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.'
"But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
"He was made king, however, and returned home.
Luke 19v11-15a [TNIV]
What kind of difference do you want Jesus to make in the world? Do you have high expectations for Jesus? Do you find yourself a bit confused about the bold claims Jesus declares when you consider the mess the world is in? People had their own expectations for Jesus when he was walking and healing his way towards Jerusalem - and we have our own today as we await his return.
So what did Jesus do with all these expectations? He certainly didn't ignore them. In this case, he tells a somewhat confusing parable to help explain what it will look like when the kingdom appears. People thought that God would appear all at once, his Reign would break in immediately and forcibly, decidedly, instantaneously crush the wicked rulers of the world. That's what they wanted him to do, anyway. Which made for a big problem when Jesus tries to explain to them how God is REALLY going to come to them to begin his reign on earth. Jesus' insistence on his version of reality got him killed.
Jesus was what the kingdom of God looked like, and Jesus' way was how the kingdom was going to appear. Jesus, apparently, was planning for the coming of the kingdom to take a very, very, very long time.
In this story, Jesus seems to be indicating that when the kingdom of God comes completely, a lot of us will be shocked at what comes next. We're to be working hard until the kingdom comes in all it's fullness. We're to stay loyal to the king while he is gone, so that when the king returns he has before him many loyal, productive servants to welcome him. Not only that, but the kingdom is that much more greater for all the work the servants did while the king was gone.
Application: Jesus shows up as the king of Israel, and he doesn't find many loyal servants who acknowledge his authority. He also doesn't find many servants being very productive with their work. The country is rotted with greedy leaders and corrupt officials, it's withering through neglect of the widows and abuse of the orphans, it's a stench in the nostrils of surrounding nations for it's arrogance and stubbornness. This is the kind of country that kills its king when he returns to announce the way of peace.
But the resurrection reminds us that the Way of Peace will prevail. It will overcome violence someday. When the king returns, will he find loyal servants working hard at the productive way of peace, or will we be sucked into the swirling vortex of vengeance and bitterness?
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