WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:01.840 Continue our time of worship. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:05.519 I encourage you to turn to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 19. 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:13.359 I'll read verses 11 through 27, the passage that we are studying this morning. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:15.119 And I encourage you to turn there. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:21.120 If you don't have a Bible with you, there should be one located there right in front of you on that little shelf there in the pew. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:36.880 And if you're here this morning and you don't have a copy of the Bible of God's Word that you own or that you have easy access to, I want to encourage you to take that Bible that you have right now and take it home as our gift to you. 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:43.600 It's our joy and privilege to be able to give Bibles away, and we'd like you for you to have one if you don't have one. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:47.920 And so please at the end of the service, feel free to take that home with you. 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:51.759 Luke chapter 19, beginning in verse 11. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:54.719 And they heard these things. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:01:06.079 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. 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:13.200 He said, therefore, A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:20.959 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, Engage in business until I come. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:30.799 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, We do not want this man to reign over us. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:41.760 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. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:48.959 The first came before him, saying, Lord, your minor has made ten minas more. 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:58.879 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. 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:03.599 And the second came, saying, Lord, your minor has made five minas. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:08.319 And he said to him, And you are to be over five cities. 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:19.120 Then another came, saying, Lord, here is your minor, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:23.919 You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow. 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:32.240 He said to him, You wicked he said to him, I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:38.400 You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit, and reaping what I did not sow. 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:44.479 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest? 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:51.120 And he said to those who stood by, Take the minor from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:54.719 And they said to him, Lord, he has ten minas. 00:02:55.840 --> 00:03:04.159 I tell you that to everyone everyone who has more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:13.360 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:16.080 This is God's word. 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:27.520 We had seen last week, if you were here, uh verses one through ten, the story of Zacchaeus. 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:32.400 Zacchaeus had dramatically come to faith in Jesus. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:38.479 We saw Jesus entering Jericho, and as he entered Jericho, he encountered two men. 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:43.680 He was leaving the old city of Jericho, coming into the new city that was populated now. 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:50.479 And as he was entering, he first encountered a blind beggar who cried out for healing. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:04:01.439 We saw that at the end of chapter 18, and encountering Jesus, he not only found healing for his body, he received salvation for his soul. 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:06.639 And then in chapter 19, there's another man that Jesus encountered, Zacchaeus. 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:11.840 He was a selfish, evil little man who made his wealth off the backs of others. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:18.160 Something had stirred in him that he wanted to see Jesus. 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:28.879 He climbed up a tree just to watch as the procession passed by so that he might get a glimpse of Jesus, but Jesus stopped unasked. 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:36.399 And Jesus called out, and Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus' house. 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:43.600 What Zacchaeus couldn't do in getting to Jesus, Jesus did in coming to Zacchaeus. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:49.600 And not only did he come to Zacchaeus' home, he made a home in Zacchaeus's heart. 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:58.480 We saw the reactions of the crowd to the blind man rejoicing and celebrating, praising God for what God had done. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:12.959 But now with Zacchaeus, we saw that they were disgruntled and viewed the miracle with disdain that this man, this chief of sinners, this chief tax collector, had come to Jesus. 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:24.959 And Jesus said in summary of this in verses 9 and 10, today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:29.120 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:34.720 Jesus calls Zacchaeus a son of Abraham. 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:44.720 He was Jewish by birth, but now he follows in the line of Abraham's faith, Abraham who believed God, and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness. 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:54.720 And this man now is a true Jew, both in his bloodline, but also through faith in the Messiah. 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:02.480 Then Jesus here it says, and they as they heard these things, what did they hear? 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:11.040 As Jesus now is coming in, he tells them this parable, it says, it gives three reasons why Jesus tells them this parable. 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:23.680 As they heard these things, what Jesus had just said, uh, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:30.879 Jesus had declared that he was the Son of Man who came to seek and to save the lost. 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:39.839 Now we hear the term son of man, and it doesn't always carry the same weight that it would have for the people who heard Jesus say this. 