On Line Bible Study - For the Week July 4-10, 2011

Lesson 500

Luke 19: ¹¹ While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. ¹² He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³ So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

This is a lengthy parable, so I am giving you a link to the passage from Luke 19:11-27. Just click on the passage above.

Luke gives us the notion of "now" and "not yet" with regard to the kingdom of God. On one hand he says it is 'in your midst" (Luke 17:21); but in the passage under consideration today we learn that there is time between "now" and the appearance of the kingdom of God.

While there are some parallels between this passage and a similar story in Matthew 25:14-30, there are some important differences. First, we learn quickly that the people did not like this man and they attempt to influence the greater powers-that-be such that he will not be made a king over them.

Is it just me? Or do we human beings stubbornly resist anyone having authority over us? Many of us have had 'reverse psychology' used on us; and we have probably used it on others. The question is whether or not we will allow Christ to be our 'king' - the one from whom we take orders - or not.

Scholar Darrell Bock points to the ruler traveling to acquire a kingdom as equivalent to Christ rising and ascending - that is, going away for a while - and then returning in the fulness of his power and authority. This stands in contrast to the immediacy of some of his disciple's expectations with regard to his messianic ministry. But the point of the parable is not only to explain the delay of the full expression of the kingdom of God; it is also to teach us that there is important work to do in the meantime.

The third man in the story - the one who hid the money in a piece of cloth - explains his actions by way of fear - I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. Fear does strange things to us. It can make us run and hide; it can also cause us to stand and fight. As we await Christ's return, give life everything you've got!

I have a Facebook Friend who keeps track of each day and what things, practices, professions, etc. are being celebrated that day. Today (July 26) is, according to my friend, "All or Nothing Day". It reminds me of the scene from Star Wars when Luke Skywalker is in a precarious situation with no apparent way out. Master Yoda expresses his exasperation - and finally, Luke gets the point - "Do, or do not. There is no Try!"

Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us that we don't follow Jesus because we like him. We follow him because he is the only one who has the authority to call us. We don't try to believe in Jesus; we do believe, or we don't. There is no try. And if we believe, we have to give him our all.