A Study of the Book of Luke
Sermon # 34
Are You Ready?
Luke 12:35-44
We have all seen and laughed at the Ameritrades commercial that shows the lazy husband reclining on the coach as his wife tells him to do one thing that day – establish an online investment account. He says, “Sure.” Then he turns his attention again to the television. We see him as he watches television all day until finally he falls asleep. He awakens with alarm when he hears his wife’s car pull into the driveway, he then jumps to his feet and rushes to the computer. Fortunately for him is just a matter of a few clicks and he is all signed up. He rushes back to the couch just as she enters the room. Her first question is, ‘Did you set up the account?’ His indignant reply is, ‘Of Course.’
It may be possible to wait till the last possible moment to establish an Ameritrades account, but there are some things that are far to important to take a chance on. One of these is our relationship to God.
You some times hear someone make a casual remark such as, “I hope I don’t die suddenly. I want to have time to straighten out some things in my life.” The questions begs to be asked, “If there are things that need to be done, why don’t you do them now. “ We shouldn’t wait until the doctor tells us that we have three weeks to live to straighten out our lives. The truth is that none of us knows we have another three weeks to live.
You must be ready to move when Christ returns. Do not think that you can make preparations for his coming then.
Jesus spoke often of his return. He told his disciples in John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” “There are 260 chapters in the New Testament, and Christ return is mentioned in no less than 318 times in those chapters. Statistically, one verse in twenty-five mentions the Lord’s return.” [R. Kent Hughes. Preaching the Word Luke: That You May Know the Truth. Vol 2. (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1998). p. 59]
In Luke’s gospel (12:35) we find the first extended teaching on the Second Coming of Jesus and here he warns his followers to be ready. The relationship between Jesus’ prior words about treasure in heaven and watchfulness is obvious. The one who has his treasure in heaven will be ready and watching for the Lord’s return; the one who has his heart set on the treasures of this world will be caught completely unaware at His coming. In the verses of today’s text we are given three distinct characteristics of a “good waiter.” Waiting is not the absence of doing anything constructive. Waiting is not a static state, it is a time when God is working behind the scenes and his primary focus is on us. The modern translation “The Message” paraphrases Romans 8:24 as, “Waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting.” We try to wait patiently. The hardest part of waiting is just that waiting. Waiting involves time and we don’t know when our waiting will be over.
The First Characteristic of a “Good Waiter” is Preparation. (vv. 35-36)
What do we say to someone today that we want to be prepared to join us on some outing – We say “be dressed and ready”
Jesus said in verse thirty-five, “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; (36) and you yourselves be like men who wait on their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.”
Such a banquet was of indeterminate length. A wedding banquet might consist of only a single meal and require only a few hours; but if the host were a person of wealth, the feasting could go on for days. It was impossible then to know exactly when the master of the house would return, so when the master would return was anyone’s guess. But the uncertainty did make these servant’s less vigilant.
These servants were truly remarkable. They did not give in to fatigue, they displayed no irritation, they did not sport an “attitude.” Rather they kept the light burning and them-selves in a constant state of readiness to spring up at a moments notice to joyous welcome their master home. In 2 Thess. 3:13, Paul urges Christians “…. Do not grow weary in well doing.” We can not give up and stop, or even tire and slow down, there is too much at stake.
Whenever we as Christians take our eyes off of Jesus, we will begin to slack off, the church will begin to decline. We can not stop because we are having a spiritual dry moment, we need to be faithful.
The Second Characteristic of a “Good Waiter” is Expectancy (v. 38)
“And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants:”
The second watch was the three hours before midnight (9 p.m. – 12 Midnight) and the third watch was the three hours after midnight (Midnight to 3 a.m.). Though it was late at night these servant’s were still dressed and ready for service. That is, they were not only fully clothed they had their “waist girded,” which means they had their long robes tucked into their belts, making it possible for them to move quickly to the door. They had done everything in their power to be ready.
This verse reveals that the time of the Lord’s return should not be the Christians major concern. What is important is being prepared and living a life of expectancy. Paul describes the way that he tried to live his life in his letter to the Philippians (1:20) when he says “my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but will all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” The word translated “earnest expectation” describes “straining one’s neck to get a glimpse of something ahead.” Paul’s life was lived inconstant expectancy of Christ imminent return. In the same letter Paul later (3:20) says, “….we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here again with the words “eagerly wait” he describes a time of waiting with intense longing and eager expectation.
The Third Characteristic of a “Good Waiter” is Faithfulness.
Concerning Faithfulness Jesus has two things to say.
