8.20.23 Huddle
Opening Discussion
- What is something you were trusted with that you did a good job at?
- What is something you were trusted with that you failed at?
Read and Discuss
Luke 19:11-14
11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem, and they thought the kingdom of God was going to appear right away.
12 Therefore he said, “A nobleman traveled to a far country to receive for himself authority to be king and then to return. 13 He called ten of his servants, gave them ten minas, and told them, ‘Engage in business until I come back.’
14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We don’t want this man to rule over us.’
- This parable alludes to Herod, why do you think Jesus made this inference?
- What did the king entrust his servants with?
- What were the king’s expectations while he was away?
- What has Jesus entrusted you with?
- What are His expectations for you while you wait for His return?
- How have you done well with what Jesus has entrusted you with?
- What are some ways you can improve on those things?
Luke 19:15-19
15 “At his return, having received the authority to be king, he summoned those servants he had given the money to, so that he could find out how much they had made in business. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten more minas.’
17 “‘Well done, good servant!’ he told him. ‘Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, have authority over ten towns.’
18 “The second came and said, ‘Master, your mina has made five minas.’
19 “So he said to him, ‘You will be over five towns.’
- What did the king do when he returned?
- What did the first two servants do with their minas while the king was away?
- After assessing their work, what did the king do?
- When you are faithful with what the Lord has given you, what are some ways He entrusts you with more?
- What is something you could do to invest in God’s kingdom with what He has given you?
Luke 19:20-27
20 “And another came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina. I have kept it safe in a cloth 21 because I was afraid of you since you’re a harsh man: you collect what you didn’t deposit and reap what you didn’t sow.’
22 “He told him, ‘I will condemn you by what you have said, you evil servant! If you knew I was a harsh man, collecting what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow, 23 why, then, didn’t you put my money in the bank? And when I returned, I would have collected it with interest.’ 24 So he said to those standing there, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
25 “But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’
26 “‘I tell you, that to everyone who has, more will be given; and from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away. 27 But bring here these enemies of mine, who did not want me to rule over them, and slaughter them in my presence.’”
- How did this servant treat the master’s money?
- Why does the master call the servant evil?
- Why didn’t the servant deposit the money in the bank?
- What does verse 26 mean?
- What are ways people hang on to their stuff instead of investing it in the kingdom of God?
- Verse 27 was an actual event where Herod did have a delegation of his opposers killed. Why did Jesus use this known negative historical event in the parable?
Apply it!
- What is one thing the Lord has given you that you could do a better job investing in His kingdom?
- This week, what is one way you can take a step toward investing that thing in His kingdom?
- Who will you ask to hold you accountable to this?
Memorize it!
Luke 19:26 “‘I tell you, that to everyone who has, more will be given; and from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.
Prayer TACOS
Thank the Lord for giving us gifts and resources to use to invest in His kingdom
Adoration- Worship the Lord for His generosity
Confess to the times that you haven’t acted wisely with the things the Lord has entrusted to you
Others- Ask the Lord to show you someone you could invest in this week to help them in their journey with Christ
Self- Ask the Lord to help you think of creative ways to invest in His kingdom
Closing Thoughts
Sometimes a passage like this is taught with a focus on tithing and giving money to the Lord because He has been so giving and generous to us. While that is true, Jesus’ parable goes deeper than that. The servant who didn’t do anything with the minas treated the king’s generosity with disregard. Not only did he not invest any of it, he just wrapped it with a cloth and set it aside. He didn’t even safeguard it.
The Lord has also given us so much more than money. When we become followers of Him, He gives us gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are to be used to expand His kingdom and tell others about Him. On top of that the Lord has given us talents that we can also use for His glory. For me, one of the things I feel that I neglect is my writing gift. I was challenged to write a closing paragraph for the huddle each week to help use that gift that I was ignoring.
This week, think about how you invest your time. Are you investing in the things of the Lord and His kingdom? Does what you do each day help build the Lord’s kingdom or your own? And if you are only building your own kingdom, what needs to change?