Marty Sloan – Living the Dream

Who was Jesus and why it matters – Jesus Mission

5/12/10 HT PM

Luke 19:1-10 NKJV

Luke chapter 19 is an excellent chapter to discover the mission of Jesus Christ.  Over the next few weeks together we are going to peal this chapter back in order to see the things that Jesus did in some of his final days on earth that are a template for our life today.

Luke 19 is broken down in four basic parts – for time, tonight we will introduce this chapter and peal back the first two parts.  Here is the overview:

• Part 1 (v. 1-10)        The conversion of Zaccheus.

• Part 2 (v. 11-27)      The parable of the nobleman and his servants.

• Part 3 (v. 28-40)      Christ enters Jerusalem.

• Part 4 (v. 41-48)      Christ laments over Jerusalem.

Part 1 – His mission was to reach people

Luke 19:1

Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

Luke 19:2

Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

Luke 19:3

And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.

Luke 19:4

So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.

Luke 19:5

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

Luke 19:6

So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.

Luke 19:7

But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

Luke 19:8

Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”

Luke 19:9

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;

Luke 19:10

for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” NKJV

Observations about the story of Zaccheus – Jesus mission mindset caused Him;

1. to be observant –

I am speaking here of living a spiritually observant life.  Not simply so wrapped up in what your about that you miss what the Father in Heaven is about.

2. to seek opportunities –

Its intriguing to me that most all of Jesus one on one ministry happened in “non-ministry” settings.

3. to create outcomes –

Significant here is the most challenging part of Christ mission and even ours – the follow-up and follow through – it is essential that we see people from where they are to where they need to be.

4. to open the eyes of the religious –

It’s a good thing when you see God do something that exceeds your parameters of God.  Has God recently challenged your parameters?

Isaiah 55:6

Seek the Lord while He may be found,

Call upon Him while He is near.

Isaiah 55:7

Let the wicked forsake his way,

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

Let him return to the Lord,

And He will have mercy on him;

And to our God,

For He will abundantly pardon.

Isaiah 55:8

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

Isaiah 55:9

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts. NKJV

Part 2 – His mission was to invest in His workers

Luke 19:11

Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.

Luke 19:12

Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.

Luke 19:13

So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten ◙ minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’

Luke 19:14

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

Luke 19:15

“And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

Luke 19:16

Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’

Luke 19:17

And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’

Luke 19:18

And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’

Luke 19:19

Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’

Luke 19:20

“Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.

Luke 19:21

For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’

Luke 19:22

And he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.

Luke 19:23

Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’

Luke 19:24

“And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’

Luke 19:25

(But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’)

Luke 19:26

‘For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Luke 19:27

But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.’” NKJV

This parable is like the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. Ever person called to Christ / in Christ has been or will be given an investment from Him to use for His service.

Observations about the story of investment of the noble man – Jesus mission investment in His workers creates;

1. Expectation

Look inside yourself right now and ask – what have you been given? Fear will always hinder you from what God has for you.

2. Empowerment

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be ◙ witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” NKJV

God does not limit you when he ask of you!

3. Equipping

You will not be able to look in to the will of God and blame the lack of tools  - only the lack of faith

Genesis 22:6

So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.

Genesis 22:7

But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”

And he said, “Here I am, my son.”

Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

Genesis 22:8

And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. NKJV

4. Effort

1 Peter 4:9

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

1 Peter 4:10

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Peter 4:11

If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJV