Jesus was trying to slow down the rush going through the crowd. The rumor had begun to spread that the Kingdom of God was going to begin immediately on his arrival in Jerusalem. He chose to use a story to dispel this myth. The first part of the story is in today's verses; the remainder is in the next two devotionals. In Luke 19:26, near the end of the story, Jesus gave the "punch line," indicating the consequences of what we do while waiting for his return. However, the key for us in today's part of the story is to notice how the followers of Jesus want to rush his work rather than letting him fulfill matters based on his Father's timing and will. Our impatience with the Lord's timing can lead us into making poor decisions.