Good and Evil Stewards

Luke 12:35-48

The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant

(Matt. 24:42–51)

35 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 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. 37 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. 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 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. 40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

41 Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?"

42 And 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? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 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, 46 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. 47 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. 48 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.

Jesus described and contrasted good and evil servants in these passages after explaining godly contentment and before describing the times ahead full of division and living peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18, 21).  He talk about good how good servants will always be prepared and ready to open the door for the master when he is returning from the wedding.  If we imitate these allegorical servants, we must keep our lamps burning the midnight oil in our readiness by being about our Father’s business at all times as we keep watch for His return.  When our heavenly Master comes back and finds us ready and engaged in the work of the gospel, then we will sit at the table of the feast of the Lamb (Psalm 22:29, Matthew 8:11, Luke 22:30, Revelation 19:9) after He comes through the door to us in this figurative sense.  We therefore must keep watch through the night of tribulation and with perseverance as those who are always ready for anything at anytime, anywhere, bar nothing.  What else can be more important than keeping out of the thorns of the cares of this life (Luke 8:14, 21:34) as we are busy in our Father’s work as we put His desires above our own (1 John 2:15-17)?  We must be ready because nobody can predict when He will return though there are some who would puff themselves up and tell you emphatically that they can.  Do not follow after them we are told in Matthew 24:23-24, 26-27 and Mark 13:21-23 to warn us of the deception of such pseudo prohecies.  We are to be ready with eyes wide open, not on crystal balls of human reasoning contr to scripture.  When Peter asked if this applied only to other people the Lord answered that they all as wise stewards of God’s word must be about His Father’s business by faithfulness in service to others for Him.  These will be well fed by Him.  We are never to live contrary to the two greatest commandments (Mark 12:30-31) and mistreat others or face the consequences.  If we know our Father’s will we will be ready at all times in service both to others and Him.  What has been committed to each of us is as the ones in the parable of the talents, each using to the fullest what God has gifted each one of us.  We are accountable to Him for our faithfulness to follow and serve using these.  For those to whom much has been given, much is expected in employing those talents, whether teaching, preaching, helping others, and more.  Our lack of faithful service does not negate our eternal salvation (1 Corinthians 3:13-15), but leads to either reward or loss as appropriate.  What we do here matters eternity.  May we be faithful and watchful stewards (1 Peter 4:10-11) of the grace of God in Christ given each of us.