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:50.399 Son of man was more than just a designation to say Jesus was a guy, that he was a son of Adam, he was a son of man, that he was a human being. 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:52.720 There was much more behind that. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:59.279 And those who heard, many of them would have picked up on some of these strands. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:08.720 In the Old Testament, in Daniel chapter 7, uh there's talked about the ancient of days and one who was the son of man who was going to rule the nations. 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:12.720 This is what it says in Daniel chapter 7, verses 13 and 14. 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:21.199 Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the ancient of days and was presented before him. 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:29.600 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:38.240 His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:41.120 Could he be the Messiah? 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:52.959 Could this one who can give sight to the blind, that can heal lepers and cleanse them, and who can raise the dead, could he be the Messiah? 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:55.439 Are we on the cusp of a revolution? 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:00.879 Are we about to overthrow the shackles of Roman oppression? 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:06.959 Is God about to break into history and establish his eternal kingdom? 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:15.279 And beyond that, here we are about to enter Jerusalem, the epicenter of God's activity. 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:17.360 Could he be? 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:19.199 Could this be the moment? 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:25.759 Could this be the time when the kingdom of God is going to be established? 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:31.519 The people had heard what Jesus said, the people had seen what Jesus had done. 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:35.120 And now they're about to enter Jerusalem. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:41.519 We're in the beginning of what is going to be Holy Week. 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:55.919 Even now, as we're just a few weeks away from Easter, from Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry, here at this moment, as Jesus is about to enter into Jerusalem, he gives them this parable. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:09:05.919 And it says he did it because they thought, they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:13.440 Jesus wanted his followers to understand that he was going away. 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:19.120 That there was going to be a time when he was physically absent. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:21.679 What does this mean? 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:23.039 What's going to happen? 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:28.960 You see, the Jews they thought that the Messiah would come and establish his kingdom forever. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:37.279 What they didn't understand was that the Messiah was to come to be both the suffering servant and the ruling king. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:45.039 And that Jesus was the Messiah, but first he was coming to suffer and die on the cross to pay the penalty for sins. 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:54.320 And then he was going to go away physically absent and then return in power and glory. 00:09:54.879 --> 00:10:05.360 And the Jews didn't understand that Jesus' coming was in two parts: his first coming to die on the cross, and his second coming to establish the kingdom. 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:08.399 And so Jesus tells them this parable. 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:15.120 Unlike many of the parables, Jesus doesn't give us an interpretation of it. 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:29.200 He tells the reason why, Luke tells the reason why, but Jesus tells his parable, and we're left to discern what it is that Jesus wants us to understand from this parable. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:40.799 There's one background here that I want us to be aware of that the people hearing this and the people reading Luke's gospel would have known. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:43.840 And there was a historic event. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:49.759 It'd be very much like talking about the assassination of John F. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:57.919 Kennedy and not using his name, but describing an event that was so similar to that that you would see the parallels. 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:07.360 And the Jews hearing this immediately would have been drawn to something that had happened just a few decades before. 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:13.279 Herod the Great had died in 4 BC. 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:15.840 Herod had three sons. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.279 One of his sons was named Archelius. 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:28.480 Archelius was given a portion of Herod's Herod's kingdom. 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:31.120 Herod had been under the authority of Rome. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:40.720 Rome had conferred upon him this title so that he ruled this area as the king, so to speak. 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:46.480 And Herod gave a portion to his three sons. 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:53.840 And immediately Arcalius began to reign over this area of Judea. 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:59.759 And he began to rule, he began to reign. 00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:09.200 The only problem was Herod the Great didn't have the power, the authority himself to give the kingdom to somebody else. 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:22.799 And so Archalius had to travel to Rome and to meet with Caesar and to have Caesar ratify him as the ruler over this area. 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:33.919 And so Archalius, even though he had already begun to reign, he leaves and he goes to Rome to be ratified as this, as the king. 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:45.279 What he didn't know, when he got to Rome, he found out that even some of his own family opposed him in his monarchy, and they tried to get the kingdom for themselves. 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:58.960 Worse than that, there were a delegate of 50 Jews who had left from Israel and traveled to Rome in order to protest Archalius receiving this land. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:06.960 And so these 50 leaders sought an audience with Caesar, claiming that Archelius was unfit to govern. