Jesus answers the question about the 'end of the age' (Matt. 24:3) by talking about the day when 'your Lord will come" (Matt. 24:42). Like much of his teaching, Jesus doesn't speak about this day directly, but with parables. In this section (Matt. 24:36–25:13) he gives parables with the same basic idea. You don't know when the Lord will come, so you should always be ready (Matt. 24:44).
Your vision of the future determines the way you live today. For many people, the lack of a vision for the future also determines the way they live. Jesus is warning us that it is easy to live with no regard for the future second coming. If we do so, it may seem fine in the present, but there will be unpleasant consequences in the future.
