Occupy till I come

The Reason for Living

Occupy till I Come

Luke 19:11-22

Theme. God shows us we have a place in God’s plan for our world.

Welcome to Mountain View Baptist Church. Thank you for attending church today and being with God’s people. If this is first time, please be sure to stop by the welcome center so we better connect with you.

Have you ever had a part on your vehicle or maybe an appliance that either stops or stalls because the use of the object of necessary to operate. Maybe like a furnace filter, it will not cool or heat when the filter has not been changed. For an instrument to work, all the parts need to be in place.

Here in this passage Jesus is teaching a lesson on obeying the will of God where He places you. If every Christian would be in their place serving the Lord, we could move the kingdom of God forward. Everyone has a purpose, a place in God’s kingdom. When that place is left empty or unoccupied, it hinders or hurts the work of God.

The hearers were more concerned about the future kingdom of God than doing what God asked them to do today. They were more concerned on Jesus improving the earth and their lifestyles than obeying God’s will.

Passover season was a reminder of the deliverance from the slavery in Egypt. This annual celebration aggravated the misery of bondage to Rome and they wanted the same deliverance in their day. They were wanting Jesus to conquer Rome and establish His political kingdom so they could enjoy His kingdom.

Jesus knew that many in the crowd were hoping for Jesus to establish the kingdom so He gave them a parable to clarify things. Jesus explained His kingdom would not come until a future time; so they were to obey the Lord in the place they had been assigned by God. Laziness has no place in the kingdom of God.

Too often people live for a better day and never make the day better by doing God’s will today.

Sometimes the devil will convince us we will serve God in the future but we don’t have time now. If you are not serving today, more than likely you won’t serve later. You can do nothing now as you wait for something better in the future.

Several years ago, a college friend’s parents got wrapped up in some kind of “religious movement” where they believed that Jesus was going to come on a particular day. Since they did not need their personal belongings, their bank accounts, their houses, their cars, they liquidated everything and went to some place in Arizona waiting on Jesus to come back. I am not sure whatever happened to them since Jesus has not come back yet. My friend said, they were just sitting there waiting on Jesus.

We have been in a series entitled the Reason for Living. The first week we are to glorify God and the second week we are to Make a Difference. Today we learn in verse 13 we are Occupy till I Come.

This word occupy means to reside or have one’s place of business operating. It means to fill or take up a space. Practically, to be engage in some kind of business generally buying and selling. To be concerned with your place of assignment by God in His kingdom. The parable is teaching that Christians have a place in God’s kingdom. We are to occupy our place.

Jesus teaches us some important truths with “occupying.”

Truth 1. . .

Take responsibility for your assignment

The nobleman in the parable represents Jesus. The distant country is heaven and the place he will return is the earth in His second coming. Each of the servants received an amount of money equal to three month’s wages for a laborer, so you can figure out its buying power today. The median income for each household in Hesperia is 67,698. For three months 16,924.50. What if you were given that today? What would you invest it in?

Occupy means to do business or put your money to work. They could give the money to investors to earn interest or purchase goods and sell for a profit or invest in a product that brings an increase.

The important thing was that they give back to their master more than he had given them.

We are to take our assignment of serving the Lord seriously. God has given you a Bible, are you reading it to increase your faith and grow in your walk with the Lord. God has given you a family, big or small, grown or still growing to invest in their spiritual lives. God has given you a church where you can invest your spiritual life in helping it to grow, to pray for each other, and to reach people with the gospel. God has given you a message that can change lives, make an impact in the community, and give real hope.

The Bible reminds us of taking our responsibility seriously here and Paul also writes “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:16–17).

Jesus wants us to serve Him today, right where we are. There is a hymn we sing which reminds us of our service. “In the harvest field now ripened (there is a work) for all to do. Hark, the Master’s voice it’s calling To the harvest, calling you.

Does the place you’re called to labor Seem so small and little known? Well, it is great if God is in it And he will not forsake His own. Little is much when God is in it. Labor not for wealth or fame. There’s crown and you can win it If you go in Jesus name.

