Hello Church,
What a glorious weekend. I encourage you to go for a walk - the fall colours are beautiful. What an amazing God we have!
Have you been given something by Jesus - a special gift or talent to be used for His glory and purposes? Do you remember the day He save you? How did you respond? Did you say, "I will live for you - I will serve you with all that I have"? When I met Jesus, or rather, He apprehended me, I was so excited to have Him in my life that I would have done anything for Him. When I read about Zaccheus (Luke 19:1-10), I see someone who was despised and rejected by the Jews because he was a chief tax collector, a money hungry villain, who took advantage of people. But when He met Jesus, and Jesus "saved" him (vss. 9-10), he immediately used what he had to bless others, and restore the damage he caused to people. He used his position and wealth for good. He also used his house to host the presence of Jesus. That which he had, he used for good. He immediately began to "work" for King Jesus, starting with his greatest blessing - his wealth.
Jesus launches into a parable about faithfully serving the king immediately after the story of Zaccheus. I believe the two passages are connected because they both demonstrate what the King requires of his servants - obedience in using what the King has given to us. Jesus is the "nobleman" who goes away to have himself appointed King and return for his Kingdom (vs. 12). While He is away, He gives the same amount of money to ten servants (although the correct translation is "slaves") to see how they will use it to benefit the King (vs.13). The command is, "do business till I come"; in other words, "put my money to good use by investing it in something that will bring a return on the investment", or simply, "bear fruit"!
So when the King returns, will He find a return on His investment? Will there be fruit that the servants have produced for the King? The application is simple: what are we producing for the King, with the gift (money, talent, spiritual gift) He has given us? Are we even living for the King and His benefit in the first place? When He returns to set up His kingdom, what fruit will we show Him to demonstrate our faithful service to Him. He wants to see increase in His investment, and rewards those who obey what He says to do. Here is the point of the parable, "I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away." (vs. 26). Don't hide away what God has given you to use for the Kingdom! There were ten who were given money to invest - we only hear of 3. Only two were faithful servants - what happened to the rest? Simple, they had nothing to show for their service to the KIng.
There is another group of people we cannot ignore in this parable - the "subjects/citizens" who hated the King (vs.14). Those individuals suffer a terrible fate (vs. 27). They are the ones who say, "we don't want this man to be our king" (vs. 14). "We don't want to be ruled by Jesus, nor be His slaves".
Friends, is Jesus you King? Are you living for Him? Are you using what He gave you for His glory and increase? Are you bearing fruit?
Let us be like Zaccheus. Let us resolve to work for the Master until He returns to set up His Kingdom!
Have a great week!
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