Welcome to Day 2604 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2604 – The Road to Jerusalem: Jerusalem: The End of the Road or Just the Beginning

Putnam Church Message – 04/06/2025

Sermon Series: The Road to Jerusalem

Message 1: Jerusalem: The End of the Road or Just the Beginning?

 

Last week, we finalized our Old Testament Orientation series. Our focus was on What We Know: Preparing for the New Testament. We wrapped up with a complete overview of the series.

This week is the first of three Easter messages about The Road to Jerusalem. Today, we will explore Jerusalem: The End of the Road or Just the Beginning? The passage we will be covering today is Luke 19:11-27. This is the Parable of the Ten Servants.

Opening Prayer

Let’s start by reading verses 11-13:

11 The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin immediately. 12 He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver,[a] saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’

 

Introduction

There is a sense of excitement when you get close to reaching your destination. Whether you are traveling by car and you see the city limits sign, or traveling by air and the airplane begins its descent, or traveling by boat and you sight land in the distance: whatever your mode of travel, it always feels good when you reach the end. No matter how long the trip is or how tired you are or worn out from the road, your adrenaline kicks in, and you experience a lift as you near your destination.

That is how the disciples must have felt in today’s passage. For over three years now, they have been following Jesus. For six months, they have been heading towards Jerusalem. Now, at last, they were near Jerusalem. They were in Jericho, only seventeen miles away. The end of the road was in sight.

During this time, the disciples have come to understand that Jesus is the Messiah, that he is the Promised One, the Great Deliverer prophesied about in the Scriptures. He is the One who God sent to deliver his people. The crowds are swelling, more and more disciples are joining the band, and now they are heading to Jerusalem, the Holy City, with Jesus the Messiah in their midst. Talk about excitement growing as you near your destination!

But this is more than just an adrenaline boost at the end of a journey. In all their excitement and enthusiasm, the disciples fully believe that the kingdom of God is about to come immediately. They believe Jesus will enter Jerusalem and take his rightful place as King. They have seen his power and his miracles. They know that he is well able to deliver them from the Romans. The people are already rallying to his side, and they expect nothing less than complete liberation from their enemies.

Jesus has already told his disciples something very different will happen when they reach Jerusalem. He has told them numerous times that he will suffer and die when he gets to Jerusalem. But somehow, they could not take it in. Luke later tells us that when Jesus spoke about these things: “But they didn’t understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.” (Luke 18:34)

The parable we are looking at this morning is the last recorded teaching of Jesus before he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. And Luke not only tells us the parable. He also tells us why Jesus told this parable. We read in verse 11: “The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin immediately. ” (Luke 19:11)

The disciples thought that Jerusalem was the end of the road for them. Jesus now tells them it is just the beginning. He has work for them to do. The disciples won’t understand much of this until after Christ has suffered, died, and rises again, but afterward, they will remember his teaching, and then they will understand.

 

The main characters of the parable

The King(12)

First of all, we have the King. Look at verse 12: “He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. ” (Luke 19:12) So we have the nobleman who travels to a distant empire to receive the power to rule and then to return as King. The fact that it is a distant empire implies that an interval of time takes place. Remember, the reason Jesus is telling this parable is because the people thought that the kingdom of God in all of its fullness was going to appear immediately, and that was simply not true.

The King represents Christ, who will not complete the kingdom right away as the disciples suppose, but instead, he will go away for a while and then return. When Christ returns, he will bring the kingdom in its fullness. In the meantime, the disciples will experience the kingdom of God within their own hearts as righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Just like the Israelites were a nation of priests who brought all nations back to God, we, as believers, extend that calling to bring all nations into God’s Kingdom, which will be finalized when Christ returns. The Global Eden that is established is God’s kingdom.

The servants(13)

Next, we have the servants. Look at verse 13: “Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver,[a] saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’” (Luke 19:13) The King has ten servants, and each is entrusted with the same amount of money. Each servant is given one pound of silver. A pound of silver is not a particularly large sum of money. It is worth $400 today, although that would have been three months’ wages for a laborer back then.

The nobleman tells the servants to “invest it” until he returns. He expected them to turn what they had been given into profit. Notice that they are putting the money to work for him, not themselves. In other words, this money is given as a trust. It is not their money to do with as they want.

How about the servants? The servants are a little trickier to identify because we have two different types of servants here. In the verses to come, Jesus describes two servants, each of whom returns a profit and a third of whom does not. The third servant appears in the parable as one who loses his kingdom reward.

Jesus portrays a similar situation to what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 3, where our works are tested at the last day. Paul writes: 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. (1 Corinthians 3:14-15)

The subjects(14)

And then, finally, we have the subjects. Look at verse 14: “But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’” (Luke 19:14) The subjects form a larger group than the servants. The subjects are those who live in the master’s region and fall under his jurisdiction as King.

