Luke 19:11-31 The Lord has need of Donkeys

 

Intro: In our Study last time we noted that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem where he would be CRUCUFIED .

  1. Ch. 19 puts us at the Beg. Of the final week of Jesus life before the Cross
  2. And We saw where Jesus went out of His way to seek out a LOST MAN – named ZACH. In the city of Jericho
  1. There in v. 10 Jesus states His MISSION in coming to the world – that He came to SEEK & TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST !!
  1. When Jesus comes out of the house – and the people hear of Zach.’s conversion – and Jesus proclamation / Prompts Jesus to tell a Parable
  1. Parable is a story that is used to illustrate a TRUTH / Read 11-27

 

If you are taking notes there are several things that we want to Consider about this Parable .

  1. 1st - NOBLEMAN is JESUS – who GOES TO HEAVEN WHO

GOES to far country to receive for Himself a Kingdom –

  1. But who has also promised to RTETURN !!!!!!

B) 2nd Notice the people’s ANTAGONISTIC – reaction toward this Nobleman -

14 "But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'

C Now that is exactly what the people would say a few days later to the

Lord Jesus Himself

We don’t want this man to rule over us – Caesar is our King

B) How tragic it is when people REFUSE to have Jesus rule over them

  1. The same thing happens time and time again. TODAY- People REFUSE to allow Jesus to be the KING in their LIVES !!!

C) Instead They Choose to be ruled and governed by their own passions & DESIRES - than by Jesus Christ

  1. They chose to be ruled by their own flesh and by the world and the things of the world!!!!

D)What is even more TRAGIC is when men & women who refuse to let

JESUS rule their lives but allow someone else to.

  1. Recall several yr. ago – guy up in Oregon or Washington – that guy

Rajahs – there are many like him today

  1. Here is a guy who took – normal middle class to upper middle class & even some very intelligent – wealthy individuals

  1. & duped them into becoming virtually his slaves / Those who went to the Rajneesh and gave their fortunes to him were subjected to the most degrading treatment

Now that is hard to understand how People will REJECT the LOVING reign of Jesus over them, yet will accept the degrading and brutal rule of someone like the Rajneesh

  1. But it is just not being subject to someone it is also SOMETHING - a drug or sex or – Alcohol – internet – something that has them bound

  1. Something that Satan uses to keep them in His Clutches !!!

  1. Something that controls their passions – influences how they spend their time / their money – their resources –

  1. And People serve these things and allow these things to rule over them instead of accepting the Loving rule of Christ over their lives

  1. The one who Promised "I have come that you might have life & that more ABUNDANTLY !!!!!!

The thing that is probably the most tragic is when Christians / People who have received Christ as SAVIOR / but not as KING !!

  1. Believers who have trusted Christ for Salvation – but refuse to give Him the COMPLETE REINS of their lives .
  2. Who still lean to their own understanding as it relates to the specific areas of their lives – like their marriage / their business / etc.
  1. That is what is most TRAGIC – Because they have experienced to a certain degree what Jesus can do in a life / when given opportunity

 

3rd thing to note : He left His servants w/ Responsibility & Instructions A) Each one was given 1 mina – Mina is a pound or a unit of money

equivalent to 3 months wages

B) And they were told DO BUSINESS UNTIL I RETURN !!!!

Note this: Although they were living in a HOSTILE country in a place where the people hated their master & probably hated them for being w/ the Master

  1. Although they were living in a Hostile situation – HOSTLIE COUNTRY – they still had RESPONSIBILITY !!!!

  1. When the MASTER RETURNED he was expecting them to have used the wisely the investment that He entrusted to them!!!!

SAME IS TRUE FOR US !!!!

  1. Guys we are living in a Hostile place – where the world’s system is against us and where men don’t like our KING JESUS

  2. Jesus told His Disciples not to be surprised if the world hated them / hated HIM

  1. So we TOO have been given instructions to Do Business …

Be about the Business of the KINGDOM!!!!!

4TH THING TO NOTE : What happens when the Master Returns ?

  1. 2 Things: The Servants are called together to give an Account of what they did w/ what was entrusted to them .

  2. 2nd they are rewarded accordingly

  1. 1st Guy – Your mina has earned 10 – Ruler over 10 cities

  2. 2nd Guy – 5 – 5 cities / 3rd Guy – nothing – didn’t even invest & what he had was taken away .

 

5th thing note - spend majority of our time – What is the meaning of this Parable & How does it differ from the Parable of Talents found in Matt 25

  1. 1st How it is Different / In the Parable of the Talents one man is given 10 / another is given 5 / another is given one !!!!

