Faithful Servants Are Blessed

FAITHFUL SERVANTS ARE BLESSED (Outline)

November 20, 2022 – Pentecost Last – LUKE 12:35-43

INTRO: The Lord calls us to be his servants. The Lord also calls us his children. We are servants and children of the Lord. Our lives are guided by the Lord’s Word. Not the world’s words. There is a vast difference between people of the world and the children of the Lord. This difference is as great as the distinction between night and day. “…for you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. So then let us not sleep like everyone else, but rather let us remain alert and sober” (1 THESSALONIANS 5:5, 6). We are not asleep to the evil in this world. We are awake. Alert. FAITHFUL SERVANTS ARE BLESSED. I. Waiting and watching. II. Expecting Jesus’ return.

I. WE WAIT, WATCH FOR JESUS’ RETURN

A. Verse 35. “Be dressed, ready for service…” Jesus gets straight to the point: be on high alert.

1. “…keep your lamps burning.” Oil needed. Flame needed to keep burning. Hard to relight.

2. Verse 36. Waiting for the master to return. Waiting for his knock. Open the door.

B. Verse 37. “Blessed ore those servants, whom the master will find watching when he comes.” Awake.

1. The master will serve the servants. Unheard of and unexpected action. Master’s joy, love.

2. The servants are blessed by having the tables turned on them. Servants being served.

C. Verse 38. Faithful servants were waiting in the middle of the night. Watching and alert.

1. Did not know when the master would return from the celebration.

2. Faithful servants awake and reading for action. Waiting. Watching. Welcome the master.

D. What an unexpected blessing for these servants. They were ready to serve the master whenever he returned. Do their duty. But now the master served them. This parable example brings to mind our Master-Servant. Jesus, the eternal God, took on human flesh to serve his creation. Sinful creatures. Disobedient children. The disciples argued about who of them was the greatest. Jesus’ reminder. “…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (MATTHEW 20:28). What an amazing blessing for us. We are given forgiveness. Eternal life. Our Savior Christ uses his obedience to pay for our disobedience. Sinlessness for our sinfulness. Blessed.

E. When the Lord makes promises he always fulfils them. These promises are carried out according to his divine plans and times. Adam and Eve sinned. The Lord God promised a Savior to pay for their guilt. Generations waited. Watched. Thousands of years later Christ the Savior was born. Immanuel. Jesus took on human flesh to visibly live on earth. Lived. Died. Buried. Rose from the dead. Ascended into heaven. Promised to return. Generations have waited. Watched. On the Last Day, .day it will be said, ‘Look, here is our God! We waited for him, and he saved us! This is the LORD! We waited for him. Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation!’” (ISAIAH 30:15). Perfect, eternal blessings given.

F. Waiting and watching we are future looking people. We look to the future with hope. God’s promise assures us of being blessed. Blessings both spiritual and earthly. We look to the future and also live in the present. Evil is ever-present in our earthly lives. We also need to be watching and alert to the sin that surrounds us. Temptations. Distractions. Present danger. "Have sound judgment. Be alert because your enemy, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 PETER 5:8). Yes, Satan wants to devour our soul. The world wants us to grow sleepy to its wickedness. At times our sinful nature desires to travel on the wide road leading to destruction. Keep your lamps burning.

FAITHFUL SERVANTS ARE BLESSED. We keep the light on: waiting, watching, alert.

II. WE ARE EXPECTING JESUS’ RETURN

A. Verse 39. “But know this…” Pay attention. Jesus continued with easily understood parable.

1. The house owner would be sure to be ready if he knew what time the thief was coming.

2. The owned would wait…watch…expect the thief. The thief would be caught unexpectedly.

3. Verse 40. “Son of Man is coming…hour when you are not expecting him.” Expect unexpected.

B. Verse 41. Peter is curious about this parable. Is it spoken to disciples? Everybody?

1. Verse 42. As often is the case, Jesus answers a question asked by asking his question.

2. Who is the faithful and wise servant? Everyone who does his duty. Parable for everybody.

C. Verses 43. “Blessed is that servant whom his master will doing so when he comes.”