The Vigilant Servant

I. EXORDIUM:

How do you show your greatness?

By being a vigilant servant. Matthew 20:26

Matthew 20:26 (Amplified Bible)

Not so shall it be among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant,

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers/unbelievers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that GOD will serve us in the days to come because He's the Eternal Great GOD, and all His creations will serve Him by waiting for His return.

IV. TEXT:

Luke 12:37 (Amplified Bible)

Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are those servants whom the master finds awake and alert and watching when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will gird himself and have them recline at table and will come and serve them!

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship, glorify, adore, bless, honor, acknowledge and thank You very much LORD JESUS for I am clothed with You, making no provision for the flesh, gratifying it's evil desires. I am free in and through You.

Romans 13:14 (Amplified Bible)

But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts).

VI. TITLE:

The vigilant servant

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Dr. Luke, The Beloved Physician (close friend and traveling companion of Paul)

B. Audience: Theophilus (Greek means friend of GOD, a Christian)

C. Purpose: To give a connected and orderly narrative of the life of CHRIST as seen by eyewitnesses

VIII. MAIN BODY:

Luke 12:37 (Amplified Bible)

Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are those servants whom the master finds awake and alert and watching when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will gird himself and have them recline at table and will come and serve them!

Luke 12:37 (King James Version)

Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

A. Blessed are servants whom the LORD finds watching.

"Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are those servants whom the master finds awake and alert and watching when he comes."

Watching or "gregoreuo" in Greek meaning: to keep awake, watch, vigilant, wake, be watchful. Be watchful of the events around him taking place, the signs that leads to the return of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Philippians 1:21 (Amplified Bible)

For me to live is Christ [His life in me], and to die is gain [the gain of the glory of eternity].

Philippians 1:23 (Amplified Bible)

But I am hard pressed between the two. My yearning desire is to depart (to be free of this world, to set forth) and be with Christ, for that is far, far better;

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (Amplified Bible)

I have fought the good (worthy, honorable, and noble) fight, I have finished the race, I have kept (firmly held) the faith.

[As to what remains] henceforth there is laid up for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me and recompense me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and yearned for and welcomed His appearing (His return).

A watchful servant has several qualities:

1. A watchful servant does not know the day or hour of the coming of his LORD.

Matthew 24:42 (Amplified Bible)

Watch therefore [give strict attention, be cautious and active], for you do not know in what kind of a day [whether a near or remote one] your Lord is coming.

Matthew 25:13 (Amplified Bible)

Watch therefore [give strict attention and be cautious and active], for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come.

Mark 13:35 (Amplified Bible)

Therefore watch (give strict attention, be cautious and alert), for you do not know when the Master of the house is coming—in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning—

The wicked world has these opinions in themselves if the LORD tarries and waits for His return, maybe He will not return. What a wicked generation this is! If you don't know the hour or the day, then you carefully watch for it and just don't idle or be lazy or slack in your work for the LORD. In the 80's, they say it's the last days, I say now it's the last hour. Clean up our act by GOD's Grace and start winning souls for the LORD. Fulfill the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:19 (Amplified Bible)

Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,