B) In the Parable of the Pounds here in Luke 19 / TEN MEN ALL GIVEN ONE MINA – Master you mina has earned 10 …. Has ten ?

 

SEE In The Parable of the TALENTS we are talking about a VAREITY of gifts –

  1. We have all been given gifts & abilities by the Lord – and those gifts & abilities are going to differ one from another / VARIETY

  2. I don’t have the same giftings as say Billy Graham / I certainly don’t have the talent of a Fernando Ortega / Terry Clark /

  1. You might Listen to Linda or one of the girls sing & think I wish I could sing like that !!!

  1. Those people have gifts & talents that most of us don’t have – that is what the Parable of the Talents is about

  1. There is a Variety of Giftings & TALENTS in the body of Christ & we need to use what we have for God’s Glory – further His KINGDOM!!!

  1. In the Parable of the Talents one man is given 10 / another is given 5 / another is given one !!!!

In the Parable of the Pounds here in Luke 19 / TEN MEN ALL GIVEN ONE MINA – Master you mina has earned 10 …. Has ten ?

 

SEE In The Parable of the TALENTS we are talking about a VAREITY of gifts –

  1. We have all been given gifts & abilities by the Lord – and those gifts & abilities are going to differ one from another / VARIETY

  2. I don’t have the same giftings as say Billy Graham / I certainly don’t have the talent of a Fernando Ortega / Terry Clark /

  1. You might Listen to Linda or one of the girls sing & think I wish I could sing like that !!!

  1. Those people have gifts & talents that most of us don’t have – that is what the Parable of the Talents is about

  1. There is a Variety of Giftings & TALENTS in the body of Christ & we need to use what we have for God’s Glory – further His KINGDOM!!!

 

PARABLE OF THE POUNDS EXPLAINED

Now the message of the Parable of the POUNDS IS different – because each man was given 1-lbs it speaks not of the Diversity of the Ministries

A) But of the EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITIES

  1. See there are certain things that are equal to everyone of us & like the men in the parable who were each given a MINA or a POUND

C) There are certain things that all of us have been given an equal share of to

use for the Lord !!! What are some of those things ?

1) I am going to mention three / sure you can think of others – notes

#1 TIME : We all have 24 hrs in a day- all have the same amount of

time .

  1. We can never say Oh that person gets so much done because they have 28 hrs in their day – if I had 28 hrs I could do that too!!!

  2. No we have all been given the same amount of TIME !!!!! SO We have no excuses :

  1. Benjamin Franklin – said the difference between a man of success & a man who fails is five words – the man who fails says

I DIDN’T MAKE THE TIME !!!! - True

  1. Not I didn’t have the time – ( that is the sorriest excuse – didn’t have the time - hear that over the simplest things

  1. The real issue is we didn’t make the time !!!!

It has been said that it is not the length of the story that makes it worth reading, and it is not the length of a life that makes it worth living. Some of the greatest stories are the parables of Jesus. They are very short. Some of the greatest men and women died young but led useful lives.-( IMPACT)

Interesting that The dying words of Queen Elizabeth I were these: "All my possessions for a moment of time." Unfortunately, we cannot buy more time--not one more day, not one more hour, not one more minute.

 

No one when he is on his death bed says I wish I spent more time at the office

  1. How we spend our Time is so important –Especially When we realize that our time is so short even more significant .

1) Kids grow up too fast / Teens / 20’s / 30’s / 40’s – pretty soon 60’s & 70’s – all over seems like yesterday

Speaker and author Carol Kent was on the fast track to being an absentee parent--until her young son, Jason, made a simple observation. She recalls:

"We were eating breakfast together, and I had on an old pair of slacks and a fuzzy old sweater. He flashed his baby blues at me over his cereal bowl and said, 'Mommy, you look so pretty today.' I didn't even have makeup on! So I said, 'Honey, why would you say I look pretty today? Normally I'm dressed in a suit and high heels.' And he said, 'When you look like that, I know you're going some place; but when you look like this, I know you're mine.' Pierced her heart – result made some radical changes in schedule

 

I Recently felt the Lord impress upon me that – I needed to Limit my overseas travel or extended ministries trips to once a year / 2 REASONS

  1. One my Primary calling – to be your Pastor- not world Evangelist / 2nd more important My Children are in crucial ages

  2. We all have an Equal amount of time MAKE IMPACT – not TIME to be wasted

Get this Did you know that the average American watches 7 ½ hrs of TV per day ? 7 ½ hrs . What a waste of TIME

  1. But according to one survey – the percentage of Americans who admit being addicted to TV: 13%/ only 13%

  2. Same Survey / But The Percentage of Americans Who admit to watching too much TV: is 42%

  1. Not addicted but they watch too much !!!!

  1. But then the Percentage Who say watching TV is a good use of their time: 60% Watching sex outside of marriage / People murdered

  1. Listening to people use our Lord’s name in Vain / being Sworn at.

60% felt that was a good use of their time !!!

