In the Meantime

In the Meantime Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Stewardship; Steward; Faithfulness; Second Coming; Gospel Introduction Anyone who promises immediate crossfitness results is selling you a lie. There is a time between starting and realizing or achieving your goals or even progress. This in between time is known as the meantime - it happens while you wait for the results to come in. The meantime is measured from start to finish or realization. Now just because you started down the path of crossfitness doesnt mean you will realize your goal of crossfitness automatically. This is simply because what you do in the meantime is what matters and what determines if you achieve crossfitness. If you dont put in the work you wont receive the results or rewards along the way or final achieved status at the end you will continue to remain where you are. This morning we come to another parable that Jesus taught to give His disciples a picture of the concept of this "meantime" and what they are supposed to do for the meantime as His disciples. Lets read togther this morning this parable from Jesus and let's see what Jesus says we need to do in the meantime in order to reach crossfitness. Luke 19:11-12 CSB 11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem, and they thought the kingdom of God was going to appear right away. 12 Therefore he said, "A nobleman traveled to a far country to receive for himself authority to be king and then to return. Luke 19:13-14 CSB 13 He called ten of his servants, gave them ten minas, and told them, 'Engage in business until I come back.' 14 "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We don't want this man to rule over us.' Luke 19:15-16 CSB 15 "At his return, having received the authority to be king, he summoned those servants he had given the money to, so that he could find out how much they had made in business. 16 The first came forward and said, 'Master, your mina has earned ten more minas.' Luke 19:17-20 CSB 17 " 'Well done, good servant!' he told him. 'Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, have authority over ten towns.' 18 "The second came and said, 'Master, your mina has made five minas.' 19 "So he said to him, 'You will be over five towns.' 20 "And another came and said, 'Master, here is your mina. I have kept it safe in a cloth Luke 19:21-22 CSB 21 because I was afraid of you since you're a harsh man: you collect what you didn't deposit and reap what you didn't sow.' 22 "He told him, 'I will condemn you by what you have said, you evil servant! If you knew I was a harsh man, collecting what I didn't deposit and reaping what I didn't sow, Luke 19:23-25 CSB 23 why, then, didn't you put my money in the bank? And when I returned, I would have collected it with interest.' 24 So he said to those standing there, 'Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.' 25 "But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.' Luke 19:26-27 CSB 26 " 'I tell you, that to everyone who has, more will be given; and from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away. 27 But bring here these enemies of mine, who did not want me to rule over them, and slaughter them in my presence.' " Time is not yet Luke 19:11-12 CSB 11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem, and they thought the kingdom of God was going to appear right away. 12 Therefore he said, "A nobleman traveled to a far country to receive for himself authority to be king and then to return. Luke ties this teaching and parable in with the account of the encounter with Zaccheaus and what Jesus was teaching about the Son of Man and His mission by saying - as they were listening to this. To see what it was that they were listening to - and since it has been a while for us as well - lets look back at verse 9-10. Luke 19:9-10 CSB 9 "Today salvation has come to this house," Jesus told him, "because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost." Zaccheaus has had salvation come to him - deliverance. Jesus then makes the statement the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost - this statement reminded those listening that the Son of Man was a title for a future king - the Messiah - the one who would deliver Israel! Deliver them from their oppression - which most took to mean the rule of the Roman Empire. How the people in that time looked and waited for the political conquering savior. It is for this Reason that Jesus chooses to share a parable with them as they were listening to what He was saying regarding the Son of Man. Why? Where was Jesus headed again? Jerusalem and we read here that He was near Jerusalem now - as they neared to the historical and symbolic capital of Israel the people were looking to Jesus to take the throne and begin His reign. They thought the kingdom would appear right away. Isaiah 9:6 CSB 6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The prophecies of the Messiah said so - but they werent listening when Jesus continued to share that He must die. They were expecting Him to take control and be the political savior and Jesus knew their hearts and was preparing them for what was really going to take place. The parable is about a nobleman who is traveling to a far away country to receive for himself authority to be king and then to return. The parable begins and unfolds with the nobleman traveling a great distance to receive authority to be king. This parable stresses the fact that there is a great distance to be travelled in order to receive the authority to be king. Jesus is the nobleman and the distance that must be travelled is the distance from earth and physical to heaven and the spiritual realm. After travelling the distance He will receive the authority to be