The Business of the Kingdom: Lessons from the Parable of the Minas

A Parable for a Room Full of Businessmen

Preaching minister Chris Parker recently continued the church’s journey through the Gospel of Luke. In Luke 19, Jesus tells the parable of the minas to explain the business of the kingdom. Moreover, He tells it in the home of Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector. Because of this, Jesus talks about money, investments, and interest instead of farms or sheep. As a result, His listeners understand every detail of the story.

The King Leaves His Servants Work to Do

In the parable, a nobleman travels to a far country to receive a kingdom. Before he leaves, he gives ten servants one mina each, roughly three months of wages. Furthermore, he tells them, “Engage in business until I come” (Luke 19:13). Likewise, Jesus later ascends to heaven and leaves His apostles a mission to witness. Therefore, believers today hold the same gift and the same command until the King returns.

Faithfulness Means More Than Avoiding Sin

However, one servant hides his mina in a handkerchief out of fear. Strangely, he never steals or wastes it, yet the master still calls him wicked. Consequently, Jesus shows that doing nothing with God’s gift counts as failure. In fact, James 4:17 calls it sin when someone knows the right thing and fails to do it. Therefore, faithful believers put God’s gift to work rather than shrinking back in fear.

Each Servant Answers for His Own Work

Additionally, the parable follows two faithful servants with very different results. One earns ten minas, while another earns five. Yet the master rewards both because each one does the work. Similarly, First Peter 4:10 urges every Christian to use their gift as a good steward of God’s varied grace. Therefore, in the business of the kingdom, believers measure their own faithfulness rather than comparing it to others.

The King Will Return

Finally, some citizens in the parable reject the nobleman, yet he still returns as king. In the same way, rejecting Christ never diminishes His authority. Indeed, Philippians 2:10-11 promises that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord. Because of this, the return of the King should shape how Christians live right now. Therefore, believers should engage in the business of the kingdom today and invite others to Sunday worship.