Being an Authentic Follower of Jesus:
Living in Light of Christ Second Coming
Luke 12:35-48
If we are required to wait, then you and I had better learn how to do it right and do it well.
1. Keep Alert: Jesus is Coming again (vs. 35-40)
In Jesus’ day, a rich man with a large household had many servants to help him manage his estate. He was the lord or master, and he had unquestioned authority. The master would then have a steward who was responsible to the master for administrating the household. Stewards were either freemen or slaves, and were responsible to care for the property and manage the other servants within the household. The steward was responsible to the master for everything that was going on. A well-run household had a faithful steward who fulfilled the will of the master. Within that household, all the servants knew that faithfulness brought blessings and unfaithfulness brought punishment. In this context, Jesus is thinking of the household as both Israel on one hand and the church on the other. The stewards in Israel were the Pharisees and the Scribes and the stewards within the church will be the apostles, elders, pastors, teachers etc.
Speaking to the crowd, Jesus tells them they are to dress for action or literally gird your loins. In Jesus’ day, men wore long robes and when they needed to move quickly, they would pull up their robes and tuck the bottom of the robe into their belts. They are to be prepared, to be dressed for service of the master.
Next, they are to keep their lamps burning. He is talking about little oil lamps that burned oil. In a dark world, they are to light the way with the gospel. The oil represents the Holy Spirit who indwells Christ follower so we can ‘light’ the way with Christ like character so that the good news shines through our lives and so that we can verbally share the good news. Matthew 5:14a "You are the light of the world. To be a follower of Christ is to take up the mission of God.
Last, he tells them to stand by the door because the master has gone to a wedding feast and will return soon. He is looking past his death and his resurrection when he will coming with great joy to meet those who welcome him and are ready for his return.
We are to live our lives seeking the kingdom by storing up treasures in heaven and another eye toward heaven, awaiting and longing for his return. We long for his return because he is the treasure we long for. Servants would normally serve the master when he arrives but Jesus says I will serve you. They are blessed because when he comes and finds them ready he will serve them. God will serve us even in the age to come. Why? It gives him the opportunity to display his power and our neediness for all eternity. We will live in the age to come by grace for all eternity. The main treasure in heaven will be God himself.
Then Jesus sums up his point by telling them to be ready because we do no know when he will come. But that does not matter to the ones who are seeking the kingdom because his delay only means more gospel impact.
To illustrate the need for readiness Jesus gives them a parable. The picture is of Jesus as an unwelcome intruder – a thief. Here Jesus is an unauthorized and unwelcome taker like taking possessions of the rich fool. To some his return is seen as forcing his way into the household to take what does not belong to him. But the story of the rich fool tells us just the opposite. The difference is the gospel and if we have embraced the gospel.
2. Remain Faithful: Jesus is coming again (41-48)
Peter’s asks, ‘does this apply to us only or to the crowd also. Jesus answers in a round about way by describing what it means to be a faithful servant and what it means to be an unfaithful servant. The faithful servant is one who takes his responsibility seriously and manages the estate and those he is given authority over. If the Pharisees will use their authority to serve others (seek the kingdom) they will be blessed and rewarded. If the disciples will follow Jesus model of authority by serving people as they will be blessed and rewarded. The reward for faithful stewardship is greater responsibility in the age to come. Each of us will be evaluated and rewarded by God based upon how well we manage what God has given us here as FOC.
Luke 19:17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.
In contrast to the faithful steward, the unfaithful steward takes advantage of the masters’ delay by using the master’s resources for selfish gain rather than kingdom gain. The lesson from the rich fool is that possessions and material blessings are meant to be used to serve others. Instead of being rewarded, they will be punished and put out with the unfaithful. When Christ returns again, all people will be judged justly according to their relationship to the king and their knowledge of the king. The unfaithful stewards are punished. They are divided into three categories (45-48). First are those who blatantly disobey and judged most severely (45-46); second are those who consciously disobey (47); third are those who ignorant and disobey (48). Judgment is measured out in proportion to the knowledge received and rejected.
Jesus is teaching that among the crowd he is teaching most of the Jews will reject him and so he will offer the kingdom to Gentiles. What was theirs by right as the chosen people, the Messiah, they will forfeit because they will reject him. He is also teaching that among his followers there are those who will also reject him (i.e. Judas) because they reject the message of the rich fool – to use their resources for kingdom gain rather than personal gain and so store up treasures in heaven. If heart is in heaven, you will wait with expectation and welcome his return.
