Fri.’s Devo - Stewarding the Gifts God Has Given Us

Read: Matthew 20:1-34 ; Mark 10:32-52; Luke 18:31-19:27
Jesus give a parable then he always gives the object lesson. He tells a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven. The landowner hired some workers early in the morning and agreed to pay them a day’s wages. All during the day he hired more people even up till an hour before closing time. When he went to pay them he gave them all the same wages. The ones that had worked all day complained that they got the same wages as those that only worked an hour. The landowner reminded them that they agreed to work for that wage and it was his money and he could bless who ever he wanted with it. His goodness should not bring out their evilness.
Then Jesus told his twelve disciples exactly what was going to happen when they got to Jerusalem. He was going to be betrayed, crucified and rise on the third day. This went right over their heads because they couldn’t receive it. It was not how they thought things would go. To illustrate it better, James and John came to Jesus and asked if they could sit beside him on his throne. They were expecting him to take over the Roman government and rule the Jews. Jesus tried to explain to them that the way to be exalted was to humble themselves. As an example, the two blind men beside the road humbled themselves and cried out to Jesus for mercy. Jesus extended mercy to them and let them see. He not only opened their natural eyes, but their spiritual eyes were opened also. In Mark we learn that one of the blind man’s name was Bartimaeus. His name means “son of one unclean”. He was the one in the marketplace that no one would hire and at the last hour, Jesus had compassion on him and hired him to be a worker in his field. His wages will be eternal life, just like the disciples who had labored with Jesus from the beginning of his ministry. Zacchaeus also became one of the ones last hired.
Then Jesus gave them another parable about how to steward what they had been given because there will be an accounting in the end.
Lord, place in our heart the fear of God so that we will steward our time left on earth. We want to have a reward to give to you of our labor in the end.