Luke 12:35-38

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-We’re going to be in Luke 12 again this morning...

As always, Let me encourage you, to...

…turn there, and follow along...

…in your own Bibles.

-I had originally thought to entitle this sermon...

…something along the lines of...

Prepping for the Real Apocalypse

But, I thought that might be...

…too misleading for the folks on the internet...

So, I tamed it down a bit...

…and went with what you see there:

(Show Title Screen)

-Obviously, the point I’m trying to make...

…is that being SPIRITUALLY prepared...

…for the Coming of Christ...

…is going to be the over-arching theme...

Of the next 14 Verses

Of the next few Sermons

-So, if you’re a preparedness kind of guy or gal...

This may really resonate with you!

But, might also help you re-calibrate and improve...

…the nature of your preparations!

-If you’re a laissez-faire kind of guy or gal...

This may really convict you!

Hopefully it will be used by the Holy Spirit...

…to bring you to repentance.

Whatever the case...

…it is the Word of God...

…and we need it!

Amen?

Let’s read it...

…and go the the Lord in prayer:

Luke 12:35–40 (ESV)

35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,

36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!

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Pray

-In our text last week...

…Jesus had taught His disciples...

To not live for the things of this world

But, to seek FIRST the Kingdom of God!

It had been a call...

To holiness!

To a life consecrated to the service of Christ!

It was most clearly stated in Verses 30-31:

Luke 12:30–31 (ESV)

30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things...

31 Instead, seek his kingdom...

And, in a very real sense...

…our text today...

…contains the same sort of call and command.

It is a call to...

A different manner of living

A consecrated life

A life of holy devotion.

-Notice the way it begins in Verse 35:

Luke 12:35 (ESV)

35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,

Now, there's quite a bit of variety...

…in the way English translators...

…render that first command.

For instance:

Luke 12:35 (NASB95)

35 “Be dressed in readiness...

Luke 12:35 (NIV)

35 “Be dressed ready for service...

Quite literally, it is that familiar old phrase:

Luke 12:35 (LSB)

35 “Gird up your loins...

Now, notice how they...

…put it in all caps.

Some translations do that...

…to indicate a reference or citation...

…from the Old Testament.

And here, the reference is most helpful...

…in understanding the gist...

…of what Jesus is saying.

Exodus 12:11 (ESV)

11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.

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What’s the idea in that?

They were to partake of the Passover meal...

Not in a state of leisure and relaxation

But in a state of readiness and eager anticipation

They didn’t know exactly when...

…that their redemption would come...

…but they knew it was coming...

…and they were to be ready to obey...

…as soon as they were told to move out!

-This is the sense of the command in Verse 35.

Notice, how it’s both...

Present

Ongoing

Luke 12:35 (ESV)

35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,

That’s a state of constant...

Preparation

Anticipation

Sproul gives us some helpful insights:

In the ancient Near East the servants in a wealthy man’s house usually wore long, flowing robes. These robes, although ornate and beautiful, weren’t particularly functional. If a person wanted to ready himself for action, he would put a belt around his robe, freeing his legs.

In telling the people that now is the time to put on their belts, to gird their loins, to be prepared and to keep their lamps burning, Jesus is calling for vigilance, for a state of readiness. — Sproul

Once again, Peter summarizes it perfectly:

1 Peter 1:13–16 (ESV)

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

-Now, to show them what...

…this is supposed to look like...

…Jesus gives His disciples an illustration:

Luke 12:35–36 (ESV)

35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,

36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast...

So, these men are servants, right?

And their master is gone to a wedding feast...

And, they are back at the house...

Waiting for him to return...

Not knowing when that will be.

(remember that in the ancient world...

…these could have gone on for days)

(Here, the particular setting...

…is at night (Verse 38))

-So, how would servants in this situation...

…typically respond?

Well, most of us would probably admit...

…that if it were us...

We would slack off quite a bit

Enjoy some free time

Take some time for ourselves.

That would be the COMMON response!

But Jesus is calling his disciples...

To NOT be common servants

But to be HOLY servants.

What does a righteous servant do...

…when his master is away?

He continues on faithfully...

