. They can persist and appear in many different forms. Jesus had already taught His Disciples much about the Kingdom of God. He knew that He must now devote time to teaching them yet another aspect of the Kingdom of God. Once again, He chose the classic teaching technique – the Parable – to convey an important truth!
THE PARABLE OF THE TEN MINAS
To those who expected or hoped that the Kingdom of God would immediately appear, Jesus exhorted them to give attention to this parable!
The storyline was not difficult to understand or appreciate. Those who lived in the days of Jesus could even understand how Jesus developed this Parable. In the days when Rome ruled the earth, the Emperor allowed different people who were called “kings” to rule on his behalf. Herod for example was called “King” after he applied to Rome to rule on its behalf.
Jesus, of course added a different slant to this parable. He hinted at going away for a while. He would return to His Father. He would one day return to establish His Kingdom.
The essential lesson that Jesus was seeking to communicate to His Disciples was obvious! The Kingdom of God would NOT appear immediately. In God’s plan, that Kingdom of God would be established, but His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Cf. Isaiah 55:8,9).
The Disciples must not focus their thoughts on the quick appearance of the Kingdom of God. There were other aspects of the Kingdom of God that they had not understood fully.
One of those aspects was that they had a work to do for God. There was work for all His Disciples to do, while waiting for God to establish His Kingdom on earth! Instead of spending their time wishing and longing for the Kingdom of God to appear, they would be well advised to utilize their time and energy in more worthwhile pursuits. The Parable of the Ten Minas was taught so that the Disciples could dwell on the great challenge of serving God faithfully and fruitfully while waiting for Christ’s Return!
“DO BUSINESS TILL I COME” Luke 19:13
This was one of the most challenging aspects of The Parable of the Ten Minas. The Disciples must of course believe that their Master would return as He said. However, they must not keep wishing and longing for His return at the expense of serving Him faithfully.
Already, Jesus had taught His Disciples about the importance of being faithful to the tasks given to them (Cf. Luke 12:35-48). Once again, He emphasized this point of being faithful and diligent in service!
Once again, in this Parable Jesus emphasized the following:-
1. The principle of accountability
Jesus spoke about the nobleman in the parable who required his servants to account for the way in which each had utilized the mina entrusted to each one. (A mina is a smaller amount of money than a “talent”. It is estimated that it is about 1/60 of a talent).
2. The principle of responsible servanthood
The Disciples were given to understand once again that they were to see themselves as good and responsible servants.
a) It was a privilege to be a servant of the Lord.
b) The Master may not have given specific instructions to the servant as to how each should utilize his mina. Each servant is expected to use his knowledge, experience, skills etc and to make full use of the mina given.
3. The principle of reward and punishment
The Master would ask each of his servants to account for the use of the money entrusted. At the end of the accounting, each would receive his just reward.
To the one who has been faithful and fruitful, praise and commendation may be expected. On the other hand, to the one who has been faithless and unfruitful, no amount of excuses would suffice. The Master knew his servants only too well. The lazy, unproductive and therefore unfruitful servant would get his due! He would be reprimanded accordingly (Luke 19:20-23).
As we read this parable prayerfully, let us examine how we have been serving the Lord! Have we been “doing business till Jesus comes”? Have we been faithful? Have we been diligent? Have we been productive and fruitful?
What if Jesus were to come today and ask us to account for all that He has blessed us with? How would we be able to answer the Lord Jesus? Would He be able to commend us for our faithfulness and our fruitfulness? Would He have to reprimand us for being unfaithful and unfruitful?
THOSE WHO REJECTED JESUS
There were those who had rejected Jesus. They too would one day have to stand before Jesus. They would have to suffer His wrath. He would return with full authority from His Father. They would be pronounced guilty of having rejected Jesus and they would be duly punished. How do you see Jesus? Is He the King of your life?