Chuck Foreman – Teaching / Missions Pastor
Left in charge…
All week Jesus has been in the temple courts teaching in parables aimed directly at the leaders of Israel—whom God left in charge of his kingdom/people while they waited for Messiah to come.
All of these parables tell the story of the King’s Return (God) to his people, Israel:
- The Two Sons— Obedience to the Father (going to work in his field)
- The Tenants of the Vineyard— Trustworthiness/Faithfulness to the Landowner
- The Wedding Banquet— Willingness to accept the King’s invitation
- The Ten Virgins/Brides Maids— Readiness for the arrival of the Bridegroom
In each parable God is looking for partnership and accountability from those he has left in charge of his Kingdom! He did not find either in his own people!
Now Jesus says, “Again, it (the Kingdom of Heaven) will be like…” i.e., “When God, in the person of Messiah, shows up (Hello it’s Me! I’m here!), when God comes to judge his people (Mt.24), it will be like this,”
GOD’s Story #1: The Parable of the Entrusted Money, Matthew 25:14-30
Will we be faithful? We have not been called to be successful; we have been called to be faithful. Our faithfulness is our success! 1 Corinthians 4:2
Just before Jesus entered Jerusalem—just a few days ago—he had been in Jericho where he told a slightly different version of this same parable to a crowd upset at him for befriending Zacchaeus the Tax Collector. They did not like the Kingdom Jesus was bringing to them…
God’s Story #2: Parable of the New King & the Entrusted Money, Luke 19:11-27
This is what Jesus is asking of all of us: At a place & time when following him is unpopular, what are we going to do with the Kingdom he has entrusted to us? WILL WE BE FAITHFUL?!
Israel was not. God, their King, had returned to them. Now it was ‘face the music’ time. This is not about 2nd Coming/End, it’s about his 1st Coming. He’s here and he’s brought his kingdom with him! What Jesus said to them, he now says to us:
We all have to give an accounting to our King for how we have received His Kingdom.
- Have we been obedient sons/daughters? Have we shown up for work like we said we would?
- Have we given the Owner of the Vineyard his share of the harvest?
- Will we show up for the Wedding Banquet he’s invited us to?… It’s our marriage to His Son! Or are we the Runaway Bride?
- Are we ready for the Bridegroom to come? We are his escort! He’s counting on us!
- Are we faithful w/what our King has entrusted to us even in an environment hostile to him/us?
Our Trust is this: Love like God loves, Live like Jesus lived, Do the good work he designed us to do!
The Question is this: Will we!
BIG Idea: The King and his Kingdom is here! Do we recognize him? Will we receive him and be his loyal, faithful subjects even though those around us do not want him as their king?
Do we really want to be subjects of his Kingdom—the Kingdom of Heaven on earth?
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