The disciples asked Jesus when He would return. He was very clear in His answer. No one knows.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only… Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matt. 24:36, 42-44).

Instead of giving us clues to the time of His return, Jesus taught us to live in a state of readiness. We are to watch and be ready. We are to live as if the Lord could return at any moment.

Jesus went on to give a parable to illustrate what is means to live in a state of readiness (Matt. 24:45-51). The master departed without clear instructions regarding his time for return. It was up to the servants to decide how they would behave while the master was away. The faithful and wise servant stayed busy serving his master. The evil servant began to think that his master wasn’t returning any time soon. He stopped serving his master and began serving himself. He mistreated his fellow servants. He ate and drank with the drunkards. He knew his master was returning, but the thought had been pushed to the back of his mind. He believed he had plenty of time to repent and do what was right. However, “the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of” (v. 50).

Living in a state of readiness does not mean we know when the Lord is coming. It means we know He is returning. It means we live to please the Lord, not ourselves, longing to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”