Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come. . .‘ (Luke 19:11-13).
Gracious God, thank You for making Your Word so plain, that none of us need perish. Therefore, help us to be good listeners that we may learn Your will and obey it. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
For the past three days we have been studying about the second coming of Jesus. The main emphasis has been on the length of time the message of His coming has been preached and still Jesus has not come – and the effect this has had on different groups throughout history. We will continue our study today, and look at another side of the story: Jesus’ advice to those who are awaiting His return.
There are several parables in the four gospels that talk about the master’s commission to His servants before leaving home. Today’s commission is: “Do business till I come.” The KJV reads: “Occupy till I come.” Could it be that because we are not heeding this advice we have become restless? Could the behavior and response of the three servants reveal their relationship to the master? Could the words of the master shed light on what makes waiting harder on some people than on others?
As we listen to the response of the first two servants when they were called by their master we learn that they were busy doing their master’s business: ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas’ (16b). ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas’ (18b). Now listen to the response of the third servant ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow’ (20,21. Emphasis provided).
Two servsnts obviously knew their master. They knew what He expected of them and they did what they were supposed to do; not because of fear, but because of love. The third servant apparently had not a clue of who his master was. He feared him yet did not do anything to please him so as not to provoke his wrath, which is what someone who is really fearful would have done. This behavior seems more like an unhealthy reaction to an unhealthy relationship.
Obedience, which I translate as cooperating with produces positive results as can be seen in the outcome of the first two servants. They were given dominion over cities in proportion to their faithfulness to the master. And the one who gained the extra mina was the one who had made the greatest investment. The fearful, distrustful, servant lost everything.
Scripture tells us that God has provided His church with gifts and talents for the edification of His church and the advancement of His cause. The use we make of these gifts and talents are obviously based on the way we feel about the master. As we wait for His return it might be a good idea to vigorously use these gifts and talents to help others find their way to the Savior. The wait might not seem so long as we “occupy” till He returns.
The next time you feel restless and begin to feel hopeless, just remember the other side of the story, and ask yourself the following questions: How well do I know the Master? Why am I serving Him? Is it because I love Him? If you can’t answer yes to that question, it might be time to start getting to know Him – because to know Him is to love Him. And at the end of life’s day, it will be proven that it was all about a healthy relationship between you and the Savior!
Knowing, loving, and trusting the Savior can be the difference between a hopeful and a hopeless waiting experience.