People always seem to expect the end to be imminent. Even in the days of Jesus' ministry, the crowds were all ready for the final judgment to hurry up and come already!
That is why they would much rather see Zacchaeus judged and condemned instead of forgiven and restored. But Jesus, as He so often does, has other plans. The end is not yet, and He wants to be about the business of salvation in the mean time. His mission (at this time) is to seek and save the lost - not destroy the wicked.
The people were anxious to get the show on the road and see the kingdom come in its fullness, with the Jewish nation on top. But the parable that Jesus tells is one that focuses on what to do while you are waiting. It is concerned with what happens in the mean time as we patiently await the fulfillment of the kingdom. Rather than just bury our pound in the ground, we are to invest it, manage it, and put it to work for the benefit of the Lord. The parable ends with a disquieting scene of judgment and slaughter, but it appears that Jesus is putting that off for a future time, despite the people's eagerness for it now.
The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem then occurs, and Messiah expectation are reaching a fever pitch. The stones are near to crying out! But the end stubbornly remains "not yet." Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, making reference to a lot of history that has yet to unfold. It is still only the mean time, before the day of judgment comes.
If you are reading this, realize that the end has still not come. What are you doing, in the mean time?
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