Readiness at Any Hour (Matthew 24:36-51; Mark 13:32-37)
Luke 12:35-48 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them. Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed!
But understand this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”
“Lord,” said Peter, “are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?”
And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
But suppose that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and he begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day he does not anticipate and at an hour he does not expect. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.”
Jesus is telling this story immediately after telling the story of the rich fool. Jesus assures his followers, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap; they have no storehouse or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? So if you cannot do such a small thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the lilies grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith!
And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it. For the Gentiles of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek Hise kingdom, and these things will be added unto you.
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:22-34)
Having warned listeners not to behave like the rich fool, Jesus now tells the story of servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet. Wedding banquets generally take place at night and can last most of the night. Wedding guests might not return home until the early hours of the morning, meaning that servants must be ready at any moment to open the door for their master. Jesus goes on to say, “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them. Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed!”
By now, the disciples are scratching their heads. Nobody has ever heard of a master who turns around to serve the servants, encouraging them to recline at table while he waits on them. And any master who returns during the second or third watch of the night is more likely to go to bed immediately rather than wait on his servants. If that concept is baffling, Jesus continues to baffle his disciples by quoting a local proverb, “If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.” The disciples are standing there thinking, “Of course. Everybody knows that.” Then Jesus advises, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”
By now, the disciples are beginning to realize there’s more to this story than they have previously realized. That’s when Peter pipes up. “Lord,” said Peter, “are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?”
And the Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
But suppose that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and he begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day he does not anticipate and at an hour he does not expect. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.”
Why is Jesus telling this story? Jesus wants his followers to be aware that he will soon go to his heavenly Father but that he will also return, and that his servants must be ready at all times. No servant wants their master to return suddenly and find them misbehaving. “The master of that servant will come on a day he does not anticipate and at an hour he does not expect. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.”
Jesus also describes servants who know what their master wants but refuse to do it. “That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows.” What servant wants to be punished? Here Jesus is warning his followers to be faithful so that they will avoid punishment. And then Jesus issues a final warning: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.”
No matter how hard we try, we will never be perfect servants. Each one of us has a sin problem and nothing we can do measures up to the holiness of God. But God in His infinite mercy has sent Jesus to die for our sins, offering his blood in place of ours. Our part is to accept what Jesus has done for us and to follow him and serve him the rest of our lives. When we do this, we will please God and He will forgive us. 1 John 1:8-9 tells us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We cannot clean ourselves up, but Jesus can do what we cannot.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Thank You for sending Jesus as the sacrifice for our sins. Help us to be good and faithful servants, doing Your Will. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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