The Job at Hand

Let's pray.

Fathers, we come now to the end of this road to Jerusalem with Jesus.

Along the way, he's cleared up many misconceptions of what it means to follow you.

And now we have the challenge before us.

As the words of the old poems say, only one life will soon be passed, only what's done for Christ will last.

May those words reverberate in our hearts and our minds this morning.

And we ask it for your glory. Amen.

A team of European doctors in the 1990s, in the early 1990s,

discovered that there was a higher chance of having a heart attack on Monday than any other day of the week.

In fact, they found out there was a dramatic increase in all stress-related illnesses on Mondays.

Blood pressure is up, and so you're more likely to have a stroke on a Monday.

Stomach acidity is up, increasing the risk of ulcers.

People are twice as likely to commit suicide on Mondays than any other day of the week.

And so they concluded that the Monday morning feeling is actually no myth.

It's medical fact.

There was one explanation for it.

Most of us feel that the very idea of working another week, depressing.

However, it wasn't because of the workload or the responsibilities.

The research found that there was little distinction between a high flyer

and what you might call a low flyer, I'm assuming.

People with mundane and undemanding jobs displayed the same symptoms

as those at the other end of the scale.

No matter how good the job as well, or how considerate the employer,

how nice the people you worked with,

or even the surrounds in which you work,

it made no difference.

The very idea of working another week caused so much stress-related illnesses.

And the reason?

Purposelessness.

Purposelessness is having plenty to do,

but no satisfying reason to do it.

It's like living life without purpose

is kind of like playing soccer without goalposts.

You can dribble the ball with great skill,

you can execute some fine passes,

you can enjoy your time on the paddock,

but in the end, what's the point?

What's the point to it all?

Unless there is some goal, some objective,

some reason for doing it,

then in the end,

it is all a farce.

It is this quest for purpose in our daily existence

that makes this parable of the ten miners

so drastically important for us.

Jesus here provides us with that vital missing link,

and that is future perspective.

And we need that future perspective

in order to give our daily routine significance.

As you know,

we have been travelling with Jesus

on his way to Jerusalem,

and as we've been travelling with Jesus,

he has encountered a number of people,

he has told lots of stories

about what it means to be part of his kingdom,

he has cleared up misconceptions

of what it means to be his disciple,

he has told stories like the rich fool

and the lost sheep and the lost coin

and the lost son and the shrewd manager,

he has encountered people

like the rich young ruler

and the blind beggar,

and as he arrives close to Jerusalem,

he has one final encounter

with a person,

and that is with Zacchaeus.

And this encounter with Zacchaeus

is where this journey with Jesus

comes to its climax.

The visit of Jesus to Jericho

attracts a large crowd.

Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector,

wants a chance to look at Jesus,

but he can't because he's too short.

Instead, he climbs a tree

to get a glimpse of Jesus

as he wanders by.

The important thing is, though,

in that encounter

is the fact that Jesus took the initiative.

Verse 5,

Zacchaeus,

Jesus said to him,

Zacchaeus,

come down immediately,

I must stay at your house today.

And it's this acceptance

of Zacchaeus

by Jesus

that repulses the crowd.

It says in verse 7,

all the people saw this

and began to mutter,

he has gone

to be the guest

of a sinner.

You see,

Zac and his kind

were social outcasts,

but Jesus welcomes him.

Zacchaeus responds to Jesus

by coming out of the tree immediately

and it says he received

Jesus with joy.

A reception of joy

to Jesus

is the appropriate response

on Jesus' actions

on our behalf.

We also see another response

to Jesus by Zac.

In verse 8,

it says,

Look, Lord,

here and now

I give half of my possessions

to the poor

and if I have cheated anybody

out of anything,

I will pay back

four times the amount.

There are, in fact,

two responses there.

A new generosity,

which means he gives

half of his assets

to the poor.

And secondly,

a desire to undo

the wrongs from the past.

And he says

he will pay back them

four times as much

anyone that he has robbed.

It's interesting

that normal restitution

only actually added 20%.

If I've robbed you

of a dollar,

I'll give you

a dollar,

you know,

a dollar,

twenty back.

But Zacchaeus

actually suggests

and submits himself

to the highest penalty

that the Old Testament

law required.

The highest penalty.

You see,

what has happened here,

God has made

the impossible happen.

He's done the impossible.

A rich man

gets through

the eye of the needle.