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:15.919 During a Passover, there had been a disturbance in the temple, and soldiers of Archalius had rashly slaughtered some 3,000 worshipers. 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:26.000 Eventually, Caesar did give Archelius authority, although he never gave him the title as king. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:32.720 And upon returning, Archelius swiftly executed punishment on his political enemies. 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:42.639 And so that's the backdrop that Jesus hearers would have immediately picked up on some of the themes when Jesus goes through this parable. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:51.039 But Jesus wants to know, wants his hearers to know, he wants us to know that he is going away. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:54.080 And the question is, what should we do during his delay? 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:56.879 And what's going to happen upon his return? 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:01.360 Well, what should we do during his delay? 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:08.799 Jesus here in this parable gives three realities here in this parable. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:18.000 The first one that we see in the beginning of this parable is that we have been entrusted with a stewardship as servants of the coming king. 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:26.960 We have been entrusted with a stewardship as servants of the coming king. 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:33.840 Jesus tells this parable, he says, the nobleman is going to a far country to receive a kingdom for himself. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:38.320 He calls ten servants and he gives them each a minor. 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:43.360 A mina was uh the equivalent of about three months' wages. 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:55.759 Um uh in some ways a large sum of money, but in other ways not that large sum of money, maybe uh 90 or 100 days' worth of pay would have been uh the equivalent of what a mina was. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:15:04.480 And he calls these ten servants, he gives each one of them a mina, and he tells them to engage in business until he comes. 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:13.840 Jesus is reminding us that uh that the king is coming, but there's a necessary delay. 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:18.159 Uh here Jesus says that the nobleman goes into a far country. 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:26.080 There's implicit within this the reality that there is going to be a period of time when the king is absent. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:37.039 And he's pointing out the reality after the resurrection and the ascension of Christ in his session, seated at the right hand of the Father. 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:44.159 That there is, we are now in that period of time between his first coming and his second coming. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:50.480 And the servants are to be busy until he comes. 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:54.399 He had given us a task. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:59.679 Jesus has called us to be active and productive as we wait for his return. 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:03.200 We have all equally been given the gospel. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:05.519 We have all received eternal life. 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:13.759 Everyone who has bowed his head and heart to Jesus and asked for forgiveness is a part of his family, is a servant of the king. 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:19.600 And each one of us has been entrusted with the gospel and the reality of our salvation. 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:29.519 We may have different gifts, we may have different abilities, but he has given each one a task to be productive until he returns. 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:36.000 And to whatever degree we are able, we are to see the message multiplied in the lives of others. 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:44.559 And so here we see that we've been entrusted with the stewardship as servants of the coming king. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:52.399 But there's a second reality here that is the central portion of this parable. 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:59.360 And that is we will all give an account of our faithfulness at the return of the king. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:03.440 First, we saw that we've been entrusted with a stewardship. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:16.000 A stewardship, by the way, is we are given something that is not ours, but that we are entrusted to use it for the purpose of the one who gave it to us. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:22.559 And what God has given us, he will call us to give an account. 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:32.400 And so, secondly, what we see here in this parable is that we are all given an account, we will all give an account of our faithfulness at the return of the king. 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:36.640 Look at what happens here in verse 15. 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:47.920 When the king returns, 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. 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:53.920 So the ten servants are called to give an account of their activity while the king is gone. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:18:00.079 The first servant comes to the king, and look at what he says. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:04.319 He says, Lord, your mina has made ten minas more. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:10.559 That was a thousand percent in return. 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:17.519 From what the one minor had given, there was a thousand percent return from this first servant. 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:27.119 The second servant comes and he's and he says, Lord, your mina has made five minas. 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:37.839 And the first servant, he hears the words, Well done, good servant, because you have been faithful in very little, you shall have authority over ten cities. 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:43.599 And the second man hears, and you are to be over five cities. 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:49.759 They're both commended and rewarded for their faithfulness. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:51.279 And notice what they're rewarded with. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:53.759 They're rewarded with greater responsibility. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:19:05.119 They had been entrusted with a little, they've shown themselves faithful in what they've been entrusted, and at the return of the king, they're rewarded, and their reward is greater responsibility. 