According To Luke: Watching and Working

According To Luke: Watching and Working

Opening Illustration:

Have you met Jessica? Jessica is one of our hard working custodians. Jessica shows up to work on time. She shows up to work ready to go. No doubt about it, Jessica is the hardest working woman at Eastern Shore Baptist Church. Every time I see her, she has worked up a sweat. She vacuums. She cleans. She takes out the trash. She does all of this with a huge smile on her face. 

The other day, I told her that she could take a break. After all, she was making the rest of us look bad. Without missing a beat, she replied that taking a break was not going to vacuum this floor. Good for her I say. I really like Jessica because I love hard workers. I find them inspiring. Answer this question for me this morning, who is the hardest working person you know? Fill in that blank for me today. 

Who Is The Hardest Working Person You Know?

So who is it? Is it your husband, your wife? Is it someone here in the church? One of the hardest working people I know here at Eastern Shore Baptist Church is Ed Counselman. I have seen Ed work tirelessly trying to beautify the buildings on this campus. I find people like Ed very inspirational. Ed makes me say “I want to be like that guy when I grow up”. So, who do you want to be like when you grow up? Who inspires you work harder. 

The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are not working for ourselves, or even for another man. Ultimately, we work for the Lord. 

Colossians 3:23-24 ESV

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

So, when it comes to working for the Lord, are you resisting, resting, or ready to go? Which category do you find yourself in this morning?

When It Comes Jesus’ Work, Are You Resisting, Resting, or Ready?

Background:

Jesus is speaking to His disciples in this moment. Luke 12 is a long chapter that covers a great deal of ground. Jesus gives warnings early in the chapter against the teachings of the Pharisees. He then speaks in parables and encourages His followers to embrace fear and worry in their lives. Today, Jesus is telling His friends to be watchful, to be ready, and to be working. He tells the story of a group of servants who have been entrusted with watching and waiting for the master of the house to return for a wedding banquet. Jesus helps the disciples that they too are waiting for the Master to return. So, be watchful. Be ready. Be working. Let’s read this morning from Luke 12:25-48. 

Scripture:

Luke 12:35-48 ESV

35 “Stay dressed for action 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 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 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 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.

4 Points From Jesus’ Parable!

I. We Have An Assignment vs. 35-37

Luke 12:35-37 ESV

35 “Stay dressed for action 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 whom the master finds awake when he comes.

Point:

In verses 35-37 Jesus gives His disciples three distinct tasks. The first one is to stay dressed for action. The second is to keep your lamps burning. Lastly, He tells them to wait for the master. Jesus delivers wise words for Christians today. Think about it. He tells the disciples to stay dressed for action. The Greek word being used here reminds us that we need to be equipped. Ready for battle. It means to fasten our belts, to tuck in loose clothing and to gird oneself. Picture a basketball player in a defensive posture. Or a baseball player ready to receive a line drive. Or a defensive back in football ready to tackle the bruising half back. That is the picture that Jesus is painting. Be ready, be defensive because hardship and difficult are coming our way. 

Next, Jesus tells us to keep our lamps burning. The picture here that Jesus is painting is referring to knowledge. A lit lamp is like a wise mind. Knowledge has forever been illustrated by light. Truth is often illustrated as light as well. Jesus is telling His disciples to not allow their knowledge of truth and wisdom to become dim. Where does wisdom and truth come from? Well the answer is God’s Word. 

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

Matthew 4:4 ESV

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

God’s Word is the key to keeping our lamps lit. 

Lastly, Jesus tells His disciples to wait for the Master. Again, when you take the word “wait” back to the original language, you see that so much more is being said. Jesus is telling His disciples that they are to wait, He is telling them that they must receive the Master, to accept the Master, and to expect the Master. Again, think of another description. How many of you have dogs? When you leave your house for a few hours, how do most of your dogs respond to when you arrive home? Generally, dogs are very excited to see their human return. They are excited because the one who cares for them has come home. The one who feeds them has not abandoned them. There may be some barking of excitement, there is probably some jumping that occurs. That dog has been waiting and his waiting finally paid off. The master is home and life is good. This is the way that we should be. One day, the Master is going to return. He will return life back the way it should have been all along. 

So our assignment today is the same assignment that Jesus gave to the disciples. Be ready. Stay close to God’s Word. Be expectant. The Master will return. 

4 Points From Jesus’ Parable!

I. We Have An Assignment vs. 35-37

II. We Have An Authority vs. 38-40

Luke 12:38-40 ESV

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 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.”

