We are indeed living in the last days. How true it is even
now if the first century saints lived in the last days! How can we be ready and
prepared for the coming of our blessed Lord? Our Lord Jesus gives an answer.
“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like
servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that
when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be
good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I
tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table
and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master
finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward
daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house 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 when you do not
expect him.” (Luke 12:35-40)
Why shall we be waiting for service and keeping our lamps
burning even in the middle of the night or toward daybreak? It’s because our
master is coming again and we don’t know when. Jesus tells that we are like
servants waiting for our master to return from a wedding banquet. Eastern wedding
traditionally is a joyous and delightful gathering of all the families and
relatives and runs days or sometimes weeks. The point is uncertainty when the
master returns from the wedding.
When the master returns, it will be good for the servants to
open the door immediately. Note that the masculine suddenly changes here that
the master himself will dress himself to serve, will have them sit at the table
and will come and wait on the servants. This scene definitely indicates the
second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Prophet Isaiah prophesied that the Lord
will prepare a feast for all peoples.
“On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of
rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the
finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all
peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The
Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his
people’s disgrace from all the earth.” (Isaiah 25:6-8)
Apostle John saw in
the Spirit a great banquet, the wedding of the Lamb prepared for the saints who
were faithful and truthful to the end even in the middle of the night or toward
daybreak.
“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the
roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For
our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For
the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine
linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Revelation 19:6-8)
So, Jesus warns us to be watchful always because no one
knows when he will be coming again with the great trumpet sound and the multitude
of angels.
“But understand this: If the owner of the house 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 when you do
not expect him.” (Luke 12:39-40)
The Scripture confirms consistently and faithfully that the
day of the Lord will be coming all of sudden like a thief (1 Thessalonians 5:2,
Revelation 3:3).
Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or
to everyone?” The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager,
whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food
allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master
finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of
all his possessions.” (Luke 12:41-44)
How can we be watchful even in the middle of the night or
toward daybreak? Jesus gives an answer who is the faithful and wise steward
whom the master puts in charge of His household. He is the one who gives them
their food allowance at the proper time. What does it mean? It is so
significant to understand what it means because our Lord says that He will put
the servant found doing so when he returns in charge of all His possessions.
Here food means the word of God which our Lord Jesus has
entrusted to His servants. The word of God is the revelation of the mysteries of
God. So, the servants of the Lord Jesus are the stewards of the mysteries of
God. Apostle Paul expounds what it means to be the servants of Christ and what
it is required for them in the Epistle of Corinthians.
“This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of
Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is
required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (1
Corinthians 4:1-2)
Our life is so complicated and complex that no one
understands and fathoms its height and depth and length and width. It's a
mystery that can be known and revealed only in awesome and transcendent God.
Jesus Christ is the mystery of God who has the key to all the human events and
affairs. Christ is the answer and the life, the truth, and the way. He opens
the blind, especially spiritually blind. He opens the mute to speak, especially
the wonders of God. He heals the wound and hurt through His own suffering with
blood.
So, all people shall put hope in the Son Jesus Christ who is
the gospel of the blessed God. In fact, He is the only true hope for all
peoples on earth. How much are the servants of Christ blessed who are entrusted
to deliver the only true hope to all peoples!
“And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is
written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans
10:15)
“But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is
taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants,
both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant
will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware
of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.”
(Luke 12:45-46)
There has been a great delay of the coming of the Lord,
almost twenty centuries. So, some servants beat other servants and get drunk. However,
the master will come on a day when they do not expect Him and at an hour they
are not aware of. The master will cut them to pieces and assign them a place
with the unbelievers. It will be a dreadful day for those who are not ready for
service and do not keep their lamps burning, thinking that the master never
returns or even if comes it will take a long time.
“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get
ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But
the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten
with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded;
and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
(Luke 12:47-48)
Here our Lord Jesus gives answer to Peter’s question, “Lord,
are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?” Those who are entrusted to
the mysteries of God shall be faithful in doing what the master wants to do. Otherwise,
they will be beaten with many blows. There are little ones who unwittingly do
things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.
Jesus says, “From everyone who has been given much, much
will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more
will be asked.” (Luke 12:48b) Our God is just and faithful. In Him, there is no
shadow of turning. Everything will be laid bare before the Lord Jesus Christ
and judged justly and rightly.
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