Don’t we immediately think of timing when we hear “soon”? We get all excited about “the soon return of Christ” because it means that He’ll deliver us out of the mess that we’ve made of His creation. But there’s more and it matters.
A powerful “therefore” is implicit in Jesus’ use of “soon.” He left us with orders to “go and tell” until He comes back, and “soon” conveys an urgency about that. Let’s look at several parables.
10 MINAS
First is The Parable of 10 Minas. Jesus places the treasure of eternal life within us and instructs us to multiply it until He returns.
He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’
14 But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ 15 He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.” (Read how it all worked out in Luke 19:12-27.)
DO WE LOVE HIM?
The issue in this parable is whether we love Him and want Him to rule over us as a King – – or do we love the world and the things of the world enough that, in comparison, we hate Him and His rule. In John 14:15 & 23 Jesus says that if we love Him, we will obey Him. Do we?
Our priorities in life answer that.
SETTLING ACCOUNTS
The fields are ripe for harvest. II Peter 3:8-9 say that the return of Jesus is being delayed so that more can come into His Kingdom, yet we selfishly think of ourselves instead of them when we hear “soon.” Please disagree if you want to.
Jesus WILL return as King and WILL settle accounts. Each WILL get his just reward and I suspect that many “good churchgoers” will be disappointed. Maybe shocked. “Soon!”
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, OH USA
June 1, 2021
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THANK YOU for telling others about this blog.
So many thoughts here.
Have you read Chuck Colson’s book LOVING GOD ? Or LIVE NOT BY LIES ?
Challenging. Convicting. But also reassuring that nothing we do for Him will go to waste. Even when it appears to be a failure. I see the parable of the one sheep vs the 99 in a different way now. The 1 lost but found is crucial to making the most significant impact for Gods Kingdom. And we will not witness the outcome of our obedience to God and making an impact even on just one life. I’m okay with that. I don’t want to know because we must never try to steal God’s Glory from Him. (If it were even possible).
Tying to the blog — we better get to work !!!
None of us knows the hour of our own death and SOON May come sooner than we expect. Whether it’s the Return of Christ or our own Return to Him.
GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER, CHRISTIANS! Do the Will of God without procrastinating!
Amen and amen. A good word. Thank you!