 Tonight we're in chapter 12 here, so let's begin reading here in Luke chapter 12 at verse 35 I'll read verses 35 through 40, and we'll get into our study Luke chapter 12 beginning at verse 35 reading to verse 40 Jesus says let your waste be girded and your lamps burning and You yourselves be like men who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding that when he comes and knocks They may open to him immediately Blessed are those servants whom the master when he comes will find watching Assuredly I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them and If he should come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them So blessed are those servants but know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come He would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into therefore You also be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour. You do not Expect now the Lord Jesus Christ here in chapter 12 as you know has has been teaching the people and he had just given to them a parable he had given them a parable Concerning what would be called the rich fool and as he was sharing with them concerning that he was emphasizing the fact that this individual had not prepared for eternity and So he was warning them through this parable and through the teaching that he he gives after that parable He is warning them against the anxieties of life Remember in chapter 12 at verse 15 how he had said Take heed and beware of covetousness for once life does not consist in the abundance of the things He possesses and then in verse 23 he had said life is more than food and the body is more than clothing And so he was emphasizing the fact that people who are unwise like this rich fool Have their hearts set on the things of earth, but the wise will always have their hearts set on the things of heaven And so to illustrate this he now gives two parables Illustrating why it's important for us to seek first the kingdom of God He had said that in verse 31 when he had said seek the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you So these parables that we're looking at and we're actually going to see two parables tonight one found in verses 35 through 40 And the second found in verses 42 through 48 these are parables that he's giving In order that he might encourage his people to continue seeking the kingdom of God Now the reason that we seek the kingdom of God is because he's the Lord We are his servants and he has made a promise to us that we're going to be looking at tonight a promise that he would return Jesus speaks concerning the fact that that he was going to return and therefore That promise that he gives that he's going to return is to motivate us. You see When we study prophecy, especially those things that relate to the return of Jesus Christ when we look at the second coming of Christ in prophecy When you look at the various passages and if there's so many that relate to that We need to understand that that the teaching that comes from those passages is intended to encourage us to serve the Lord to be faithful as we await him We're going to be having a series as you know in February and it starts on February 10th And it continues to March 2nd And we're going to be having a series related to the return of Jesus Christ Donald Perkins is going to come in and he's going to give us a message concerning the signs of the times and Dr. Ed Hyneson is going to be with us and he's going to be sharing Jesus as the theme of prophecy We're going to have Tim Lehey with us who's going to be speaking concerning fulfilled prophecy credentials God the Bible and the second coming and then we're going to have March Hitchcock who's going to speak on Armageddon oil and Terror all of these things relate to the last days that we're living in and Jesus Christ spoke Consistently about that as well as the epistle writers wrote concerning that and he's introducing that subject now Even as we're going through this particular parable and the second one And what he wants us to do is he wants us to be aware of the fact that he's returning and that knowledge that he's returning for Believers is what motivates us to serve the Lord selflessly In first John in chapter 3 verses 2 and 3 John said Beloved now we are children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be But we know that when he is revealed we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure So the knowledge that Christ is returning is a motivator a great motivator So that we might be prepared When he returns it's been said the imminent return of our Lord is the great Bible argument for a pure unselfish devoted worldly active life of service and that's what we see here you see this promise that he's going to return produces a Confident expectation as well as a longing to be with the Lord Jesus Christ This return is Actually a very ancient promise The book of Job in chapter 19 verses 25 through 27 Reads in this way. I know that my redeemer lives and he shall stand at last on the earth and After my skin is destroyed this I know that in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold and not another How my heart yearns within me this knowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ is returning the knowledge that the Lord will stand on The earth is something that Job himself a man who was a contemporary basically of Abraham in the Old Testament Job himself Was saying I know my redeemer lives He will stand on the earth and so Jesus Christ is basically speaking concerning the reality of the promise that has been made all The way through the Bible from the old to the New Testament Now if people are to wait for Jesus the question has