A rich man

gets through

the eye of the needle

and here

at the end

of this road

to Jerusalem,

Jesus sets up

Zacchaeus

as the model disciple.

The model disciple.

He receives

the grace

of the Lord Jesus

with joy

and a radical

transformation

of priorities

and his life

is a result.

His priorities

change because

of this new life.

It's this new life

and his priority

which will govern

the rest of his life.

Which is why

Jesus launches

into this parable

straight after

his encounter

with Zacchaeus.

Jesus is close

to Jerusalem

and there are

some that are

there with Jesus

thinking that

it's all over.

It's about to finish.

Jesus the king

who's done all these

miracles along the way

he's going to get

to Jerusalem

and he's going to

beat up the Romans

and kick the king out

and we're going to

go to the palace

and we're going to

get the temple back.

It's all going to

be hunky dory

and it's going to

be like the good old days

we're going to party on

and it's kind of

the king is established

and he's thrown

and Jesus goes

hang on a bit.

Verse 11

Jesus tells

this parable

because he was

near Jerusalem

and the people

thought that the

kingdom of God

was going to

appear at once.

They thought it

was almost over.

And so Jesus

uses this parable

to instruct

his disciples

that salvation

as we saw

with Zacchaeus

is not the end

of the matter.

It's not just

a matter of

ticking a box

and praying a prayer

and getting in

the kingdom

and that's it.

Getting into

the kingdom of God

like Zacchaeus

doesn't mean that

you just kind of

sit back

and wait

for heaven

to come.

You know

we fill our pews

it's not like

church is like

a holding pen

for Christians

waiting for Jesus

to come back

like a bunch

of sheep

really

in a pen

kind of

waiting to be

shorn.

If you're part

of the kingdom

of God

if you respond

to Jesus

then you've

got a job

to do

until the king

comes back.

So he says

this

soon after

they arrived

in Jerusalem

Jesus would

be leaving

them.

In verse 12

he said

this

a man

of noble

birth

went to

a distant

country

to have

himself

appointed

king

and then

to return.

But the

disciples were

not meant

to be

disheartened

by this.

Yes

Jesus was

going to

leave them

he made

it clear

they were

not to be

disheartened

by this

because the

king

would

return.

And the

point of

this parable

is what

do they do

between when

the king

leaves and

when the

king comes

back again?

What happens

in the meantime?

Verse 13

So he called

in ten of his

servants and

gave them ten

minors, put

this money to

work until I

come back.

That

sentence

is

Jesus'

answer to

the dreaded

Monday morning

feeling.

That sentence

is the

Bible's work

ethic.

We've got a

job to do

for the

king until

the king

comes back.

And that

gives everything

meaning.

It gives

everything

purpose.

And this

work ethic

is not

grounded in

a moral

duty but

in future

hope.

Future

hope.

We are

to put the

king's

resources to

work until

he comes

back.

Those

few words

are desperately

important

because the

world is

going

somewhere.

There is a

hope and

the king

is returning.

Therefore,

make the

most of the

opportunities

and the

resources we

have to

invest in

the kingdom

by working

hard for

the king.

I said

this a

couple of

Sundays

ago on

Vision

Sunday.

Wise

investments.

This is

what gives

our daily

routine

meaning.

It's

what gives

our daily

routine

purpose.

This is

the task

that Jesus

leaves us

with.

And what

this parable

says is

that people

are divided

into three

broad

categories

depending

on how

they respond

to the

challenge

from the

king.

At one

extreme

are those

described in

verse 14.

Jesus

saying is

that there

will be

some who

reject

God's

king.

They'll

reject

Jesus

being the

king.

They won't

want him

to be

king.

And they

won't

accept his

authority

as the

king.

Some

will hide

their

rebellion

against

the

king

under

the

guise

of

doubt

or

ignorance.

But Jesus

is clear

here that

the main

resistance

to the

rule of

king

Jesus

is

the

will.

Verse

14.

We don't

want

this man

to be

our

king.

We don't

want this

man to

be our

king.

But of

course it's

all in

vain because

he is

the king.

Verse 15.

He was

made king

however and

he returned

home.

That's

the reality

of it.

My

desire for

Jesus not

to be

king is

somehow

stronger than

the fact

he is

king.

Nothing

can stop

Jesus'

final

triumph.

Whether

you like

it or

not,

he is

king.

