DO BUSINESS TILL I RETURN
Luke 19:11–13
11 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. 12 Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’
In the King James translation, it says
11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return
13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
Jesus’ parables were never just stories. They were prophetic insights into the Kingdom of God—metaphors filled with divine intent.
In Luke 19, as He approached Jerusalem, Jesus shared a parable to correct a common expectation: that the Kingdom of God would appear immediately. Instead, He described a nobleman who went to a far country to receive a kingdom and return. Before leaving, he entrusted ten servants with ten minas and gave them a clear instruction:
“Do business till I come.” — Luke 19:13 (NKJV)
“Occupy till I come.” — Luke 19:13 (KJV)
To occupy is to take residence, to fill a space with purpose, to guard and tend what has been entrusted. It is active stewardship—not passive waiting. This echoes the original mandate given to Adam in
Genesis 2:15:
“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”
Adam and Eve were meant to occupy and protect the garden. Tragically, they failed to keep it, and the consequences were profound. Today the Church is called to occupy or do business till He returns.
Jesus, the Nobleman, this parable points directly to Jesus. Two thousand years ago, He came as a child, walked the streets of Israel, healed the sick, preached the good news, and gave His life on the cross. He rose again and ascended to heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father.
“This same Jesus… will so come in like manner.” — Acts 1:11
Why is this this statement in Acts 1:11 so relevant to Luke 19:12-13? It is relevant because the Noble man was going away to a far country to receive for Himself a Kingdom and return.
Let’s go the book of Daniel 7:13–14
Daniel saw this in a vision:
“One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven… Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom.” —
Jesus confirmed this prophecy in Mark 14:62, declaring that He would return in glory.
62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Before His departure, Jesus entrusted His followers with spiritual gifts:
“When He ascended on high… He gave gifts to men.” — Ephesians 4:7-11
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” 9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
These gifts—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—are essential tools for Kingdom business. Just as the nobleman gave minas to his servants, Jesus has given us gifts to steward until He returns. Jesus expects us to continue His mission:
John 14:12
“He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these…”
Luke 4:18–19
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me… to preach, heal, and set captives free.”
We are called to preach the gospel, heal the broken-hearted, open blind eyes, and proclaim liberty. This is the business of the Kingdom.
Jesus prayed in
John 17:22–23
“The glory which You gave Me I have given them… that the world may know that You have sent Me.”
Our unity, love, and good works are evidence of Christ’s mission. If we stop preaching, healing, and serving, the world loses sight of the Jesus the Messiah.
Peter urges us in 1 Peter 2:11–12
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honourable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
We are called to be salt and light:
- Salt preserves what is decaying.
- Light exposes and dispels darkness.
Bring hope to the hopeless
To occupy is to resist spiritual apathy. It is to stand guard, to build, to bless, and to protect, what Jesus started by the help of the Holy Spirit.
The big question:
Are you occupying—or abstaining like Adam and Eve?
Are you tending the garden of your calling—or leaving it vulnerable?
Galatians 6:9
“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
Let us be faithful stewards. Let us do business till He comes.