king. The distance and the authority are both obtained through the cross - through His death. Philippians 2:8-10 CSB 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death- even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow- in heaven and on earth and under the earth- The great distance and the far away country both are used to illustrate the time the journey would take. The idea is that there would be a long passage of time similar to a long far away journey. Jesus wanted to get it through to them - the kingdom will not appear at their arrival in Jerusalem. The kingdom of God will appear after the "meantime" - the time between the departure and the return of Jesus. In the Meantime Luke 19:13 CSB 13 He called ten of his servants, gave them ten minas, and told them, 'Engage in business until I come back.' The nobleman upon his departure to go and receive the authority for His kingdom assembled ten servants together and gave them ten minas with explicit instruction to engage in business until he returns. The nobleman knowing he is leaving for a time brings together his servants. To each of them he gives a mina. A coin worth 100 drachamas - and everyone said oh! - its the equivalent of about 3 months wages or 100 days salary for a common laborer. Each of the ten servants receives exactly the same amount of money, and it was a fairly large amount of money. They are given this sum of money with the instruction that they are to engage in business until he returns Engage in business is the Greek word - pragmateuomai - literally occupy - occupy till I come. Occupation - job or profession. The nobleman is instructing his servants to take this money and actively use it to conduct business in his absence. In my absence be busy doing my business. These servants were not just receiving a handout - they were expected to actively seek to use this money to continue their masters business as usual. We know that nobleman represents Jesus, and the servants represent the servants of Jesus or those who would be His disciples he will leave behind in His absence. Have you been forgiven by Jesus? Is Jesus gone? Has Jesus returned yet? Does that mean it is the time of His absence? Then the servants represents you and I also! The minas - what do the minas represent? Perhaps some of you come across this parable and you think it is the same as the parable of the talents? In that parable there were servanst that each received talents but a different amount for each one. In this parable the servants receive the same amount - so I do not believe they are the same and I do not believe they necessarily teach the same thing. Some gifts are distributed to each by God differently to each and in different measures of each according to His own pleasure and plan. These might be talents giftings skills that God has given to each and everyone uniquely. There are some gifts from God that He has given to each person in Christ universally and in equal measure - like the gospel. So I believe that the minas represent the gift of the Gospel So Jesus tells his servants to engage in business with the gospel. Jesus is telling you and I to engage in business - in His business with the gospel. Luke 19:10 CSB 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost." This is His business - and we are to engage in it with the gospel and we are to do that until He returns - In the meantime we are to engage His business (seeking and saving the lost) with the gospel He has given to us each individually and equally. When the Time Comes Luke 19:15-16 CSB 15 "At his return, having received the authority to be king, he summoned those servants he had given the money to, so that he could find out how much they had made in business. 16 The first came forward and said, 'Master, your mina has earned ten more minas.' Luke 19:17-19 CSB 17 " 'Well done, good servant!' he told him. 'Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, have authority over ten towns.' 18 "The second came and said, 'Master, your mina has made five minas.' 19 "So he said to him, 'You will be over five towns.' Luke 19:20-21 CSB 20 "And another came and said, 'Master, here is your mina. I have kept it safe in a cloth 21 because I was afraid of you since you're a harsh man: you collect what you didn't deposit and reap what you didn't sow.' Luke 19:22-23 CSB 22 "He told him, 'I will condemn you by what you have said, you evil servant! If you knew I was a harsh man, collecting what I didn't deposit and reaping what I didn't sow, 23 why, then, didn't you put my money in the bank? And when I returned, I would have collected it with interest.' Luke 19:24-26 CSB 24 So he said to those standing there, 'Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.' 25 "But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.' 26 " 'I tell you, that to everyone who has, more will be given; and from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away. Luke 19:27 CSB 27 But bring here these enemies of mine, who did not want me to rule over them, and slaughter them in my presence.' " When the time comes - for the nobleman to return - he will return as king having received that authority that He sought. Having now returned he summons together the servants to whom he had given money to, so that he could find out how much they made in business. The nobleman returns - Jesus will return and when He comes it will be as the king with authority. When He returns His servants will be called to account for what they did with what they were given. Jesus wants His servants to keep in mind two things: 1 - He is coming back and 2 - He will call us to account for what we have done with what He gave us. At the accounting - the first servant says Master your mina has earned ten more minas a 1000% return! The second servant says Master your mina has made five minas a 500% return. The Master tells the first well done good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter - have authority over ten towns. To the second he said you will be over five towns. Jesus is showing several things here first is that He is looking for an increase from what we have been given. Jesus has invested in each of us as His servants and He desires as His servants that we would increase the investment. second He is looking for us to be faithful in the small things so we can be trusted with greater things. The example is being faithful in small matter such as money leads to be being entrusted with authority over cities and towns. Make the most of what God has entrusted in you last the rewards for faithful service are exponential and not proportionate. Faithful in the small things doesnt mean more small things it means you can be trusted with much greater things after taking such care of the small things. If the minas is the gospel - what is the increase? Are we adding to the gospel? Or are we adding to heaven through the gospel by those who are being saved by the gospel? If we are adding to the population of heaven by the gospel - who is really adding? GOD is! 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 CSB 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. God's kingdom economy: God invests in you, when you engage in His business God gives an increase and then God rewards you for the increase that He gave you - because you were faithful to engage in His business! Then another servant came and said to him - Master here is your mina, I have kept it safe in a cloth because I was afraid of you since you are a harsh man collecting what you didnt deposit and reap what you didnt sow. The Master says I will condemn you by what you have said - you evil servant. You knew I was harsh man, collecting what I didnt deposit and reaping what I didnt sow - why then didnt you put my money in the bank? When I returned I would have collected it with interest. This servant gives Jesus back what he was given without using it to engage in business at all. This servant hid the mina in a handkerchief - like taking a light and hiding it under a bushel. This servant took and hid the gospel afraid of failing or afraid of having the gospel rejected - instead was content to do nothing rather than potentially lose. It is better to have never lost than to ever have tried and possibly fail anyway. The other possibility is this is the servant who doesnt expect the nobleman to return as a king or really return at all. Those who dont believe in the King's return wont be about the King's business. Jesus has this servant to teach his disciples and us all some lessons about what we choose to do in the mean time - until His return. To not invest in the King's business is disobedient for His servants. He says you evil servant - this is also translated disobedient and this is how I believe it is meant because of the next thing I believe Jesus is teaching That salvation is not dependent on anything you do or dont do - it rest solely upon Jesus and His finished work of the cross and your believing upon Him for salvation. Notice the disobedient one is still called a servant Use it or lose it - the opportunity to do business for the Lord will be taken if we dont invest and occupy and engage in business for Him. This 3rd servant suffers loss of the reward not salvation and no other punishment is specified. 2 Corinthians 5:10 CSB 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. The rewards for faithful service are linked with rule in the kingdom which Christ brings when He returns and the disobedience and failure to invest is loss of rule and reward Do something - do business - something is better than nothing. Invest in the meantime and make the most of it for we will all take an account when the King returns Only His servants will survive the accounting - even the disobedient one will survive. The enemies of Christ are the citizens who reject His rule - they shall be destroyed at His coming Conclusion Jesus used this parable to teach that there would be an interval between His first and second coming. During this interval what His disciples do would determine their crossfitness for the kingdom that He is bringing. It is what His disciples do in the interval in this "meantime" that matters and determines their crossfitness in the coming kingdom. So what are you doing in this "meantime" How are you engaging in His business with the mina - new life - He has given you? Jesus is coming again do you believe that? Now is the time to engage and do business and invest - when He returns there will be an accounting. He will deal with the rebellious citizens - but His first concern is what have His servants earned in His absence with their mina - their new life from the gospel? Are you busy about His business? Maybe you havent received your mina - your new life yet - because you are not a servant of Jesus - you can become a servant of Jesus - by placing your faith and trust in His for the forgiveness of your sins. Receive the gift of the mina - the new life that He offers you and live a life that you can invest for His kingdom that is coming! You can begin investing in the "meantime" awaiting His arrival! Perhaps you are thinking I dont want to be a servant and have anyone rule over me - Jesus will return and He is returning as the Victorious King who is bringing His kingdom with Him! He will rule and reign whether you want him to or not - the servants give an account as His servants and the rebellious citizens are judged and slain before Him as enemies Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:44 PM March 13, 2021.