Luke 12:32-48
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied,“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
In the parable of the rich fool from last Sunday, Jesus teaches us not to worry like others do about food and clothing, but rather to help the poor. This Sunday, He continues to use the relationship between master and servants as a metaphor for the relationship between God and men.
When the master goes out to a wedding, the servant must stay alert and prepared to open the door immediately when he comes and knocks. The time when the master returns from the wedding points to the Second Coming of Jesus. The Second Coming is certain, but no one knows the time; therefore, Jesus asks people to stay awake and wait. According to Jewish custom, wedding usually take place in the evening, lasting until around 10pm, and the master might return late at night or at dawn. Regardless of whether the timing is reasonable or as the servant predicts, the servant must remain awake and wait for the master's return. If the servant understands the master's will and fulfills his duties, he is a faithful and prudent steward in God's eyes, and such a competent servant will certainly be entrusted with managing “all” his property.
Through this parable, Jesus clarifies the responsibilities of church leaders: God's house is the church, and we are all His servants and stewards, responsible for caring for the diverse needs of the members of the household. A faithful servant will provide help according to different needs; an unfaithful servant, on the other hand, adopts a self-serving attitude, thinking about, "the master can't see," and becomes lazy, to eat and drink and get drunk and beat the menservants and the maidservants, with consequences that are, of course, dire.
Practice
When Jesus Christ will come is God's concern. What we Christians need to do is to emulate Abraham, expecting with faith and hope. Being prepared is the most basic attitude in spiritual life. Preparation is for waiting and welcoming the coming of Jesus Christ. Our relationship with Jesus is the most important thing; everything else is secondary. Simply “knowing” God or “believing” that Jesus loves us is not enough; we also need to “understand” God's expectations for us. Otherwise, we remain the same, doing only what we like and unwilling to let God interfere in our lives. We will then stray from the direction of life, seeking other forms of fulfillment and pleasure. God does not desire to punish people, but servants with such an attitude are no different from the unbelievers in God's eyes; neither can receive God's blessings (eternal life). Let us always be prepared, aligning ourselves with His will, wholeheartedly doing what He has entrusted to us. Faith is not only about expecting God's promises but also actively responding to and participating in God's calling. God has freely given us his grace to help us, and to expect that we can live a life worthy of that grace.
Today’s Bible verses
“Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield.” (Psalm 33:20)
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