Preparing for The Master’s Coming

Luke 12:35-48 In our Scripture today there are several closely related scenarios, each has a master who has servants. The master is absent for a time and has promised a return at some point in the future, unknown to the servant, without advance announcement. The requirement is that the servant be ready for the return at whatever time it might occur. The charge is, “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning.” (v35) This tells us that there is never a time when we are “off duty” as far as serving the master. The return of the master from the wedding banquet could be at any time during the night; but his servants were expected to be dressed and ready to meet his needs. Not sleeping, not doing their own thing, but ready. If you knew that you were going to be robbed at 3 AM Sunday night - you'd be ready, and it wouldn’t happen. The bottom line is that Jesus is coming back, and the expectation is that whatever the time or date of His return that we who belong to Him will be packed and ready. The second important part of being a servant is how we handle what has been entrusted to us during our master’s absence. We are accountable for what we have, what we know, and what’s been placed under our control. We had better not abuse ourselves, anyone, or anything that God has place in our care. Willful disobedience will be punished far more severely than ignorance. The more you’re given or entrusted with the greater will be you’re accountability when Christ returns.