Christ is coming, and He has commanded us to be ready. We do this, not by pinpointing the date of His return, but by making sure that He has our heart’s devotion every day.
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Are You Ready for Christ’s Coming!
Luke 12:35-48
Are you ready for Christ’s coming? Maybe a better question would be, “how can I be ready for Christ’s coming?” Many people have answered that question by saying that they need to pinpoint the time that Jesus will come.
In an article found on Wikipedia, there are 47 different people or groups who set dates for Christ’s return. Here is a sampling of just a few of them.
- Hippolytus of Rome, Sextus Julius Africanus, and Irenaeus all predicted Christ would return in 500 A.D.
- Beatus of Liebana, a Spanish monk, prophesied on April 6, 793 AD, that Christ would return that day.
- Pope Sylvester II predicted that Christ would return on January 1, 1000. When Christ did not appear, they decided it would be 1,000 years after His death, and thus changed it to the year 1033.
- Joachim of Fiore predicted that the millennium would begin between 1200 and 1260 A.D.
- Thomas Muntzer, an Anabaptist, predicted the millennium would begin in 1525.
- Richard Brothers predicted that the millennium would begin between 1793 and 1795. He was eventually committed to an insane asylum.
- Joanna Southcott, a 64-year-old self-described prophet, claimed she was pregnant with the Christ child, and that he would be born on Christmas Day, 1814. She died on the day of her prediction, and an autopsy proved she was not pregnant.
- William Miller said that Christ would return on October 22, 1844.
- Joseph Morris told his followers in 1861 not to plant crops because he firmly believed that “Christ will come tomorrow.”
- Charles Taze Russell, the first president of what is now the Watchtower Society of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, calculated 1874 to be the year of Christ’s Second Coming, and until his death taught that Christ was invisibly present, and ruling from the heavens from that date prophesied. Russell proclaimed Christ’s invisible return in 1874, the resurrection of the saints in 1875, and predicted the end of the “harvest” and a rapture of the saints to heaven for 1878, and the final end of “the day of wrath” in 1914. 1874 was considered the end of 6,000 years of human history and the beginning of judgment by Christ.
- Herbert W. Armstrong, the self-proclaimed apostle of the Worldwide Church of God, predicted the return of Christ in 1936, 1943, and 1975. When none of these prophecies came true, he predicted Jesus would return before he died. Armstrong died in 1986.
- Hal Lindsay predicted in his best-selling book, The Late Great Planet Earth, that Christ would return in 1988.
- Edgar Whisenant sold 4.5 million copies of his book, 88 Reasons Why the Lord is Going To Come by 1988.
- Edgar Cayce, the psychic, predicted Christ would return in the year 2,000.
- Jerry Falwell predicted in 1999 that the Second Coming would probably be within 10 years.
- In recent years, Harold Camping, former President of Family Radio told his followers that Jesus would return on May 21, 2011. When Jesus didn’t come, he then told them Christ would return on October 21, 2011. Radio listeners should have been wary, because Camping also predicted that Christ would return 17 years earlier, in September, 1994.
So, what should we learn from all of this? We should learn exactly what Jesus said in Luke 12:40, “You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect.” Be sure of this, Jesus won’t return when people are predicting He will. He’s coming at an hour when we won’t expect Him. Jesus Himself said in Mt. 24:36, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Clearly, when Jesus told His disciples to be ready for His coming, He wasn’t commanding them to somehow pinpoint the exact time of His return. Something else must be in view. By being ready, Jesus was calling His followers to a heart devotion to Him, and a sacrificial service to others.
The coming of Christ is referred to 9 times in this passage. The main point is given to us in verse 35, “Be dressed in readiness”, and again in verse 40, “You too, be ready.” So, the theme in this passage is being ready for Christ’s coming.
Throughout the passage we read of Christ’s slaves (12:37,38,43,45,46,47). Jesus is called the master (12:36,37,43,45,46,47). So, in order for Christ’s slaves (us) to be ready for the Master’s coming, there is something we must be doing. Let’s discover what that is.
I want you to notice that there are 3 kinds of slaves mentioned in our text – the Waiting Slaves, the Working Slaves, and the Wicked Slaves. We are going to look at each kind of slave, and see their duty and then their reward.
