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Today’s background scripture comes from Luke 12:35-48
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Many around you will say, “There is plenty of time to get right with God. He said He was coming back 2,000 years ago and He hasn’t come back yet. I can always start living right next year.”
My Son told those who would listen a parable about masters who returned unexpectedly or thieves that came in the middle of the night. You probably don’t know much about masters and servants where you live. In Jesus’ time on earth, people understood the parable clearly. Perhaps today, I would use a story about a company owner or a store manager and his employees, instead.
How well does the assistant manager perform when the manager is on vacation? What does he find if he comes back early? Or you probably hear about thieves that break in and steal things a lot. Well, maybe that has become so common place you no longer hear much about it. But if the owner knew the time a thief were coming and convinced the police or his neighbors of his coming, the owner would prepare and the thief would not break in.
My Son said He would come back at a time only I know. It’s like the weddings in ancient Israel. Sons prepared a home for their bride and the marriage took place only after their father saw their son could care for his bride in his new home. My Son is still prepare a place for you. When I tell Him it is ready for you, I will tell Him to come and get you. Then He will split the sky like a lightening bolt and in the blink of an eye He’ll bring His bride home with Him forever.
You will never know when I send Him. He will come like the unexpected manager or the thief in the night. Like Jesus told those who listened to His parable 2,000 years ago, be ready, you don’t know when he’ll come. You don’t want to miss that party!
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Luke 12:35-48
Set – Genesis 29; Luke 12
Go! – Genesis 29-30; Luke 12
Luke12:35-48
Jesus: I’m not just talking theory. There is urgency in all this. If you’re apathetic and complacent, then you’ll miss the moment of opportunity. You should be wide awake and on your toes like servants who are waiting for their master to return from a big wedding reception. They’ll have their shoes on and their lamps lit so they can open the door for him as soon as he arrives home. 37 How fortunate those servants will be when the master knocks and they open the door immediately! You know what the master will do? He’ll put on an apron, sit them down at the kitchen table, and he’ll serve them a midnight snack. 38 The later he comes home—whether it’s at midnight or even later, just before dawn—the more fortunate the alert servants will be.39 In contrast, imagine a complacent, apathetic household manager whose house gets robbed. If he had been aware that thieves were waiting in the bushes and what hour they were coming, [he would have watched and][a] he never would have left the house! 40 I’m trying to tell you that these are times for alertness, times requiring a sense of urgency and intensity, because like the master in the first story or the thief in the second, the Son of Man shows up by surprise.
Peter: 41 Lord, I’m not sure if this parable is intended only for us disciples or if this is for everyone else too.
Jesus: 42 Imagine the stories of two household managers, and decide for yourself which one is faithful and smart. Each household manager is told by his master to take good care of all his possessions and to oversee the other employees—the butlers, cooks, gardeners, and so on. 43 One servant immediately busies himself in doing just what he was told. His master eventually comes to check on him 44 and rewards him with a major promotion and with more responsibility and trust. 45 The other household manager thinks, “Look, my boss is going to be gone for a long time. I can be complacent; there’s no urgency here.” So he beats the other employees—the women as well as the men. He sits around like a slob, eating and getting drunk. 46 Then the boss comes home unexpectedly and catches him by surprise. One household manager will be fortunate indeed, and the other will be cut into pieces and thrown out.
47 Now if a servant who is given clear instructions by his master doesn’t follow those instructions but instead is complacent and apathetic, then he will be punished severely. 48 But if a servant doesn’t know what his master expects and behaves badly, then he will receive a lighter punishment. If you are given much, much will be required of you. If much is entrusted to you, much will be expected of you.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
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