30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
LUKE 19 11-27 TO EVERYONE WHO HAS, WILL BE GIVEN 19 Intimate, personal relationship with Jesus
📖 Luke 19:11-27
27Dec2020 - *Intimate, personal relationship with Jesus* - _Luke 19:11-27_ - TO EVERYONE WHO HAS, WILL BE GIVEN 19
The third servant was now presenting to the Master, the reason why he did not produce results with the investment that was given to him.
_Luke 19:20-21 “Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. (21) For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'_
_Matthew 25:24-25 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. (25) And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'_
Let us go over our purpose statement before we consider the excuse given by the third servant.
_We are citizens of the kingdom of God here on earth, redeemed and reconciled back to God, through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. This world is being driven by the evil one, through man, who has become his prisoner._
_We, citizens of the kingdom of God, live and work, fulfilling all the elements of the creation or cultural mandate, in the image of God, which is to give of Himself. We use the capital that God has invested us with, in the enablement and wisdom of the Holy Spirit._
_The kingdom of God has already begun, which will come into its full effect when the Messiah returns. As we prayerfully await His return, we reach out to an audience that is rejecting God but with boldness and love._
_In the eternal kingdom of Jesus, we will continue with the theme of having dominion, which was our theme here on earth. We will be assigned roles and responsibilities, depending upon the results that we produced here on earth, with the capital that God has invested in each of us._
The third servant nurtured an unhealthy fear of God. He was not in a relationship with the Master. He imagined and gave himself notions of the character of the Master, which was not founded out of an intimacy with Him.
This is the state of many. We are familiar with the forms of worship but are alien to an intimacy with the Lord. We prefer to listen to pre-digested material, preached and taught by others. We have not taken the effort to know the Lord, personally. We are not on a journey with Jesus.
This was the condition of the majority of the Israelites. _Exodus 20:19 Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die."_
_Job 21:14-15 Yet they say to God, 'Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways. (15) Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?'_
Since people are not in an intimate relationship with Jesus, they are not sure if it is worth trusting and depending on the Lord. They look more at circumstances and give excuses for not keeping their eyes on Jesus.
_Malachi 3:14 You have said, 'It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the LORD of hosts?_
When people are in a crisis and they are encouraged to trust the Lord, they become sceptical and feel that the counsel being given is impractical.
Whereas when we give room to fear and doubt, we are showing that we really are not in an intimate relationship with Jesus. _I Samuel 12:20 Then Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart._
The third servant was afraid, which showed that he was not walking in love.
_Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." I John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love._
*Thought to ponder*
```The Lord’s heart breaks that we are not in a deep love relationship with Him.```