Blessed Readiness
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
I was reminded this week of being back in high school. I was in eleventh grade and I had been one of those students who, for the most part, could get a good grade without hardly studying. It was easy for me to slack off. Once I understood some academic concept, it typically stuck with me.
This was why I didn’t do very well in my science classes. Neither my biology teacher nor my chemistry teachers were very good at teaching their fields. And my major problem was that I hated reading. If I would have taken the time to read the text book, I probably would have done a lot better, but I didn’t so I relied on learning from the teachers. Since they weren’t any good, I got Cs in those two classes.
But for the most part, my other classes were As, and a couple of high Bs. I thought everything was great in my 11th grade grammar and literature class. Even though I didn’t like to read, my teacher in there was pretty good at teaching and so I was scooting by with an A. Or so I thought. The day before my lit final, Ms. Williams came to me as I was leaving class and told me that if I didn’t get an A on my final, I would fail her class.
My heart sank. I’m sure my eyes were huge! I went home that afternoon and pulled out my literature book and studied for six hours straight. I took my final, got it back the next week, and my grade was a 96! I was so relieved. I should come out with a C- (we didn’t get Ds). When I received my report card, I looked immediately to see what I got in literature. I got a 92. A 92!!! I’m not a math major but there is no way that a 96 on a final can make a failing grade go up to an A.
She lied to me! I went up to her to ask about it and she laughed. She told me she knew I was capable of doing more than I had been and wanted to show me what I was able to do if I put forth a little effort. In other words, she wanted me to be as completely ready for the final she was about to give me.
It’s been quipped, “Why do older people read their Bible so much? Because they’re preparing for their final exam.” That’s bad theology. Our knowledge of the Bible won’t get us into heaven. But it will help us to see what our Master’s will is for our lives and that certainly will help us to be ready for heaven.
This morning we will see that Jesus wants his people to be completely ready for his return and so he gives them two parables that instruct them as to his expectations. The first parable is geared toward the servants of the home. The second parable is for the servant-leader of the home.
Two parables to help Jesus’s followers be completely ready.
The servants of the home
The servant-leader of the home
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,
and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.
If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!
But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.
You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?”
And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, 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 does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.
And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.
But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
The servants of the home must be ready
The servants of the home must be ready
The first parable that Jesus tells deals with the servants of the home. Jesus is instructing his disciples that the servants of the home must be ready for their master’s return.
The first way that the servant is to be ready is by being dressed for action. The actual wording there is that the servant must have his loins girded. Servants of prestigious houses often had long-flowing robes. That’s not conducive for sweeping, scrubbing, dusting, etc. So what they would do is put a belt around their waste, then take the back of the robe and bunch it up, bring it forward in between his legs, and then tuck it into his belt, effectively making pants.
Jesus was telling his disciples, get your work-pants on. Anyone who follows after Jesus is not called to laziness. Now, certainly not everyone is called to do the same type of work. Each servant has been gifted in the household of God. Paul made this clear in 1 Corinthians. Though he used the illustration of a body and its body parts, the same idea is made.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?
But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
Every servant has a job to do. Some servants may cook. Some may clean. Some may tend to the fire. Some may teach the children. Together, they make up the household and are doing the will of the master as they serve the family together. Jesus said, that each follower needs to be always ready to do the job that is set before him or her.
So the first way to be ready is by being dressed for action. The second way is to keep the lamps burning. In other words, we are ready by being awake—being alert.
The idea is not simply to be dressed waiting for action, burning a lamp, and sitting idly by, but actually doing the work of the household.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
The parable that Jesus gives is about a master coming home after a wedding. The weddings in Jewish culture typically lasted up to seven days. Some would be a little shorter. So there was no way of knowing when the master would return. This means that the servants of the household should always stay alert.
Most of us have probably had the experience of going to someone’s house and ringing the doorbell. And then the wait begins. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you might hear someone say, “Coming!” from deep within the house. But often times, all you hear is shuffling about. There’s no indication that anyone heard you ring the bell. Is the bell broken? Should I knock now? Has it been long enough? I don’t want to seem impatient. And so you wait a little longer. Are they ignoring me? Did I come at a bad time? Do they want me to go away? So you knock. And after a couple of more eternities, the door finally opens.
It’s one thing if that is a friend’s house or a neighbor’s house. But if that is your own house, then it becomes a matter of disrespect.
