Fight The Good Fight of Faith

#12 What Does it Mean to Become a Profitable Servant 4.25.21

Luke 17:7-10 NASB

“Now which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him after he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and recline at the table to eat’? 8 On the contrary, will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’? 9 He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? 10 So you too, when you do all the things which were commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”

KJV - “unprofitable servants”

Preliminary Observations

A. Negative Implications

1. In our greatest service, we still have merited nothing.

2. Our services are not “profitable” to God.

3. Even our best services are mingled with imperfections.

B. Positive Implications

1. This word does not speak of our worth, but only explains that we have not increased God’s value, nor have we benefitted his standing.

2. Our Master looks for an attitude of appreciation, not one that grudgingly does what must be done.

3. A proper attitude of service does not seek one’s comfort or compensation, even though God promises eventual reward.

C. An illustration from Matthew 20:1-16 ESV

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

I. Look at the owner of the vineyard.

A. He knew his business. He did not miscalculate or present unrealistic expectations.

B. He knew the value of the harvest.

II. Look at the early workers.

A. They were experienced workers.

B. Perhaps they thought they could “stretch out” the job.

C. The urgency of the harvest wasn’t their concern, only job security.

III. Look at the last workers.

A. They had lost opportunity, or so they thought.

B. They knew they were not deserving of a day’s pay, but they worked with great zeal, being thankful to earn only a pittance to get something to sustain their family.

C. Perhaps they saw the desperation in the eyes of the landowner.

D. They remained available, even when hope for wages seemed lost.

Christian Life Lessons

1. Heaven supremely values the harvest, and rewards those who understand and embrace the mission.

A. Tares are allowed to exist in order to keep the harvest intact.

B. Jesus told us, “Pray for laborers to gather the harvest before it is lost.”

2. Even if there is something strong in others or weak in us, time will reveal the true value of the best servants.

A. “Not many mighty, not many noble are chosen. But God has chosen the weak and feeble things of the world to complete His purposes.” Paul in 1 Corinthians 1.

B. The last shall be first, and the first shall be last.

3. True servants don’t focus on “fairness.” True justice isn’t always seen quickly in this “upside-down kingdom.”

Closing paragraphs of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.

He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!