Luke 19:11-13 (NIV) While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’”
The people looked for Jesus to usher in the earthly kingdom of God as soon as He arrived in Jerusalem later that afternoon. They expected that He would immediately proclaim Himself king, a move that they would gladly support, and kick the Romans out the country, setting them free, and setting the stage for the full restoration of Israel as a superpower.
The kingdom of God in that moment resided in Jesus. But it would come in power into His followers on the day of Pentecost, when all but one of those who had heard Jesus promise its arrival were still alive (Mark 9:1). However, when it came, it would not be at all the earthly kingdom that the majority of the Jewish people were expecting. It would be the start of an eternal spiritual kingdom that would profoundly impact the kingdoms of the world; not the restoration of the old Israel, but a breaking out of a new thing – a kingdom, in fact, that was not of this world at all (John 18:36).
There would come a day though, far in the future from the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, when Jesus would return and claim the throne of the kingdom on earth as well as in heaven. But before that day would come, He would have to go away, back to heaven, and then return.
In the meantime, while He was gone, He would leave the riches of the kingdom with His servants, His disciples, expecting them to put those riches to work in His absence so that His kingdom would be even larger and more grand when He returned to receive it.
Of course, Jesus has not yet returned. But the commission to His disicples, His followers, the people of the kingdom, is still in effect. We have all been entrusted with kingdom riches, and are expected to be putting them to work diligently until Jesus returns from His journey “to a distant country” to receive the kingdom back to Himself.
Father, this is a different view than many Christians have. Often our view is that we must simply wait for Jesus, or even just “hang on” while He delays. But there are blessings that we possess, gifts and graces and work to be done with them all the way until He returns. Help us to be faithful in this work, to keep using every good gift You have given us, so that Your agenda of powerful kingdom growth will continue to move forward until Jesus returns. Amen.