False Hopes

Luke 19:11-48

Feb. 1

Most of my bosses have been people who regularly exasperated me. But in the long run we worked together productively. If we respect and like our bosses, we are often willing to work hard and even overtime. If we don’t respect or like them, we usually are not willing. Then we probably become unproductive.
Likewise our personal view of God affects our working relationship to him. In this case productivity has not just temporal but eternal consequences. This we will see today.

1. What makes a good boss?

2. Read Luke 19:11-27. Jesus’ key words in verse 10 have inflamed the crowd’s messianic expectations. Jesus’ parable aims to counter any false hopes. In verses 12-15, what comparisons between the nobleman and himself does Jesus highlight?

3. The master has given a mina to each servant. His subsequent rewarding and punishing of each servant underlines the importance of this act. What does Jesus want his listeners to understand about the mina and its use?

4. Consider the hour of accountability when the master returns as king (vv. 15-26). The rewarding of the first two (representative) servants is simple. But the king’s dialog with the third servant is detailed. With this emphasis, what point is Jesus making (keep in mind v. 11)?

5. Jesus’ parable illustrates a principle of stewardship summarized in verse 26. When have you observed this principle at work?

6. The adversaries of the nobleman-made-king are mentioned only at the beginning and the end (vv. 14, 27). Whom does Jesus intend them to represent?

How does he smash the false hopes of this group?

7. Read Luke 19:28-48, the prelude to Jesus’ last days on earth. We see Jesus in various aspects of his messianic role. In a descriptive word or phrase, what concern of Jesus’ do you see as he approaches Jerusalem (vv. 37-40)?
as he reflects on Jerusalem (vv. 41-44)?
as he enters the temple area (vv. 45-46)?
as he teaches at the temple (vv. 47-48)?

8. In this panoramic view of Jesus the Messiah, what do you find hard to understand about him?

9. What about Jesus here can you positively respond to? Why?

10. Reflect on what you have seen today of Jesus the Messiah King.
Worship him with praise, awe and thanksgiving.