to be asked then what are they supposed to do as they wait So the parables before us these two parables actually answer two questions concerning our duties as we await the return of the Lord first The answers the question what are the characteristics of a true servant and what are the rewards that they're going to receive and secondly it reveals that a true servant should be expectantly awaiting him and Serving him faithfully as he waits and that's what we'll be looking at today Now remember with me so we can establish a context here Israel is in the process of rejecting her Messiah Jesus Christ and Because Israel is in the process of rejecting him Jesus now gives his instructions to his disciples Concerning their future ministry You see his disciples are naturally going to begin to wonder what they're supposed to do in his absence So after his death burial and resurrection Jesus is going to teach them that they have a purpose or something to do now what they're to do is Preach the gospel You see that in every time that Jesus Christ speaks concerning The great commission that is recorded in in all four gospels as well as the book of Acts He actually gives them five different installments on that one commission But it's to go out and it's to go out and preach the gospel like it says in in mark 16 verse 15 Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. That's what you're supposed to do but if they're going to be going out and Proclaiming this message and awaiting the return of the Lord What is going to drive them on? What is their motivation and so this first parable actually answers that question They're not to be just sitting around waiting for him to come back there to be busy And that's what he's pointing out here And that's what it begins by saying in verse 35 let your waist be girded and your lamps burning So what he's doing here in verses 35 and 36 as he uses an illustration a contemporary illustration And an image of a wedding banquet now wedding banquets could be as short as a single meal or they could Continue for as long as a week If a person throwing the banquet was very wealthy this wedding banquet could last for several days And so he uses this as an illustration So he says let your waist be girded and your lamps burning and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master When he will return from the wedding that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately And so the master has left the servant is left behind he's attending a wedding banquet and The servants have a responsibility and that is to be waiting for him and to be busy until he returns now What he's speaking about here is when the when the master would attend a banquet He could be gone for a long time an indeterminate amount of time in other words as a master He didn't turn to his servants and say I'm going to be gone for this long He didn't have the responsibility to do that. He didn't have to do that He didn't have to seek permission to leave. He most certainly didn't have to ask them when he could come home It's kind of like as we're growing older now my wife and me my my kids seem to think that we have to ask them permission When we leave and and they worry about us until we come home It's kind of odd to see this reversal taking place right now. It's like, you know, I have to say honor Do you mind if I go out tonight? I'll be back by 10. I promise you, you know, I Won't drink I promise, you know But anyway, he didn't have to ask him that so the picture here is thinking that the master would not be back soon Could lead a servant into becoming lazy and when he's lazy he can neglect his duties Thinking that he has plenty of time to catch up And so Jesus is saying here that they need to have their waist girded and their lamps burning in other words That's a picture of expectation. They're gonna be ready He's saying you need to be ready because the master can return suddenly That's what it means in verse 36 and it says when he comes and he knocks they may open to him immediately You see part of the duties of the servant was to have that gate to be watching the gate And to make sure that it was ready to be opened when the master would come back So he's to be on the alert. He's to wait to hear the knock of the master and that knock could come at any time It could come at night. It could come early in the morning in the afternoon. He's supposed to be on watch He's supposed to be there keeping an eye on that listening for the knock so that when he hears it He can open up to the master who can return and come back to his house Mark tells us in chapter 13 verses 32 and 33 of that day and hour No one knows not even the angels in heaven nor the son But only the father and he goes on to say take heed watch and pray for you Do not know when the time is you don't have any idea therefore you should be on the alert at all times You should be careful not to get caught up with this world and the concerns and cares of the world That's the point. He's making he had earlier spoken concerning that man that rich fool who had looked out and surveyed all his wealth And said what am I gonna do? I'm gonna have to build bigger barns so I can store all my goods And then I'm gonna say to my soul soul, you know Take your ease be merry and and enjoy life and that's why the Lord said you fool tonight I'm gonna require your soul and then who's gonna possess all these things that you've accrued for yourself That's why we're supposed to have that mentality because you have to have an awareness of eternity And people who are following the Lord Jesus Christ are to have an awareness of eternity And therefore the things that I might accumulate today