Now you might be wondering why the guy wouldn’t just let himself in. Why would he knock on his own door. Don’t mix up our houses with first century Palestine. Doors weren’t locked with door knobs. They were locked with bars. It would be a good thing for the servants to have locked the door to protect the house and its contents and people. But it would not be good for them not to be ready for when the master returned.
The lamp burning is an indication that the servants are awake and waiting expectantly for the master to return. They are buzzing about busily getting everything ready, expecting their master to be home at any time.
Think about those times, perhaps when a child was feeling extra outgoing and they cleaned their bedroom extra-well. They spent hours getting everything just right and were excited to see you when you came home. Before you could get to the door it was already swung open and they usher you in to see their hard work. They did it just for you!
What beautiful, wonderful children! They missed you. They couldn’t wait to see you! They wanted you to come home to a clean house or a clean room or to dinner or maybe all of the above. You feel loved. You feel appreciated. You feel honored. They were ready for you!
That’s what Jesus is saying we ought to be like. We ought to be getting to work and being on the look out for when he returns. And then he throws in something completely unexpected. He tells them that the master will reverse rolls with them. He will put on the servants clothes. He will sit them down to relax and enjoy a meal. He will serve them!
Don’t think that this has nothing to do with what Jesus was just talking about, that which we looked at last week. Don’t worry about food or drink or clothing. Seek first the kingdom of God. It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom and will provide everything else you need along with it. Here’s the master, rewarding the efforts of the servants who seek first his household, by serving them himself. The master faithfully repays the servant for his faithful service.
Jesus then switches gears somewhat. Again, he is stressing the point of being ready, even if that means staying awake late into the night. The master may get back from the wedding in the second or third watches of the might. That means anywhere between 10 pm and 6 am and on any given day. The point is to be ready.
Be as ready as a man who knew a thief was coming to break in to his house. I don’t know if there’s a better illustration for this than Kevin McCallister. That’s the kids name in the movie Home Alone. He overhears about two robbers going to break into his home and so he gets ready to defend his home with all types of booby traps. Most of us probably wouldn’t go to those extremes but the point is made that we would do all we could to defend the home.
Many of us do that anyway. We ready the house even though we don’t know a burglar is coming. We’ve got security systems and doorbell cameras and blink cameras all around the house. But we would be so much more ready and vigilant if we knew someone was coming.
Jesus says that that is how awake and ready we ought to be.
If we’re not ready, why aren’t we ready? If we aren’t serving in the household in some capacity, we need to ask ourselves why? Is it simply that we didn’t realize that we are to serve? Is it that we knew we should and yet just refuse to do so? Or is it that we can’t due to leadership?
The servant-leaders of the home must be ready
The servant-leaders of the home must be ready
Which takes us to the second parable. It’s not only the servants, but the servant-leaders of the servants that must be ready as well. Whereas Jesus gives a promise of blessing to the servants, he gives a harsh warning to the servant-leaders.
In the first parable, Jesus uses the word “doulos” to address the servants. It literally means “slave,” but “servant” is a legitimate translation. But in this second parable, he addresses the “oikoNOmos,” which comes from two words: “oikos” which means house or household. And “nemein” which means manager or administrator. Our word “economy” is a derivation of oikonomos. This isn’t the owner of the house or the husband or father over the house. This was the main slave in charge over the household. Think about Joseph in the Old Testament. He would have been considered as the oikoNOmos in Potiphar’s house. He would have been the oikoNOmos in prison over the other prisoners. He would have even been considered the oikoNOmos under Pharaoh, with Egypt being the house he would be over.
So we aren’t just talking about any old servant here. We’re talking about the leader of the servants. Which then answers Peter’s question.
Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?”
At first it would seem that Jesus is ignoring Peter’s question. He just starts telling another parable, but the parable answers the question. You see, the first parable, that was for everyone who would be a servant of Jesus. But the second parable is for the disciples, the apostles specifically. They are the servant-leader over the servants. And most scholars would agree that though we don’t have a line of succession of apostolic authority, this oikonomos—this manager position—is picked up by the pastors of local congregations.
If you look at 1 Timothy 3:1
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
Do you see that word, “overseer?” That word is episkopos which is where we get the word episcopal from. Epi (over) skopos (like scope—micro-scope, tele-scope means seer). The Latin version of this word is super (over) visor (seer) or to put it together supervisor. And you might be thinking, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to an oikonomos (manager) position. Except, then we have Titus 1:7
For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
That word “steward” is the same word as manager “oikoNOmos.” God’s episkopos (overseer) is God’s oikoNOmos (manager).