Point:

Certainly the Authority that I am speaking of this morning is Jesus Himself. Jesus is our authority. He is our Master. But what does that mean? What does it mean that He is our authority? The word “authority” denotes permission. It denotes privilege; it denotes power; it denotes rule, control, influence. When someone has authority, that means they’re on top of other people. They have responsibility beyond the norm. They are able to determine things, to decide things, to render judgments, to wield certain rights and privileges. And we say in the home there’s authority, resting with the Father, with the parents. In the government there are authorities: the police and those who govern us. In the schools there are authorities. In business, in the plant, in the job – in any dimension of life there are authorities, people who have the privilege, the power, the permission to set the rules, to determine the judgments and the verdicts.

But there is one who has authority that surpasses all other authorities. In Matthew chapter 28, verse 18, Jesus said this, “All authority is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” “All authority is given unto Me” – that is an amazing claim to privilege. That is an amazing claim to power, to permission, to right. And Jesus demonstrated that very well in His ministry.

He had authority to teach whatever He wanted to teach and footnote no one. He had authority to heal the sick. He had authority to forgive sin. He had authority to cast out demons. Tremendous authority.

Now, He had so much authority that He was a problem to the Jewish system. Because, you see, they believed that they were the authorities. And they had a very highly-developed and sophisticated system of authority. And He absolutely ignored it. He never asked their information for anything. He didn’t ask them to approve His doctrine. He didn’t ask them to approve His healings. He didn’t ask them to approve His casting out of demons. He didn’t ask them to approve His verdicts and His judgments. He didn’t ask them to help Him decide who were the children of God, and He didn’t ask for their advice on how to give eternal life. He totally ignored them.

Now, in thinking about the authority of Christ, perhaps it’s helpful to consider two words. The first is the word dunamis which the Bible translates power. The second is the word exousía which the Bible translates power or authority and is best understood as authority, and there is a difference.

Point:

Dunamis or power is the ability to do something. Exousía or authority is the right to do it. And when we say Jesus had authority, we mean not just that He had power, but that He had privilege. God had given Him the privilege of acting in His behalf, in this world, with no regard for the authorities of men. And so, He had both dunamis and exousía. He had the power and He had the privilege. It was given Him by God. And He said that again and again. He said in John’s Gospel at least three or four times, from chapter 5 to 8, “I do what the Father shows Me to do, and that’s exactly what I do.” He had God-given authority.

Point:

In Luke 12, Jesus tells the story of the returning “Master”. Again the Greek word being used here signals that this person is in charge, sovereign, a King or prince, a chief, and that this person has the power in deciding. He is supreme. He is in control. No matter if you believe that Jesus is master or not, He is. Aren’t you glad this morning that the Master is on your side, that He loves you, and that He allows you to participate in His grand ministry design? The other day, I ran across a poem about Jesus being the master. Take a listen.   

Poem:

THE MASTER OF THE STORM

By James Rowe

Out on the ocean of life we sail,

Battered by many a raging gale,

Yet we are sure that we shall prevail,

No storm can His ship over whelm

Billows may threaten and winds may blow,

Courage and faith we shall always show;

Nothing can harm us as on we go,

For Jesus is at the helm.

Wrecks we are seeing form day to day.

Poor broken vessels, along the way;

No one to pilot their ships have they;

And so they are sinking fast.

Jesus would pilot their vessel, too.

Comfort and give to them courage new;

If they believed him and would be true,

Their trials would soon be past.

True to our Pilot we all shall be,

Whether a stormy or peaceful sea;

Always so helpful and sweet is He,

And blessings us over more.

Soon we shall meet Him upon the strand.

Of the eternal and happy land,

Then we shall praise Him in chorus grand.

With those who have reached the shore.

He is the Master of wind and tide;

Safely the billows His ship will rid;

Into the harbor at last if will glide,

Where we shall be wondrously blest,

And so with our Pilot we sail along,

Safe from the storm and from all things wrong;

Soon we shall enter the harbor of song.

The haven of endless joy and rest.

Colossians 1:18 ESV

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

4 Points From Jesus’ Parable!

I. We Have An Assignment vs. 35-37

II. We Have An Authority vs. 38-40

III. We Have An Arrangement (Choice) vs. 41

Luke 12:41 ESV

41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?”

Point:

Jesus, right out the gate, tells His followers that they are to remain ready. They are to remain willing to do whatever the Master wills. Notice that the Master is not in their midst all the time. The Master expects that while He is gone that they are busy working, managing, producing, and GTD! Getting things done! It is funny, when I read this piece of Scripture, it is like Jesus telling me to get to work, you can sleep when you are dead. 

Point:

When you think about working for the Lord, most people don’t remember the call, they only focus on the chaos. They see the job, not Jesus. They don’t understand that they are not to be working their particular assignment by themselves, they have help. Not just help from the Lord, but help from others. 

Brothers and sisters, do you know that God is not going to force you into working for Him. He will not compel you or draft you into service as if you were being drafted into the military. No, you have a choice to serve or not. You have a choice to say yes to God’s Kingdom command or no. Remember though, when we say no we exclude ourselves from the blessing that God has in store for us. 

