Day 62

Luke 12:35–40 (NIV)

³⁵ “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶ like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. ³⁷ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. ³⁸ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.

³⁹ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Helpful Info

vs 36- Jesus compares his disciples to servants who await their master’s return from a wedding feast. The servants are immediately ready to open the door and serve their master upon his return, an allusion to Jesus’ second coming. Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke Volume 2: 9:51-24:53. Baker exegetical commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passage

Read the Passage

Who is in the passage?

What action verbs do you see?

What other words stick out in your mind

Questions

How would Jesus find you? Would you be ready for Him?

What does verse vs 37 tell us about God?

What does it mean for us that Jesus will come when we do not expect Him?

Notes

Are You Waiting and Ready?

Jesus perhaps gives us a hint that his return is not going to be soon in this passage. The idea throughout is His return (and hence the fulfillment of the kingdom) will not be when we expect it. Key is to be waiting and ready when he comes. Think of praying "your kingdom come" and think how praying that help us to watch and be ready when that day does come. It is about the focus on God's kingdom just like the last section. Jesus explained what being ready was in the last section; now He reintegrates why in this section.

35-36 Our call is always to be at his service even if he doesn't come at the expected time. The hardest time for a servant to be ready to answer the Master's knock would be in the middle of the night. Yet Jesus tells us to keep our servants attire on (keep doing what you are suppose to do) and keep Lamps burning. In both cases it would be easy to say well he is not coming back tonight I can take it easy, relax and go to bed. That is not the attitude we are to have. Be expectant! I think about a child at Christmas trying to stay up to see Santa Claus.

vs 37- Why watch and be ready? Jesus throws the unexpected into His story. When the master comes He is going to serve those who had waited on Him a fine feast! (Isa 25:6, also John 13:1-5 -Jesus washing disciples feet) The Master will not expect to be served, rather He will serve the servants because of their faithfulness!

vs 38- It will be well worth the sacrifice of being ready for the Master even if he comes at a late time.

vs 39- Jesus tells another parable to make his point another way. If you knew when someone was going to rob you, you would be waiting. So likewise be waiting for God's kingdom. Be prepared!

vs 40- Hour we don't expect- Sometimes I wonder if we have a way to go before Jesus comes back because Christians are expecting it. Regardless the point is to be ready at all times! It will not be when you expect it but it will be well worth the wait!