Taking Care of Business
Today’s Verse:
And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. ~Luke 19:13
The world of finance is very intriguing. For most people, just managing their own finances prudently can be a daunting task. This includes creating a spending budget that they follow, saving money, and then investing it wisely so that their money makes them money. We all know that it is better to have your money work for you than it is for you to work for your money. Jesus used the example of a man who entrusted his money with his servants, and expected a fair return on it when he returned from a trip. It is a powerful example and reminder of God’s entrustment of the gospel to you and me.
We see the kingdom priority.
“And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.” The word “occupy” means “to carry out to completion” a business task. Jesus said in vs. 10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” The kingdom priority is winning the lost to Christ. The Lord has commissioned us to take the gospel into all the world, and to make disciples of all nations. On a macro level, the church is to get the gospel around the world. On a micro level, the church is to equip its members to reach their family, friends, and acquaintances. We are to make sure that we are doing what we can to win souls to Christ.
We see the comparable proportionment.
“And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds.” Each servant was given a pound. They were given the same amount to put to work. God has given each of us the same gospel. It is the same message that Peter, John, Paul, and the other apostles were given. It is a fair and equal entrustment. The entrustment of the gospel is the same to the pastor, the evangelist, the adults, the teens, and even the children. We have all been given the gospel to reach people. No Christian can say that God favored one believer over another in His entrustment. No believer can say that God gave him more to do than someone else. We are all stewards of the gospel message.
We see the crucial prudence.
“Occupy till I come.” The nobleman went away, but said that he would return one day. He requested that each servant put to work their respective pound. He told them to take care of his business until he returned. My father owned a meat and grocery store. There were many times he would entrust the store to me and the other employees to take care of every aspect of the store, and to make sure that the customers were well-cared-for. Taking care of business requires us to be wise with our opportunities. “He that winneth souls is wise.” We must take advantage of opportunities that come our way. We must move with a sense of urgency in reaching the lost. We must be minded to give every opportunity our best effort.
We see the coming presentation.
“And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.” Each servant had to give a reckoning of what they did with their pound. The master commended those servants who made an increase. However, one servant did nothing with his pound. He wrapped it up in a napkin and buried it in the dirt. The master called his servant wicked, took away his pound, and gave it to one of the prudent servants. This sad picture represents the loss of rewards at the judgment seat of Christ. The day will come when we will have to make a presentation to our Lord of what we did with the gospel.
It’s time to take care of business! The entrustment has been given to us, and the master could return at any time. Let’s be renewed in our vision and vitality in getting the gospel to sinners who need to be saved.
Have a prioritized God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Psalm 96-102