November 14, 2004: 2nd Last Sunday
 
Gifted for Service; Text: Luke 19:11-27
 
Last year I got myself a cell phone and joined the technological 
age—but not quite. My cell has a whole menu of options I still haven’t 
figured out what they do or how they work. I have not learned to take 
advantage of the full potential of my cell. In a way I am with my cell like 
many Christians are with their faith. We may be happy to exercise our 
faith in one area of our lives but fail to apply it beyond that comfort 
zone. As a result we end up tapping only a fraction of the benefits our 
faith was designed to give us.
 
Today Jesus tells a parable that challenges us to apply our faith to a 
greater area of our lives. The parable begins: “A man of noble birth 
went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to 
return… But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 
‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ He was made king, however, and 
returned home.”
 
The people of Jesus’ day related to this parable, because it described 
the kind of kingship they endured under the Herod’s. Both Herod the 
Great and later his son Archelaus set off on journeys to the seat of the 
Empire in Rome to gain the kingship over Israel. History speaks of a 
delegation of Jews that followed Archelaus to Rome to protest his 
accession to the throne. Most Jews hated the leadership of the Herods and found 
their rule illegitimate. Yet, in both cases the Herods returned home as 
kings and they were severe and ruthless. Jesus’ saying, “…those enemies 
of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and 
kill them in front of me,” certainly applied to the Herods.
 
But why is Jesus comparing Himself to the Herods in this parable? Jesus 
felt a certain kinship with the Herod’s in that His spiritual kingship 
was not welcomed by the spiritual leaders of Israel. They rejected his 
teaching about the kingdom of God, His miracles and His fellowshipping 
with ‘sinners’. They did not want Him to be their king and they plotted 
to have Him killed.
 
However, in a few days Jesus would enter Jerusalem on a young donkey as 
king. But unlike Herod and Archelaus who were ruthless and thought 
nothing of shedding innocent blood, Jesus did not shed anyone’s 
blood—except His own. After His resurrection Jesus ascended to His Father’s throne 
receiving authority to rule. And one day He will return as king and 
judge of all people.
 
But unlike Herod, Jesus does not come back immediately to claim His 
rightful kingdom. Jesus delays because He loves His enemies. He gives them 
the opportunity to repent and believe in Him. Once He returns the time 
for repentance will be over.
 
While Jesus is gone, He does not leave His servants empty-handed. He 
gives them gifts to use until He returns. He gives His servants the 
message of the Gospel by which we are freed from the slavery of sin, death 
and eternal damnation. Jesus gives His church the gift of His fellowship 
in the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion). Jesus gives His servants 
authority to drive out demons and heal those in need.
 
Most of you are not directly involved in administering God’s Means of 
Grace as I am or in teaching the Bible, but you are, nevertheless, 
critically involved in supporting the ministry of God’s Word with your 
treasures. Also, you are all witnesses in the world through your various 
vocations. God uses ordinary people to reach the lost through your 
presence and service in the world.
 
Today is the Second Last Sunday of the church year. As we near the end 
of the year our focus is on the end times when Christ will return. When 
He returns Jesus promises to reward His faithful servants. Each of us 
have received His gifts. When that Last Day comes, one question will 
loom large: What did you do with the gifts you received? What kind of 
return did your gift produce? 
 
Thankfully, those of you present take the gifts you have received from 
God seriously; otherwise why are you here this morning? Because we take 
these gifts of God seriously it is appropriate that we allow Jesus to 
challenge us on how we might be more faithful in our use of the gifts 
God has entrusted to us, both individually and as a group of believers, 
as a church.
 
The gifts God gives us for service comprise three areas commonly known 
as time, talents and treasures. First, God gives us time: We can choose 
whether to use our time wisely in a manner that draws people to Christ 
and builds up His church or whether to waste it in ways that bring no 
lasting value.
 
Secondly, God gives us talents and responsibilities. These are often 
given in the context of relationships with people. We are challenged to 
examine what our talents and responsibilities are and how we can best 
exercise them for the sake of God’s kingdom.
 
Thirdly, God gives us treasures. Resources with which to support the 
ministry of Word and Sacrament for building up the people of God for 
loving service in the world. In the Old Testament the Israelites were 
commanded to return one 10th of what they received to the Lord. The Lord 
challenged them: “Test me in this and see if I will not throw open the 
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have 
room enough for it.” (Malachi 3:10)
 
This challenge and promise of God is still true: We simply cannot ever 
out-give God. Whatever we give to the Lord He promises to return many 
times over. Furthermore, while the Jews only had the promises of God, we 
have the fulfillment of all His promises in Christ. In Christ we have 
the adoption into His family and the gift of the Holy Spirit. We have 
received far greater gifts than the Jews. Therefore, is it not reasonable 
that out of thankfulness and joy we not only return a 10th, but gladly 
give a third or even half of our material blessings in support of the 
ministry of the Gospel?
 
It is all a matter of priority and what we are willing to sacrifice for 
the sake of the Gospel and the kingdom of God. I would challenge you in 
light of God’s gracious gifts to prayerfully consider what you or your 
family may be willing to sacrifice or do without in terms of time, 
talents and treasures for the sake of God’s kingdom. This will involve 
denying yourself certain pleasures that you may have grown accustomed to 
over the years. Taking up your cross and following Christ is about making 
a conscious decision to invest your gifts not just where they fill a 
temporary craving or want, but where they will provide you with 
everlasting joy.
 
Please don’t get me wrong. I am not pressuring you to give more or to 
do something you would rather not. Unless you feel that joy within you 
to gladly and willing give from your heart, then please don’t give 
anything! Giving out of guilt won’t do you any good. And as I have always 
said, God does not need your money or your time. But He invites you to be 
partners with Him, using the gifts He has given us to share His 
blessings with others. If that is what you want to do, great! But don’t think 
about sacrificing anything until you are convinced that this is what 
you want to do.
 
Secondly, once you are ready to give from your heart, ask the Lord how 
you might best use the gifts He has given you so that His kingdom is 
not only extended but you will also find joy and fulfillment in your use 
of that gift. Our deaconess, Jannie and I am available to help you 
discover your spiritual gifts and we will do whatever we can to provide you 
with meaningful avenues of service in the congregation, in the 
community and even in our world—for our congregation is a global community.
 
Talking about a global community, I have asked Marina to tell us about 
an opportunity God has given us to be a blessing to some children in a 
very poor community in South Africa. This Christmas she and her 
husband, Reuben, will be visiting their native South Africa. When they shared 
their desire to take along some gifts for the children of a Lutheran 
congregation in a very poor neighbourhood, we thought, “hasn’t God given 
us a wonderful opportunity to join our hands with them to bring the joy 
of Our Saviour’s birth to these children they care about so dearly?” 
 
God has certainly gifted us for exciting and meaningful service in His 
kingdom. And even as we celebrate these opportunities, we look forward 
to the great celebration that will take place when Christ will return. 
I think it will be like a great awards banquet not unlike the Grammy or 
Juno Awards ceremonies—except that the excitement is far greater 
because we are not only spectators, but we all are winners! 
 
At this time we cannot imagine what our use of God’s gifts will amount 
to. But as God promises, His Word does not return to Him without 
accomplishing what it has set out to do. The results of our use of God’s 
gifts are not really up to us. For the Gospel message has the ability to 
generate results even without our being aware of it. God only asks us to 
be faithful in our use of the gifts entrusted to us. So let us rejoice 
and celebrate in the work God is doing among us through the gifts He 
has given each of us. Amen.