  1. Guys America has become a nation that is Biblically Illiterate

I wonder how much of an impact TV has made on that ?

How much time does it take to read from Genesis to Revelation? If you would read the Bible (slow enough to be heard and understood) the reading time would be seventy-one hours. If you would break that down into minutes and divide it into 365 days you could read the entire Bible, cover to cover, in only twelve minutes a day

Time is life--nothing more, nothing less. The way you spend your hours and your days is the way you spend your life.

Let the year be given to God in its every moment! The year is made up of minutes: let these be watched as having been dedicated to God! It is in the sanctification of the small that hallowing of the large is secure.

G. Campbell Morgan,

  1. In other words It is in the setting aside & the taking care of the small things the minutes & hrs that the large things ( My Days ) become Useful

1) SO FIRST EQUALITY OF TIME !!!!!!

 

2nd equality of TITHE :

  1. Everyone has one tenth – that is the tithe / We all have A TENTH OF our income to invest in the kingdom of heaven

  2. It doesn’t matter if you make 10,000 a week or 10 dollars a week – we each have a tenth that belongs to the Lord

  1. Mal. 3 the people are REBUKED for not giving tithe/ robbing God

  1. The Fact is we all have an equal opportunity to invest in the Kingdom of God

  1. Not proportionately – but in equality

  1. Empty tomb group - Stats on tithe / If every Christian tithed 10% world hunger would be wiped out !!!!

1) Touched on Before - Not go into as much - EQUAL TITHE

Now I believe that we are going to find ourselves before the Lord – like these men – have to give an account of our tithe

  1. And we will give an account of our TIME – EQUAL TITHE / all can give a tenth / EQUAL TIME

B) 3rd EQUAL TESTIMONY - Divide into 2 parts -

 

1st EQUAL MESSAGE - We all have been given the gospel –

  1. We have All been given the good news! Romans 1:16

  1. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,–

  1. No one can say – I can’t share – because I have a harder message

C) All given the same powerful message – that is able to transform our lives

  1. Paul – debtor because what Christ did for him!

 

2nd – all have a story TESTIMONY- OF What Jesus has done FOR US

  1. Some – saved out of the pit - pulled out of dark back grounds

  2. Others saved from the pit/ the Lord got you before you went that far – but all see the potential

    1. Either way – you have a story !!!!!

  1. Lorn at Jr. high camp – saved when he was 11 / but the Potential to have a rotten life / filled w/ Bitterness etc was there

    2. 1) Some saved from / others saved out of – All have a Story!!

  2. Story of a Guy – saved on a street corner – next day out on the same street corner testifying what Christ had done for him!

We all have an equal testimony – A powerful message that in one way or another has changed our lives! /SO Equal / Time / Tithe / Testimony

  1. We are all going to give an account before the Lord as to how we have used that which He has ENTRUSTED TO US

  2. The gifts & talents in which there is Variety & Diversity as well as those things that we share Equally like – TIME / TIHTE / TESTIMONY

2COR. 5: 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Useful or not Useful

b) All of us are going to stand before the Lord to give an account of Time- useful or not Useful / Resources Spend wisely / invest in Kingdom

  1. Testimony – what did we do w/ Gospel / What do w/ TESTIMONY

  1. So we are all going to stand before the Judgment seat of Christ & we are going to be rewarded for things that we have done

  1. What is the REWARD GOING TO BE ?

 

According to this Parable the reward for being RESPONSIBLE for what the Lord has entrusted to us is : Given more RESPONSIBILITY

  1. The man who made 10 mina / was given rule over 10 cities / man 5 given rule over 5 cities – last man given nothing .

  2. So we can conclude from this that the REWARD for faithful service is going to be more service !!!! More work !!!

C) Clue about kingdom: heaven - not clouds – harps - No! Huge

responsibility – in the KINGDOM . Based on what we’ve done here

D) You might be thinking: if the reward for work is more work – then why

work? / LISTEN : You will care in eternity!

Walvoord – "overwhelming emotion in heaven after seeing and clearly understanding what Christ has done: Our overwhelming reaction will be Lord – what can I do for you!"