And the

Bible says

that people

will resist

his

will,

with their

will,

resist

king

Jesus

right to

the very

end.

Right to

the very

end.

It

astounds

me that

the Bible

says that

in the

last days

when Jesus

appears with

loud trumpet

sounds,

people will be

confronted with

the descending

Lord Jesus

and instead

of bowing

and asking

for mercy

in that

last moment

of their

life,

they will

say let

the mountains

fall on

me rather

than submit

to him.

The

strength of

the will

to resist

Jesus right

to the

very end.

Nothing

can stop

Jesus'

final triumph.

He is

king.

The end

of the

parable tells

us what

happened to

those who

rebelled

against the

king.

Verse 27,

but those

enemies of

mine who

did not

want me to

be king

over them,

bring them

here and

kill them

in front

of me.

Would

have been

so nice

if he

didn't

mention

that,

wouldn't

it?

It would

have been

so much

nicer if

he didn't

say it

so strongly.

But there

is no room

in God's

kingdom for

rebels.

It's a

harsh

verdict,

but by

it Jesus

conveys the

hard truth

that if

you don't

want to

submit to

the king

then you

have no

place in

the kingdom.

What this

parable is

saying is

that God

takes our

sin,

our

rebellion

against him

very

seriously

and he

will judge

all acts

of rebellion

against him.

sin.

The second

category of

people are

at the

other end

of the

extreme.

There are

those whom

Jesus called

into this

story, the

good servants.

Verse 15,

he was made

king, however,

returned home.

Then he sent

for the

servants to

those whom

he had given

money in

order to find

out what

they had

gained with

it.

The first

one said,

sir, your

miner has

earned ten

more.

Well done.

my good

servant.

His master

replied,

because you

have been

trustworthy in

a very small

matter, take

charge of

ten cities.

The second

came and

said, sir,

your miner

has earned

five more.

His master

answered, you

take charge of

five cities.

I think it's

awesome.

What the

Bible actually

portrays is

that our

deepest joy and

satisfaction is

found in

serving the

king.

And this is

clearly here as

well.

That what

happens is,

when you

spend a

life of

serving king

Jesus, what

is the

reward?

More service.

Over ten

cities or

five cities.

More

opportunities to

serve king

Jesus because

it's where our

deepest satisfaction

and joy comes

from.

What a

wonderful picture.

Anyway, that's

just a side

point.

What Jesus is

using here is a

financial metaphor

to describe the

sort of

trustworthiness

that God is

working out in

those who

follow him.

The minor

represents the

thing that

Jesus left

us with.

The resources,

the endowments,

the charge,

the mandate,

the mandate to

go and make

disciples of

all nations.

The things that

he wants us to

get on with,

his business,

until he

returns.

What he is

saying is that

it actually

matters how we

live now.

It matters how

we order our

priorities.

It matters

what we

spend our

time doing

and how we

use the

resources that

God has

given us.

What it's

saying is that

for those who

are part of

the kingdom,

you don't sit

around twiddling

your thumbs,

kind of just

waiting for

Jesus to come

back.

We've got a

job to do

for the

king.

It's saying

that we use

our resources

and opportunities

here,

now,

and they will

have eternal

consequences.

In other

words,

it is possible

to live in

such a way

now that

heaven will

actually be

enriched for

us.

You get

that?

It is

possible to

live in

such a way

now that

heaven will

actually be

enriched for

us.

And the

mark of a

good and

trustworthy

servant is

that they

make wise

long-term

investments.

They build

for the

kingdom.

This is

brilliant news

in a world

that is full

of Monday

morning

itis.

It means

that you

can work

your guts

out in

service of

the king

and it

actually

counts.

It doesn't

matter what

your job

is.

It doesn't

matter what

role you

feel in

society.

You might

be a slave

or a

master.

You

might be

a husband

or a

wife.

You

might be

a child

or a

parent.

Every

Christian

can and

should

dedicate

their

daily

business

to

Christ

the

king.

Do it

all as

if working

for the

king.

And we

do it

because we

are going

somewhere.

We have a

goal and

we have a

hope.

But there

is one

more

servant.

Verse 20.

Then another

servant came

and said,

Sir,

here is

your

minor.

I have

kept it

laid away

in a

piece of

cloth.

I was

afraid of

you because

you're a

hard man.

You take

out what

you did

not put

in and

reap

what you

did

not

sow.