1. FOR THE FAITHFUL THE LORD’S RETURN HOLDS REWARD (v.37, 41-44)
“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 come and serve them.” The master was so moved by the faithfulness of his servants that instead of sitting down at the table to be served, he dressed himself to wait on them ( in fact the same word is used in the original language to describe how they were dressed ready for service (v. 35). He made them to recline at the table and he served them! In a few short weeks Jesus wrapped a towel around his waist and washed the feet of the twelve as they sat in the upper room (John 13:1-17).
A good example of faithfulness is found in the life of John Broadus. “John Broadus, (was) the faithful president of Southern Baptist Seminary during the (American) Civil War. At the war’s end the seminary had four professors and seven students, one of those was blind. Only the blind student took Broadus’s course on preaching. Under the circumstances, many teachers would have been tempted to give less than their best. But not Dr. Broadus, who gave painstaking care to every lecture. Those magnificent lectures became the substance for the most famous and influential of all books on preaching (homilitecs) in American history, The Preparation and Delivery of Sermons. Broadus’s authority was increased because he was a faithful servant. But that is only the beginning of the story. The final story is being written now, as Broadus serves Christ in the final estate.” [Hughes. p. 64]
The disciple’s minds were reeling a the implications of what Jesus has said so in verse forty-one, Peter asks a question that they were all thinking ‘Lord, do you speak this parable only to us or to all people?’ (42) And the Lord said, ‘Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household to give then their portion of food in due season? (43) Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. (44) Truly, I say to you that he will make him master over all that he has.”
We will be blessed if we are ready. Those who are ready for Christ return are not couch potatoes just sitting back lethargically, nor are they those who are setting dates, and sitting on the church steps dressed in white. They are alive and active, serving Christ to best of their ability. Perhaps you are serving in all kinds of community things; couching a ball team, serving in the school and all those things are good and need to be done. But those are not the things Jesus will ask you about. But let me ask you what are you doing for Christ and his church?
2. FOR SOME THE LORD’S RETURN HOLDS ONLY TERROR. (vv. 39-40, 45-46)
There is a strong contrast between two groups of people drawn with the word “but,” in verse thirty-nine. In the previous verses the image of the master/servant was intended as an encouragement to faithfulness. The master’s return was welcomed and comes with a reward. Now the image shifts to that of the owner/thief and is intended as a warning to those who live without an expectancy of the Lord’s eminent return. To these individuals the Lord’s return in not welcomed and his arrival spells disaster.
Verse thirty-nine, “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. (40) Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
What makes the difference between whether Jesus is seen as the welcomed Master or the dreaded thief. The difference is relationship. There is a loving bond between the master and his servant’s. The servant’s anxiously await the master’s return because of who he is. The home owner does not know the thief nor does he want to. He hopes the thief never comes for his coming produces loss.
So when will the Lord return? I like the way the celebrated Scottish preacher of the last century, Robert Murray McCheyne looked at it. He “used to ask groups of preachers the question, ‘Do you think the Lord is coming tonight?’ the preachers would quietly respond, ‘No.’ Then McCheyne would counter with a quote from our text, ‘The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” …. There is a sense in which humbly saying, ‘I don’t think he will come back tonight,’ increases the likelihood that it will be tonight, though of course no one knows when he will return.” [ Hughes. p. 63]
The apostle Peter wrote to the Christian community about some who were mocking the coming of the Lord, saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." Peter replied, "The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pas away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up." (2 Peter 3:3-11.) John would write to the same churches after the deaths of Peter and Paul, "And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." (1 John 2:28.) Paul, writing to the Thessalonians some 20 years after these words were spoken, said, "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.)
The thrust of Jesus message can be summed up in two words: Get ready! Are you prepared for Jesus’ second coming? Our heavenly Father sent his Son to this earth the first time to offer all of us who were dead in our trespasses and sins the hope of salvation, if we would invite Jesus into our hearts as Lord. The risen Lord is still offering the hope of salvation to all who believe in him as Lord. Once we accept him as our Lord, he places us into his household and gives us spiritual gifts and areas of responsibility to spread the good news.
In the midst of our service to the Lord we are called to remain faithful to our Lord by being dressed in readiness, keeping alert in the midst of our ministry, knowing that the Lord will return, and then he will bring blessing to those servants who are faithful and judgment to those servants who are unfaithful.
Jesus is coming again. The first time he came with the offer of salvation; the second time the world will see him rule and reign on this earth as the righteous Judge. If we reject his wonderful offer of salvation now, we will have to meet him as our Judge at the time of our death or in his glorious second coming. Since now is the day of salvation, I beg you, don’t put off his offer of salvation today. You may not have another day on this earth to make your decision.