I bring all of this up because I think it is important to understand what Jesus expects of his manager—his pastors, overseers, elders. He expects more from them.
By his office, he is to be their leader. He is to guide them and make sure that they are serving in their capacity. He is to make sure that the work of the master is getting done. This is why I asked, if you’re not serving is it possibly the fault of the servant-leaders? Perhaps they are not being faithful or wise. It could be that they are being both and that what you think your gifting is, is not actually your gifting.
Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:11-12
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
What is the job of the shepherd/teachers? What is the job of the manager? To equip the saints for the work of the ministry. His job is to see to it that the servants are serving. He is to make sure that the servants know how to serve and that they have what they need to serve. So, he is to be their leader.
But he is also to serve them. Notice the master expected the manager to feed the servants. In the case of the parable, Jesus used food as an allegory for his word. We remember Jesus’s restoration of Peter and each time he asked if he loved him, Jesus would then say, “Feed my sheep. Feed my lambs.” As pastors/managers, we are to keep the servants feeding on the Word of God. We are to serve them in such a way.
This is what Jesus expects to find us doing when he returns. If we are doing it, we get greatly rewarded. Again, being set over all his possessions, is like Joseph being in charge of all of Egypt. It’s a reinforcement of the promise of the kingdom just in different language.
But what happens when the manager sloughs off? He takes advantage of his position? He takes all the glory without all the responsibility? He becomes abusive to the servants. He begins to believe his own hype. He’s in charge. What he says goes. In the parable, the guy is physically abusive and that can happen in the pastorate, but more likely is verbal abuse and spiritual abuse, abuse of power.
This is the same word that Paul would use with the Corinthians when mentioning the wounding of the conscience causing a weak brother or sister to stumble. In other words, it’s that which can cause a person to lose their faith or to fall into sin. Thus, even false teaching can be a form of abuse. Would that Andy Stanley would read this and be reminded what the Lord requires of him. Would that none of us pastors would forget!
In the parable, the oikoNOmos, rather than making sure the servants of the house are fed is feeding himself. He getting drunk rather than making sure they are taken care of.
Jesus does not take lightly the neglect and abuse of his servants. There is severe punishment for those who do so. Jesus warned that anyone who causes one of his little ones to stumble would face a fate worse than having a millstone wrapped around his head. How much worse for those who were put over the little ones? You see, the words for “male and female servants,” in verse 45 is not the same as the word for servants above, though they are in reference to the same people outside the parable. These words literally mean male and female child. It can be a term for a personal servant of a master or mistress, but usually they are still of a young age. How severe would the master’s punishment be for the manager who abuses such a little one as these?
the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.
James wasn’t joking when he wrote,
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
Jesus expects faithfulness from his servant-leaders. Unfaithfulness is unacceptable. I’m not exactly sure why both the ESV and CSB would translate that last word in verse 46 as “unfaithful,” as that can give the impression that they weren’t as faithful as they should have been so there is a subcategory for those who could have done better. The word actually means “the unbelieving.” They have proven themselves to be unbelievers and therefore have their place with unbelievers.
There is little chance that a manager would not have known what his master wanted. Though it is possible. Hence Jesus said in verse 42 that the manager must not only be faithful, but also wise. That word “wise” means discerning and thoughtful. A good manager would be faithful to the will of the master and discerning as to how to carry it out. Could a manager have done something outside of that will or mistaken what his master would want? It’s possible. Thus, though who know are held to a higher standard than those who did not. Again, we see that there is a ranking of punishment, just as there is a ranking of reward.
The more one knows and understands, the more one will have to give an account for whether or not he/she abided by that knowledge.
Conclusion
Conclusion
As we finish this text this morning, we have once again come across some pretty hard pills to swallow. And yet can bring tremendous blessings. Notice Jesus blesses the faithful and ready servants 3 times: verse 37. Verse 38. Verse 43. Jesus emphasizes in these parables how blessed it is to be ready for his return.
We must be ready for your master to return, though it seems he is coming in the second or even third watch of the night.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
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.
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,
We are to be about the masters work.
But secondly as servant-leaders, your pastors ought to be leading and serving you. We are to be faithful and wise in understanding the will of the master and in carrying it out in various ways.
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
I bring this verse out, not to say, “Obey! Submit!” but to show you that this idea of pastors’ responsibilities is never to be taken lightly, either by them or by you. We give an account for your souls. No other job has that kind of responsibility. And so I ask of you to pray for your pastors. Pray with your pastors. For their sake and yours.