are left behind the only things that last are those things Which I have sent before me those things that are treasures in heaven and all of that And so that's what Jesus is speaking about and so he says you have a responsibility I'm coming at an unannounced time Therefore your responsibility is to be ready no matter what that time may be be careful the way you live in other words Be aware of the way that you live Because you can get into that unhealthy mentality. Well, the Lord is delaying his coming And so you can begin to live for the world again. He'll illustrate this in just a moment The real thing about a believer though is that we are awaiting the Lord Jesus Christ You see in verse 37 he says blessed are those servants when the when the master whom the master when he comes will find watching Assuredly I say to you that that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them and so When the master returns and he sees that you're awaiting him He actually is going to do something that is consistent with what he had done on earth Which is that Jesus was the greatest of all and yet the servant of all and so it's a picture of him Continuing to minister continuing to minister to people and that's what's going to take place at the second coming Therefore be ready because he can come at any any moment. He can be there at any moment you see There are different ways that you can approach the return of Christ You can have you can approach it with an expectation Jesus Christ promised and therefore I believe that and I'm going to live in such a way that it demonstrates that I seriously think that he Actually is going to return. I don't want to be caught by surprise therefore I'm going to make sure to be living a life that is glorifying to him and if that's your motivator because the scripture tells us you know that if we have this hope within us We purify ourselves even as he is pure that means I live a holy life And it means that I'm living with an expectation and I'm and I'm making sure that I'm not doing certain things and doing the things That he would be pleased with turn your Bibles with me for just a moment to the book of Titus I want to show you something there Titus chapter 2 And someone may be saying well, where's Titus? Titus is in heaven, but his book is by 2nd Timothy Titus chapter 2 verse 11 When Paul was writing to Titus a pastor who is ministering in in Crete He began to share with them concerning Something related to the grace of God and and he says in verse 11 Titus chapter 2 verse 11 He says for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men Now when he speaks concerning the grace of God that brings salvation appearing to all men It is not to be limited to the grace of salvation in the sense that we are saved by faith through God's grace But he's speaking of a personification of grace the grace that has appeared is Jesus himself Jesus who is God incarnate God's grace living amongst us And so when he speaks there in verse 11 saying the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men It's not simply the grace, but it's Jesus himself also being referred to here And he goes on to say teaching us that denying ungodly ungodliness and worldly lusts We should live soberly Righteously and godly in the present age Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ Now when he says in verse 13 looking for the blessed hope Sometimes we look at the at the rapture the the the return of Christ for his church And we call it sometimes the blessed hope in reality what Paul is saying is the blessed hope isn't the event, but the person The blessed hope is Jesus himself Jesus who is God's grace personified incarnated And so God's grace having appeared to all men has come to teach us to deny two things and to embrace other things We deny worldliness and ungodliness, but we embrace those things that are are going to have us prepared We live soberly. We live righteously. We live godly in this present age, and we're looking for see that's that attitude of expectation We're looking for Jesus Christ Anticipating that he's going to return for us, and we're anticipating that in such a way that we're looking for the blessed hope and Glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus And then he tells us in verse 14 who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless need and purify for himself his own special people Zallis for good works and so once again this attitude of expectation Jesus Christ is returning is to motivate my life to be of such quality that people may know that I've denied certain things and embraced other things I've denied ungodliness. I've denied worldliness I want to live for Jesus Christ and therefore I live soberly and righteously and godly in this present age as I'm awaiting Jesus Christ And so this anticipation is the great motivator Turn with me to another passage Romans chapter 13 Romans chapter 13 Romans chapter 13 beginning at verse 11 many years ago as You're looking for Romans as you're roaming around for Romans Many many years ago my son David probably was about eight years old at this time So it's been a long time Many years ago. We were returning from a trip We had gone to Israel and then had a stopover in in Italy and we were flying Italian Airlines and So our our Israel tour group had been Spread out throughout the airplane and so David was sitting with one of his friends a young young boy about his same age and and Marie and I were in another section of the plane and and As I was there with Marie talking little David and his friend came and David tapped me on the shoulder and said dad I Want to talk? I need you to come and talk to somebody and I said Really