1. The Waiting Slaves 12:35-40
A. Their Duty – Be Ready!
Loins Girded. Vs.35 says, “Be dressed in readiness.” Vs. 40 says, “You too, be ready.” Verse 35 literally reads, “Let your loins be girded about.” In the first century, a man wore long flowing robes with a belt around the waist. When he wanted to walk quickly or run, he would cinch up his robes and secure them with the belt so that he wouldn’t trip over his robes. To gird your loins meant to dress yourself in such a way that you are ready and prepared for action. You are ready to do whatever you need to do. Jesus was telling His disciples to be always ready for His return. Live in a state of perpetual readiness.
Lamps Lit. 12:35 In that day, of course, there were no electric lights, and no streetlights, so at night it was pitch black, unless you had the foresight to light your oil lamps before it got dark. The picture is of a household of slaves being always ready for the return of their Master. In order to be able to greet him, they must have a lamp lit so that they can see to hurry to the door and let him in when he returns.
Master Returning. 36-38. A Jewish wedding usually lasted about a week, so the household servants would need to be always ready for his arrival home. He might come in the 2nd watch (10 pm – 2 am) or even the third watch (2 am – 6 am). They would probably prefer to be asleep in bed, but instead, they must be awake and on the alert. Immediately open the door. 36. The picture is that of servants that are staying up late at night with their oil lamps lit, listening for the knock on the door, so that they can spring into action and open the door to their master. This reminds me of my dog Murphy. Every single time I have come home and entered the front door, he has greeted me with a wagging tail. It’s obvious he’s happy to see me. When he hears the keys in the door, he runs to the door, looking out the side window, with his tail beating against the side of the house. That’s the kind of devotion the Lord wants from us! Do we have as much desire for the return of our Master, as our dog does for our return home?
Homeowner Prepared. 39-40. If a homeowner had somehow got tipped off that a thief was planning on breaking into his house at 2 a.m. that night, you better believe he would be ready for him. He would set his alarm for 1:30, and greet him at the front door with a baseball bat in his hands! That thief wouldn’t be stealing anything that night! The point is that we too must be ready. Just as you never know when a thief might come to your house, so you always have to be ready for him, so too, you never know when Christ might return, so you always have to be ready for Him.
So, what is our duty? It is to wait for Christ’s return and be ready for Him. How do we as Christians live in a state of readiness for Christ’s return? We need to live every day with our hearts fixed upon Him. We must be thinking of Him, and how we can please Him. When He knocks, we don’t have to get ready to greet Him by turning from the world’s entertainments and distractions. When He knocks, we can open to Him immediately, because we have been at the front window looking for Him. We have been communing with Him. We have been reading His Word. We have been worshiping Him. We have been seeking to glorify Him. To be ready for Christ’s return is to simply fix your heart upon Him every day of your life. If you allow your heart to be fixed on the world, you can’t open to Him immediately. Set about this morning to determine to live in fellowship with Jesus every day of your life!
B. Their Reward
They are Blessed. Verse 37 says, “Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes.” These waiting, watching, ready servants are blessed. They are made happy with His presence. This reminds me of Christ’s words in Mt. 25:41, “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
Master Serves Them. Verse 37 goes on to say, “truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.” Jesus begins this promise with “truly I say to you.” I think He starts the promise because the blessing is so great and unimaginable He must preface it by telling them it is true and they can believe it. It is the job of the slave to serve and wait on the master. But here Jesus says that He, the Master, is going to have them sit at the table, and He will serve us! Jesus is the One who deserves to be served by us, but He will show His regal humility, by donning the slave’s apron, and bringing us our meal and our beverages. When you get home and your dog has been faithfully staring out the window waiting for you to get home, you reward him with a scratch behind the ears, and a treat. Well, our Master will reward us by taking the posture of a servant and waiting on us! This is almost beyond belief, but because it is recorded in the Word of God, it is true.
So, the Waiting Slaves are a picture of the heart affections of the believer. Does Christ have your heart? What or who do you love more than anyone or anything else in this world? Who or what do you value above all? Do you think of Him often throughout the day? Do you consider what you might do to please Him? This is how we wait for Him dressed in readiness. It has to do with your heart’s devotion.
