Reading through Matthew 24:42-44, it was clear to me the message God was trying to portray; that he was coming soon and he wants us to be prepared. If we put off following Christ any longer, it may be too long and we will miss the one chance we have to live with Him in eternity. Jesus goes on in this passage to further explain his warning by telling the parable of someone who was warned of a future burglary in his household. Knowing this was the case, the man took action by guarding and deterring the would-be burglar (NIV).
The parable of the thief is a beautiful way to explain this in the way that it shows if a man were to act immediately on protecting his property if warned, a man should be ready and willing to protect his heart, mind, and soul.
Jesus used multiple parables to explain things that were important in the Bible and this passage is no different. If you look just before Mathew 24:42, you can see a second parable related to his the Lord’s coming. Starting in Mathew 24:38 Jesus tells of how the people in Noah’s time were all busy and concerned with themselves and had no idea what was about to hit them until the flood came. Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 24:41, “Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left” (NIV).
I like this parable because of its bluntness to what is to come. Jesus is saying that there WILL be a day I can come and I WILL leave people behind. It could be our friends, family members, or even someone were standing next too.
Love Your Neighbour: An Essay On The Teachings Of Jesus
The way that God, our Creator, intends for us to live is known by every human being. How God intends for us to live is called God’s will or God’s law; Jesus referred to God’s law as His commandment or word. Jesus taught that it is God’s will for us to love our neighbor. When asked which is the greatest of God’s commandments, Jesus replied, “You shall love the ...
In addition to the parable before Matthew 24:42-44, Jesus teaches a third parable as chapter 24 is read further. In Matthew 24:45-51 Jesus tells of a servant who should prepare for his master to arrive in order to have food prepared when he is hungry. If the servant does this, the servant would be rewarded for his preparation. However, if the servant were to take advantage of his master’s absence and did not prepare for his arrival, the servant would be severely punished (NIV).
Jesus used this parable to show that his coming is not something to be taken lightly. If we are to prepare like the good servant, we will be rewarded with eternal life. However, if we are to prepare like the bad servant, we will not only miss out on the riches but be punished on judgment day.
In all of these passages, though different in their own way, give the same meaning; that Jesus is coming and he wants us to be prepared. What Jesus is trying to say by putting smaller parables together is that he wants us to be prepared and he is going to do everything in his power to give us the opportunity to act on it. He combines short parables, like these in Matthew, to show us that it is important that we pay attention. When I look over these passages I cannot help but to think about when I was growing up and my mom would tell me not to run with sticks in my hand. Of course I would do it every time she was not looking, up until the day I fell and hurt myself on the stick. God knows it is in our nature to want to be stubborn and not head instructions, but he loves us and wants what is best for us. In relation to these passages and my childhood experience, God shows us these parables so we don’t ignore instructions and fall on our stick.