who he said we're witnessing now you have to understand these are like eight or nine-year-old kids, right? These are eight or nine-year-old kids and he says we're witnessing to a man dad and and and you got to come And I look at Marie. I said, oh, man. I wonder what he's up to you know boy So I said okay, baby And I and I told Marie I'll be back in a minute and and I go to the back and this fellow this man They were speaking to they actually were speaking to a an Italian man he was in his 30s and David Aaron now you this is just reporting the facts and I'll develop this with you But little David walks up with his friend Aaron and and David looks at this man And he's just sitting there looking at me and David says to this this Italian fellow a very handsome guy in a suit He's obviously a businessman on a trip Doing business in the United States, but David says dad. We've been telling him about Jesus and And the man staring at me. Well David saying that and and this is what my son said He said I Told him I asked him if he knew Jesus and he says he's a Catholic and So I told him you worshiped Mary so you're going to hell. Isn't that true dad now? That's what David told me What do you do? what do you do and The guy looks right at me, you know And I smiled at him and I said no speaky the English, you know, no I I I Looked at him and I looked at my son and I look back at the man and the man's giving me that penetrating gray Gaze, you know, and I'm going I said well son If he doesn't receive the Lord Jesus Christ, this is Lord in his Savior He will go to hell and so I turned to the man and I said now my son said something that may have offended you Forgive me on his behalf. I said but he's only speaking as a little boy the things that he believes very seriously I said but can I explain to you what he was talking about? And so he said please do so I sat next to the man and I asked him a question. I Said, where are you from? He says I'm from Rome. I said you're from Rome. He said yes. I Said have you read your letter and He said what letter I said your letter. I said you have a letter Didn't you know you have a letter in the Bible that was written to you to people of Rome? Didn't you know that no, I didn't know that I said well Let's look at it and we opened up the book of Romans like we just did and I shared several scriptures with him concerning Who Jesus Christ is in all and that's why I turned you to Rome Romans and I just wanted to tell you that story No real reason other than I enjoy that story but we have God's word here and And and this is what he says in Romans 13 verse 11 He said do this knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep For now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed The night is far spent the day is at hand Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness. Let us put on the armor of light Let us walk properly as in the day not in revelry and drunkenness not in lewdness and lust Not in strife and envy But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. What are I what am I to do? What are we to do as believers if we really believe that Jesus Christ is returning? What manner of life am I to live? I'm to purify myself even as he is pure. I'm to make no provision for the flesh I'm to deny unworldliness and ungodliness. I am to live soberly and righteously and Godly in this present age. I'm to be known as an individual who is in the King James a Peculiar person a unique person somebody who is zealous for good works. Why? Because that demonstrates that I honestly believe I honestly believe that Jesus is returning Over the years I've I've met people On occasion not not too often but often enough who are familiar With the Bible passages relating to the return of Christ sometimes their their prophecy hounds they they they like Prophecy so much that you know their favorite books are our prophetic books, you know and and yet They may have a lot of knowledge about end times, but they're not living as if they really think he is returning There's there's there's a difference between being able to give scripture Concerning the return of Christ accurately and living accurately If I really have that hope within me that Jesus is returning then I am to be doing certain things and that's what Jesus is Speaking about he's saying there's a person here whose master has left went to a wedding banquet This man doesn't know when his master is returning So what he is is he's basically girded and his lamp is burning in the event that the man comes at night So that when he hears the knock on the door and his master's there He can rush to fulfill his service by opening the door admitting the master which in which demonstrates an anticipation of his return and thus he believes the man is going to come back and As it says in verse 38 if he should back in chapter 12 of Luke's gospel as it says If he should come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them So blessed are those servants and so he can return at any time second watch third watch That's equivalent to our nine o'clock in the evening or three o'clock in the morning And so the point he's making is just be expectant Now I want you to see something as kind of like a sidelight here in Luke chapter 12 verse 38 When he says if he if he should come in the second watch or in the third watch This is also a subtle warning against date setting You know, there have been people in the history of the church There's a whole there's a whole denomination that basically found its origin in date setting There are there are churches, you know That are well known by name as people who basically set dates for the return of Jesus Christ It wasn't