2. The Working Slaves (12:41-44)
A. Their Duty
Peter’s Question. 41. Lord, who are you talking to? Is this for everyone in this huge crowd, or just for us? This is kind of like the question the college professor was asked when he was lecturing, thinking that all of his students were spellbound by his talk. One student raised his hand and asked, “Will this be on the test?” He thought he had them on the edge of their seats, and all they want to know is whether they really need to be listening, or can they daydream about other stuff. Peter’s asking, “Lord do I really need to be listening right now?” Now, Jesus doesn’t answer him directly, but He does answer him indirectly. In verse 42 Jesus says, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?” Here we are given three of the duties of the Working Slaves.
In Charge of His Servants. From this we learn that Christ had in mind leaders in the church. He is referring to those who have been given authority in the body of Christ. There are many in the church who would like to reinterpret the Bible in such a way that no one has authority in the church. However, the Scriptures are clear that God has put certain people in charge of the rest of His servants.
Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.”
1 Timothy 5:17, “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially thoste who work hard at preaching and teaching.”
1 Thessalonians 5:12, “But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.”
Titus 2:15, “These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”
Faithful and Sensible. He must be both faithful and wise. These are indispensable qualities to anyone in spiritual leadership. Paul says in 1 Cor. 4:2, “In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” Who does the Lord commend at the Judgment? “Well done, good and faithful slave!” He must also be sensible or wise. He must discern the needs of the Lord’s servants, and form a plan to meet those needs. He must wisely seek to help each one grow into spiritual maturity. He must wisely set a course for the church in order for it to accomplish God’s will. His duty requires him to act faithfully and wisely.
Give His Servants Rations at Proper Time. This steward (manager) is to feed the rest of the servants. He is to give out the portions of food at the allotted times. This is why I think the Lord had especially in mind Pastors. A pastor’s job is not just to be in charge of the Lord’s servants, and act faithfully and wisely, but to feed the flock of God. In reality, Jesus is saying, “Peter, I’m going away, but I want you and the other apostles to feed my flock. I want you to serve them. I don’t want you to use them, take advantage of them, or abuse them. I want you to look out for their well being. I want you to be always thinking about them, and how you can do them good. I want you to shepherd them, to feed them, to serve them.” A pastor’s primary duty is to serve God’s people, by teaching and preaching the Word of God.
Of course, all of you can apply the Lord’s teaching here, whether or not you are Pastors or Church leaders. The principle is that we must be selflessly serving one another. All believers should be looking for ways to minister, and give, and serve one another. Does that describe you? Do you regularly consider others in this church, and what you can do to serve them, and encourage them, and help them grow spiritually?
B. Their Reward
Blessed. For the second time, Jesus spells out the reward of His obedient servant. He is blessed. He is happy and full of peace and joy.
In Charge of All His Possessions. The Lord put him in charge of His servants in this life, but if he is faithful and wise, He will put him in charge of all His possessions in the life to come. Jesus said in Luke 16:10, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.” If we will just be faithful in that which the Lord has entrusted to us here, He will reward us by entrusting more to us in the age to come. You say, “what do you mean, Brian?” Well, remember the parable of the Minas in Luke 19. The master gave each of his slaves a mina, which was equal to about 4 months of wages. Then he went on a long journey, and ordered them to put that money to work until he got back. One of the slaves took the one mina, and made ten minas more. Do you remember what his reward was? The master said, “Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.” Do you see the principle? Faithfulness in this life will lead to greater authority in the next. Our eternal rewards has to do with greater authority and opportunity for service in the life to come. Often we think that in heaven we will be like ghosts sitting on clouds strumming harps. No, I believe that heaven is going to be more like living on this earth, only a redeemed perfect earth, in which righteous dwells. Just as we have work and responsibility and authority now in this life, so we will have those things in the next. Heaven will be rich and fulfilling because we will continue to serve Christ in important ways, but won’t have to strive against Satan and indwelling sin.
3. The Wicked Slaves 12:45-48
A. Their Duty
Same as Working Slaves. These wicked slaves were given the very same duty as the working slaves. They were to be in charge of the Lord’s servants. They were to act faithfully and wisely. And they were to give them their portions of food at the allotted times.
