Luke 19:11-27 "Ten Minas"

Today we’re going to dig into the parable of the Ten Minas. It’s not one most people are familiar with. My dad was a coal mina. We’ve all heard about the 33 Chilean minas who were trapped for 69 days. We might have heard about how a lot of diamond mines in Africa use underage workers—a horrific situation known as minor minas. Even if you don’t know about any of those things, you know what we’ve all heard before? A child throwing a tantrum over a toy screaming, “It’s mine-uh!” 

Most of us have come across the parable of the minas and thought, “Oh, I get it, it’s the same as the parable of the talents.” So we don’t look any closer than that.

Well, today we are going to mine it a bit deeper. 

We pick up where we left off last week: Jesus and His parade of followers are still in Jericho—a suburb of Jerusalem, about fifteen miles outside the city. Luke chapter 19… 

VERSE 11:

As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. Luke 19:11

Jesus had just spent some time at Zacchaeus’ house—the notorious chief tax collector. The critics were not pleased, “Why is this Jesus guy hanging out with known criminals?” When mercy and salvation were offered to Zacchaeus, he took it and ran with it. He said he was going to give half his extensive wealth to the poor and pay back anyone he had cheated times four. The Gospel changed everything about how he was going to go about his business.

This was the heart of the kingdom Jesus was bringing. To seek and save the lost. This is what all those followers were supposed to do with the things He was teaching them—with the forgiveness and promise of new life and hope they had received from Him. This is the change He brought into the world.

But He knew they were still thinking the Jesus Messiah plans were going to be more exciting than that. He knew they were still hoping for a political victory for the Jewish people. He knew they wanted Him to overthrow the Romans and replace Caesar. And as they got closer to Jerusalem, closer to the cross and the true reason He had come to earth, He told them a story to redirect their thinking and expectations a little. They needed to get ready for the long game.

VERSE 12:

He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ Luke 19:12-14

The parable is simple enough to understand so far. Jesus is clearly the nobleman, being the Son of God and the Son of King David was obviously of noble birth. He came from heaven to earth to receive for Himself a kingdom and then He was going to return to heaven. That’s what happened. That’s the basic idea of Christianity. Luke’s been telling us all along that Jesus came to bring the kingdom of God, all His teaching has been about what the kingdom of God is like. It’s like planting seeds, being salt, being light, lighting the darkness, eating and drinking with sinners, seeking and saving the lost. It’s all slow business. It all takes time. He’s also mentioned several times about waiting for Him to return. I mean, they don’t get it, but this is what He’s been talking about.

So in this parable, the nobleman goes to receive a kingdom but He’s not going to stay to rule the kingdom in person, not for a while. He gathers ten of his servants and gives them ten minas each. Why ten? Ten is a number that symbolizes completeness. He gathers a complete number of his servants (all disciples, not just the Twelve) and gives them a complete amount of money. So, what is a mina? A mina is a coin worth about three months' wages. It’s a lot of money. A valuable gift. In Katy terms, it’d be like $125,000 to $150,000. 

This is very similar to the parable of the Talents but it has a different application. In the parable of the Talents, the three people are given different amounts of money. Also, a talent was worth a lot more than a mina—more like 20 years' wages. In Katy terms over a million dollars. One guy was given five Talents, another two Talents, and the last person was only given one. Million dollars! The parable of the talents is about how every person is given different gifts—different levels of intelligence, opportunity, ability—it’s where we get our word “talent.” God gives us different talents and expects us to do something with them. Something for Him. 

But in this parable in Luke 19, all of them get the same amount. Which means it’s not about the servants, it’s about the gift. What do you think the minas represent? What gift does Jesus give equally to all His people? Male, female, rich, poor, young, old—what is the one thing Jesus gives all of us in exactly the same measure?

It’s obviously the Gospel. The Word of God with all its promises and wisdom. That’s the free gift God gives to all who believe. It’s what He’s giving to us right now through this worship service.

So, then the nobleman says, “Engage in business until I come back.” Do something with this gift I’ve given you. It won’t be easy. You won’t want to do it. You’ll want to just keep it for yourself. You’ll think, “It’s mine-uh!” Also, he said “The citizens of this kingdom HATE me,” so they’re going to hate you, too.

There was a news story that was fresh on their minds when Jesus told this story, It’s probably what He wanted them to be reminded of. The son of Herod the Great, Archy the not so great, went to Rome to be confirmed by Caesar as a king but a delegation of Jews showed up to protest. Caesar still appointed the hated Archy as king but over a much smaller kingdom. Well, the Jews didn’t want Jesus to be their king either—but there wasn’t going to be anything they could do about it.

VERSE 15:

When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. Luke 19:15

The king returns to His kingdom and calls His servants for a meeting to find out what they did with the ten minas. This is obviously a reference to when Christ returns at the end of time—when the long season of the church doing the business of the Gospel has come to an end and Jesus calls us all in for a big performance review.

