Sermon Tone Analysis

A Parable

Alight, let’s get back into the Word the morning.

Looking at the Parable of the Ten Minas in Luke 19.

So what’s a mina?

A Mina is a measure of currency.

It’s about 100 drachmas.

So what’s a drachma?

its money.

A Mina is about 100 drachmas.

Like a Benjamin is 100 bucks.

But in that day, a Mina was worth about 3 months wages.

Alight.

Now that we are clear about what Mina’s are lets keep going.

Now, this is important to keep in mind, remember as we look this morning, a parable always has its first meaning and its secondary application.

It’s first meaning is almost always its meaning to those to whom Jesus was speaking.

It’s secondary leaning is its application to those who would later encounter the word of the LORD.

That doesn’t mean that its secondary meaning is less important, but it means that to better understand what it means for later hearers it’s important to understand what it meant for it’s immediate hearers.

So let’s read the parable and then lets look at it’s primary meaning and then let’s allow it’s primary meaning to impact it’s application for us.

Are you ready?

Let’s go.

The Parable Of The Ten Minas

So, lets real quick make sure we understand the basic story Jesus is telling.

A nobleman is leaving to go another country where he will be given authority to rule over the land from whence he came.

Eventually he will come back to rule as the King.

But while he is gone he gives his servants minas (money) to do business while he is gone.

Now his subjects, those he was given authority to rule over, hated him, they dind't want him to be their king.

We he returned as King he meets with his servants.

He commends his servants who did something with the money and he rebukes the servant who did not.

And he condemns the ones who were enemies against him.

And His Kingdom is establish.

So what’s it mean?

They Thought The Kingdom Of God Was Going To Appear Right Away

They thought the Kingdom of God was going to appear right away.

Yes, thats a long point for a slide but it’s the primary clue in understand the immediate application of the parable.

The disciples (not just the 12, but all the followers of Jesus) were expecting the Kingdom to come very soon.

They were expecting Jesus to enter Jerusalem and take over.

Well, Jesus would enter Jerusalem and take over, he just wouldn’t take over in the manner they were expecting and wanting.

See if you simply look down at what immediately follows this parable in Luke is Jesus’ triumphal entry into JeruSalem where they would declare him the King, they would worship him as King, the would honor him as King, they would receive him as King, they would apply scripture to him as King.

And Jesus wold welcome this coronation ceremony.

But they thought that this entrance into Jerusalem would be the beginning of an coup, and overthrow of powers and principalities, a toppling of oppressors, and the reestablishment of Israel.

And they would be right.

But what they would would be wrong about was the manner in which this over throw would happen and how this Kingdom would come - first in our hearts and then in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior - Jesus Christ.

Listen , we still get it wrong.

We are still looking to install new governments instead of letting Christ rule our hearts.

So Jesus tells them this parable.

He wants them to understand that, yes he is King, but the Kingdom on earth under the rule of the King isn’t immediate.

He is telling them to be patient.

To live out the kingdom.

To be about Kingdom business until the King returns.

He is preparing them for the long-haul.

He is also warning them about a coming judgment.

Remember, the primary audience is the Jews.

Jesus is the King/Messiah/LORD that was prophesied would come.

He Was and Is the One Isaiah calls the Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, whose would carry the weight of government on His shoulders.

And in the story you have servants and subjects.

The Servants are the ones who receive His Royal Rule.

The Subjects are the one who reject His Royal Rule.

Notice, the servant who didn’t do anything with what was in trusted to him wasn’t condemned but he also wasn’t commended.

His entrance into the Kingdom was based on his acceptance of the King - By grace through faith

His reward upon the King’s return was based upon what he did with what he was given - Just and fair according to works

Also, notice the subjects who rejected their King were judged.

Those who actively opposed the King were judged.

Again, the immediate meaning of the parable it to warn Israel and prepare them.

There are two types in the parable - servants and subjects.

Those Jews who receive Jesus as King and those who would not.

And ultimately the rejection of Jesus by many in Israel would bring judgement.

In AD 70 the temple would be destroyed.

The system they placed their faith in, the system that those who rejected Jesus expected to be their salvation was destroyed.

So Jesus is using this parable to tell them that the King and the Kingdom is not coming immediately in the manner they thought.

Jesus was preparing them for better Kingdom ruled by a better King.

Jesus was offering them hope and escape for the destruction that was to come.

If the Kingdom Rule looks different than don’t be alarmed when this earth is shaken.

And Jesus was warning them of the destruction ahead for those who rejected the Royal Rule.

He was telling them, I am the King.

Be busy while you await the fullness of the Kingdom.

I am the King.

Don’t reject the Kingdom and don’t expect the Kingdom to look like power, expect it to look like suffering and then resurrection.

They thought the Kingdom was going to appear right away.

He was telling them to advance the Kingdom while they await His return.

Be busy about Kingdom business.

Live as ambassadors of the Kingdom they are waiting for.

There’s work to do for the King while you wait for the Return.

And there’s judgement for those religious leaders and those who rejected the Rule of Jesus.

It was encouragement for those who expected Jesus to overtake Rome immediately.

And it was warning for those Religious Leaders who would hand Jesus over to Rome to be crucified.

But what about us.

Get the point Pastor.

What about me, what about us?

Well, that part of the problem with the American church, we think the scripture revolve around us.

What about everyone who has read these words of Jesus since those immediate hearers?

What’s the point for the rest of the Church?

While We Wait

So that was the primary application.

But for us.

What do we do while we wait?

First - Don’t Get Impatient

Like the original hearers we need to remind ourselves that the Kingdom is an already/not yet Kingdom.

What does that mean?

It means that while the King rules over the church the Kingdom hasn’t yet been established in the earth.

This world is unjust.