Luke 19 - Like Any Good Investor, Jesus Expects a Good Return!

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

This the famous story about the "wee little man" named Zacchaeus, who climbed up in a sycamore to see Jesus, as the Lord passed by. I've been singing this song about Zacchaeus for the last 30 years in Preschool chapels and Sunday School rooms. It is one of those stories you just can't make up. 

Zacchaeus was not only a tax collector, but a chief tax collector, which made him very rich. But apparently his wealth wasn't satisfying the deep desires of his heart, because when Jesus went by that day, he was so intent on seeing him, he climbed up a tree. This was a pretty bold move for a rich man. Obviously he didn't care what others thought in that moment. 

Jesus noticed Zacchaeus right away and probably admired his faith, because he said to him, "I must stay at your house today". That's right, Jesus invited himself into a hated tax collector's home. It wasn't surprising that the people started murmuring amongst themselves, "This man has gone to a house of a sinner." 

Perhaps Zacchaeus heard the muttering and knew Jesus was getting flack for associating with him, so he makes a bold statement. Zacchaeus pledges to give half of his money to the poor, and if he had cheated anybody (which was par for the course for tax collectors), he would pay them back four times the amount he stole. 

Jesus then made two shocking statements. One, Zacchaeus was saved that day. Salvation had come to his house. Secondly, Jesus said that he too was a son of Abraham. Jesus then gave the motivation for such a bold statement, when he said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost!"

Jesus didn’t merely want to preach to Zacchaeus and convert him in a spiritual or religious sense. Jesus wanted to have real relationship with Zacchaeus, beginning with a meal and time spent together. - Guzik

Jesus said that it was impossible with man for the rich to enter into heaven; but it is possible with God. This is a fulfillment of that promise. Zacchaeus became a joyful giver, thus showing God’s impossible work in him, but the young ruler went away sorry, holding on to his riches. - Guzik

Zacchaeus really believed on Jesus. A true son of Abraham was not only descended from Abraham genetically, but also had the faith in God Abraham had.

The Parable of the Ten Minas

This parable is different than the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. Here, ten servants were each given an equal amount of money, worth about three months of wages for a working man. - Guzik

The context of this parable helps us to understand how to interpret it. Jesus was drawing near to Jerusalem, so his teaching was directed primarily to a Jewish audience. We know up to this point the religious leaders have rejected Jesus, and they are about to seize him, arrest him, and eventually send him to the Romans to be crucified. 

So Jesus tells a parable about a nobleman who went to a faraway country. This was a prince that was about to become king. He gave each of three servants an equal amount of money, ten minas, and told them to put it to work. When he returned each of the three servants were called to give an account of what they did with the money. 

The first servant was the most successful by doubling the money. The second servant didn't do too bad either. He earned 5 more minas, or a 50% return on investment. I'd take that. But, the third servant didn't do too well. It wasn't that he made bad investments. It was that he didn't do anything with the money at all. He just let it sit there in direct disobedience to the master's order to "put it to work". 

When the master returned, he was very pleased with the first two servants and rewarded them with much more than he entrusted them with. He gave them a city for every mina they earned. His commendation was that if they were trustworthy in a small matter, he felt like he could entrust them with much more! And he did. A city was worth a whole lot more than a mina.

But to the final servant, who hid the money, the master was not pleased. When asked about it, the man's excuse was that he didn't do anything with the money because the master was so powerful he didn't need the servant's help. But the master wasn't buying it. He remarked that the least the man could have done was to put it in the bank and earn a little interest. 

As a result the prince took this man's money and gave it to the man who had gained 10. He ends by saying, 

I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away

This parable has many applications. At a minimum we can say that God has entrusted us with at least one spiritual gift, which we can use to invest in his kingdom. We are also given the gift of faith. When we put our spiritual gift to work in our local church, the church will grow in the mission Jesus gave to it, to be and make disciples. 

When we use our gift of faith and share the gospel with others, more people will be added to the rolls of heaven. But, when Jesus returns and if we did nothing with the spiritual gifts Jesus has given us, or never bother to share the gift of the Good News with others, Jesus will not be pleased. 

We know from other passages that in heaven there will be rewards, also called "crowns", for those who were faithful servants of Christ. While we don't know exactly what this will look like in heaven, it seems to point to the fact that there will be rewards for those who are faithful. This could mean responsibility in our heavenly duties. 

Since we don't know when Jesus will return, it is incumbent on each of us to put to work the gifts God has given us! 

The main point of this parable is clear; the kingdom will be delayed, so we must concentrate on being faithful servants in the meantime. Our Master has gone away to a far country, and will one day return with His kingdom. In the meantime, we are commanded to do business with what He has given us until He returns. When our Master returns, He will come to reward us according to our faithfulness, and we will be rewarded with different levels of authority in His kingdom. - Guzik

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

As Jesus made his final ascent to Jerusalem, he asks his disciples to go into the local village and they will find a colt that has never been ridden before. If anyone were to ask why they were taking it, they only needed to reply, 

"The Lord has need of it". 

I don't know about you but I would be like, "What Jesus you want me to go as a stranger into a town and just take a donkey out of the blue. And then if anyone asks, I am just to say you need it!"

It took a lot of faith for the disciples to obey Jesus' request. Some commentators speculate that the handoff was something that was pre-arranged with the owners, but nothing in the text suggests this. Possibly the owners knew the disciples were connected with Jesus and agreed to give it to them because of this. Regardless it took faith for the disciples to trust Jesus. 

As Jesus came into Jerusalem, the expectation levels were high. I am sure news traveled fast that he was making his way toward Jerusalem. The stories of his signs, miracles, and revolutionary teaching about the Kingdom of God created an expectancy and a stir in the crowd. Maybe he was indeed the Messiah? Would now be the time that the Messiah would come and establish the Messianic kingdom talked about by the prophets and in the psalms?

People spread their cloaks along the road, and waved palm branches in the air shouting "Hosanna", and "Blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord". These were all things befitting of the coronation of a king. 

The Pharisees weren't too happy about all the attention and adulation Jesus was getting, so they tried to "hush" the crowds. But they were having none of it and responded with, "If we don't praise him the rocks and trees will cry out!" 

Meanwhile Jesus not only knew what awaited him, but also knew that at the end of the day many in Jerusalem would not accept him as Messiah. He also knew in about 35 years Rome was going to destroy the temple, and the people would be scattered. It made him weep. 

Palm Sunday 33 A.D. was a day of many mixed emotions and expectations. Today when we wave palm branches we can say "Hosanna" knowing that God has heard our cry and saved us! 

Jesus at the Temple

The parade leads Jesus into the temple courts, where he would teach over the next several days. His first order of business was to drive out those who were making a mockery of the temple by profiting off of the demand from those coming in for the Passover feast. 

"Yet the purpose was the same; to drive out the merchants, who in cooperation with the priests cheated visitors to Jerusalem by forcing them to purchase approved sacrificial animals and currencies at high prices." - Guzik

We are about five days away from Good Friday, when the battle with the Pharisees will come to a head.