“Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.”
Luke 19:11 NKJV
In the verses leading up to this moment, we saw Jesus proclaim that He came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). That declaration followed His encounter with Zacchaeus, whose heart was transformed and whose wealth was redirected toward blessing others. It was a powerful reminder that salvation reaches beyond personal faith—it extends into how we handle what has been entrusted to us.
Now, in verse 11, we watch as the disciples walk with Jesus toward Jerusalem. They are brimming with expectation, imagining that the kingdom of God would appear immediately. In their minds, this meant a sudden restoration of Israel’s glory and the recognition of Jesus as King. Yet their vision of the future was clouded by their own desires. Even after Jesus had told them—three separate times—about His impending death and resurrection, they still clung to their own version of how things should unfold.
Because of this, Jesus spoke to them in a parable. As Luke 8:10 reminds us, when people refuse to accept the plain truth, God sometimes speaks in symbolism and story, veiling what is clear to those who will not hear. Paul warns us of the same danger: when people reject sound teaching, they “turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:4).
Lessons for Legacy and Stewardship
This passage calls us to examine how we approach God’s direction—not only in matters of faith but also in how we steward our lives and resources.
1. Desire must be grounded in truth. Just as the disciples wanted a kingdom of immediate glory, we may long for outcomes that suit our preferences. Yet God calls us to measure our desires against His Word. In matters of legacy, this means resisting the urge to build according to pride or comfort, and instead aligning our stewardship with what is eternal.
2. Self-interest must give way to obedience. When the Lord gives instruction, our responsibility is not to bend His words to fit our plans, but to bend our plans to fit His words. True stewardship—of wealth, influence, and inheritance—requires setting aside self-serving motives to follow Christ’s design.
3. Trust must rest in God’s perspective. We see only the present moment, but God sees the end from the beginning. The disciples thought the kingdom would appear at once, but Jesus had a greater plan that stretched beyond their vision. In the same way, legacy-building requires patience, faith, and trust that God’s wisdom far surpasses our own.
Guarding Against Skewed Interpretation
There is always a temptation to interpret God’s Word in a way that validates our desires. This is especially true in matters of wealth and inheritance, where the pull of security or recognition can distort our vision. Yet discipleship calls us to something higher: to read Scripture plainly, in context, and in harmony with the rest of God’s truth.
As we reflect on Jesus’ words, we are reminded that our stewardship must be marked not by short-sighted desires but by long-term faithfulness. Our legacies are not meant to display our glory but to testify to God’s kingdom.
May we, like Zacchaeus, allow our hearts and resources to be redirected by the transforming presence of Christ. And may we resist the urge to force God’s plan into our timing, instead choosing to trust His wisdom as we steward what He has entrusted to us.
Amen.
By Christopher L. Walker at myfathersestate.com
Published: November 13th, 2025
