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Day 165

Luke 12:35-48 "A CALL TO BE FAITHFUL SERVANTS OF GOD"

Day 165 – Luke 12

Text: Luke 12:35-48

A CALL TO BE FAITHFUL SERVANTS OF GOD

God’s original plan was for His people to serve Him faithfully. However, because of the problem of sin, man followed his own desires.

He determined that his treasures are those found on earth. He devoted his life to obtaining these treasures, because his heart had gone astray. As he sought earthly treasures, he found not lasting joy but anxiety, worries and fears!

Jesus urged His hearers to consider again the original plan to live as people who belonged to the Kingdom of God. Those who truly knew God would consider their joy and privilege to be His faithful servants.

“BE LIKE MEN (SERVANTS) WHO WAIT FOR THEIR MASTER…” Luke 12:36

Jesus illustrated what He meant about being faithful servants by giving His listeners another of His famous parables.

There was a Master who had servants. The Master had gone away to attend a wedding. The servants in the house were therefore entrusted with two duties.

1. They were to faithfully await the return of their Master.

2. They were to carefully guard the house from people who might try to break in.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD SERVANTS

The good servants would do their duties faithfully. Their faithfulness would be characterized by the following things they did…

1. They would have their “waists girded” . Luke 12:35

2. They would have their lamps burning”. Luke 12:35

To have “waists girded” would be a reference to their state of readiness to serve their master. People in the Palestine in the first century wore long robes. When people want to relax, they would loosen their belts. When they get ready to work, they gird their waists.

Should the master return home late from a wedding function, the servants are supposed to wait faithfully for his return. There were no street lamps in those days. There were also criminals who lurked around corners for possible opportunities to enrich themselves. One of the tasks of servants was to make sure that their master would come to no harm on the way home. They must have their lamps well trimmed so that they can escort him back home safely.

Sometimes, the master comes home at an unexpected hour. The servants would like to be on the lookout for their Master, but they find a quiet knock on the door. They open the door and lo and behold they find their Master waiting to be admitted to his house.

The Master would be so pleased that his servants were all ready to go out to greet him, for their lamps were trimmed and burning. He finds them in a state of readiness to serve him, even though the hour was late.

The “second watch” would be from 9pm- 12mn and the “third watch” would be from 12mn-3am. This is the Roman calculation of the “watches”. This would most likely be the case, since there was mention of the servants having their lamps burning.

“BLESSED ARE THOSE SERVANTS WHOM THE MASTER, WHEN HE COMES, WILL FIND WATCHING…” Luke 12:37

The servants are called “blessed” twice (Luke 12:37,38) because of their faithfulness. Why are they called “blessed”?

1. They have proven themselves to be good and faithful servants.

2. They have earned the affection of the Master of the house.

3. He is so pleased with them because they had shown such devotion and love to him. He is not unhappy to serve them with supper. Imagine the Master doing that to his servants! This expresses the degree of his happiness with his servants.

4. The faithfulness of the servants also prevented the Master’s house from being broken into (Luke 12:39).

APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE TO THE DISCIPLES

The Lord Jesus applied this parable to His Disciples. He began to intimate to them that one day, He would have to leave them, as the Master had to leave his house.

He would return when it was time. He expects His Disciples to be good servants. They too must always be alert and diligent in their tasks. They must always be eagerly looking out for the return of the Master.

“THEREFORE YOU ALSO BE READY, FOR THE SON OF MAN IS COMING AT AN HOUR YOU DO NOT EXPECT.” Luke 12:40

Not too long ago, Jesus began preaching the Kingdom of God. Then He began recruiting people to become His Disciples. Along the way, He began to teach them that He must suffer and die. However, He tells them that He would be resurrected. Thus they must not be afraid when suffering came. Now Jesus is preparing the Disciples to believe in His Second Coming. He expects His servants to be “ready” – as good and faithful servants would be for His Return.

These teachings were all interwoven. His Advent, His ministry, His suffering, His Death and Resurrection. Finally, His Second Coming. These teachings became part and parcel of the fabric of the early Christian faith.

THE NEED TO DEVELOP A GOOD SENSE OF CONSCIOUSNESS THAT JESUS WILL RETURN

On the one hand, there are people who are so taken up with the Second Coming of Christ, they literally wait for Him to return. There are people who actually live near Jerusalem, to await His return. On the other hand, there are those for whom the doctrine of the Second Coming of Christ is nothing but an obscure teaching that does not seem real or even relevant.

We need to take time to ponder over this parable and be challenged to “BE READY” for the Return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you ready for Christ’s Return?