Wait Well

Reading the Bible, one can’t escape core messages that Jesus emphasized and delivered to the multitudes and his disciples. These core messages may be missed if a single verse or story is delivered or interpreted on its own. However, if you look at the Bible in total, begin to lace the threads together into one, it becomes a beautiful tapestry of consistency.

Toward the end of his life on earth, a few days before he dies on the cross and leaves the disciples, Jesus meets privately with them on the Mount of Olives. He begins to prepare them for the days to come, telling them three stories buried between two truths. Read alone or out of context, the message is missed. But, instead, Jesus tells each story back to back, each one emphasizing the lesson more and more.

Before he begins the stories, he makes this statement.

Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 25:44

Jesus is preparing the disciples for things to come. He is about to be brutally killed on a cross. He is going away, but He wants them to know he is coming back. He is coming back when least expected, and they have to wait.

Then, the three stories are delivered, greatly summarized below.

The first is of servants who have been entrusted with their master’s household. The master goes away and returns unexpectedly to find the wicked servants indifferent to their job and disobedient. The second story is of ten virgins that go out at night with lamps to meet their bridegroom. Five wise women take extra oil for the lamps, and five don’t. While waiting, the ten fall asleep waiting on the return of the bridegroom. He returns unexpectedly at midnight, and the ones with the extra oil are prepared and invited to the marriage feast. The last is the story of the talents. A master entrusted each of his three servants with different amounts of money, then he leaves. “After a long time,” the master returns and analyzes the work of each. Two of the servants had worked wisely, while one was called “wicked and slothful.”

Three stories, each with a theme of people in a waiting period, either being wise and obedient or unwise and disobedient. Each of these stories, of course, has other truths. However, if one was sitting at the Mount of Olives, listening to the words roll off the lips of Jesus, there was no doubt the core message that was being emphasized. The clear thread is that there is a waiting period in each story, with the master / bridegroom coming back unexpectedly.

Coming out of these stories, Jesus returns to the subject of His return.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Matthew 25:31

The message Jesus emphasized to the disciples that day is very clear. He is coming back. But, before this happens, there is a waiting period.

So, we are in the waiting period, and waiting is tough. It is extremely easy to be undisciplined, complacent, lazy, bitter, indifferent, losing the passion that once may have existed. Indifference overcomes our life without recognizing it. The danger is slogging through life day in and day out, focused on the things of this world, losing sight of the one thing that matters most. There are many gospel issues, but there is only one gospel.

During this waiting period, we each have much opportunity to influence those around us, those that we love the most, those that we cherish, from our spouse, to our kids, to our extended families, to our neighbors, to our friends. We are all in this waiting period together. Teach and lead children well during the waiting period. Lock arms with a faithful one, an encourager, during the waiting period. Regularly pray for and encourage others during the waiting period. Let the truth of God’s Word be at the tip of your tongue during the waiting period.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Romans 12:1-3

Wait well.

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