They Abused the Servants. This slave tells himself that it is going to be a long time until his master returns, so he can do what he want and get away with it. He feels he does not have to be accountable to the master, because the master will never know what he has done. So, what does he do? He beats the slaves, both men and women. This wicked slave sits in his ease on his overstuffed chair, acting as some kind of a king, and ordering the servants to wait on him and serve him. If they don’t act quick enough, he beats them. Notice, he even beats the women servants. This man is brutal and cruel. He doesn’t care about these servants. They are only a means to his own end. They only exist to satisfy his own desires. Instead of serving these household servants, he is cruelly mistreating them, to get them to serve himself.
They Indulge Their Flesh. “and to eat and drink and get drunk.” This wicked steward takes the food and drink that he was supposed to give out to the master’s servants, and he consumes it on himself. He is a glutton and a drunkard. He exercises no self-control. This man lives for his flesh, and uses God’s people to satisfy his own carnal appetites. They remind me of Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phineas, who took the meat that the people were sacrificing to the Lord and ate it themselves. They also had sex with the women who served at the doorway of the tabernacle. They profaned their holy calling by using it to indulge their flesh, and mistreat God’s people.
Who do these people represent today? They represent ministers, pastors, evangelists, and church leaders who are carnal and void of the Holy Spirit. They are lost, condemned, and undone, and they prove they are so, by their flagrant lives of carnality and gross sin. Are you surprised that a man might be a Pastor or Evangelist, and be unsaved? Don’t be. There have been scores of men like that down through the history of the church. They have chosen the profession of the ministry, because they didn’t like hard physical work, and they thought this would be a posh job. What a foolish assumption! Any pastor who is worth his salt, knows that the ministry is stressful, and hard, exhausting work.
B. Their Punishment
There is no reward for them like the other slaves – only punishment.
Cut him in pieces. This represents the awful judgment that God will bring on all ungodly ministers of the gospel. This man was dismembered. He was chopped into pieces. God’s wrath will come upon these men to the utmost. They, of all men, had the most light. Their days were given to studying the Word of God. They had time to pray, to study, to counsel, to be in the things of God. Yet, they turned all these advantages to their own fleshly profit, and did not seek the profit of their people. My friends, it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
Assign him a place with the unbelievers. Although this man professed to be one of the Lord’s favored ministers, in reality he was an unbeliever. His life proved it, and at the judgment the Lord will treat him as such. Now, some Bible teachers say that this man was not lost, but that he just lost his rewards. That’s nonsense! Mt. 24:42-51 is a direct parallel passage to our passage in Luke. In Mt. 24 there is a description of this wicked slave. This is what it says in Mt. 24:51, “and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The expression “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is always used of the torments of the damned in hell. My friends, this man, who was in charge of the Lord’s servants, went to Hell!
2 Kinds of People in Hell. 12:47-48. There will be people in hell who knew Christ’s will and didn’t act according to it. There will also be people in hell who didn’t know Christ’s will and didn’t act according to it. The one who knew Christ’s will will receive many lashes. The one who didn’t know Christ’s will will receive only a few lashes. Both of them are flogged, but the one with greater light and privilege will receive a far greater flogging than the one with little light. Now, who is Jesus describing when He talks about the slave who knew the master’s will? He’s describing the Wicked Slaves that beat the servants and ate and drank and got drunk. They were given much. They were entrusted much. And much is going to be required of them.
There are degrees of punishment in Hell, just as there are degrees of rewards in Heaven.
Even if you are not a Pastor, you can apply this truth to your life. If you are not living according to the truth you know, you ought to be afraid! It is a very dangerous thing to come to church week after week and hear the teaching of the Word of God, and not obey it. The more truth you know, the more responsible you are. If you don’t apply the truth you know, you are going to be very responsible on Judgment Day. Think about this question – are you living to serve others, or are you doing your best to get others to serve you?! Are you manipulating others? Are you taking advantage of others? My friends, be forewarned this morning. If you are only playing at your Christianity, but Jesus does not have your heart, you are not ready to meet Him! Have you made a profession of faith for most of your life, but there is very little real fruit in your life? Repent. Get right with God while you still have time. You will not be able to say I didn’t warn you on Judgment Day.
Oh, may none of us have the character of Wicked Slaves. Instead, may we be Waiting and Working Slaves for the glory of our Master. Let’s pray.
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