WISE AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

LUKE 12:35-48

      A World War II soldier endured the agony of war only with the thought of seeing the girl he loved again. When the soldier did return, he found the girl married to another, believing the man died in fighting.

      Christ’s physical absence ought not to deter a faithful servant from occupying till He come– to serve looking for Christ’s return.

      Robert Murray McCheyne, the Scottish preacher, once asked friends, “Do you think Christ will come tonight?” One after another said, “I think not.” When all gave this answer, McCheyne solemnly repeated the text: “The Son of Man comes at an hour when you think not.”

  I. Precept (12:35)

      A. Alert (Eph. 6:14; 1 Pet. 1:13)

Rom. 13:11-12 [ESV]. Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

 12. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

      B. Awake (Mt. 5:15; Jn. 5:35)

1 Th. 5:2-8 [NIV]. For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

 3. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

 4. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.

 5. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

 6. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.

 7. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

 8. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

  II. Parable (12:36-40)

•          Slave (Lk. 17:10; Col. 3:22)

•          Steward (Lk. 16:1; 1 Cor. 4:2; 1 Pet. 4:10)

      A. Wedding

Rev. 19:7 [HCSB]. Let us be glad, rejoice, and give Him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself.

      B. Waiting

Tit. 2:13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

      G. Campbell Morgan once wrote, “I never begin my work in the morning without thinking that perhaps He may interrupt my work and begin His own. I am not looking for death, I am looking for Him.”

      C. Welcoming

Rev. 3:20 [MKJV]. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me.

Let us love our God supremely, let us love each other, too;

Let us love and pray for sinners, till our God makes all things new.

Then He’ll call us home to Heaven, at His table we’ll sit down;

Christ will gird Himself and serve us with sweet manna all around. (George Atkins)

      D. Watching (Mk. 6:48)

Mt. 25:13 [ESV]. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

1 Cor. 16:13 [MKJV]. Watch! Stand fast in the faith! Be men! Be strong!

Rev. 3:3 [MKJV]. Remember then how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

      A man asked John Wesley, “What would you do if you knew that tonight you would die?” The preacher replied, “I would do exactly what I have scheduled to do.” Wesley stayed ready.

      Charles H. Spurgeon called on one of his church members one day while she whitened the front steps. The lady got up all in confusion and said, “Oh dear, sir, I did not know you were coming today, or I would have been ready.” Spurgeon replied, “Dear friend, you could not be in better trim than you are; you are doing your duty like a good housewife, and may God bless you.”

      E. Warning (Mt. 25:10)

1 Th. 5:2 [GNB]. For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come as a thief comes at night.

2 Pet. 3:10 [ESV]. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Jesus is coming to earth again; what if it were today?

Coming in power and love to reign; what if it were today?

Coming to claim His chosen Bride, all the redeemed and purified,

Over this whole earth scattered wide; what if it were today? (Leila N. Morris)

III. Preparation (12:41-48)

      A. Elevation (Ps. 75:6)

Mt. 25:21 [ESV]. His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Lk. 16:10 [KJV]. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

          1. Question (Mt. 24:45)

      Edersheim explained, “The faithful steward, to whom the Master had entrusted the care of His household, to supply His servants with what was needful for their support and work, would, if found faithful, be rewarded by advancement to far larger and more responsible work. On the other hand, belief in the delay of the Lord’s Return would lead to neglect of the Master’s work, to unfaithfulness, tyranny, self-indulgence and sin. And, when the Lord suddenly came, as certainly He would come, there would be not only loss, but damage, hurt, and the punishment awarded to the hypocrites.”

          2. Qualities (trustworthy, accountable, patient, consistent, pure in heart)

      Leroy Eims said, “There is always room for one more servant. The small area in the spotlight can get a bit crowded, but there is always room in the shadows for the person who is eager to serve.”

      B. Expectation (1 Th. 5:6-7)

2 Pet. 3:4 [ESV]. They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."

Lk. 17:27 [ESV]. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

2 Pet. 3:14 [ESV]. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

Mt. 22:11 [HCSB]. But when the king came in to view the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding.

      Barclay wrote, “It is the comfortable delusion of the servant that he will have plenty time to put things right before his master returns.”

      The Lordship of Christ holds faithful servants accountable in the absence of onlookers.

      Walmart founder Sam Walton kept store managers accountable to faithfulness with unexpected visits to stores.

      C. Examination

          1. Proven by the will of God (Rom. 12:2)

Acts 13:36. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

1 Pet. 4:2 [HCSB]. in order to live the remaining time in the flesh, no longer for human desires, but for God's will.

Mt. 26:39 [ESV]. And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

Heb. 10:7 [GNB]. Then I said, 'Here I am, to do your will, O God, just as it is written of me in the book of the Law.' "

Jas. 4:15 [WNT]. Instead of that you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we shall live and do this or that."

          2. Privilege of the Word of God (Rom. 2:13)

              a. Know and not do well–much responsibility (Jn. 15:22)

Heb. 10:26 [HCSB]. For if we deliberately sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

              b. Not know and do wrong–less responsibility (Lev. 5:17)

Ps. 19:12 [HCSB]. Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.

1 Tim. 1:13 [WNT]. though I was previously a blasphemer and a persecutor and had been insolent in outrage. Yet mercy was shown me, because I had acted ignorantly, not having as yet believed;

          3. Principle for the ways of God

              a. Given much–much required

Jas. 3:1 [ESV]. Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

              b. Entrusted more–more expected

1 Cor. 4:2 [NIV]. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

There’s a king and a captain high,

And he’s coming by and by,

And he’ll find me hoeing cotton when he comes.

You can hear his legions charging in the regions of the sky,

And he’ll find me hoeing cotton when he comes.

There’s a man they thrust aside,

Who was tortured till he died,

And he’ll find me hoeing cotton when he comes.

He was hated and rejected,

He was scorned and crucified,

And he’ll find me hoeing cotton when he comes.

When he comes! When he comes!

He’ll be crowned by saints and angels when he comes.

They’ll be shouting out Hosanna! to the man that men denied,

And I’ll kneel among my cotton when he comes.