Be Ready - Faithful Servant
Be Ready – Faithful Servant
We are in the graduation and commencement season. Congratulations to all graduates at all levels. How do you get ready along the years for the commencement day? Simple. By attending classes, listening to your teacher, doing your home works, passing scheduled and surprise exams and quizzes and living life with other students, and occasionally playing some sports or other decent activities that make for a joyful student life.
We have been looking at the signs of the end and the soon return of Jesus Christ our savior. In Matthew 24, Jesus gives us pointers but said ““Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Mathew 24:36.
Comparing the Day of Christ’s return to the Commencement Day, though we do not know the exact day, there is still on-going and daily readiness. However, there is more urgency and too much at stake with Christ’s return. If you miss the commencement, you could repeat a class and graduate the next commencement. Christ’s return is only a one time deal. There are no make-up exams in “purgatory” or a holding place. There are no such places.
Jesus shows us the urgency for readiness towards His return in three parables of the faithful and wicked servants (Matthew 24: 45-51); the ten wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25: 1-13); and the parable of talents (Matthew 25:14-30). In all, Jesus is looking for our faithfulness and obedience to the voice of His Holy Spirit. In school, it doesn’t matter how much you claim you love your teacher if you are not listening to his/her instructions, doing your homework and passing the exams.
Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46). Jesus is coming for those He loves and who love him back. For without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrew 11:6) and faith without works is dead and no faith. It is faith in Jesus himself and His death on the cross that has cleansed us from every sin of the past, present and future.
We are only saved by God's grace which is a gift but we are saved for doing His good works. Going to heaven is still by God's grace and not because of good works.
Today, we look at the first parable.
Matthew 24:45-51- The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant
45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’[g] 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Faithful servants listened and put their lives to work to bring joy to their master. They did what God had given them ability to do and they did not live carelessly but were in the master’s business of caring for others.
The wicked servant did not believe his master nor trusted him. Many in the world and in the church do not believe nor have trusted Christ. They make excuses why God is not good and cannot be trusted. The wicked servant did not care for people and only cared for himself. The wicked servant never believed the words of the master that he will return soon. The wick servant was cast into hell at the end.
David Guzik, commenting on this passage said, “The most dangerous lie is not “There is no God,” not “there is no hell”; but the most dangerous lie of Satan is “there is no hurry.”
Do you believe Christ could come today? I do. If we do, then let’s live as if He is coming today. Christ will come in the midst of the mortgage payments, getting married and having babies and etc. Life will be as usual but be ready.
The early church lived in daily anticipation of Christ’s return. How much should we after 2000 years later? Apostle Peter reminded us of this and said, “10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.[c] 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” 2 Peter 3:10-11.
Are you ready? Do you have the Holy Spirit? Better, does God the Holy Spirit have you? Are you immersed in the Spirit, hearing His voice and doing what He says to do at this moment? We can only do for Christ what we can do today and not tomorrow. If we have tomorrow, then we do tomorrows but He is looking for faithfulness today.
Who will you encourage today and speak words of life of Jesus to? For the sake of Christ, who can we love today and speak kindly to? Who can we grant the same grace and forgiveness we have received from Christ? Who can we point to Christ and give them a chance to become His follower who believes and trusts in Him?
Being ready is in the being and doing of the daily promptings of the Holy Spirit. Be Ready in the Spirit of Christ! Amen
We are in the graduation and commencement season. Congratulations to all graduates at all levels. How do you get ready along the years for the commencement day? Simple. By attending classes, listening to your teacher, doing your home works, passing scheduled and surprise exams and quizzes and living life with other students, and occasionally playing some sports or other decent activities that make for a joyful student life.
We have been looking at the signs of the end and the soon return of Jesus Christ our savior. In Matthew 24, Jesus gives us pointers but said ““Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Mathew 24:36.
Comparing the Day of Christ’s return to the Commencement Day, though we do not know the exact day, there is still on-going and daily readiness. However, there is more urgency and too much at stake with Christ’s return. If you miss the commencement, you could repeat a class and graduate the next commencement. Christ’s return is only a one time deal. There are no make-up exams in “purgatory” or a holding place. There are no such places.
Jesus shows us the urgency for readiness towards His return in three parables of the faithful and wicked servants (Matthew 24: 45-51); the ten wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25: 1-13); and the parable of talents (Matthew 25:14-30). In all, Jesus is looking for our faithfulness and obedience to the voice of His Holy Spirit. In school, it doesn’t matter how much you claim you love your teacher if you are not listening to his/her instructions, doing your homework and passing the exams.
Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46). Jesus is coming for those He loves and who love him back. For without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrew 11:6) and faith without works is dead and no faith. It is faith in Jesus himself and His death on the cross that has cleansed us from every sin of the past, present and future.
We are only saved by God's grace which is a gift but we are saved for doing His good works. Going to heaven is still by God's grace and not because of good works.
Today, we look at the first parable.
Matthew 24:45-51- The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant
45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’[g] 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Faithful servants listened and put their lives to work to bring joy to their master. They did what God had given them ability to do and they did not live carelessly but were in the master’s business of caring for others.
The wicked servant did not believe his master nor trusted him. Many in the world and in the church do not believe nor have trusted Christ. They make excuses why God is not good and cannot be trusted. The wicked servant did not care for people and only cared for himself. The wicked servant never believed the words of the master that he will return soon. The wick servant was cast into hell at the end.
David Guzik, commenting on this passage said, “The most dangerous lie is not “There is no God,” not “there is no hell”; but the most dangerous lie of Satan is “there is no hurry.”
Do you believe Christ could come today? I do. If we do, then let’s live as if He is coming today. Christ will come in the midst of the mortgage payments, getting married and having babies and etc. Life will be as usual but be ready.
The early church lived in daily anticipation of Christ’s return. How much should we after 2000 years later? Apostle Peter reminded us of this and said, “10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.[c] 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” 2 Peter 3:10-11.
Are you ready? Do you have the Holy Spirit? Better, does God the Holy Spirit have you? Are you immersed in the Spirit, hearing His voice and doing what He says to do at this moment? We can only do for Christ what we can do today and not tomorrow. If we have tomorrow, then we do tomorrows but He is looking for faithfulness today.
Who will you encourage today and speak words of life of Jesus to? For the sake of Christ, who can we love today and speak kindly to? Who can we grant the same grace and forgiveness we have received from Christ? Who can we point to Christ and give them a chance to become His follower who believes and trusts in Him?
Being ready is in the being and doing of the daily promptings of the Holy Spirit. Be Ready in the Spirit of Christ! Amen
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