that long ago. It's been a while now, but I Remember and some of you may be old enough and have been Christians long enough to remember That there was a fellow by the name of Harold camping who had a radio broadcast that Was saying in I believe in 1987 That Jesus was returning in 1988. He actually wrote a book 88 reasons why Jesus will return in 1988 and quite a number of people bought the book and obviously Jesus didn't return So the next year he had 89 reasons why Jesus will return. This is the truth. I'm not lying 89 reasons and then he wrote another book in 1994 That Jesus is going to return in 1994 and there have been numerous people You know from Seventh Day Adventists to uh, Jehovah's Witnesses who basically had dates that they had set But Jesus here is saying you do not set dates He's he's making it very clear here and he had already had he and he has said in that context Again, I mentioned this in mark 1332 of that day and hour No one knows not even the angels in heaven nor the sun, but only the father And so we are not to set dates at all. We're just to be ready in verse 39 But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come He would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into therefore He also be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour. You do not expect So be on the alert. The master can come at any time. We don't know the exact moment of his return So be ready at all times Be ready always as as much as lies within you pursue him with all of your strength in anticipation Of his return I got saved and and one of the very first things I can remember when I got saved was people were saying that Jesus is returning It's been 37 years and he has yet to come back and people say well, doesn't that prove that he he's not coming back? No, it just means that he's 37 years closer to coming back than he was, you know before I I mean every day is a day of anticipation and may he come soon may he come soon But obviously he's going to come in his own time Now as Jesus is speaking this uh notice verse 41 Apostle Peter Peter said to him lord Do you speak this parable only to us? Or to all people So are you saying Some of us you're 12 Will not be ready. Is that what you're saying? Is this are you saying that amongst us that that that We're not all going to be ready. Well, obviously Judas wasn't but Are you making this personal or is this something that is a general teaching so verse 42 the lord said Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his master will make ruler over his household to give them their portion of food in due season Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes Truly I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has but If that servant says in his heart My master is delaying his coming And begins to beat the male and female servants and to eat and drink and be drunk The master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him And at an hour when he is not aware and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers and That servant who knew his master's will and did not prepare himself or do according to his will Shall be beaten with many stripes, but he who did not know yet committed things deserving of stripes Shall be beaten with few for everyone to whom much is given from him much will be required And to whom much has been committed of him they will ask the more Now I want you to notice something here. I want you to notice how peter asks a direct question You have to see this to see the context here. It's a direct question lord Do you speak this parable only to us or to all people notice? Jesus doesn't doesn't speak to him in particularly doesn't answer that question directly It may be that he is saying to him don't bother asking questions out of curiosity Take this as a warning and and be prepared also But to illustrate it he gives the parable This is a parable of the faithful steward and as we looked at it a homeowner a homeowner leaves on a journey Leaves a steward in charge of his business his responsibilities to manage the daily affairs of the home The faithful steward takes the responsibility seriously and the unfaithful one does not And so when we look at this together here the faithful and wise steward is obviously a genuine believer a genuine christian That's because christians are to be faithful stewards of the trust that god has given to us Genuine christians recognize themselves as servants of god as well as stewards of the things of the lord A steward is a household manager. He takes care of that which doesn't belong to him And so he's stewarding it. He knows that he is caring for the goods of somebody else And so that's what the lord is speaking about here And there's one thing that a steward is to be and it's found in 1st Corinthians chapter 4 verse 2 And that's where paul says the steward must be found faithful And so he's speaking concerning a faithful steward and this faithful steward is a genuine christian Who knows that the master's returning and therefore cares for his goods And so the master has given to the steward something he is entrusted into him something And so what we are to do is we're to do our stewardship properly one is god has given to us the gospel And therefore we are faithful stewards spiritually That means that we're willing to distribute the message that god gave to us One of the things that i think is extremely important for us as christians to grasp in these last days Is we shouldn't be ashamed of the gospel of jesus christ There are quite a number of people out there who will lie to your face and they're not ashamed at all about it They will do whatever they want to do in order if they