OCCUPY TILL I COME!

Luke 19:11-26 GNT

While the people were listening to this, Jesus continued and told them a parable. He was now almost at Jerusalem, and they supposed that the Kingdom of God was just about to appear. [12] So he said, "There was once a man of high rank who was going to a country far away to be made king, after which he planned to come back home. [13] Before he left, he called his ten servants and gave them each a gold coin and told them, 'See what you can earn with this while I am gone.' [14] Now, his own people hated him, and so they sent messengers after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' [15] "The man was made king and came back. At once he ordered his servants to appear before him, in order to find out how much they had earned. [16] The first one came and said, 'Sir, I have earned ten gold coins with the one you gave me.' [17] 'Well done,' he said; 'you are a good servant! Since you were faithful in small matters, I will put you in charge of ten cities.' [18] The second servant came and said, 'Sir, I have earned five gold coins with the one you gave me.' [19] To this one he said, 'You will be in charge of five cities.' [20] Another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it hidden in a handkerchief. [21] I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take what is not yours and reap what you did not plant.' [22] He said to him, 'You bad servant! I will use your own words to condemn you! You know that I am a hard man, taking what is not mine and reaping what I have not planted. [23] Well, then, why didn't you put my money in the bank? Then I would have received it back with interest when I returned.' [24] Then he said to those who were standing there, 'Take the gold coin away from him and give it to the servant who has ten coins.' [25] But they said to him, 'Sir, he already has ten coins!' [26] 'I tell you,' he replied, 'that to those who have something, even more will be given; but those who have nothing, even the little that they have will be taken away from them.

 

Every believer has a calling. We profess to work for God, serve His kingdom, and await Christ’s return—but an honest question remains: are we truly doing what we were sent to do? Jesus’ command to “occupy till I come” is not passive language. It is a clear mandate, charged with responsibility, urgency, and accountability.

To occupy means to stay engaged, to keep busy, and to conduct business with purpose. It means to steward wisely the resources entrusted to us—our gifts, talents, skills, time, influence, and opportunities—and to use them intentionally for the advancement of God’s kingdom. Christ did not save us to sit idly by; He saved us to serve faithfully.

Jesus gave His disciples the instruction to occupy until His return. That command assumes delay, responsibility, and expectation. It means we must live with both readiness and diligence. The kingdom does not advance by spectators, but by stewards who are actively engaged in divine business.

So, the questions become: Are you occupying? And how do we occupy?

We are called to reside in this world while doing kingdom business. We are not to squander, waste, bury, or ignore what God has placed in our hands. Everything entrusted to us belongs to God, and we are accountable for how we manage it. Occupation is stewardship with purpose.

There are three essential dimensions to occupying: 

Occupy what?

Occupy why?

Occupy how?

The disciples may have wrestled with related questions in Acts 1:4–5 when Jesus instructed them to wait. He did not tell them how long to wait, what exactly to do while waiting, or what the outcome would look like. Yet they obeyed. They waited. They trusted. Obedience without full explanation is a mark of maturity.

In contrast, today’s culture struggles with obedience without clarity. We want timelines, guarantees, and explanations. Yet God often calls us to faithfulness before full understanding. Waiting does not mean inactivity; it means staying aligned and responsive to God’s instruction.

The Lord expects us to conduct business with what He has given us. This includes taking spiritual responsibility, making kingdom-minded decisions, negotiating faithfully with wisdom, and remaining productive. In simple terms, take what you have and put it to work for God. Stay engaged in what He has assigned you to do.

If a business is not growing, it becomes stagnant. The same is true spiritually. A believer who is not progressing, learning, serving, and bearing fruit is at risk of stagnation. Growth is evidence of life, and fruit is proof of faithful occupation.

Occupying until Jesus comes does not mean living however we choose while waiting for the rapture. It means prioritising the work of the kingdom with urgency and intention. Christ’s return should not make us passive—it should make us productive. It should motivate us to work diligently, give sacrificially, and serve wholeheartedly.

In the parable of the ten minas, Jesus makes accountability unavoidable. One servant hid what he was given—not out of rebellion, but out of fear. The master’s rebuke was severe: “Why then did you not put my money on deposit, so that when I came, I could have collected it with interest?” Fear of failure is not an excuse for disobedience. God expects faithfulness, not perfection.

From this parable, we see two types of believers: those who occupy themselves with God’s work and those who do not. The difference is not gifting but faithfulness.

So, we must ask ourselves tough questions:

Are you taking advantage of every opportunity to witness for Christ?

Are you faithful with God’s blessings, time, and resources?

Are you serving God with your whole heart, or are you holding back?

Are you investing what He gave you—or burying it?

Until Jesus returns, we are called to serve willingly and obediently, wherever and however He assigns us. We are to bear witness to the world, lovingly warning of coming judgment while joyfully proclaiming God’s love and plan of salvation. We are to equip, strengthen, and encourage fellow believers to advance the kingdom together.

Jesus has placed authority and power in our hands—not for comfort, but for kingdom purpose. One day, we will give account. Our reward will be according to how faithfully we occupied while waiting. Therefore, occupy—until Jesus comes.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

·       What specific gifts, resources, or opportunities has God entrusted to you, and how are you currently using them for His kingdom?

·       Has fear, delay, or distraction caused you to bury what God has placed in your hands?

·       If Jesus returned today, what fruit would your stewardship present before Him?

PRAYER: Master and Redeemer, thank You for entrusting me with the work of Your kingdom. Help me to be diligent, faithful, and wise with everything You have given me. Keep me productive, focused, and obedient until You return. Let my life bring You profit and glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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