…looking after the affairs of his master.

He does everything necessary...

…to be ready for his master’s return.

-Look at the ensuing language of Verse 36:

Luke 12:36 (ESV)

36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.

That’s the heart of a faithful servant.

A servant who delights in his master.

He’s eager and waiting...

To receive his master

Continue serving in his presence.

This is what they/we are being called to, brethren.

To be like these men...

…as we await the return of our Master!

We’re NOT to...

Fill our time with leisure and selfish pursuits

Be looking out for our own interests and pleasure.

We’re to...

Have our loins girded

Be dressed for work

Have the lights turned on...

and the flashlights ready...

Standing at the door...

Waiting for Him to knock!

-To say this is the constant theme of the NT...

…would be quite the understatement:

For example, Jesus said this...

...during the Olivet Discourse:

Mark 13:32–37 (ESV)

32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.

34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.

35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—

36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.

37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

Do you see what’s implied in that?

Is it going to be an easy calling?

Is it hard to...

Stay awake all night?

Stay ready for a guest...

…when you’re not sure when they’ll arrive?

Do all of that with a good attitude?

What can make it doable?

Intense affection and longing

(Think about when you were twitterpated)

If you want to see someone bad enough...

…you can endure almost anything!

And again, why is that?

Because, the reward is worth the wait!

Because, their presence...

…brings you blessing, right?

-Look at Verse 37:

Luke 12:37 (ESV)

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes...

“awake” can mean:

Vigilant

Watchful

Alert

Skip down to Verse 38:

He elaborates:

Luke 12:38 (ESV)

38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!

-Now, jump back up to Verse 37.

What we skipped over before...

…illustrates the blessedness that is being promised.

Luke 12:37 (ESV)

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

Sproul, again gives us helpful insights:

… At this point Jesus departs radically from the customs of the ancient world.

To this simple story, drawn from the everyday experience of the people, he adds a consequence that is utterly uncommon.

The master on his return gives an unprecedented reward to his workers. He himself, puts on the uniform of service, invites his servants to recline at the table, and waits on them himself.

Then, he says:

Jesus is obviously applying this to himself; when he comes, those who are found ready, who are busily engaged in their work, having set their hearts on the kingdom of God, and not to the acquisition of material possessions, will be rewarded.

When the King comes, the King will serve his faithful people — R.C. Sproul

Guys, Jesus is in his own category.

He to whom all authority and power...

…has been given...

…said things, like:

Luke 22:27 (ESV)

27 ...I am among you as the one who serves.

Matthew 20:28 (ESV)

28 ...the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

This isn’t a King who says...

...”do as I say, not as I do” . . .

This is a king that says...

Matthew 20:26–27 (ESV)

26 ...whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave...

…and, I’ll lead the way in doing that!

…I’ll give you an example to follow!

Ryken says:

This parable of the waiting servants could only be told by the kind of God who would wear the weakness of his people by taking on the flesh of their humanity, who would strip his robes to wash the feet of his disciples, and who would serve as their substitute by dying on the cross for their sins.

When we know the rest of the gospel story, we can see that Jesus put himself into this parable.

We can also see what a blessing it is to serve him as our master.

Jesus has worn the garments of our servitude. He has served us to the very death. He has invited us to sit down at his table, where he feeds our needy souls.

Now we wait for him to come again, ready and waiting for the day when we will enter the fullness of our Master’s joy. — Ryken

Once again, this was...

…the constant theme...

…of the Apostle’s exhortation to Believers:

Titus 2:11–14 (ESV)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Philippians 3:20–4:1 (ESV)

20 ...our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

2 Timothy 4:7–8 (ESV)

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Peter, similarly, said this:

2 Peter 3:1–15 (ESV)

1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,

2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,

3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.

4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”. . .

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,

12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!

13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,

Finally, let me leave you...

…with these promises from our Lord himself:

Revelation 3:11–12 ESV

11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.

Revelation 22:7 ESV

7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

Revelation 22:12 ESV

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

Revelation 22:20 ESV

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

Amen?

Is that desire of your heart?

If so, . . .

Luke 12:35–36 (ESV)

35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,

36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home...

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