VERSE 16:

The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Luke19:16-19

This is going to be a long meeting. All the servants since the resurrection who were ever given the treasure of the Gospel are going to come in one at a time and give an account for what they did with it. The first guy had put his treasure to work, doubled it. He was rewarded in the kingdom of heaven with authority and more responsibility. I don’t know what you think we’re going to be doing but the afterlife isn’t going to be a bunch of nothing—not just a big worship concert that never ends either. Just like Adam was put in the garden to work, we’re going to have plenty to do in the new creation. This parable is just a metaphor, language fails to comprehend what the kingdom of glory will actually be like. But I think we can trust God that it will be good.

The next guy had put his treasure to work, too. Notice it says “Your mina has made five minas.” It’s the Gospel that makes the increase, not us. We just have to be faithful to put it out there and do something with it. He was also rewarded accordingly. 

This is a really enjoyable meeting so far. Everyone’s doing great. Everyone’s so happy.

But we have one more performance review to go in this story, you can probably guess what happens next… 

VERSE 20:

Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ (Hmm. This isn’t going to go well, is it?) He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ Luke 19:20-23

He’s like, “Um… Here’s your money! Aren’t you proud of me? I didn’t lose any of it. I didn’t spend it. I didn’t invest it in Bitcoin! I kept it safe in a handkerchief in my pocket.” Literally, a “sweat cloth”—he kept his money in a sweat cloth because he certainly didn’t need it to wipe sweat from his face while he was working. I think that’s the joke Jesus is making. He’s lazy. He didn’t do any business while the nobleman was away. I’ve said it before, if our faith isn’t followed up with faithfulness, it’s going to rot and die. Faith without works is dead.

He does what foolish wicked people always do, tries to make excuses for why he didn’t do anything. Always blame it on someone else. This guy is really foolish, he blames it on Jesus. Says he was afraid. Says he knows how severe He is. The way He takes what He doesn’t deposit, reaps where He doesn’t sow.

Can I suggest that this is not how you want to be when you stand before Jesus. Trying to justify yourself. Making excuses for why you didn’t do anything with what He gave you. Calling the One who gave you mercy and forgiveness ruthless and unfair. This guy had been given the same ten minas as the other guys—he had the same gift as everyone else. He just wasted it. 

Jesus condemns the man with his own words. Calls him wicked. Wicked is not good. If he knew the master was so severe then he should have at least done the easiest and no-risk business of putting the money in the bank where it would have collected interest.

We hear the word “bank” and we think of places where we have checking accounts and savings accounts. The bank Jesus is referring to is the money changing tables at the temple. The word for “bank” in this story is actually “trapeza” which means “table.” He’s saying, “You could have invested your money at the temple where it would have done some good and earned a little interest.”

Gives it a little different emphasis, doesn’t it? This directly applies to, at the very least, investing the treasure of what Jesus has given us right here at church. He gave you the treasure of the Gospel, the least you can do is show up for worship and encourage other people who have also been given the treasure of the Gospel. Being here on Sunday is a “level one” response to the gifts Christ has given you. Investing in other people by at least filling an empty seat—that’s not nothing. Sharing the hope of the Gospel with people who are already in your church is a way to earn a little interest with the treasure God has given you.

And how about this, after church, when you go to lunch—don’t hide everything you received in worship under your napkin like a piece of gristle that’s too hard to chew. Talk about what you got out of worship. What you heard in the sermon. Did the law challenge you? Did the wisdom of God point you in a better direction? Did the Gospel give you any comfort? Was there a line in a song that resonated with you? Did someone say something encouraging? Share those things. Talk about them. Don’t hide them. Don’t take them for granted. 

Why don’t people talk about what happens at church? Do they think it’s like Fight Club? The first rule of going to church is “You do not talk about going to church.” The second rule is, “You do not talk about going to church.” Also, if this is your first time at NewChurch, you have to fight!”  Or maybe people are afraid to talk to me about church because they don’t want to end up as a sermon illustration. Who wants to be known as the person who couldn’t remember what we talked about just forty minutes ago?

I love when my kids are in town and we go to lunch together on Sunday because we always have the best conversations about church. They talk about what aspect of the law was the most hard-hitting and challenging, they talk about things that were funny or new ideas to them, they talk about the sweetness of the Gospel, the promises of Jesus. It’s always very encouraging to me to know they were paying attention and that what we do here matters. Please do that for the people you go to lunch with. Please do that for your family. Show them all this Jesus stuff matters to you. Invest in them with the gifts Jesus gives you here.

But that’s the easy way to invest the minas. The no-risk, easy return. It’s better than nothing but it’s not the only thing the first two guys did. They did what the master told them to do. They were actually all about His business in the kingdom. Investing in the hostile world beyond the embassy—beyond the church. Doing business with the citizens who were hostile to the new king—letting them know He’s actually a pretty wonderful king. Doing the work of turning His enemies into friends. Jesus is coming back and when He gets here it’s going to be too late to do all the work we should have been doing.

