Jesus came to us. Jesus is coming back. What the parables teach us about living in the in-between.
Jesus taught several parables about the unique challenges faced by His followers as we seek faithfully to love, honor, and serve Him in the in-between. Most are found near the end of Matthew, beginning with the parable in Matthew 24:30-51.
These in-between parables all follow the same pattern:
The story of an absent _____________ and his faithful/unfaithful _____________
A king, or a bridegroom, or a homeowner, or a shepherd, goes away, and his subjects, his household manager, his sheep, his attendants respond to his absence in one of two ways: they are faithful, or they are not.
The question Jesus raises through these parables is: what are our responsibilities during this in-between time? In sum, they are two:
• Patient waiting related to our future hope. The King is coming.
• Urgent action related to our present opportunity. The door is closing.