Notice Jesus says they hated the King. In the original language, it is even stronger than that. In the original, it implies that their hatred was habitual. They were continually hating him. They hated him so much that they even sent a delegation after him, saying, “We don’t want you to be our King! We don’t want you to rule over us.”

The subjects appear to represent unbelievers who do not profess faith in Christ. They are certainly not hypocrites, at least as far as faith in Christ is concerned. They may or may not be openly antagonistic towards Christianity but make no claims of Christian faith for themselves.

You might wonder about some of the more minor characters in the parable? What about the delegation in verse 14 or the bystanders in verse 24? One mistake people often make with the parables is trying to find a correspondence to each detail in the parable. But parables weren’t meant to line up every detail with something else. Sometimes, the details are necessary to carry the story along and hold the parable together. Therefore, it is not essential to determine the precise meaning of the silver, the number of servants, and so on.

It is interesting, however, when you look at the delegation in verse 14. The delegation part of the story would have reminded the listeners of Herod Archelaus, who ruled over Judea after Herod the Great died. Archelaus first had to travel to Rome to receive his authorization to rule. The people didn’t want him as their King, and they sent a delegation after him saying so. So, the delegation in verse 14 is an example of Jesus inserting a real-life, contemporary detail into the parable to make it more striking and memorable to his listeners.

So then, these are the leading players in Jesus’ parable:

1) Jesus Christ, who goes away and returns as King;

2) Those who claim to serve and follow him

3) Those who make no such claim at all.

 

Five lessons to learn

What are the lessons Jesus would have us draw from his parable? Here are five lessons Jesus would have us learn from the parable of the ten minas.

Christ will return as King over all(15a)

First of all, Christ will return as King over all. Look at the beginning of verse 15a: “After he was crowned king, he returned.” (Luke 19:15). Notice that Christ himself will return. He will not send a representative to his place. He will not come just as a spiritual presence in the world. His return is different from his resurrection, and it is different from the giving of the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches the visible, personal, bodily return of Jesus Christ.

The Bible tells us that Christ will return as King. He has always been King, but all will acknowledge his Lordship this time. Philippians 2:9-11, Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

There is a message for the disciples in this parable, too. Jesus will not return immediately, as the people supposed. Jesus teaches an interval of time in the parable. The master goes to a distant country and then returns.

Now, for us, a reasonably lengthy interval has already passed. Will Christ return soon? I hope so! Some people may wonder why Christ hasn’t returned already. The Bible provides an answer. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us why: The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. That’s the first lesson we learn from this parable. Christ will return as King over all, but in His timing, not ours. Also, Paul writes in Romains 11:25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.

When Christ returns, there will be an accounting(15b)

Secondly, when Christ returns, there will be an accounting. God gives us gifts and expects us to use them for his glory in building His Kingdom. He gives you your life and tells you: ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’ And when he comes back, there will indeed be an accounting. Look at the rest of verse 15: he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. 

One day, Christ will ask you: “What have you done with your life? How have you used the gifts I entrusted to you? What fruit have you born for me?” Notice that each servant appears individually before the Master to give an account of their actions. Each must produce evidence that they have faithfully handled what was entrusted to them.

The disciples thought Jerusalem was the end of the road, but it was just the beginning. And it’s the same for us. When you come to Christ, that’s not the end of the road – you are just getting started! God wants us to live a whole life of good works for Him in building His kingdom so it will be ready for Christ return.

Will Christians be accountable for how we lived at the last day? Scripture seems to indicate that is the case. Scripture teaches that Christians will be considered first! Notice, even in the parable, that the good servants are judged first, followed by the wicked subjects. Accountability for the believer, however, is far different than judgment for the non-believer. It is an evaluation of your life rather than condemnation for your sin.

The greater your faithfulness to Christ, the greater your reward(16-19)

The third lesson is this: the greater your faithfulness (loyalty) to Christ, the greater your reward. Many passages in Scripture teach that there will be rewards in God’s earthly kingdom, the Global Eden. The greatest reward will be the satisfaction of seeing Christ glorified through our lives, seeing people who have come to salvation, people who were helped along the way, and a life lived to the glory of God.

One of the wonderful things about the Christian life is that it is open to everyone equally, with no barriers. There is nothing to screen you out, unlike the Olympics, where only those with the best athletic ability can participate. You can have as much of Christ in your life as you want. The most significant rewards of heaven are open to every believer. It is not a matter of giftedness. It is a matter of faithfulness (loyalty) to Christ. How are our investments in the kingdom going?

Scripture also speaks of ruling power and authority as rewards, that somehow our faithfulness (loyalty) will be rewarded with even greater opportunities to govern and serve. In verses 16-19, The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’ “‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’ (Luke 19:16-19) According to your faithfulness, you will be rewarded.

Notice the disproportion between the service and the reward. The first servant merely increased ten times. That was hardly anything for a king to get excited over. And yet he gives the servant charge over ten cities! God’s rewards far exceed any service we can possibly give to him, especially when you consider that even the little we have to begin with is a gift from him!

