Work Until I Come Back

Scripture: So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ Luke 19:13

Observation: This is a version of one of my favorite parables, but there are significant differences here that is not in the version in Matthew 25. In Matthew, the master "entrusts" the servants with the gold "according to their abilities" and leaves. Here, he gives equal amounts, but adds an explicit instruction - "put this money to work" - AND there is a time frame - "until I come back."

In addition, there is a third set of actors in this version - other people who do not want the rich man to become king, and they attempt to prevent that result.

In the end, both parables produce the same results for the servants - those who put the money to work and earned more are entrusted with more and receive a reward, the one who did not put the money to work at all is called "wicked" and has the money taken away. In addition, the enemies who tried to undermine the rich man are put to death.

As a result of these differences, there is a completely different tone to this version of the parable. In Matthew, their is the lesson that believers are to advance Jesus' kingdom and do his work, and will be rewarded for doing so, however believers who do nothing will be punished. In Luke, however, there is a clearer issue at work in that delineation between the servants/believers ... in Luke, there is a failure to obey a specific instruction. It is no longer an issue of generally failing to be faithful when entrusted with a task by Jesus, but instead a specific act of disobedience. The servants were told to put the money to work, and one explicitly didn't.

That said, Luke includes even a worse example of punishment than having your possessions removed ... enemies (non-believers) who are put to death. Their judgment is beyond losing what they have, but it is losing their lives.

Application: Faith in Jesus requires action! I know this, but it is always our actions that reveal our faith. A believer who does not act is NOT a non-believer, however there is clearly an uncertainty about their future place in the kingdom of God.

I will be a believer who takes action. I don't do this to earn my salvation, but rather to express my love for Jesus.

The minor additions to this version of parable are instructive to me. First, there ARE instructions. God doesn't just say "go do" but he says "go and do what I am telling you to do." Second, there is a timeframe. This is our work until Jesus returns - the work of Jesus is the work of the church.

Prayer: God, show me what I may do today to increase your kingdom. May even my smallest tasks and words bring glory to you.