There’s urgency about jumping in and occupying where God would have you serve. Jesus told us this “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (John 9:4)

I have thought of the times I lost spending time with my children. Now they are grown adults and I can’t help but think of times I could’ve done more with them. I could’ve told them how much I loved them and appreciate them. All that time is gone. Then I think of the times I did not pray, I did not share the gospel, I did not obey God’s will, and with His help I have determined I will not neglect that opportunity.

One time when I lived in NM, I asked one of our members go out soul winning with me. He said no, “I don’t have time for that “stuff” when I am raising my children.” I said, well, you can bring them with you. There could not be a better investment in time and teaching them how reach people with the gospel.”

Truth 2. . .

Be faithful to your assignment

While nobleman was gone, he was trusting his servants to be faithful to their assignments. Each was given the tools and abilities to accomplish the calling God has for them.

God calls each of us to be faithful. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2)

Faithful means trustworthy. God entrusts each of us with an assignment that we are to be responsible with. That Sunday School class or Junior Church or that bus route or the ushering detail or the work in the nursery, God sees our faithfulness. How we use our time, how we manage His appointed opportunities, God wants us to be faithful. It is like the guy who you loan something important to you, you expect them to care for it and use it properly.

One time the chief of police, Walt Tibbet, called me up and asked me to stop by his office when I lived in Fairfeld. I will never forget when I stopped in, he asked me to sit down. He said, “I am getting ready to resign and I am appointing Joe Allio as my replacement. Do you think it is a good idea?” I said, “why would you pick Joe?” He said because he takes care of every assignment and task I have asked him to do. You can’t help but trust a guy like that.

Here Jesus teaches if we are to occupy, we are to be faithful in the little things. This means our thoughts, our desires, our managing of our money, our relationship with others, the words we use and the conversation we have. Our church attendance. All of this reveals our faithfulness.

“And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.” (Luke 19:17)

Faithfulness is connected with integrity. Integrity is what is on the inside. When you go on vacation or out of town, what do you do or where do you go? Maybe your neighbors and friends may not see, but God sees. When we have learned to be faithful, God shows us a powerful truth in Proverbs.

“A faithful man shall abound with blessings: But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.” (Proverbs 28:20)

Jesus is telling us that a faithful man will be given blessings from God. This does not always mean physical blessing. In fact, there are more spiritual blessing in being faithful than any physical blessing. There is a peace of mind, a reality of why I am here, and joy in knowing we are following Jesus.

Truth 3. . .

Bear fruit in your assignment

When the nobleman returns, he asks for an accounting of how they used the resources God had given them. When Jesus returns, He will call His servants to give this accounting. God wants us to bear fruit and give increase in what we have been given.

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (John 15:16)

Jesus is saying, “My relationship with you is not just an add on in your life, but it is a life change.” When you meet Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you are given a new perspective, a new way of living. John 14:6-means Jesus is our life.

This is the reason Jesus came so that you can know Him. If you have never Jesus as your Savior, you can today. Call upon means we realize that Jesus died for us and offers us real hope. We cannot take care of it ourselves but we must turn from our sin and call upon Him as our personal Savior. Will you accept Him today?

If you are Christian, are you bearing fruit in your life? Fruit bearing is when the Holy Spirit works in your life to bear spiritual fruit of maturity and faith. However, it also means we are to be a witness to a world without Christ. The fruit of an apple tree is another apple tree. God wants us to bear witness to others that they may know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

We are to use our gift and our resources entrusted to us by God to expand His kingdom. This is where Jesus says we are to Occupy till I come. How are you occupying in your spiritual life today? I know we all can use improvement, but perhaps God is speaking to you about an area you have allowed to be neglected.

If you don’t use a certain part of your body, most of you know that it will atrophy. This is where physical therapy begins to help us strengthen that body part back to usefulness. Is your spiritual life in atrophy?

Would today you allow God to begin spiritual therapy on your spiritual life so that you can occupy till He comes?