The

first thing

to say

about this

guy is

that his

characterization

of the

king is

grossly

unfair.

he actually

gave his

servants

responsibility.

He is

saying that

the king

is a

vicious

exploiter

of people.

He's

quite clear

from this

story in

fact that

the king

is nothing

of the

kind.

For

whatever

reason this

servant

can't bring

himself to

believe in

the kindness

and the

generosity

of the

king.

He wraps

up that

little piece

of money.

I was

afraid

was his

excuse.

I was

afraid.

Was he

afraid that

he might

not be

successful?

Maybe.

Was he

afraid that

he might

actually

miserably

fail?

Maybe.

But do

you know

what I

think his

real problem

is?

He wasn't

afraid enough.

He didn't

fear the

master

enough.

He didn't

fear the

master.

If he

had he

actually

would have

done

something

with that

minor.

The truth

was that

he was a

wicked servant

looking for

an excuse

for his

laziness,

for his

negligence and

for his

irresponsibility.

laziness.

And Jesus

is warning

us against

laziness.

He is

telling us

that we

must work

for his

kingdom with

vision and

vigour.

We mustn't

allow fear

to make us

withdraw like a

turtle into the

security of our

shell.

We must be

prepared to

commit ourselves

boldly to

the kingdom,

to kingdom

initiatives.

we are not

to be rash

with the

resources that

God has

given us,

but we

are to

make courageous

decisions for

the king.

I think what

Jesus is saying

here is that we

should never be

content as

Christians just

to kind of

happily attend

church each

week, feel

secure and

cosy, while

the rest of the

world is going

to hell in a

handbasket.

He is

telling us not

to stay on

the sidelines

as spectators

of other

people's

enterprise for

the kingdom.

Because too

often we do

that.

Too often we

just do that

by nature.

You go and

watch a football

team play,

you sit up

there in the

stands, you

watch them, if

they win you

kind of feel

like somehow

you've

contributed to

it.

I mean,

does anyone

boast?

I mean, I

do that.

I think that

somehow my

cheering has

sort of got

them over the

line.

Too often we

do that.

We sit on

the sideline

as spectators

of other

people's

enterprise for

the kingdom.

That's why I

can say that

I'm particularly

encouraged that

the staff of

the parish

council are

not sitting

on the

sidelines.

They're not

sitting on

the sidelines.

Some of us

are crippled by

what we

perceive to

be our

lack of

resources.

You know, if

I could preach

like Billy

Graham, I'd

be an

evangelist.

Or if I

was any

good at

languages, I'd

be a

missionary.

If I

could do

music, I'd

sort of bump

Nick from

his job.

If I was

academic, I'd

go to Bible

college.

If I wasn't

so shy, I'd

evangelise my

friends.

If I had

more money, I'd

be able to

give.

I had more

time, I could

do church

ministry

more.

If only, if

only, if

only God

had not

given me so

little to

work with.

It's his

fault in the

end.

God isn't

interested in

the hypothetical

devotion that

we would give

if we had the

resources.

The irony of

this faithless

servant is

that in

trying to

avoid taking

risks, he

was in

fact taking

the greatest

risk of

all.

Gambling with

his place in

the kingdom,

gambling with

his life.

God's

life.

Well, friends,

sorry to

say, but it's

going to be

Monday again

tomorrow, and

you could wake

up depressed

and miserable

as people who

are going

nowhere, like

all the

purposeless

people who

drive here,

past you on

a Monday

morning, going

to their

offices in

their fancy

cars.

Or you

could be

motivated and

ambitious as

people who

know that you

have a hope,

a purpose,

and a reason,

and a job

to do, using

the king's

resources to

build up

treasure in

heaven, and

enriching your

experience and

other people's

experience of

heaven until

he comes.

The message

for us as

we get near

Jerusalem with

Jesus, over

these whole

number of

weeks as

we're travelled

with Jesus,

is quite

simple.

Honour the

king.

Live for

the king.

All of our

lives are on

the way to

eternity.

Jesus has

gone.

He's left.

After his

resurrection,

after his

ascension,

and his

glorification,

and he sits

on the

throne now.

And the

day has

been set

when he

will return.

And all

of our

lives are

on the

way to

eternity.

An

eternity

with

Christ,

or a

Christ-less

eternity.

And so,

in the

words of

the old

poem,

only one

life will

soon be

passed,

only what's

done for

Christ will

last.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.