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:15.519 Well, then the third servant comes, and he says, Lord, here is your minor, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief. 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:20.960 This parable, by the way, is very different from the one we find in Matthew's gospel. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:27.440 There's there's some uh uh similarities, but really they're talking about two different things. 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:39.039 Uh here uh he's talking about uh these minas, and this man doesn't even take the responsibility to care for it properly, he just puts it in a handkerchief. 00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:45.440 He doesn't even bury it in the ground, he just keeps it uh very carelessly and callously. 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:47.680 Uh he just puts it in a handkerchief. 00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:57.759 And he comes when he's called, he says to the to the king, for I was afraid of you because you are a severe man. 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:03.839 He gives an excuse and blames the king for his lack of activity. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:08.480 Notice what he says about the king here. 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:17.440 He tells him, he says, uh, that I was afraid of you because you are a severe man. 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:22.160 You take what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow. 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:30.640 What he accuses the king of, he questions the king's uh character and his honesty, his integrity. 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:34.000 He says to the king, you are a severe man. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:37.039 You are a hard and harsh man. 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:47.039 And he says, You are a dishonest man, that you expect to reap where you did not sow, to take what you did not deposit. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:52.720 Now, this man didn't understand the heart of the king. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:59.759 Uh notice what uh the what he says in response in verse 22, I will condemn you with your own words. 00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:07.119 He's not saying that what is being said is true of him, but he says, even what you say doesn't make sense. 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:09.359 Even if that were true, it's not true. 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:13.759 But even if it were, wouldn't you have done something? 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:27.279 If if you say that you didn't do anything because you feared me, because you thought I was a harsh and severe man, wouldn't you have at least taken care of what I'd given you, put it in a bank, and gotten interest from it? 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:33.920 And so what this man has is taken from him. 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:36.000 He's called a wicked man. 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:40.640 He says, You wicked servant, you knew that I was a severe man. 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:49.839 And even this own man's words, even if it was true and it wasn't, because Jesus is reminding us here that he is that king. 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:53.839 Unlike Arcalius, Jesus is a good king. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:57.359 And Jesus is not a harsh king. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:07.119 Now notice the Minas, the first one who came before him, look at what he says. 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:10.319 He doesn't say, Lord, look at what I did. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:12.799 Look at how productive I was. 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:16.480 Look at how hard I worked and all of the good I did. 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:17.759 He doesn't say that. 00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:19.920 There is a humility that he has. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:22.160 The second one as well. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:32.160 The second one doesn't say, no, Lord, I was very industrious and I was a shrewd businessman, and look at all that I've done. 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:39.599 How they present this to the king, he says, look, your minah has made ten minas more. 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:41.759 They're humble about it. 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:48.720 They say, it's almost as if the mina made its own profit. 00:22:49.839 --> 00:23:01.519 There's almost as if, as you look here in verse 16 and again in verse 18, that the minah itself was what generated more mina. 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:04.240 He says, your mina has made 10 more. 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:07.359 And the other, your mina has made five more. 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:11.359 And so these men come in humility. 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:16.079 And there's a spiritual truth there that we need to recognize. 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:23.680 At the end of the day, God is the one who is at work in each of our lives. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:27.119 The Apostle Paul says this in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:33.519 He says, I plant and Apollos waters, but God adds the increase. 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:41.920 And there's a recognition that whatever we do, that it isn't us that is adding the increase. 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:44.240 God is the one who is at work in us. 00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:46.720 God is the one who is at work through us. 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:53.359 Everything that is accomplished is by God, is by his strength, is for his glory. 00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:55.039 He is the one at work. 00:23:55.200 --> 00:24:04.160 And so we can go forward with a confidence that God is going to be at work in and through us as we're faithful to him. 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:09.200 And that's communicated even in the heart attitude of these first two servants. 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:19.920 But there is a reminder here that we have a responsibility to God and we have an accountability to God. 00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:27.440 And the Bible tells us that we will give an account of our lives before God. 00:24:28.559 --> 00:24:35.039 That each one of us will give an account, that judgment is not only for unbelievers. 