What Does Jesus Expect Of Us Before His Return? 
 

Good Morning Friends,
 

This final parable in Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem in the book of Luke highlights the believer’s responsibility or stewardship during the interval between Jesus’ death and return. Jesus related this story to prepare His followers to understand what they were to do after He died for mankind’s sin. His disciples were hoping He would set up an earthly kingdom. So, Jesus tells this story, so His followers would know what they were to do between His departure and His second coming. Like the passage from Revelation, it is about the future with an opportunity and a warning. It is about character development and required services.  It is about who we believe God is and how our belief forms our actions and thoughts regarding work, success, and wealth. We rejoice in new mercies each day but know that eventually judgement will come. But then, even though we are trying the best we can, What Does Jesus Expect Of Us Before His Return?

 
 

Scripture: As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. So he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.’ He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’ Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ He said to him, ‘And you, rule over five cities.’ Then the other came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’ He said to the bystanders, ‘Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ (And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) ‘I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.'” After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

  
 

Luke 19:11-28 (NRSV)

  
 

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  
 

1 Corinthians 1:1-7 (NRSV)

  
 

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.

  
 

1 Corinthians 10:1-5 (NRSV)
 

And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

 
 

Genesis 28:12 (NRSV)

 
After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! And the one seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald. Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God; and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal. Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing, “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

  
 

Revelation 4:1-11 (NRSV)

 
 

Message: So, Jesus tells this story, so His followers would know what they were to do between His departure and His second coming. And because we live in that interim time, before Jesus’ return, Luke’s parable applies directly to us too. For each of us have been given resources with which to build and expand God’s kingdom. The subject of the second coming of Christ is throughout scripture. We can read Jesus’ words regarding his return in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins; the parable of the sheep and the goats; and the parable of the talents. However, in our familiarity with these stories we might miss the importance of their setting and the layers of meaning embedded in them. Each story is told in the context of his second coming from the perspective of the Jews in the book of Matthew. In this discourse, we are given solemn warnings about the last days. They will be perilous times. The stories in Luke, however, are told more from the ordered perspective of the Gentiles. These stories we have been reading recently include the healing of the blind man and conversion of the crooked tax collector, Zacchaeus and then a variation of the talent’s parable told in Jericho. The setting is before Christ’s entry into Jerusalem ultimately for the Passion. Jesus prepares his followers for what is to come both in the short term and the long term for both these types of last days will be filled with danger and woe. Paul helps us to digest this and respond in a way that glorifies God and makes all the grace given a purpose that is not rubbish. Friends, it has been said that the way to hell is paved by those trying to bring heaven to earth. But really this is a bit too cynical for me despite the grain of truth in it. We all know that good intentions are not enough. The thing is that life seems more a one-way street than Jacob’s ladder and that makes the reading of today’s text difficult without the clarity of the Apostle Paul comments on the hope of the gifts of God’s grace in Christ being used for God’s glory in us. Maybe it is best to believe that God loves us so much that it will all work together for our good.

 
 

And So, today’s scripture makes me believe we must count on grace because God is faithful and trustworthy and loves us. God’s grace gives us permission to risk in the hope of a reward in an abundant life that is salvation today. We have the assurance of God’s love. This is not something earned. So, our assignment because we are loved in this way is to work at being successful in the community of the faithful. We are to work, using our talents to glorify God, serve the common good, and further God’s kingdom. And the thing is that we cannot do it unless Jesus does it in us. So, we must stay focused realizing that God gives us what we need to accomplish the tasks we have been assigned. So, we will be held accountable for allowing God’s purposes and love to live in us. So, Jesus expects us to use our talents, time, and gifts for His kingdom. If we use the gifts and opportunities God has blessed us with in Kingdom service, they in turn will multiply as we use them. Friends, the Kingdom is within each of us but also in our relationships of the faithful. All we have to do is believe in Jesus saving us to be who we were made to be so we can love.

  
 

Pray we stop hiding our spiritual gifts and fruits. Pray we anticipate the Kingdom correctly. Pray we receive the Kingdom in our hearts. Pray we work for the King as if the return is imminent. Pray we are rewarded for being good and faithful servants. Pray we ask the Lord to help us stay on guard against the unfaithfulness of non-involvement, except when non-engagement is God’s will. Pray God enable us to be successfully involved in kingdom service. Pray we praise the power of the promise of Christ’s return to rule on earth as in heaven. Pray we are productive in Kingdom Service. Pray we realize that we have been given tasks to do that need our spiritual gifts perhaps more so than our natural abilities.
Pray we realize it is not about us but about Jesus’ Spirit of love in us.

  
 

Blessings,
 

John Lawson