Leadership is Stewardship

After spending several months on the other side of the Jordan River in Perea, Jesus makes his way back across the Jordan and into the town of Jericho. Here, he reinforces many of the leadership principles he has been teaching his growing team. He lives them out and puts them into practice once again. Jesus wasn’t someone who merely spoke about truth—he embodied it. He still desires to live out these principles through his followers today, if only they will yield to him. Watch how Jesus acts, living out what he teaches—unlike the Pharisees.

Questions from your reading

• What do you know about Jericho?
• What do we learn about Zacchaeus from this passage?
• What lessons can be drawn from Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus?
• Why do you think Jesus told the parable of the nobleman in Luke 19:11-27?
• What major life lessons can we take from this parable?
• What other questions are you still carrying?

Reflecting on your reading

In Jericho, Jesus meets another very rich man—the chief tax collector of the region for Rome. Zacchaeus likely knew Matthew and may even have been a friend. It’s possible he had been among the many tax collectors Matthew invited to his home to meet Jesus (Luke 5:29). When Jesus sees Zacchaeus up in the tree, he calls him by name. How did he know it? Perhaps Matthew had often spoken of the short tax collector in Jericho. Jesus goes to Zacchaeus’ home, and there Zacchaeus becomes a believer. The Saviour rescues him from himself.

Zacchaeus is so overjoyed by the forgiveness he receives that he does what all true believers do—he asks for forgiveness and seeks to make things right with those he has harmed. It’s at this point that Jesus begins his final walk to Jerusalem. Even though he had repeatedly said that he would suffer at the hands of the religious leaders, his followers seem unwilling to accept it. To be fair, everything around them suggested otherwise. The movement had grown, multitudes were following Jesus, and a large crowd of committed disciples was headed to Jerusalem for the Passover.

As Jesus walks and listens to the disciples talking—likely still marvelling at Zacchaeus’ generous response—he realises they expect the kingdom of God to appear immediately. They still don’t understand that he is going to die and then leave them for a while. So Jesus tells a parable to help them grasp the idea that there would be a waiting period—a time during which they would be entrusted with the message of the gospel, and would need to steward it well.

Here’s how the parable unfolds: there is a nobleman (representing Jesus), who travels from a distant land (heaven) to receive his kingdom. Before leaving, he calls ten servants and gives each one mina (about three-and-a-half months’ wages). He instructs them to do business with it until he returns. The nobleman expects them to get to work and multiply the money he has entrusted to them.

However, some citizens don’t want the nobleman to reign over them—just as many today reject Jesus’ authority. They send a delegation to say so. Despite their protests, he is made king and returns. Now, as king, he summons the servants to give an account of how they’ve handled what was entrusted to them.

The first servant reports, “Sir, your mina has earned ten more” (Luke 19:16). The second says, “Sir, your mina has earned five more” (Luke 19:18). Both servants know whose mina it is, take their assignment seriously, and get to work. They obey the master and are rewarded in proportion to their faithfulness and fruitfulness.

But one servant shows up with nothing but excuses—flimsy ones at that. He hasn’t multiplied what was entrusted to him. The master is furious and takes the one mina from him, giving it to the servant who had earned ten. The crowd protests, “That’s not fair; he already has ten!” But Jesus replies,

“I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me” (Luke 19:26-27).

Applying what you’ve read

Verses 26 and 27 are not easy to accept. They feel harsh, unloving, even unfair. But they’re not. From God’s perspective, they are just—more than fair, in fact. Let the weight of this teaching sit with you. Transformation begins when our minds are renewed, and our perspectives shift—only Jesus can bring that kind of change (Romans 12:1-2).

Paul calls us stewards of the mysteries—of spiritual truths, not just material ones. What God is teaching you about Jesus is not for you alone. It’s meant to be passed on. These insights, gathered through this study, are being entrusted to you. Now it’s your turn to steward them well.

The disciple of Jesus owns nothing—he is simply a steward of everything the Father gives. Each of us will one day give account for what we were given: our time, words, thoughts and actions.

Take some time to talk with your disciples today about the concept of stewardship.