Sobering Realities #14: An exposition of Luke 19:11-27. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, July 15, 2012.
Intro:
They had waited so long. Generation after generation, for thousands of years, had anticipated the arrival of the great King. For centuries they had been dominated by foreign powers. Myths, legends and songs had grown up around the mysterious figure of the Messiah. No doubt when he came the yoke of bondage would be broken. The people of God would take center stage and the whole world would acknowledge the greatness of Israel’s God. The crowd was ecstatic. Jesus was “the Son of David” thus he could reestablish David’s throne. He was calling himself “the Son of Man,” that awesome, divine being of Daniel chapter 7. They saw him open the eyes of the blind, unstop the ears of the deaf, loose the tongues of the dumb and even raise the dead! Messianic expectation had reached a feverish pitch among his followers. Jerusalem was only seventeen miles away, Passover was at hand, the setting was perfect for the arrival of the kingdom of God.
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, told them a parable reminding them once again that the kingdom of God is here now and coming later. This is a common theme in Luke’s account “the Kingdom Now and Not Yet.” We are about to enter the events in the last week of the life and ministry of Jesus. Jesus has just opened the eyes of a blind beggar and brought salvation to the home of a reprobate tax collector. He’s on his way to Jerusalem for a divine appointment. The battle of the ages is about to be waged on a rocky hillside just outside the walls of Jerusalem. Yes the kingdom is being ushered in but the kingdom in its ultimate fulfillment is in the distant future. It is here now and not yet.
Text: Luke 19:11-27
Luke’s purpose is that his readers might come to see Jesus as he really is.
The Messiah of the Jews and the Savior of the world.
That seeing who he really is – they might put their faith and trust in him.
Thus his purpose is evangelistic.
It is a proclamation of the “evangel” the gospel.
This is what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf.
Yes he came to bring a kingdom – but first he must establish that kingdom through his death, burial and resurrection.
Throughout the latter half of Luke’s Gospel Jesus has talked more and more about the kingdom. He has talked about the qualifications for entering the kingdom. He has talked about the necessity of childlike faith as a condition for entering the kingdom. Now in our text:
Thesis: The unfolding of the kingdom of God takes a surprising turn.
The crowd really wasn’t ready for what they heard.
It differed radically from everything they had ever heard or thought.
Jesus, because they were convinced that the kingdom of God was going to immediately appear and because he knew that they had a mistaken idea of what the kingdom was all about, told the parable recorded in our text.
A careful study of the parable reveals an entrusted treasure, a definite reckoning and a rude awakening.
- An entrusted treasure. (19:11-13)
- There is coming a definite reckoning. (19:15-26)
- A rude awakening. (19:14,27)
Conclusion:
The Lord Jesus will one day return. When he does those who have invested well will receive great reward. Those who have not invest will experience great shame. Those who have rejected him will receive death.
We are at the final hour. He is coming. How are your investments?