can get something from you whatever it is that they want They will lie to you they'll con you they will do anything they can to get from you what they want and they're they're very very Intent on that we we believers have to have i believe especially in these last days Have to be aware of fact that the enemy is working overtime to try and and stifle the voice of the christian church He is trying and and he's being successful in in many places by the way He is trying to to cause you and me for us who love the lord to become timid in our in our faith and and not willing To engage this world in in the things that relate to the gospel and eternity There's just no doubt about that there is a constant pressure and onslaught here in the united states to try and reduce You to a person who won't share about the lord who won't talk about jesus christ Who may be a bit ashamed to even do so maybe even afraid to do so Because he doesn't want you to to understand god's promises and provisions He doesn't want you to realize this is the bottom line thing He doesn't want you to realize that that that if you if you open your mouth and begin to share That the lord is going to give you words and wisdom that none of your enemies can gain say nor resist He doesn't want you to know that when you obey the commandments of jesus christ that he will manifest himself to you That there will actually be the presence of the lord in your life in such a dramatic fashion that you sense the reality of christ As you share he doesn't want you to know that He doesn't want you to see the victory that you can have when you open up the word and tell somebody about jesus christ And they actually say they want to receive christ's lord and savior He doesn't want you to know the joy of bringing somebody into the kingdom of god I can guarantee you and I can tell you truthfully that the greatest thrill that you'll have in your life over many things If not all things is when you see somebody whose eyes actually light up with knowledge that jesus christ loves them And forgives them of their sins cleanses them and actually will make them into a brand new person When you have that opportunity of saying would you like to receive christ? And they bow their head and they repeat a simple prayer after you and they enter into the kingdom of god There is something about that that is so thrilling. It's addicting It's something that you want to continue doing over and over again You want other people to have that relationship with jesus christ and that is something the enemy doesn't want you to know He doesn't want you to experience that and therefore what he wants you to do is be a chameleon christian or a silent witness But you know what happens, ma'am? When the lord begins to work in your life You become a steward of the spiritual things that he gives to you and he gave you a message a message of the gospel He gave you spiritual gifts The gifts of the holy spirit that are that are working within you in first carinthians chapter 12 verse 7 The bible says the manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for the profit of all And so he has given to you a spiritual gift a gift that is not just for you But it's for us It's for us It's a it's a gift for the family for the body of christ And you have gifts and and that god has given to you that are to be Exercise so that the body of christ is actually built up in the things of the lord And so many people have taken the gifts of the lord and haven't even exercised them And many don't even know what their gifts are They don't even know what they are because for them it's it's it's a new subject or perhaps an unknown subject You mean i have a gift of the spirit that that god has given to me you have more than one gift undoubtedly We call it gift mixes you have more than one that god has given to you Well, how do i know what my gift is should i take a spiritual gift inventory and and start finding out You know the way you can generally know what your gift is is what gives you the greatest blessing to do What is it that that is so exciting to you that you you just have to do that? Some people administrate some people teach some people preach some people You know pray for the sick i mean what is it that that that you just find the greatest enthusiasm and pleasure in doing That's generally what your gift is That's generally what it is But god has given to you spiritual gifts you're a steward, but you're supposed to use those gifts You minister those gifts in first peter chapter four versus 10 in 11 Peter said as as each one has received a gift Minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of god If anyone speaks let them speak as the oracles of god If anyone ministers let him do it with the ability which god supplies that in all things god may be Purified through jesus christ to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever And so you steward the gifts of god and you also distribute what he has given to you physically You have that generous spirit to care for others that's that's the way it is generosity is part of being a christian Acts chapter 2 verses 44 and 45 all who believed were together had all things in common Solder possessions and goods divided them among all as anyone had need god gives us gifts God gives to us supplies we take care of people. That's how it works. And so we're stewards So jesus gives a promise to the faithful servant to the faithful steward notice verse 44 He says i say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has He's going to rule and reign with jesus christ revelation chapter 3 verse 21 To him who overcomes i will give the right to sit with me on my throne Just