As a tax collector, Zacchaeus had very likely cheated many people. That he desired to give half of his possessions to the poor and to return four times as much to anyone he had cheated (which was twice the requirement for stealing in the Law) shows how profound of a change Jesus made in him that day. Jesus calls it salvation, and says it has come to Zacchaeus’ house.
Take note of Jesus’ clear statement of purpose, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Find and rescue. Seek and Save.
It was, “as they heard these things,” that Jesus told the parable of the Ten Minas. This parable is similar to the parable of the Talents. Both deal with large sums of money entrusted to servants as a master takes a journey. Both speak of two faithful servants and one wicked or lazy servant who did nothing to get a return on the master’s investment.
I have often heard this parable used in stewardship sermons, talking about how we should use our money for the Lord. This is a true statement, but as I read this and pray this morning, I don’t think that is what Jesus was driving at here.
He says a man of “good birth” went into a far country to receive a kingdom, so he called ten servants and gave each of them about three months wages instructing them to “engage in business.”
Let me ask some questions. Could we say that Jesus was of good birth? Son of David. Son of God. Born of a virgin. After he won the victory over sin and death could we say that he went far away to be crowned as king? Ascended into heaven. He is the Lamb who was worthy to open the scroll in Revelation. Could we say that he left his servants with great resources and instructions to “engage” in his business? “Make disciples of all nations.” “You shall be my witnesses.”
Dig a little deeper. Did the citizens of Jesus’ world hate him? Reject him? Want a different king? Do they still? What will be the end result for all who reject Jesus?
This parable is not about money. It’s about the Gospel. The minas represent to precious message of God’s love and salvation – message the Zacchaeus believed and was saved by! That message has been entrusted to Jesus’ servants – to you and me. For there to be a return on that investment the coin must be put to use, the risk must be taken to extend the Gospel to others.
The wicked servant then was judged because he did not share the good news of a loving and generous king who saves his people. Instead, he lived under the false pretense that the master is a harsh or severe man waiting for him to slip up. That’s not how Jesus operates. He wants all of us to succeed. In fact, he even provides what we need to succeed in the work he has left us to do: he forgives us, gives us faith, gives us the message, empowers us by the Holy Spirit to share it, and the Holy Spirit changes people’s hearts and creates faith. We simply receive it and put it to use.
Luther once said, “Jesus wants nothing to be offered but to gift which was received; nothing is to be taught except the word of God; nothing is to be done except what God works in us. We are stewards not or our own riches, but of the manifold grace of God.” Live in that grace and share it!
Father, thank you for your grace. Help me to put it to use in my life and offer it to others for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Take note of Jesus’ clear statement of purpose, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Find and rescue. Seek and Save.
It was, “as they heard these things,” that Jesus told the parable of the Ten Minas. This parable is similar to the parable of the Talents. Both deal with large sums of money entrusted to servants as a master takes a journey. Both speak of two faithful servants and one wicked or lazy servant who did nothing to get a return on the master’s investment.
I have often heard this parable used in stewardship sermons, talking about how we should use our money for the Lord. This is a true statement, but as I read this and pray this morning, I don’t think that is what Jesus was driving at here.
He says a man of “good birth” went into a far country to receive a kingdom, so he called ten servants and gave each of them about three months wages instructing them to “engage in business.”
Let me ask some questions. Could we say that Jesus was of good birth? Son of David. Son of God. Born of a virgin. After he won the victory over sin and death could we say that he went far away to be crowned as king? Ascended into heaven. He is the Lamb who was worthy to open the scroll in Revelation. Could we say that he left his servants with great resources and instructions to “engage” in his business? “Make disciples of all nations.” “You shall be my witnesses.”
Dig a little deeper. Did the citizens of Jesus’ world hate him? Reject him? Want a different king? Do they still? What will be the end result for all who reject Jesus?
This parable is not about money. It’s about the Gospel. The minas represent to precious message of God’s love and salvation – message the Zacchaeus believed and was saved by! That message has been entrusted to Jesus’ servants – to you and me. For there to be a return on that investment the coin must be put to use, the risk must be taken to extend the Gospel to others.
The wicked servant then was judged because he did not share the good news of a loving and generous king who saves his people. Instead, he lived under the false pretense that the master is a harsh or severe man waiting for him to slip up. That’s not how Jesus operates. He wants all of us to succeed. In fact, he even provides what we need to succeed in the work he has left us to do: he forgives us, gives us faith, gives us the message, empowers us by the Holy Spirit to share it, and the Holy Spirit changes people’s hearts and creates faith. We simply receive it and put it to use.
Luther once said, “Jesus wants nothing to be offered but to gift which was received; nothing is to be taught except the word of God; nothing is to be done except what God works in us. We are stewards not or our own riches, but of the manifold grace of God.” Live in that grace and share it!
Father, thank you for your grace. Help me to put it to use in my life and offer it to others for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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