DCLM Daily Manna 24 December 2020 – Perilous Spiritual Apathy
Text: Luke 19:11-27 (KJV)
11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
Key Verse: “And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13).
MESSAGE:
Apathy denotes an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, religious, philosophical or physical life. It equally implies a state of indifference people exhibit in the course of performing their civic obligations or discharging their responsibilities. It often results from the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation, or passion.
This is the case of one of the servants of the nobleman we read in our text today. Before he went into a far country, the nobleman called his servants and gave them ten pounds. He instructed them to take charge until his return. By implication, he did not expect that his servants would exhibit any trait of indifference.
In line with this directive, the servants traded with their share of money their master gave them. The nobleman returned and asked the servants to render their account. The first and second persons came with a good report of what they had gained. The third person came with an apathetic report. Instead of receiving blessing like the other two, he received condemnation and judgment.
Jesus Christ is the One represented in this story. Before He returned to the Father, He commanded believers to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). As His followers, we must be faithful to His commandment. We need to occupy till He returns.
Like the nobleman, Christ does not expect us to exhibit any apathy in the course of preaching the gospel. He has given us wonderful gifts to enable us perform the task. He gave us talents and promised us His abiding presence. By the time He comes back, He will ask each of us to give account of our stewardship. What account will you render when the Master comes?
Thought For The Day: Occupy till He comes!
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