as i overcame and sat down with my father on his throne Romans 8 16 and 17 the spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are god's children Now if we are children we are heirs heirs of god and co heirs with christ if indeed we share in his sufferings in order That we may also share in his glory And so we have ruling and reigning we are co heirs with jesus christ and that's what he's referring to Now in verse 45 But if the servant says in his heart My master's delaying is coming and begins to beat the male and female servants and to eat and drink and be drunk The master of that servant Will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour When he is not aware and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers The unfaithful servant begins to think my master delays is coming. He's not returning He's not coming He thinks within his heart That kind of thinking originates in the core of his being He's saying it's going to be some time until the master returns. I'm going to do what I want So he begins to lord it over the other slaves He actually beats them and he goes out and gets drunk What's this supposed to speak about? Well, this Refers to those who are unbelievers. These are people who have no relationship with god unbelievers non christians Non christians could care less about any of this And some believe in saying, you know, your christians have been saying this for a long time that jesus christ is returning Haven't seen him yet. When's it going to come? He keeps saying it over and over again And so they have no concern that he will return And nothing is driving their life to serve christ. In other words, they just do those things that please themselves 2nd peter 3 verse 4 Has what they say where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation And so they lived completely for themselves But the result is judgment years ago Before I was saved my mom and dad and sisters had gone on vacation I decided to throw a party at the house Didn't expect my dad to come home on the day that he did what he did And when my dad pulled into the driveway my sister madeline Who was on vacation with mom and dad was the first one out of the car And she came running into the house and she said dads We're home and dad's mad. You better get out of here And um to be honest with you that was a good counsel. My dad was very angry But he came in a time that I didn't expect him to come home You see there are there are different ways that you can view the return of christ And I was a little boy once and My dad Would go to work every day at the same time every day He would leave at the same time monday through friday And it would return at the same time monday through friday My dad would be rolling into the driveway around seven o'clock Every monday through friday all of my life You could count on my dad being home at that time Like clockwork My dad got home now If I was a good boy When my dad would pull his little pickup truck into the driveway and he would hit the brakes You could actually hear the brakes squeaking and the truck coming to a stop You could hear the brakes, you know Squeaking, you know daddy's home daddy's home daddy's home kind of sound, you know And my dad would come walking into the into the house and my brother frank and I would go running up to him and We would jump on his leg And I'd grab hold of one leg and my brother franky would get on the other leg And my dad would try and walk with his two boys on his leg and it was like yeah, we're happy daddy's home but if I hadn't been good that day and I heard The squeaking of the brakes They weren't saying daddy's home daddy's home They were saying you're dead you're dead you're dead I wasn't excited now the same event Dad's home two different responses when I was prepared there was joy Being unprepared There was fear I think that helps us to understand our concept of the return of christ Is there an anticipation? Is there a joy? Is there a looking forward to do you have this great desire to see him face to face? Are you longing for him? Do you have this like paul had said, you know There's a there's a crown of righteousness that has been laid up for those who who love his appearing Is is that is that where your heart is or has it become clouded with other things you see Or is it one of those attitudes where I don't you know, I don't really care. I don't even believe he's well That's what jesus is talking about He's saying that that person that non-believer could care less And receives final judgment. He says in verse 46 the master will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers That's a picture of severe judgment But now in verses 47 and 48 as we close he says that servant who knew his master's will and did not prepare himself Or do according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But he who did not know yet committed things deserving of stripes shall be beaten with few For everyone to whom much is given from him much will be required And to whom much has been committed of him they will ask the more human beings have according to romans chapter one they have conscience And they have creation All you need to do is study romans chapter one. You can see it. It's very clearly portrayed there conscience and creation Conscience awakens you to the reality that you're not perfect Because everybody does something that violates their own conscience if they have one Even people who are called sociopaths who they say have no conscience Even they will have a code of conduct something that they will or will not do because we established that you have a natural kind of conscience and and and within that conscience god can work By