Illustration:

An out-of-towner drove his car into a ditch in a desolated area. Luckily, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse named Buddy.

He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull!" Buddy didn’t move.

Then the farmer hollered, "Pull, Buster, pull!" Buddy didn’t respond.

Once more the farmer commanded, "Pull, Coco, pull!" Nothing.

Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Pull, Buddy, pull!" And the horse easily dragged the car out of the ditch.

The motorist was most appreciative and very curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the

wrong name three times.

"Well... Buddy is blind and if he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn’t even try!"

Point:

When we know that others are working with us, it is so much easier and fun. Can you imagine trying to live this Christian life all by yourself? Can you imagine embracing a ministry here at Eastern Shore Baptist Church only to find out that you are doing it by yourself. Several weeks ago, we had lunch after the church service. It was a great time of fun, food and fellowship. People were laughing and talking and just enjoying each other’s company. It was not long after that lunch was over. It was time to fold up the tables, put of the chairs, clean the kitchen, and sweep the floors. I got to work. You know what, everyone got to work. There were at least 20 people who sprang into action. Each person took an assignment. Some folded tables. Others cleaned the kitchen. Sill others put up the chairs. I saw young and old working together to fulfill the mission of cleaning up the gym. Now, can you fathom one person doing that job? It would not take long for that person to get burned out and burned up. 

Point:

Friends, each of us has an assignment and God has given us all different gifts to meet those goals. For some, our gift is teaching. For others, it is administration. Not every gift in the spot light or on the stage, some gifts are behind the scenes. By the way, one gift is not better than another. All gifts are equal in nature and imperative to making the body of Christ function properly. 

Point:

The fact that we have various gifts to deploy reminds me of Paul’s words captured in I Corinthians 12:12-27. 

I Corinthians 12:12-27 ESV

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Peter tells us to use our spiritual gifts to the betterment of God’s Kingdom. 

I Peter 4:10-11 ESV

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Point:

The application point is this, each of have been given particular assignments and particular spiritual gifts. Don’t let the Lord come and find us using our gifts in an inappropriate manner or not using it at all. We were never meant to keep our gifts to ourselves. If we have a gift, we must use it. 

Quote:

“God has given a spiritual gift to the church in you, and you dare not keep it to yourself.” -Aaron Niequist

Romans 12:4-5 ESV

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

4 Points From Jesus’ Parable!

I. We Have An Assignment vs. 35-37

II. We Have An Authority vs. 38-40

III. We Have An Arrangement (Choice) vs. 41

IV. We Have An Award vs. 43-47

Luke 12:43-47 ESV

43 Blessed is that servant 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.

Illustration:

I heard a funny joke the other day about a pastor. He was given an award for his humility by his church. A week later, the church took the award back because the pastor displayed it in his office. 

Illustration:

That’s funny. Whenever I think about the word “award” I automatically think of A Christmas Story. You remember that one don’t you? Of course you do, it comes on on Christmas Day and runs for 4 straight hours. Do you remember the great award that Ralphie’s father won? He won the hideous leg lamp. He proudly displayed it in the bay window of their living room for everyone to see. Later in the movie, the leg lamp meets and unfortunate end. Ralphie’s mother “accidentally” breaks it into pieces. 

Point:

The point is that we all love awards. We all want to receive them and we are disappointed if they don’t come our way. I will tell you this, no one wants an award that can spoil, rust, be broken, or can be stolen. We want a reward that will last. Jesus tells us that blessed is that servant who is waiting patiently, and acting responsibly when the Master returns home. The converse response is of course negative for the servant who mistreats others and acts foolishly while the Master is away. Both will receive what is due. To the good servant, blessings. To the bad servant, retribution. 

Point:

It reminds me of the story taken from Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents. The story chronicles 3 men who have been placed in charge of their master’s property and money. One man receives 5 talents. Another receives 2 and another man receives 1. There was an expectation from the Master that these servants were to be wise, to be responsible, and to grow the wealth that they had been given to them. One man turned his five talents into 10. The man who had 2 talents invested wisely and gained 2 more. The Master’s response to these two good servants, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ The third servant however dug a hole and buried the one talent that was given to him. Instead of entering the joy of the Master, the Master told this servant “‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Point:

Friends, Jesus has blessed you with gifts, talents, and treasures. It is not our place to tell the Master how we will deploy these gifts, no! Instead, we are to use these gifts to be a blessing to God, to be obedient to His calling, and to lead others closer to Christ. I promise you this, our reward is Jesus. 

So today, deploy your gift! Work for the glory of the Master. After all, it should be our goal to hear these words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Matthew 25:23 ESV

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 

Don’t Wait…Get To Work!