ARE YOU TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS?

ARE YOU TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS?

LUKE 19:11-27, “¹¹ And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. ¹² He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. ¹³ And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. ¹⁴ But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. ¹⁵ And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. ¹⁶ Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. ¹⁷ And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. ¹⁸ And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. ¹⁹ And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. ²⁰ And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: ²¹ for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. ²² And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: ²³ wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? ²⁴ And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. ²⁵ (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) ²⁶ For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. ²⁷ But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.”

 

INTRODUCTION:  Most Sunday School students have heard the parable of the ten pounds, but perhaps many of you do not remember the context under which Jesus spoke this parable.  He and His disciples had just left the house of Zacchaeus where the little tax collector had just given his heart to the Lord.  It was on their way to Jerusalem that they happened to find themselves at Zacchaeus’ table.  Knowing that something momentous was going to happen when they concluded their trip to Jerusalem and knowing that the Messiah was going to claim the throne of David and rule the nations they thought Jesus was on His way to overthrowing Rome, and setting up His kingdom.  They were looking well beyond the prophecies of a suffering messiah, who would be wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and by whose stripes we would be healed.  They did not bear in mind that David prophesied that He would be pierced through His hands and feet (Ps. 22:16).  They considered only Christ’s glory, and not His humiliation.  Jesus spoke this parable to set them and us straight about what we should be doing until He does come to set up His kingdom. 

 

1.  OCCUPY UNTIL I COME.  Over the years we have lost the true meaning of the word occupy; using it only in reference to taking up space:  “He occupies this apartment,” or “She occupies a place in my heart.”  It has been linked to the word “occupant”, but the original Greek meaning is “do business.” What business, you may ask?  Well, I’ll tell you.  It is God’s business.  A brother in the Lord used to like to say “Do God’s business, and He will do yours.”  That’s more than a fair deal, don’t you think?

Now, you may ask, “What about the other seven servants?”  He gave a talent each to ten servants, yet we only have an accounting of three out of the ten.  What about the other seven servants.  I think that is possible that Jesus purposely did not mention them to infer that we might be the other seven servants.  You do know that the number seven has a special meaning when used in the Bible, don’t you?  Seven is the number of perfection, or completion.  Every generation has been called to “occupy until I come.”  Once business has been taken care of the Lord will return.  It has been said by some that when the number of saved people reaches a certain amount that the Lord will return.  The Bible does not make this claim; however, I do believe that the Lord will not return until His business on earth has been completed.  If I can hasten the day of the coming of the Lord by doing His business, I want to be doing business!

 

 2.  SOME CHRISTIANS WILL LABOR MORE DILIGENTLY THAN OTHERS.  All ten servants received one pound each.  Giving them orders to “take care of business”, he left.  One of His servants either was very gifted, or they just worked more diligently.  Whatever the case, that servant gained ten pounds for His master.  I don’t suggest that the servant with ten pounds had to be a Peter, Paul, or Billy Graham.  It could have been an unknown prayer warrior, minister to the down and out on skid row, or tireless saint whose life is spent doing for others. 

Let me ask you, “Where do you think that you will stand when the accounts are audited?”  Have you been taking care of business?

 

3.  EVEN THE SERVANT THAT GAINED FIVE POUNDS WAS REWARDED.  Now, not all of us will handle God’s business on the same level.  Some will become world traveled missionaries.  Others will spend every ounce of energy and their very lives ministering to the poor and needy.  While others will teach a Sunday School class, or mow the church yard, or they might even drive kids to and from Kids’ Church.  Still others may only attend the House of God a couple times a month, struggling to keep the faith; discouraged by the stress of the trials of their lives.  We can’t all be Billy Grahams, but there is something that we all can do for the kingdom of God.  It has been said, “Don’t judge until you have walked a mile in the other man’s shoes.”   Let’s consider the pound that has been entrusted to our care:

The Bible says that we are stewards of the blessings of the Lord, and that “it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.”  The pound is the measure of faith that God has given to all men.  Some put their faith to work, and others deny the faith.  Some are up and down in faith; being faithful this week, and faithless next.  The best counsel that I can give is just be faithful.    

 

4.  IT WAS NOT GOOD FOR THE ONE WHO DID NOT TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.  It was clear that the disciples did not get the impact of this parable because they still did not expect that Jesus was going to Jerusalem to die without putting up a fight.  Later, they would realize that the Lord was saying to them and to us that He would return to His Father’s house, returning at some undisclosed day in the distant future.  His orders were that they “occupy until I come.”  Matthew’s record of this parable includes the chastisement “Thou wicked and slouthful servant” and a command to cast him into outer darkness, or hell.

    A.  The wicked and slouthful servant could be those who denied the tug in their hearts all their lives, never coming to Jesus Christ.

    B.  The wicked and slouthful servant could also be those who prayed the sinner’s prayer in hopes of escaping hell, but had no intentions of living right.  How many confessing Christians do you know that live no differently that the unsaved? 

Failure to “take care of business” is very serious; having eternal consequences.  You may ask, what does God want me to do?  First, let’s just do what we know to do:  clean up our lives, give to His work, attend worship, pray, and represent Him well.  Anything beyond that, and He will tell you.

 

CONCLUSION:  Are you secure about facing Him at His coming?  Have you been busy about the Master’s business?  If not, it is not too late to start.