Luke 19:11-28 Continued
In this story that Jesus tells, the nobleman leaves to a far off country after assigning servants to care for his investments. If Jesus had been telling the people about his reign in Jerusalem, He probably would have said that the nobleman was going to his country to set up his palace. Instead, He says that the nobleman is leaving only to return later when investments have a chance to grow.
Unfortunately, this nobleman’s “citizens hated him” and were even quoted concerning exactly what they hated. They didn’t want to be ruled by him. They were rebellious citizens. Perhaps you can see the similarity with life around us today. Jesus has left and there are servants that He left behind to conduct His business until He returns, but the citizens of the world have actually set themselves up against the rule of Jesus.
Those that Jesus left behind were His disciples. He told His disciples to make more of them and that is where we fit in. Each of us, as His disciples, should be conducting “business until” He comes. As His servants we need to realize that our work will be evaluated in the end and we will either be shamed or blessed on that day.
Those citizens who hated their ruler will be sentenced to death right in front of Jesus. Jesus is a loving person, but He is also a righteous person. A person who lets people be rebellious against God without ever getting what they deserve would not be very just. It wouldn’t make sense for a judge to let all the bad people go free. A judge like that would not be very well respected. It may not be how many people like to view Jesus, but we read here that this is what Jesus says. His words are not always the words of the Savior. Sometimes they are the words of a Judge and a King and the people of the world will get what they deserve if they refuse to accept Him.
His servants who do His work will be rewarded in an enormous way. We see here that they are given authority over whole cities. Those who are not faithful to do what God wanted them to do but doubted Him instead will have the amount that they were given taken away from them and given to a faithful servant. God richly rewards our faith but we should realize that without faith, we will not get a reward. It appears to me that God gives people investments according to their faith and as a result the people with the most investment get more as a result of their great faith. I believe it is clear that God knew they had great faith when He invested in them. We don’t all have the same amount of faith but we are to be faithful with what we have.