Derek Prince - Jesus Is Also Judge
Now we come to two patterns of judgment, two parables that Jesus related. And I’ve had a difficult time deciding how to deal with this, but I think I’m going to have to read them, take a little while. The first is the parable of the mina, M-I-N-A. Mina simply means a measurement. It was a measurement of money. And this parable is found in Luke 19. In the older versions it was called the Parable of the Pounds. A mina was a fairly small amount of money.
Luke 19:11: Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because it was near Jerusalem and because, they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. He said, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive, for himself a kingdom and to return. Or: it’s going to be a long while, before I get back. He called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, one each, and said to them, Do business till I come. Or: Make a profit. But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying: We will not have this man to reign over us. And so it was, when he returned and received the kingdom, he then commanded, these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. And God is going to require an account of our service from each one of us. Then came the first: Master, your mina has earned ten minas. He said: Well done, good servant. Because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.
So our faithfulness in service in this life, will determine the position we occupy in eternity, the responsibility we’ll be able, to carry in the kingdom of God. The second came saying, Master, your mina has earned five minas. Likewise he said to him: You also be over five cities. But he didn’t say well done, faithful servant. There was a lower level of commendation. Then the third came saying, Master, here is your mina which I’ve kept, put away in a handkerchief, for I feared you because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow. The lord said, Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I, did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. Why then did you not put my money in the bank that in my coming, I might have collected it with interest? And he said to those who stood by: Take the mina from him and give it to him who has ten minas. They said, Master, he has ten minas already. They didn't think, that was right that the one who had ten already should get one more. For I say to you that to every one who has will be given, and from who does not have, even what he has, will be taken away from him.
Now listen to this because most of us don’t think this way. That’s not the end. One more sentence. Bring here those enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me. That’s Jesus the Judge. Not Jesus the Savior, but Jesus the Judge. Remember, the same person, who’s the Savior is also the Judge. Just as thorough and efficient, as He is in saving, so He will be in judging. Does your picture of Jesus include that? Or are you just one of those who say, Gentle Jesus, meek and mild? Praise God, that’s true but it’s not the whole truth. There’s another side to Jesus. He is the Judge with eyes like a flame of fire, a two-edged sword, a voice like the sound, of many waters, feet like bronze in a furnace. And when John the revelator met Him in that capacity he fell at His feet as dead. This impresses me. John, who had the closest relationship with Jesus. He’d lain on His bosom at the Last Supper. He was one of those who was there when Jesus had revealed Himself, on the Sea of Galilee and made breakfast for them.
I like the fact that Jesus had breakfast, ready for His disciples. Here’s this John who’s know Jesus so intimately, confronted by Jesus, the Judge and he falls at His feet like one dead. You know, I think something like that needs to happen to the church. The church which has been living on a buddy-buddy relationship with Jesus, needs to be confronted by Jesus the Judge. I think it wouldn’t do us, any harm if we fell at His feet like someone dead. It would be something we need to learn.
Now let’s comment on this parable. First of all, the one who made the most got the extra. This is a principle. One time God gave me a supernatural gift of faith in a very strange way. I used to pray for people with unequal legs and the short leg grew out. It happened to hundreds of people and I told them: God has touched you. His supernatural power is working, in your body, help yourself. I saw lots of people supernaturally healed. But, my good friends, my fellow ministers said, You know, Derek, you have a reputation as a dignified Bible teacher. If you go around, holding people’s feet and lengthening their legs, it may not fit in with your reputation. I thought maybe they’re saying, the right thing.
I went to the Lord and this is what I feel He said. He said: I’ve given you a gift, and I suddenly realized it was a gift, the gift of faith. There are two things you can do. You can use it and get more, or you can fail to use it and lose it. I made up my mind at that point, I was going to use it and get more. And I say to the glory of God, I got more. But remember, whatever gift you have, there are two things you can do. You can use it and get more or you can fail to use it and lose it. And then bear in mind, as I think we’ve said already: Your service in this life will determine your position in eternity. The one who had gained ten minas was over ten cities. The one who had gained five minas was over five cities. It was in exact proportion to their faithfulness in this life. And notice Jesus did not say, Well done, good and successful servant. He said, Well done, good and faithful servant.
We put much too much emphasis on success and much too little emphasis, on faithfulness. We are privileged today to see tremendous works of God, in many foreign mission fields. We could get a little puffed up, and say, Isn’t that wonderful? Thousands come to my seminars. But God has shown me, Don’t forget, there was a generation before you, that saw very little fruit but they labored and you’ve entered into their labors. And don’t you give yourself too high an opinion of yourself. I respect the pioneers, I respect those who labored and laid down their lives. When the first missionaries went to East Africa, four out of every five died, before they’d been there many months. They didn’t see any results, but they were seeds planted in the earth that brought forth fruit later. I tell you sincerely, the greatest single danger that you and I face is pride. You know about the man - I shouldn’t tell this story but you know about the man, in church who was given the badge for humility? And then they had to take it away from him because he wore it.
So, don’t leave here wearing your badge for humility after all I’ve said. The man who didn’t make anything, Jesus said to him: You maybe didn’t have the ability, but you could, have put it in the bank. I would have gotten my own with interest. That proves to me that it’s not always wrong to receive interest. It may be wrong in some places but not all. Now what would that be for you and me? What could we do? We might say, Well, I don’t have a big ministry, I’m not a preacher. I’m not an administrator, I don’t have a lot of talent. What can I do? Put it in the bank. What’s that? This is my understanding. Find a ministry that’s really bringing forth fruit, check it, test it and then invest in it. That’s putting the money in the bank. You’ll get your interest, when the Lord comes. Amen.