The parable of the minas is like a Bible version of Shark Tank or The Apprentice but when the losers get fired they use real fire.

That’s what happens to the third guy who didn’t do anything with what he had been given… 

VERSE 24:

And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Luke 19:24-26

It’s taken away. Use it or lose it.

This is a picture of the end of days. Jesus comes back with His army of angel warriors—they’re the ones it’s referring to when it says “those who stood by.” Most of us have the wrong idea about angels, their job is to do God’s dirty work. Heaven’s angels are the fiercest creatures in the universe. In this story, they take the minas away from the guy who didn’t do anything with them. You don’t want to be that guy. He was given the treasure of the Gospel and when Jesus comes back it’s taken away from him. That’s not what you want.

He says to give the wicked guy’s ten minas to the one who doubled his money—now it’s tripled! 

Even the angels think that’s strange. They’re like, “But, Lord, he already has ten more!”

Jesus’ answer rings down the ages. It’s not what we expect. He says with complete clarity, “Everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” In other words, Everyone who has done something with what I gave them will be given more, but if they didn’t do anything with it, even what they think they have will be taken away.” 

We have to ask ourselves, “What are we doing with what Jesus has given us?”

When He comes back, it’s going to be His turn to take care of business.

VERSE 27:

But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’ ” Luke 19:27

That’s hard to hear, isn’t it? We don’t like to think of Jesus saying things like this. But it’s not our job to edit the Bible so it says what we want to hear. It’s our job to listen and believe.

Jesus is about to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey—which is the sign of a king riding into a city in peace. When He comes back next time it’s going to be very different, He’ll be riding a white war horse splattered in blood. We’re going to want to be behind Him, following Him, not standing in front of Him, against Him. It’s not like He didn’t warn us. It would probably be a good idea to read that Bible we keep referring to and be familiar with what it says.

In this parable, the nobleman sent his servants into a hostile kingdom with a bunch of money to do business and get the kingdom ready for his return. When he comes back he brings an army with him and slaughters all the people who hate him and reject his claim to the throne. We only heard about three of the ten servants. How did the other seven do? We don’t know yet. 

It’s still ongoing. We’re still waiting. How are you doing? Because you’re one of them. What have you been doing with the gifts Jesus has given you? Your minas.

Overall, it’s going pretty well so far. News of Christ the King has spread all over the world. Many of His servants throughout the centuries have gone about the business of the kingdom with a lot of enthusiasm. Much of the world is being made ready for His return—but there’s still a lot to do. 

We need to be like Zacchaeus who was so thankful and moved by Jesus that it changed everything about how he went about his business dealings. He was going to be focused on other people. Generous. He was going to reach out to the people he had wronged and try to make it right.

In our little NewChurch corner of the kingdom, we want to share what Jesus has given us with people who don’t understand what the Gospel is. They might think they understand. They might think they’ve heard all they need to hear about it. Maybe they hate Jesus. A lot of people do these days. If they hate Him, they’re going to hate you. But maybe they hate the church because the church people they’ve known have been like that wicked servant—poor excuses for servants of the king. 

We want to do what Jesus did. We want to eat and drink with sinners. We want to get our own place and be open all week with good food, plenty to drink, a place for kids to play in the air conditioning—an atmosphere where people can sit at a table and have good conversation. A place where we can share the treasure of the Gospel that we’ve been given. Put it to work.

We need land. We need a building. We need people and resources. We have a vision, we have the desire, we have the minas Jesus gave equally to each of us. We’ve all been blessed with a lot of Talents, too. Let’s be like the first two servants. Let’s be faithful in using those gifts to do the business He sent us here to do.

I’m going to end with an interesting take on the Gospel from this passage.

Jesus didn’t defend Himself against the accusations of the wicked servant: that He takes what He did not deposit, and reaps what He did not sow.’ Because it’s true, He does. But this is really good news for all of us. He took the sin of the world—all your sin, all my sin—He took it on Himself. He didn’t deposit any of it. He didn’t sin but He became sin for you so yours wouldn’t drag you to hell. So your sin wouldn’t be all over you when you stand before God on the last day. Then He reaped what He didn’t sow—He died because of our sin. And it’s not fair. No one ever said it was. But all your sin died with Him on the cross so you could die without any sin on you. That’s the ten minas. That’s the Gospel. In the end, whether we think He’s severe or not is going to have a lot to do with whether we put this amazing gift we’ve been given to work or not. 

Let’s pray:

Our returning King will abolish all opposition to His kingdom and will honor those who faithfully served Him. Never take God’s Word for granted, hoarding the gifts you have received. Christ calls you to share His Word faithfully, and He is ever generous and merciful toward you. His gifts work effectively in your life, and, through you, in the lives of others. • Grant, O generous Lord, that we may always remain faithful in our stewardship of Your gifts. Amen