Now the fact of the matter is : Some won’t get to do very much! Because didn’t use opportunities here

  1. Sad – still enjoy heaven but capacity will be small! Dixie cup v/s 55 gallon drum

  1. How full do you want to be?/ Courson son Ben pots & pans

C) Bumper sticker – work for the Lord – it might not pay much but the retirement benefits are out of this world!

 

SO Jesus knowing that he is about to die – and so he takes time to emphasize this truth about service

A) Faithful now – blessed with more / here as well as in ETERNITY

  1. SO What you do now will determine – where you will be placed then & what you will be doing !!!

 

Now you still might be thinking - God just can’t use me – or when I try to serve the Lord I just seem to mess up!

A) Good news for you! Quickly look at a couple of verses- V.28

28 When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29 And it came to pass, when He came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples,

30 saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here.

31 "And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.'"

Leaving Jericho – passes Bethany / Mt. Olivet – coming towards Jerusalem

Jesus instructs His Disciples to go & get a Donkey

Note this Jesus says – If anyone asks – why are you taking this animal – tell them the Lord has need of him!

  1. Very interesting: Paradox – that the Lord would have need of anything

  2. But we read Mark 4 that He needed to borrow a boat to sit in to preach – He needed 5 loaves and 2 fish – feed crowd.

  1. He needed a borrowed tomb – with which He might rise

C.)Listen: Our Lord has chosen to place himself in a

where He has need!

  1. Paul said He who was rich has become poor for our sakes

 

Why chose to become poor? One reason: He might partner with us in what He is doing

  1. Whether it is fishing for men – "Peter can I borrow you boat"

  2. Or feeding a Multitude Son, can I use your food

  1. Now Understand the Lord needs us like I need my 3 kids to help me paint the house – I just need them to stay out of the way .

  1. But sometimes I let them help out in projects so that they can learn & be blessed .

  1. The Lord Chooses to partner w/ us for the same reasons. Grow us & to Bless us !!!!

    1. Been rightfully said – Without Him – we can’t / Without us He won’t TRUE IN MANY SITUATIONS

  1. Harvest is great Laborers few pray for laborers !!! Tell them that the Lord has need of him

He has determined from before the world was created to use people like you and me!

  1. Interesting that He choose a Donkey & not a white Stallion like the Roman Generals / Speaks of Humility / Also a Picture of US

    2. B.) If it was a White stallion – felt different – I’m no stallion – Rocky

    Italian stallion/ Donkey I can relate to – Dumb / Stubborn / Strong Willed

    1) It is a great – picture of Us

    LISTEN - The Lord has need of donkeys!

    A) BUT notice Before Ridden – He needed to be released…../ LOOSED !!

    Guys THAT IS what we are about – helping people get released/ loosed

  2. See People who are in Bondage to sin RELEASED / LOOSED

Jesus – came seek save lost! Proclaim that

  1. Friday nights/ People all around us - BONDAGE !!!!!

  1. Even those – born again – still bound up in fear, in some hang up / Something that is keeping them from allowing Christ to Rule

    1. Our job help them get loosed / teaching / Discipling

D.)RAISED Laz take off the grave clothes– I raised him - you loose him

 

That is what is happening when we Come here – grave clothes are coming off Little by little as we grow in the Lord !!!!

A) We are getting freer and freer

B) So before the Donkey could be Ridden it needed to be Released

C) But Also – Before it could be Released it needed to be Redeemed -

Ex 13:13 – 13 "But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

Now this is an interesting Scripture where the Lord instructed that Whenever a donkey was born – a lamb had to die so donkey could live!

  1. No sacrifice – the donkeys neck broken

B) Interesting to me that in that same verse – the Lord is speaking about redeeming a Donkey / then Sons – connection

1) We can be a lot like DONKEYS - Stubborn / Strong willed Etc.

C) Our Jesus came as the Lamb of God / came to REDEEM US so that we would have to have our NECKS BROKEN .

S0 The Lord wants to ride us and use us!

  1. REDEEMED US / RELEASED US / He will REWARD US !!!!

B) Presently HE INSTRUCTS US - Be faithful WHAT GIVEN & Do

business UNTIL I COME AGAIN!!

C) HE Takes the little we have & partners with us – to do great things!

Easter: OPPORTUNITY --

Have You accepted the Rule of Christ in Your Life ? – Have to serve Somebody – Self / Devil or JESUS

  1. Not for me you are against me / not w/ me you are w/ out me / is that a description of your life ?

  2. Have you come to Christ as Savior but are you still reluctant to make Him King – still wresting w/ areas – Release them to Him today !!!

  3. Are you ready to face the Lord – Receive a reward - Let’s be Busy about that which is most important – The KINGDOM !!!!