Tuesday Devo

Read Luke 19:11-27. This may be the only parable of Jesus that is based on historical events. When King Herod died he divided his kingdom into 3 parts and Judea was to be ruled by Archelaus. When Archelaus went to Rome to to gain the official ok to enter into his inheritance (Judea) the Jews sent an embassy of 50 people to argue they needed no king. Augustus the emperor went ahead and made Archelaus king.

This story surly brought back some memories and hit home with this audience. The harsh reality is that we don't want Jesus to be our king because we want to rule our own kingdom. There is the lure of self reign. When we want a king who will fulfill all our expectations and do everything our way in fact we are simply wanting to be our own king without the responsibility. We want authority without responsibility. This parable shows that in God's kingdom we have the opposite. We are under his authority and we have responsibility.

If we really trusted God is good and has our best interest in mind and that he rewards those richly who are faithful with their responsibility maybe we would not mind him being our king. But do we long for him to rule us? Shouldn't we? What are the benefits for a good king to rule us?

A good king protects, provides, encourages, keeps order, rewards, moves the kingdom forward and many other things. Part of the reason we're not so cracked up about Jesus being our king is our amazing ability to justify and overlook how poor of job we do in running our own kingdom. I know personally I can go for months and overlook how harsh I am to my wife and children, how greedy I am, how proud and arrogant I've been. I will have a spiritual retreat where God peals back the layers of superficiallity and I see who I've really been. I can't escape all my cracks and flaws. I desperately come to the conclusion I need a real king. I need a good king. I can't rule my own kingdom and be who I want to be deep down inside.

The cool thing about this king is that he trust us. In this story responsibility was delegated and the King left. He didn't micromanage! Those who simply tried succeeded and the one who didn't were punished. God trust us with his work. We are here to set up his kingdom not ours. But when we are faithful with the small things he will bless us with more responsibility. 

questions

1) What other things can you think of that describe a good king that are fitting of God besides: protecting, providing etc.

2) Are you being faithful with the responsibilities God has given you to set up his kingdom?

3) What do you think about verse 26?

prayer