We began our series of pandemic posts by admonishing believers to meditate (ruminate) on the Word of God. Paul encouraged Timothy to study to show himself approved to God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). “Study” goes far beyond a casual reading of the text or jumping here and there through the Word looking for spiritual tidbits. It means working hard, delving into the realm of deep thinking – allowing the Holy Spirit to open minds to truth. After all, the Holy Spirit promised to guide us into all truth (John 16:13-14). That’s heavy! On to connecting some dots in our parable and its application.
A certain nobleman called ten of his servants, gave them each a mina, and said to them, “Do business until I come.” A mina was about three months’ wages in the ancient world, a lot of money. The servants were required to invest the nobleman’s money while he was away. According to the parable, the citizens hated the nobleman and sent a delegation after him saying, “We will not have this man to rule over us” (Luke 19:14).
Because of where this parable is located, just before the death of our Lord, it is my view that it has tremendous meaning for us. It clearly points to a parallel truth in the Word. Speaking to the church at Ephesus, Paul explained that at the ascension of Jesus Christ back into heaven (exactly parallel to the nobleman going to receive a kingdom), He gave gifts to people (Eph. 4:8). This is equivalent to the nobleman giving money to his servants to invest. Christ gifted some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the church, for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:8–13).
Paul mentioned gifted people, not the gifts themselves. It was not his intent to list the gifts here, only to explain what the gifts were for. The nobleman, likewise, gave money for the servants to invest – because he was going away to receive a kingdom and was coming back. The words in the parable “receive for myself a kingdom and return,” and “do business until I return” are critical. If the parallel truly fits, then Jesus has gone away to receive His kingdom and will return to build His kingdom. It is Jesus Christ, not the church, who will ultimately bring in the kingdom (Zech. 14:9; Rev. 20:1-7, 19:11-16).
The parable says, “The citizens hated him [the nobleman] and sent a delegation saying we will not have this man to rule over us” (Luke 19:14). This may indicate a deeper problem than just a disagreement among believers. To bring application of this point to the church of Jesus Christ, we visit Paul’s letter to the Cor., a divided church.
The Cor. believers were fussing over many issues, one being leadership. One person was following this leader and another that leader. Paul said that we all have a shared part to play in building the body of Christ. There is to be no spiritual hierarchy. No need to fuss! (1 Cor. 1:10-18).
Some gifted believers are to plant the seed of the gospel, and some are to water the seed. But in all cases, God causes life and growth to happen (1 Cor. 3:5–7). The Lord Jesus Christ seeks to use every believer to build on the foundation of His church (1 Cor. 4:5). We are one body, but everyone will have different spiritual assets, and each will be rewarded for their own labors (1 Cor. 3:8).
The church throughout history has been infiltered with people who join the organization but miss being a part of the living organism. They are usually good people, respected in the community, but they miss the part of having the seed of the gospel planted in their mind resulting in a new birth – a spiritual birth (John 3:1-7; 1 Peter 1:23-25). They join an organization, and many are even baptized, but they possibly have never received eternal life through faith in Christ. They become “religious people.” Remember it was the religious crowd – the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes – that Jesus came down on the hardest. The people thought this group were the best of the best.
There are many reasons for joining a local assembly. Some may join for business connections, some for moral reasons – looking for a good, safe place to raise a family around other moral people. Some join for emotional reasons, having responded to powerfully moving words in a message or a heart-wrenching invitation, that never included the gospel.Never forget, no seed, no birth! It may not be the fact that the pastor does not give the gospel. It may be that Satan is a great deceiver, blinding the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them (2 Cor. 4:3-4).
It is an interesting fact, however, that having been a pastor for over forty years, the majority of the people who have heard and believed the gospel under my ministry have been church members. Many had been church members for a long time. Good respectable people – just lost. This happens all too often. Deep down, these people will never follow the leadership of Jesus Christ (the Nobleman). They will never have Him to rule over them. Stay safe and stay tuned.