"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"

And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.
For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."

- Luke 12:35-48 (NKJV)

The Parables of the Expectant Servants and Faithful Steward.

We continue this week (as per the Gospel writer Luke) in the same context as last week. Jesus speaking in parables to His disciples – NOT the crowd in general.

A large multitude has gathered to hear Jesus speak and one member from the crowd shouts out a request for Him to arbitrate a dispute over an inheritance. Jesus declines, but warns the crowd to beware of covetousness, and then turns and speaks the parable of the Rich Fool (last weeks parable) to His disciples. He ends (as we did last week) by telling them not to worry about the basic necessities of life, but to focus on kingdom treasure. The question on the disciples' mind (as probably ours) is – can you please say more... then (as per Luke) there is an immediate segue into this week's text, and the two parables.

Again, let us be mindful that in these two specific parables - He is speaking these to His disciples and NOT the crowd in general... probably why Peter asks Him the question between the parables ("is this for us or for everybody in general?") We owe Peter so many debts of gratitude for asking the obvious questions!!

Jesus spoke parables to both the multitude and the disciples on many occasions, but only the disciples were privileged to know the meaning. Matthew even references Psalm 78:2 to explain this behavior – "All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world." (Mt 13:34-35). We will see how true this is this week!

Two main points – A. Our Lords expectation of His servants, and those appointed to be in charge of His servants – rewards/consequences if those expectations are met/not met. B. The delayed AND sudden return of the Lord, and the reason for it! This is hidden knowledge indeed! Let's start with point B first, as that will help us to then understand point A.

Both parables are clear in that they both reference the absence of the master of the servants (the first parable implies He has gone to attend a wedding(!)), and they both imply that the masters return has been delayed. The first parable says that His return could occur in the first, second or third watches. In the second parable, the reason for the unwise behavior of the steward is that "My master is delaying his coming".

Bear in mind that these parables were told to the disciples long before Christ ascended! They were later reminded of these and wrote them down as a warning to us!

Both parables also refer to a sudden and unexpected return of the master to the dismay of TWO people... one, obviously the unwise steward – but the second one is more interesting. He is called the master of the house, and Christ refers to His own return as the coming of a thief!

Friends, in the spiritual battle in which the hosts of heaven are engaged - the god of this world, and the master of the house that Christ is referring to, is Satan, the enemy. This is why Christs return is as a thief, because if the enemy knows in what hour he his coming back, he will be prepared to resist and fight back. This is the reason that that hour is a closely guarded secret in Heaven and the counsel of the Father. Now, in the book of Revelation, we ARE given an overview of end time events, but even there – in Rev 10:1-4 the apostle John is forbidden to write down what 7 thunders said. This is critical intelligence that the enemy is NOT to have.

The enemy is a much more diligent student of the Word than any Christian – he uses the Law to bring death and judgment, he studies it to use it to tempt Jesus, tries to orchestrate events to break the covenant promises of God (e.g. killing the line of David, the children of Jerusalem by Herod to kill the Messiah), and in these days is looking to see how long he can retain his grasp on this planet. This is the reason that Christs coming for him is going to be like a thief! Which now helps us to understand point A.

As servants of Christ, we are to watch for our Masters imminent return in every watch (/Age). Since we (like the enemy) will be kept in the dark as to when He is returning, the best we can do is keep our eyes open, and our lamps of FAITH burning with the anointing OIL of the SPIRIT. If our oil runs out and our lamps go out (again there is a parallel parable of the 10 bridesmaids: Matt 25:1-13) we will not be commended, and worst-case scenario – even be denied entrance to the Marriage Supper! While we wait, we are to be about our Master's business – waists girded, and lamps burning – because if He comes and finds us like that – guess what – He Himself promises to make us not only sit down and eat, but will gird Himself and come and serve US! Wow!!!!!!

So now on to Peter's question. Was this parable for everybody or just the disciples?

The second parable has a more pointed focus as it is a response to this. Observe that Christ says "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?" There is a hierarchy of service that is in view here. The steward is also a servant – given a position of authority yes, but greater responsibility – in that HE is responsible for giving his FELLOW servants (Matt 24:45-51) their food in due season. The disciples were appointed and called to be apostles – given authority over the church. However, additional authority did not mean that they were superior to them – it meant that they had additional responsibilities – and the authority was given to them to be able to discharge them.

All believers and humans are created equal in the image of God our Father, and as kings and priests to our God. Overseers and shepherds of the flock have additional responsibility, and any authority they may have is only for those duties.

If they choose to abuse that authority, fully knowing what the will of their Master is (feed the flock), and begin to live a life of sensuality and self-indulgence – they will not be watching for their Masters return, and of course will not have their waists girded or lamps burning. The consequences for these servants are much direr than those that are just ignorant. They are actually treated on par as unbelievers – which is completely JUST as they did not believe what was told to them!

We bemoan the state of the church and spirituality today – but it sends shivers up our spine to contemplate the fate of those that are abusing their positions of trust and responsibility. The same Word that they are using to pull the wool over their flocks' eyes and line their pockets, will be their judge – and they will not have the excuse of ignorance! There are degrees of judgment – we do not say that these will go to eternal damnation, but there IS going to be a severe beating administered – and that Word is from the lips of our Lord Himself.

The apostle Paul also refers to this coming of the Lord as a thief, but reinforces the fact that, to those who are watching, it is NOT going to be that way!

"But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that bthe day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

But you, brethren, are NOT in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For lGod did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing." (1 Th 5:1-11).

In this age, let us learn from the parable of the fig tree (representing Israel). "When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Mt 24:32-33.

Let us keep watching, keep our lamps burning, and do our work with patience, so whether the Lord comes for the world as a whole, or for just us as individuals, we shall be received with the words – "Well done, good and faithful servantthou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." Matt 25:23

Hallelujah!