00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:40.880 And let me show you where that's the Bible talks about this. 00:24:40.960 --> 00:24:42.640 There's a couple different places. 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:46.400 The first one is in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 10. 00:24:46.880 --> 00:25:07.920 In 2 Corinthians chapter 5, the Apostle Paul is talking about going to heaven and being absent from the body, being present with the Lord, and this, well, we're here, we're away from the Lord, and that it's our aim to please him, verse 9. 00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:10.079 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 9. 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:15.759 And then he says this, verse 9, he says, For whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:29.359 Verse 10, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:37.119 Now the Apostle Paul is writing to the Corinthian church, he is writing to believers, and notice he includes himself in that. 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:40.079 He says, We must all appear. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:47.359 We, including the Apostle Paul, we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:52.559 The Bible tells us that there is a judgment for believers. 00:25:52.960 --> 00:26:06.480 That believers are going to stand before God, and that what it says here is that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:15.440 Now we need to understand that the judgment for believers is not a judgment of condemnation. 00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:23.839 This is very important for us to recognize what Paul is saying, what the Bible does teach here and what it doesn't teach. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:28.319 When we stand before God, we will stand before God. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:40.400 If you're wondering in the Bible when that is, it is during the marriage supper of the Lamb prior to the millennium, that we will all stand before God to receive what is due. 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:45.839 It is not a judgment of condemnation, it is a judgment of commendation. 00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:52.319 Paul says in Romans 5, 1, there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:58.559 So the judgment of believers is not a judgment for us to be condemned in any way. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:03.759 Jesus Christ took our punishment and bore the wrath of God on our behalf. 00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:19.839 But it is a judgment of rewards, so that we will receive reward for our faithfulness, or there will be the loss of potential reward for believers who did not do what they could have done for God's glory. 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:23.440 And Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:37.039 So turn to 1 Corinthians, just previous one book, to chapter 3, and verses 10 through or 11 through 15. 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:43.279 1 Corinthians chapter 3, beginning in verse 11. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:48.799 At the end of verse 10, he says, Let each one take care how he builds upon the foundation. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:54.559 Verse 11 for no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:28:11.680 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay straw, each one's work will become manifest, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:17.440 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:25.920 If anyone's work is burnt up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but even as through fire. 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:43.519 A couple things to note here, uh Paul here is talking about believers, and he's talking about a testing of our works, and he says that what we build on the foundation of Jesus Christ, what material is being used? 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:50.079 Gold, silver, precious stones on the one hand, or wood, hay, and straw on the other. 00:28:51.680 --> 00:29:02.000 Now, until the judgment, until the testing, both structures may look the same. 00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:23.119 Paul here isn't talking about people, uh, and in this, he's talking about people who are building upon the foundation, doing ministry, and the question isn't so much what are you building, but what materials are you using? 00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:37.920 And Paul here, and Jesus alludes to it, but Paul here is saying that it is possible for us to build the wrong way, or to do it in the wrong motives, or to do it in our own strength. 00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:42.240 And if we do that, uh, it is wood-hand straw. 00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:51.440 And it's not until the judgment that the materials used will be revealed, but at the judgment they will. 00:29:52.160 --> 00:30:06.319 And one man's works will uh that brought glory to God, he did the right things in the right way for the right reasons, uh he used gold, silver, precious stones, it says he will receive a war, a reward. 00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:17.599 And if the person, another person, another believer does the wrong things or in the wrong way in his own strength for the wrong motives, uh, those things will not stand the test. 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:24.079 But he says, but though he himself will be saved, but even uh as through fire. 00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:37.599 And so there is a judgment of believers, uh, that is a judgment of commendation that the Bible teaches, that we will give an account, that we will stand before God. 00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:39.759 Uh Paul talks about that. 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:43.200 But then there also is a judgment of unbelievers. 00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:51.279 And we're going to tie that into what Paul is saying in Luke, but there is a judgment of unbelievers, and that's found in Revelation chapter 20. 00:30:51.599 --> 00:31:04.880 Uh towards the in the last book of the Bible, the third last chapter, uh, Revelation chapter 20, there is a judgment of unbelievers described. 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:14.400 If we look in the in the passage here in chapter 20, we find that it is at the end of the millennium. 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:18.799 Uh, at the it says, when the thousand years are ended, verse 7. 00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:32.400 Uh at the end of the millennium, uh, after the rebellion, uh, it says in verse 11, Then I saw a great white throne, and him who was seated on it. 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:36.559 From his presence, earth and sky fled away, and no place was found in them. 00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:41.440 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were open. 00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:49.119 Then another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged by what was written in the books according to what they had done. 00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:57.519 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 00:31:57.759 --> 00:32:00.559 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. 