Ready And Waiting Series

Are we there yet?

land marks, milestones along the way

long middle section of the book

we’ve turned toward Jerusalem

Jesus is ultimately preparing his disciples for his departure and preparing them and us to continue ministry in His absence.

Even in the midst of the part of Luke in which we find ourselves, Luke is relaying to us conversations that Jesus is having - some with the disciples, some with the crowds, some with the pharisees.

Following the charge to not worry about others or about earthly possessions - Jesus seems to make another hint toward toward the cross and toward his time away from his people. In doing this, he calls his people to be ready and waiting while he is gone. While it’s an abrupt shift, this call to readiness is not abstract, as our view of our possessions, the persecution we may face, and our anticipation of His return do go hand in hand.

If you have your copy of God’s Word, open to Luke 12: 35. We’ll be reading up to verse 53.

Luke 12:35–53 ESV

“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.

“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

The main point of the passage will mark the structure of our outline Jesus’s followers should…

Remain watchful and faithful in Jesus’ departure; it wasn’t easy for Him and it won’t be easy for us, but it will be worth it.

So, as we dive into this passage, Jesus calls His followers to…

Remain watchful and faithful in Jesus’ departure…(35-48)

Jesus uses two similar but different parables, or similitudes to instruct his followers. While there are similar stories, the applications are slightly different. One leans toward watchfulness, the other toward faithfulness.

Let’s begin by considering…

Watchfulness

This watchfulness is not sitting around watching TV or relaxing in idleness. The opening phrase suggests a working watchfulness. Dressed and ready for action in Greek literally means “gird your loins.” In their culture, they might do this by putting on their belt and hoisting up their robes so that they are ready to spring into action when needed. Laborers would do this before going to work. They needed their legs to be free to move.