The Parable of the Watchful Servants

Introduction

Mark 13 begins with the disciples making comments about the temple. One of the disciples said, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” Jesus answers that comment by foretelling the destruction of the temple. He expands and talks about the end times using words like wars and rumors of wars; nations rising against nation; earthquakes and famines. The disciples had to be perplexed. They thought that Jesus had come to save them from all that which was to take place. He tells a parable about the signs to come and illustrates that parable with a fig tree. Then, He concludes the chapter by telling one more parable, the parable of the watchful servants.

Mark 13:32–37 NIV84

32 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ”

A conversation about the magnificence of the temple turns to a conversation about the Second Coming of our Lord. In fact, this chapter has often been referred to by biblical scholars as the “Little Apocalypse.” Signs of the end are given, distress and trouble are predicted, the appearance of an abomination that causes desolation announced, and false messiahs and false prophets are expected. Then we see in these last verses, that the Son of man will appear. His coming will be an unknown time, but Jesus stresses the importance of watchfulness.

Notice the clarification that we see in verse 32.

The Clarification (vs. 32)

“No one knows about that day.” If you perhaps have paid attention to what you have read in Mark 13, you will notice a reference in a couple of verses to “those days.”

Mark 13:17 NIV84

17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!

Mark 13:19 NIV84

19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again.

Mark 13:24 NIV84

24 “But in those days, following that distress, “ ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;

Yet in Mark 13:32, we see the reference as mentioned as “that day.”

That vs. Those

What happens here, is “that day” brings an end to “those days.” We tend to get caught up in “those days.” We think of the horrible issues we will face in those days. In fact these three verses I just read certainly indicate doom and gloom. We might also think about “those days” of the past as well. I am reminded that last Wednesday was the beginning of the Jewish Month of Av. Jewish law and tradition holds that the first nine days of Av are to be calendared days of mourning. Especially the Jews are to mourn the destruction of the temple that took place almost 2000 years ago. They are required by their religion to forget about hope. Yet, our King will come and changed “those days” into “that day!”

There’s another clarification that needs to be examined.

Future vs. Present

The disciples are caught up in the when this will take place. You and I do that too. We get caught up in the signs of the times and get nervous about the time in which we live. However, this parable reminds us that the we don’t need to be caught up in what happens in the future, but we need to be sold out for our Lord in the present! It doesn’t matter when it will happen. What matters is that we are living for Jesus right now! We should trust the Father with the when by knowing that He has us now and will have us then!

Matthew 6:33–34 NIV84

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Another point of clarification needs to be made here as well.

It vs. Thou

The disciples wanted an “it” but Jesus wants “Thou.” “It” refers to the coming end of the age. “Thou” refers to all the glory going straight to the Father. That is why Jesus said only the Father knows when it will happen. He is God Almighty. It doesn’t matter when it will happen, we just need to trust in Him that will make it happen!

The ultimate clarification here is that only the Father knows when this will take place. Verse 32 calls attention to the Father. Acts 1:7

Acts 1:7 NIV84

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

We need to trust God’s authority!

So, what are we do to?

Here is the command:

The Command (vs. 33)

Mark 13:33 NIV84

33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.

On Guard

The first aspect of this command is to be on guard. What does it mean to be on guard? We are to be aware. We are to discern. We are to recognize that the true Christian disciple is never off duty. So many of us take off our Christian hat when we go outside these doors. We stop acting like Christians and even let our guards down. Temptations come in many forms! We are tempted to forsake our calling. We are to be on guard! We are to be on alert!

On Alert

The word alert means sleepless, kept awake, and to be ready. Some translations have the phrase “be alert and pray!”

1 Thessalonians 5:6 NIV84

6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.

Some of us have spiritual ADHD and are not able to stay alert. We can’t even stay focused enough to even stay awake. Are you staying alert enough to be on guard?

Another word that stands our for me in this verse is the word time.

On Time

God’s timing is perfect timing. We don’t need to worry about when, but we need to worry about being ready. The word in the Greek in which we have translated as time actually means God’s appointed time. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2

1 Thessalonians 5:1–2 NIV84

1 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

The command is to be ready.

“The situation calls, therefore, not for calculation of dates or careful observation of signs, but for constant readiness.” R. T. France

We have the command, now notice the commission.

The Commission (vs. 34)

Jesus hammers this point home by giving an illustration. We actually can call it a parable in one verse.

Mark 13:34 NIV84

34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

The Journey

It was quite common for the landowners to leave his household to go on perhaps a business trip. Often, the landowner’s absence would be known by others in the community that would take advantage of him being gone. When the cat’s away the mice will play, right? As this man left on a journey, Jesus also was telling His disciples that He was going on a journey. John 14:2-3

John 14:2–3 NIV84

2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Jesus left to tend to His Father’s business and prepare a place for you and I so in turn we can be about the Father’s business.

Every good and responsible landowner left a task for his servants while he was gone.

The Task

The task assigned is to keep watch. I love how the Prophet Ezekiel put it.

Ezekiel 3:17 NIV84

17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.

We as Christians are called to keep watch. The watchman’s task was to make sure that intruders did not come into the home. What have you let into your home? Some of us are guilty of allowing false teachings, a watered-down gospel, and things that are far from God. We have failed at the commission and the attention it requires.

The Attention

The attention that God desires is wholeheartedness.

Psalm 119:2 NIV84

2 Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.

We need to stop being lazy with our attention. The commission to keep watch is literally means to give strict attention to and be cautious. In fact, the last few verses of our text remind us of this caution.

The Caution (vs. 35-37)

Mark 13:35–37 NIV84

35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ”

The caution comes with a promise.

The Promise

The promise is that the owner is coming back! Obviously we see this as Jesus being the owner. Rest assured dear friends, He is coming again!

He has promised it!

Mark 14:62 NIV84

62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Revelation 22:20 NIV84

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

I was reminded this week of the validity of God’s word.

Psalm 119:140 NIV84

140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.

Loving God’s word certainly gives us another caution to examine and that is the posture.

The Posture

When we are alert and watching, we won’t be sleeping. There is a danger of being caught sleeping. When we are not alert, evil creeps in and subtly takes over.

“False prophets raise false hopes; mistake signs raise false fears and anxiety; the delay of the Second Coming induces complacency and neglect; lack of knowledge induces resignation and defeat.” James R. Edwards

So we must exercise caution in our practice.

The Practice

The practice that you and I need to do is to watch. This is a word of Jesus to the Twelve, the word of Mark to his readers, and the word of the Spirit to believers in every age. The original question posed by Peter, James, John and Andrew is to be declared to all! If we are Christ followers, we are to expect, watch, and be ready! The “when” transposes to “what.”

Proverbs 8:34 NIV84

34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.

We will live better as we do this. We will be better as we do this. We are to live in constant readiness. This quote from C.F.D. Moule sums it up for us:

“New Testament thought on the Last Things, at its deepest and best, always concentrates on what God has already done for men in Christ. It does not say, How long will it be before the last whistle blows full-time? Rather it says, where I ought to be to receive the next pass? What really matters is that kick-off has already taken place, the game is on and we have a Captain to lead us on to victory!”

Hear what our Captain is saying:

Mark 13:37 NIV84

37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ”