Investing in Eternity

Keeping the End in View

Have you ever tried to carry a full glass of water across a room.

If you focus on the glass of water you're bound to spill it right.

But if you focus on the direction you're going and fix your eyes on a spot in front of you, you're much less likely to spill the water.

Perspective is key isn't it?

Listen to what Paul says in Philippians

Philippians 1:21 CSB

21 For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

See Paul's perspective was:

if he is living here and now he's living unto Christ and all joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment in this life will be in the pursuit of the things of Christ.

But if he dies he gets to go to heaven and be with Christ.

So his perspective is not on the water, not on the everyday of life, it is instead on eternity.

Investing every day in things that forecast and hope in what eternity is to bring.

That's what this parable in Luke chapter 19 is intended to teach us.

Luke 19:11–28 (ESV)

11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’

15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’

18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 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 and reaping what I did not sow?

23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’ ” 28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

Don't miss the context. Rich young ruler, then the story of Zaccheus, and then Jesus tells a parable about servants being responsible for their masters stuff.

Luke is pointing to a significant theme in Jesus's ministry, investing our lives in something eternally valuable.

Explaining the Parable

Jesus and the disciples were on their way to Jerusalem for what would be the week of His crucifixion.

The disciples had come to believe that once Jesus entered Jerusalem he would bring the Kingdom of God with Him.

He would overthrow the Romans and reestablish Israel as the most powerful Kingdom on earth.

They didn’t expect that by the end of the week, their Savior would be hanging on a cross.

Jesus was preparing them for what was to come, He would leave to establish His Kingdom and then He would return and bring them in.

Jesus is the “nobleman” in the parable, who sets off to receive the authority to become king of the land once he returns.

The focus here is on the “mean time”, the time between Him leaving and returning.

We are the servant/citizens, 10 of which are given 1 mina a piece (the equivalent of about 3 months of wages).

They are told to “engage in business until I come back.”

They are given responsibility, a commission during the time their master is gone.

There is an essential message Jesus is seeking to communicate about our lives.

There is DIVINE PURPOSE in all of our lives.

You know the saying “Make most of the Dash” talking about the dash between your birth and your death.

Each of our dashes is a piece of a much bigger dash, which Jesus is pointing to in this passage, when He will come back and bring His kingdom fully and completely to earth.

Jesus is infusing our dashes with a much more significant purpose then just accomplishing or accumulating stuff on this side of eternity.

He is saying “Your life has eternal purpose.” But are you willing to embrace it?

There are 3 responses to the King’s commission given in the parable, which represent three ways to respond to Jesus’s commission for our lives.

There are 3 ways to respond:

1) REJECTION and REBELLION

There is two mentions of a group of citizens that were not big fans of the master who would be King.

Luke 19:14 ESV

14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’

Luke 19:27 ESV

27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’ ”

They obviously didn't like the master, didn't want to be under his authority, didn’t trust him, or believe he was good.

They were rebellious and hostile toward him.

It's much like the world around us.

Rejection and rebellion against the master.

Not seeing God as good and worthy of praise.

They reject the idea that life has a divine purpose and embrace life as a pursuit of the things of this world.

Choosing to worship creation rather than the creator as Paul says in Romans 1.

"This clearly refers to the Jews who have rejected Jesus as their king. Their rejection of Jesus will ultimately lead to judgment.” — Tom Schreiner “Luke Commentary”

2) APATHETIC and DISTRUSTFUL

Then there is the 3rd servant of those examined. Who is focused on more than anyone else in the parable.

The focus is on the apathy and mismanagement of the responsibility he was given.

He didn’t do anything with the mina he was given. He just put it in a towel and hid it.

Then he makes an excuse that he was afraid of the master, because he thought of him as a harsh and shady man.

Going back to our opening image, the third servant was entirely focused on the glass of water.

He was only concerned about what he was potentially missing out on, or what may happen if he had not kept the mina.

His biggest issue is he didn't know the master, he didn't know the character of the master.

The master was a giving, generous man, and those who invested well were graciously and handsomely rewarded.

We are a lot like the third servant

when we concern ourselves only on short-term gains and never realizing, never embracing the promises of an eternal investment

An investment that pays dividends beyond anything we could image in this world.

3) CONFIDENT and FAITHFUL

Finally there are the 2 other servants.

Though they different in the outcome of their investments, they received comparable rewards.

They are given an extravagant reward, literal towns for each of the minas they acquired through their investing.

They were rewarded because of their faithfulness to the master.

They knew him, believed him, trusted him, and faithfully invested what he gave them into his kingdom.

Rather than focusing on the water in the cup, they fixed their eyes on the destination, the promise, the reward.

Investing themselves in the purpose their master had given them.

This is what it means to invest in eternity.

Investing our money, investing our time, investing our attention, investing our energies and investing our gifts and talents in eternal rewards.

Over the next several weeks we are going to look at what the Bible says about living a life of extraordinary generosity.

Generous with our money

Generous with our time

Generous with our gifts and talents

But sermons on money, giving, serving, and using our gifts only make sense in the context of seeing our lives as part of a bigger dash than just our individual dash.

Seeing the money we have as something God has given us for investing in His kingdom, not making our own kingdom.

Seeing the time we are given here as time God gives us to invest in others and serve the needs of His kingdom, not to use only for our personal gain.

Seeing the gifts God has given us through His Spirit as ways He has equipped us to serve His church and make His name known, not for our comfort or prestige.

Conclusion

Right now counts forever, so you have to live right now in light of forever.

That’s what Jesus is saying here and I wonder if you believe Him.

I wonder if you believe He is good?

I wonder if you believe He is generous?

I wonder if you believe He is is worth it?