August 30, 2010
BE READY!
Luke 12:35-48
Sarah Welch
Central Truth
Live your life preparing for Christ's return, aware of the fact you could enter eternity at any moment.
Key Verse | Luke 12:40
"You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect." (Luke 12:40)
Luke 12:35-48
You Must Be Ready
35 Stay dressed for action 1 12:35 Greek Let your loins stay girded; compare Exodus 12:11 and keep your lamps burning, 36 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. 37 Blessed are those servants 2 12:37 Or bondservants 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. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he 3 12:39 Some manuscripts add would have stayed awake and would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 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? 43 Blessed is that servant 4 12:43 Or bondservant; also verses 45, 46, 47 whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 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, 46 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. 47 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. 48 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.
Dive Deeper | Luke 12:35-48
I feel like this passage is screaming at us, "BE READY!! Jesus could come at any time." The author uses several analogies to prepare us: a servant dressed in readiness, waiting on his master's return; a master unaware of thieves in the night; and a servant who knows his master's will.
When I sit and reflect on what it means to be ready, I think about how I am living my life on this earth. This passage calls us to have an eternal perspective—to live like the servant who was doing exactly what the master asked when the master returned. So, what does that look like?
First, we must know our Master. To be able to grasp what God wants from us, we have to understand who He is. It seems simple, but the biggest thing we'll do in this life is to step into a relationship with Him and learn about His character.
Second, to be ready, we must be in tune with our Master's desires for us. We should live every day here on earth with our view set on Christ's return. On the days when I get this right, it changes everything. It changes the way I interact with my co-workers, the way I intentionally have conversations with those high school girls, the way I actively participate in the community God has placed around me, and the way I love whomever God puts in my life. When I choose to see my life through an eternal perspective, things look very different, and I'm moved to action in a way I could never achieve on my own.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you know the Master, Jesus Christ?
2. Look at your daily life with an eternal perspective. What needs to change?
3. Are you ready for Jesus to come? If Christ came back today and your time on earth ended, would you be pleased with how you lived your life?
FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Do we know when Jesus is coming back? When should we be ready for His return? (12:40)
2. What are things we can do now to be “ready and waiting” for His return?