awakening us to the reality that we have violated it and thus we need to be forgiven or you could go outside And you can see a magnificent sunset and and and as you do so you can say how incredibly beautiful I've never seen anything painted by man that is as beautiful as that Or you can get a rose and you can put it under a microscope and and the closer you look at it and the more you amplify it The more beautiful and intricate it begins But you to be and then you get a silk or a man fabricated rose something that's man made It's beautiful me even have that that that synthetic smell to it But the minute you put it under a microscope you only see the raggedness and the imperfection And and all you need to do is look at that and look at creation itself and creation cries out There's a reality that's something greater than you exists I mean that's the way it is any person who who who attends the birth of a child or Like I as a husband and father Attend the birth of a child it just amazes you to see that that life that that you have begotten that that life That that that you had the joy of Of of of having partaken in producing and all and they place that baby in your in your hands And you look at the baby and after you get over the shock of how ugly it is It just that produces a wonder in your heart and and you go god you're too much You are too much Perfect and you look You have conscience you have creation So somebody says it's not fair. It's not fair. Well I've had people who have been upset because people in the outermost regions of the world haven't heard the gospel and how fair is that And my response has always been the same. You seem to be cared about caring about aborigines in australia You're you're you're quite a gracious person, but How about you? I mean you're thinking that you're worried about the heathens in in in central america Um, you're a heathen How about you because if you've heard and rejected? Well, there's this old saying the more you know the more you owe And that's basically what jesus is saying here and I want you to see that it says in verse 48 He who did not know yet committed things deserving of stripes shall be beaten with you for everyone to whom much is given from him much will be required So somebody can say I didn't know I didn't know They could even come to a church like this or even this church and and and they could stand before god and and then god To say why should I allow you in the heaven? Did you receive christ and and they could say I didn't know but the lord would say no, that's not true You did know You sat through an entire bible study And you heard my word and you rejected So you know And now you owe And so the master who knows The rather the servant who knows the master's will and does it is a faithful servant The servant who knows the master's will and does not do it is an unfaithful servant The ones who don't have full knowledge and yet still doesn't do what god has called them to do through whatever means god has made To them possible for them to know there's a god and how to get right with him They'll be judged too But they have a standard That is going to be commensurate to their knowledge We in the united states of all people we have heard the gospel We stand before god with most information Therefore When judgment comes it's going to be fair and it's going to be complete Because even prior to coming to christ I had had people share with me about jesus and how to get saved I just rejected it And so had i died in my sin I had greater knowledge And thus i would receive a stricter judgment Amos chapter three verses one and two Hear this word that the lord has spoken against you old children of israel Against the whole family which i brought up from the land of egypt Saying you only have i known of all the families of the earth Therefore i will punish you for all your iniquities You knew And therefore i will punish you And james 4 17 to him who knows to do good and does not do it to him It is sin There are sins of commission Meaning i have done something I have lied stolen But there are sins of omission I knew to do the right thing and chose not to And i find myself guilty under both That's why i need the grace of god That's why i need god's forgiveness That's why we all need to be forgiven by god and born again And so as jesus speaks here he's saying this Rich man Great possessions Put all of his stock on that his eternity On his possessions He didn't know that the abundance of a man's possessions doesn't produce real life And so don't be foolish like him Seek the kingdom of god first all these things will be added into you And live with an anticipation Of seeing the lord Until he comes occupy Serve him You're a spiritual steward give the things that god gave to you to other people You're a steward of the things that he's given to you physically Make sure you have a generous heart and spirit as you do so As you await the king He may not come when you expect him to come But he's going to come He will be there at the time appointed Your responsibility isn't to determine the time he returns Your responsibility is to be prepared when he does And when he returns and he sees you doing his will He will reward you he'll even serve you because you faithfully served him But if you say my master delays is coming you're out there drinking beating the servants that demonstrates you're an unbeliever You don't expect him to return when he returns as he will He will deal with you severely And you will be cast out as an unbeliever And ultimately undergo eternal judgment Therefore if you know The more you know You're gonna owe So yield yourself to the lord so that you come under his grace