00:32:00.720 --> 00:32:03.759 This is the second death, the lake of fire. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:09.839 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 00:32:11.279 --> 00:32:14.240 This is a scary reality of what's said here. 00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:29.039 But the reality is that at this judgment, everyone will be shown, all of the unbelievers who stand before God will be shown the depths of their sinfulness and their disobedience. 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:38.880 That each one will see their sin and rebellion and rejection of God and will clearly see that they didn't deserve eternal life. 00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:48.880 And so Jesus here finally in Luke, he reminds us that we will be rewarded or punished based on our relationship to the reigning king. 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:52.799 The faithful servants knew the king. 00:32:53.359 --> 00:32:57.920 The faithful servants knew that he was a good king. 00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:00.240 They knew that he was a loving king. 00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:08.640 They weren't motivated out of fear, they were motivated out of love and a desire to please and glorify and honor him. 00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:14.000 The unfaithful servant wasn't a true servant of the king. 00:33:14.160 --> 00:33:16.160 He had a wrong understanding of the king. 00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:21.519 He thought the king was a wicked and harsh or a harsh and dishonest man. 00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:27.039 He had a distorted view of the king that led him to apathy and indifference. 00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:30.240 He didn't really fear the king. 00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:37.599 And so this one lost even what he seemed to have. 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:49.200 And then we see at the end of this parable it says, But as for the enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me. 00:33:50.480 --> 00:34:01.680 The unfaithful servant, the unfaithful servant here, who is called a wicked servant, had no regard for the king. 00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:09.199 But there were also the open enemies of the king, and they received judgment. 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:11.679 Well, how do we apply this to our lives? 00:34:11.760 --> 00:34:17.119 I think there's a danger here in hearing all of what I've just said and applying it wrongly. 00:34:17.679 --> 00:34:29.119 Because we can hear this and think, okay, I need to go out and do more and work harder and sacrifice more and live in fear of the king. 00:34:29.760 --> 00:34:32.320 And that isn't what Jesus is saying here. 00:34:34.159 --> 00:34:40.559 That's a wrong application, a wrong understanding of what is said here. 00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:44.480 And if we hear that and we think that, we've missed the gospel. 00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:48.079 We've missed grace. 00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:54.800 The reality is that even we as believers shrink back and we all struggle. 00:34:54.880 --> 00:35:00.880 We're all apathetic at times, we all fall short, but we are forgiven and loved in Christ. 00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:10.159 And the danger here is to think that the motivation ought to be out of fear and a sense of duty. 00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:13.599 And that isn't what ought to motivate us as believers. 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:15.440 Jesus is a good king. 00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:19.679 He's a loving king, he's a gracious king. 00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:22.559 We're forgiven and loved in Christ. 00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:27.119 We live to please God, but we don't live to try to earn his pleasure. 00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:29.360 His delight is already on us. 00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:33.280 And it is the love of Christ that motivates us. 00:35:35.679 --> 00:35:40.320 And that motivation out of love is what moves us to serve him. 00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:49.440 One historic confession puts it this way we do please God, and he is pleased with our good works, but this old confession puts it this way. 00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:57.199 It says, Yet notwithstanding the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in him. 00:35:57.679 --> 00:36:03.679 Not as though they were in this life wholly unblamable or unreprovable in God's sight. 00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:08.639 In other words, nothing we do is perfect, nothing we do is without blame. 00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:23.199 But it goes on to say, looking upon them in his son, looking upon our good works in Jesus, God is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections. 00:36:24.320 --> 00:36:30.480 And we're reminded that God is pleased with our good works that we do in faith, relying on his grace. 00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:35.039 They're not perfect, but they're accepted because of Jesus. 00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:40.079 And God is gracious to honor our faithfulness and reward us for our good works. 00:36:40.239 --> 00:36:45.920 But may we be motivated out of grace and love, not out of fear. 00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:57.920 And let me close us in prayer, and as we go, ask God to reveal his goodness and his love to us, and that that love and goodness will be the motivation. 00:36:58.239 --> 00:37:02.880 Father, it's so easy to have wrong thoughts of you. 00:37:04.320 --> 00:37:20.159 To think that you are a hard taskmaster who's breathing down our necks, and that that is what motivates us a fear of displeasure, a fear of failure, a fear of punishment. 00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:23.440 But you are not that king. 00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:26.079 You have given us your son. 00:37:27.679 --> 00:37:29.679 You have given us grace and mercy. 00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:31.679 You love us with an everlasting love. 00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:33.360 We are your children. 00:37:34.079 --> 00:37:51.519 And Lord, may we have a right view of you, of your goodness, of your grace, of your mercy, and may that motivate us to glorify you because we delight in you and know that you delight in us. 00:37:52.880 --> 00:37:55.280 And that we long to hear well done. 00:37:56.480 --> 00:37:58.960 Move in our hearts, we pray in Christ's name. 00:37:59.199 --> 00:37:59.840 Amen.