Scripture: Luke 19:11–27 | Light House Bible Study, Part 2
What has God entrusted to you?
Maybe it’s an ability, an opportunity, a responsibility, or simply the opportunity to encourage someone who needs it.
Whatever it is, there’s another question we need to consider:
What are we doing with it?
That was at the heart of our second Bible Study on Luke 19, as we explored the Parable of the Minas and what it means to be faithful servants of the Lord.
Our discussion went beyond the gifts themselves. We talked about obedience, fear, our perception of God’s character, and why serving the Lord requires action.
1. God Has Entrusted Us With Something
In Luke 19:11–27, Jesus tells a parable about a nobleman who leaves to receive a kingdom.
Before departing, he calls ten servants, gives them money, and instructs them to conduct business until he returns.
When the nobleman returns, he calls his servants to account for what they have done.
One servant reports that his mina has earned ten more. Another reports five more.
Both had been productive with what was entrusted to them.
But another servant presents a very different response.
He kept the money hidden away and returned exactly what he had received.
He hadn’t lost it.
But he hadn’t done anything with it either.
This led us to an important distinction during our study.
Faithfulness isn’t simply about holding on to what we’ve received. It also involves what we do with it.
God has given us opportunities to serve, love, encourage, and share His truth.
Are we making use of those opportunities?
2. Could Our View of God Be Holding Us Back?
One of the most interesting observations came from our community discussion.
A participant pointed out that the servants seemed to have different views of their master’s character.
They were dealing with the same master, but their responses were different.
The unproductive servant described his master as someone he feared.
That fear became part of his explanation for doing nothing.
During the study, we considered how our understanding of God’s character can influence our actions.
Do we trust Him?
Do we believe He has given us what we need to fulfill our responsibilities?
Or do we allow fear and uncertainty to keep us from moving?
Sometimes fear can disguise itself as caution.
We tell ourselves we’re waiting for a better opportunity, waiting until we’re more prepared, or waiting until we’re certain everything will work out.
But we must be careful that our waiting doesn’t become an excuse for inactivity.
What we believe about God affects how we respond to what He asks of us.
3. A Servant Is Called to Serve
Toward the end of our study, we discussed what it actually means to be a servant of Christ.
We used a simple example.
Imagine going to a restaurant and seeing your server standing in the corner doing nothing.
They have the title of server, but they’re not serving.
A server serves.
There is action involved.
And the same principle applies to us as followers of Christ.
We can call ourselves servants of the Lord, but we must ask whether our lives reflect that responsibility.
Are we helping?
Are we loving?
Are we encouraging?
Are we sharing what we’ve learned?
Are we responding when God places an opportunity before us?
Being a servant is not an inactive responsibility.
Jesus Himself demonstrated what serving looks like, even washing His disciples’ feet.
If our Lord demonstrated service through His actions, how much more should we seek to serve others?
4. Fear Can Keep Us From Doing Good
One of the questions we considered was whether fear sometimes keeps us from doing what God expects.
This is something worth examining carefully.
Fear doesn’t always look like panic.
Sometimes it looks like hesitation.
Sometimes it looks like making excuses.
Sometimes it looks like convincing ourselves that someone else is better equipped.
We may fear rejection, criticism, failure, or simply stepping outside our comfort zone.
But if we allow those fears to control our decisions, we may miss opportunities to make a difference.
Consider how many people need encouragement, kindness, support, and the hope of Christ.
We don’t always need a platform or a special position to serve them.
Sometimes we simply need to be willing.
5. Our Lives May Be the Only Bible Someone Reads
Another meaningful observation from our discussion was that our lives are often the only Bible some people will read.
People are watching how we respond to difficulty.
They’re observing how we treat others.
They notice whether our words and our actions agree.
This gives us a tremendous responsibility.
Our witness isn’t limited to what we say about Jesus.
It also includes how we live.
We demonstrate His love when we show compassion, extend grace, offer forgiveness, and serve someone who cannot repay us.
And sometimes those simple acts communicate more than a lengthy explanation ever could.
The way we live can help others see the Lord working through us.
6. Don’t Just Have the Gift. Use It.
The servants in the parable were entrusted with something.
But what distinguished them was what they did with what they received.
That challenges us to consider our own lives.
It’s possible to recognize that God has blessed us while still failing to act on the opportunities He’s provided.
We can know Scripture without applying it.
We can talk about loving others without demonstrating that love.
We can recognize a need without doing anything to help.
But following Christ calls us beyond simply knowing.
It calls us to respond.
We don’t all have the same abilities, resources, or opportunities.
But each of us can seek to be faithful with what is before us.
And that is where we can begin.
A Challenge for This Week
As you reflect on Luke 19:11–27, consider these questions:
- What has God entrusted to me that I am not fully using?
- Is fear keeping me from doing something I know I should do?
- Does my understanding of God’s character lead me toward trust and obedience?
- How can I demonstrate the love of Christ through my actions this week?
- If I truly see myself as a servant of Christ, what should I be doing differently?
Don’t feel that you have to accomplish something enormous.
Start with what is in front of you.
Encourage someone.
Reach out to someone who is struggling.
Share something you’ve learned from God’s Word.
Offer help where it is needed.
The important thing is to be faithful with what God has placed in your hands.
Join Us for Bible Study
At Light House Ministries, we study God’s Word not simply to gain information, but to grow in our understanding of the Lord and allow His truth to transform the way we live.
We invite you to join our weekly Bible Study as we continue through the Gospel of Luke.
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM Eastern
Samuel & Karen Stewart
Light House Ministries
The Light of the Lord shines on me, lives in me, and passes through me to others.