God is not obligated to give us any rewards. When a servant serves faithfully, he is merely discharging his duty. And so, God’s rich rewards are another example of God’s amazing grace. This should be a great encouragement to us. Be faithful to God in even the smallest things; he will reward you greatly.

It only makes sense when you think about it. Life works this way, even in the ordinary things. It is the faithful worker who gets the promotion. How much more does this apply to spiritual things in God’s kingdom!

A true believer will yield spiritual fruit in their life(20-26)

A fourth lesson is this: a true believer will yield spiritual fruit in their life. Let’s go back to the third servant in verses 20-21 parable: “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. 21 I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’ (Luke 19:20-21)

First, notice that the third servant had no return on his investment. (no fruit) He hid the silver away and did nothing with it. The third servant is judged here for the lack of faithfulness. (loyalty) It’s not that he misused the silver or for wrong ends. He didn’t use it at all!

Secondly, notice how the third servant accuses God here. He calls the king “a hard man.” It is a word that means “severe or strict.” Many people think of God this way, but it is far from the truth. Romans 8:32 tells us: Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? God is loving, kind, and gracious. The master in the parable was not hard or severe. He rewarded the faithful servants beyond their wildest dreams! Don’t think unworthy thoughts of God.

Thirdly, notice how the third servant makes excuses for himself. He accuses the master of taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’ The servant says, “I was afraid to make any profit, because I thought you were going to keep it all for yourself.” Well, he was wrong there, wasn’t he? Just look how the master rewarded the other two servants! Still, the third servant tries to use this as an excuse for his lack of faithfulness.

And what is the master’s response to all this? Look at verses 22-23: 22: “‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant, 23 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ (Luke 19:22-23)

The master judges the servant according to his own words. He gives the servant the benefit of the doubt here.

What did the master do with this third servant? Look at verses 24-26: 24 “Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ “‘But, master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten pounds!’  “‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. (Luke 19:24-26)

This is a paradoxical saying. The parable’s context refers to using what God has given to you. When we apply it spiritually, we could say it this way: “Everyone who bears fruit for Christ will be given more, but the one who bears no fruit, even what he has, will be taken away.” The law of planting and harvesting is at work here. It’s a sobering thought. If you are not living faithfully for Christ, utilizing your talents and abilities, and all that God has given you, no matter how small they may appear in your mind, then what you do have may be taken away. Use what God has given to you, no matter how insignificant or mundane they may seem at times.

Don’t misunderstand. We are not saved by our good works or anything we produce for Christ. We are saved by faith and faith alone, loyal to the one true God. However, those who are genuinely saved will produce fruit for God. The one who is not faithful (loyal) to Christ has no assurance of salvation. All that God has given us – life, love, and opportunity – could one day be taken away if it is not used in kingdom building.

Those who do not submit to Christ will be condemned(27)

And then, finally, the fifth lesson: those who are not loyal to Christ will be condemned. In verse 14, we read about the subjects who hated the nobleman. Now, many do not follow Christ and would claim that they do not hate him. They would say they are neutral. They feel very little of anything towards him. But Jesus said there is no middle ground. You cannot serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Jesus said, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. (Matthew 12:30) And so those who do not love and serve God have placed themselves on the other side of the great chasm in sheol.

The subjects’ words sum up this world’s rebellion in verse 14: “We don’t want this man to be our king!” (Luke 19:14) There are so many who do not want Jesus to be their King, their Lord. And yet he is King. He is Lord. He is King of kings and Lord of lords!

Even if he were a hard, severe, unfair ruler, he would still be King, and we would still have to deal with him as such. But Jesus is so different from how the third servant described the master. Jesus is a loving, wise, gracious, and just King.

You cannot rebel against God without consequences. Verse 27 ends the parable on a somber note. After dealing with the three servants, the master finally addresses the subjects’ fate: And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king—bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.’ (Luke 19:27) Yes, Christ is a loving and kind king who gave his life so that you might be saved. But he is also a just judge who must punish sin and deal with rebellion. And those who are not loyal to Christ will be condemned on the last day. There will be no excuses, no defense, no escape.

CONCLUSION: Jesus and his disciples were at long last approaching Jerusalem. The disciples thought it would all end there. The kingdom of God was going to come with power, and they would enter into rest. Jesus told this parable to correct that kind of thinking. Yes, the kingdom will come fully when Christ returns. But in the meantime, we are to work, serve, and use the lives God has given us for his glory.

The lessons from Jesus’ parable are clear: Christ will return, and there will be an accounting. Those faithful (loyal) to Jesus will be rewarded beyond measure, but those who have wasted what God has given them will be judged and found wanting. The kingdom will come, but not yet. Jerusalem is not the end of the road. It is just the beginning.

Closing Prayer

Next week, we will be the second of a three-week Easter Series called ‘The Road to Jerusalem.’ Next week’s message will be: The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Our core passage for next week is Luke 19:28-40