The Parable of the Faithful Manager and the Unfaithful Servant
The Son: Meeting Jesus through Luke • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Opening Comments
Opening Comments
Please meet me in your copy of God’s word in Luke 12:41-48. Pg. 819 in our church provided Bibles. This is the word of the Lord.
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?”
42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?
43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,
46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.
47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.
48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
Prayer
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
As we gather today to explore Your Word, we come seeking wisdom and guidance. In Luke 12:41-48, You remind us of the importance of faithfulness, vigilance, and stewardship.
Help us to listen with open hearts and minds, ready to receive Your truth. May Your Spirit illuminate our understanding, convict our spirits, and empower us to live as faithful servants, prepared for Your return.
We pray for Your presence to be palpable among us, guiding our thoughts, words, and actions. May our time together deepen our commitment to You and strengthen our resolve to serve You faithfully.
In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Introduction
Introduction
The passage we have just read together is a part of the passage we looked at last Sunday morning in v.35-40 and we need to understand them together. Last Sunday, we saw Jesus teach on the importance of being ready for his second coming. He did this by using two analogies; one of a faithful servant and the other a wise homeowner to emphasize our need of constant readiness and preparation for the masters return. We saw that the second coming of Christ is both a certain reality (we know for sure he is returning) and an uncertain unreality (we do not know when he will return.) Because of this, we must always be on the lookout, living with eternity in view, for Christ could return at any moment.
We also saw that readiness begins with salvation first. If a person does not have Christ as their savior they will be caught unprepared at Christ return and will not be blessed by it.
For the christian, we must be walking in sanctification, living godly lives of holiness and service the Lord Jesus as we anticipate his return.
In v.42-48 Jesus will expand on this theme as he answers Peters Question
41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?”
What follows is Jesus offering two more parables regarding faithfulness and highlighting the consequences of neglecting our responsibilities to the master.
The first parable is that of a faithful servant and the second is that of an unfaithful servant. Through these parables we will see the importance of being ready when the Lord returns because all people fit into one or the other parable. So, Let's examine God's Word together, seeking to apply its timeless truths to our lives.
1.) The faithful manager. (v. 42-44)
1.) The faithful manager. (v. 42-44)
A.) Who is the faithful manager (v.42)
42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?
This faithful manager represents those who are genuine followers of Christ who mange the spiritual riches God has entrusted them with well, and because of this are ready for his return at any moment.
Faithful (Pistos)- pertaining to being worthy of belief or trust, trustworthy, faithful, dependable, inspiring trust/faith. William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 820. In the New Testament when this word is used it always has the connotation of faith. The use of this word tells us that this manger represents all those who are the redeemed.
Wise (Pronimos)- sensible, thoughtful, prudent. To think or have a mindset. Having wisdom from above. Pronimos is the result of pistos. Wisdom from above is the result of faith in Christ.
A good and faithful manager understands the urgency of the masters return. That it could take place at any time. So he wants to found ready. Just as a genuine believer in Christ understands the urgency and importance of Christ second coming so he wants to be faithful to serve in all the areas of life God has desired him to be.
B.) What does the faithful manager do. (v.42)
42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?
In the ancient near east, the manger of the household had almost unlimited power within his masters sphere of influence. He managed the day to day affairs of the state, represented his master in business dealings, supervised the staff, and even exercised some authority over the masters wife and children in how he helped cary out the masters desires for them and upheld the masters values.
He used his head (wisdom) to understand the masters will and then set out to do that will with everything at his disposal.
The faithful Christian has done this by repenting of his sin when confronted by his condition and exposed to the gospel and believed in it. They then act responsibly in their walk with the Lord doing everything for his glory.
The Lord illustrates this by saying that he “gives them their portion of food at the proper timer” -
like the pastor feeding the flock
2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;
3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
Or like parents raising their children according to God’s word. (this is likely how Luke’s original audience would have taken it)
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
C.) The blessing to the faithful and wise manager. (v.43-44)
43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
Jesus goes on to say that when the master of the house returns to find his manager has acted in a faithful and wise way carrying out all of his duties while his master was away, will be blessed by being put in charge of all the masters possessions.
In other words the authority of the faithful and wise manger will be enlarged.
This is a metaphor to say that when Christ returns all those who are found faithfully and wisely serving him will be rewarded.
To put it in the simplest of terms, the servant of Jesus who has been faithful in his temporary earthly responsibilities will be given vast permanent authority in the eternal kingdom.
We don’t know exactly what that enlarged authority will be, but we know it will be joyous.
Jesus will echo this again in Luke 19:15-17 when he tells the parable of the Ten Minas.
15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business.
16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’
17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’
John Broadus, was the faithful president of Southern Baptist Seminary in louisville, KY during the Civil War. At war’s end the seminary had four professors and seven students, and one of those was blind. Only the blind student took Broadus’s course on preaching. Under such circumstances, many teachers would have been tempted to give less than their best. But not Dr. Broadus, who gave painstaking care to every lecture. Those magnificent lectures became the substance for one of the most famous and influential books on homiletics in American history, The Preparation and Delivery of Sermons. Broadus’s authority was increased because he was a faithful servant. But that is only the beginning of the story. The final story is being written now, as Broadus serves Christ in the final estate.
R. Kent Hughes, Luke: That You May Know the Truth, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998), 64.
2.) The unfaithful servants. (v.45-48)
2.) The unfaithful servants. (v.45-48)
A.) The Defiant servant
In v.40 of Luke 12, Jesus said Luke 12:40 Jesus said
40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
1.) The defiant servant ignores the fact that that Christ will return at any moment.
Instead his attitude is Luke 12:45
Luke 12:45 (ESV)
But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’
It’s not that he didn't believe the master was returning, he just thought his return was a long way off.
2.) He did his own will instead of the master will.
45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,
He mistreated and abused those he was given charge of and went about being a glutton and a drunkard.
Application: There are many who live under the same illusion as the unfaithful servant did. They assume they can live life however they please and have time to “make things right with God” before the end comes.
Friend, that kind of thinking is dangerous and foolish. No one knows when that day will come (be it death or the second coming.)
3.) The masters judgement of the defiant servant. (v.46)
Luke 12:46 (ESV)
the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, …
When the master returns, it will take the unfaithful servant by surprise.
When the master finds all the unfaithful servant has left undone and the way he treated those he was supposed to take care of, his judgment will be severe.
Luke 12:46–47 (ESV)
…and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.
unfaithful”. (apistos) pertaining to not believing, with the implication of refusing to believe—‘to be unbelieving, to be lacking in trust. Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 377.
That word brings Jesus metaphor into real life.
The place that has been prepared for the unbelieving is hell. Where the unfaithful servants pleasure is turned into pain.
In Matthews version of Jesus parable he says this:
51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
B.) The distracted servant. (v.47)
47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.
This unfaithful servant isn't defiant of the masters wishes during his absence. He doesn't abuse the other servants or flagrantly ignore the masters orders. But, he doesn't obey the master either.
He just goes about doing everything else but the masters orders.
Because of this, when the master returns, he finds this servant unprepared. This servant doesn’t receive the severe punishment of being chopped into pieces like the defiant servant did, but he still receives punishment for his sins.
A less severe punishment of being severely beaten.
C.) The ignorant servant. (v.48)
Luke 12:48 (ESV)
But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating…
This servant was unfaithful because he did not know all that the master expected of him during his absence. But his ignorance doesn't get him off the hook. He could have gone about seeking out the masters will by reading the left behind instructions.
This servant as well receives punishment, albeit a less severe form of it. He still got a beating, but only a light beating. A few lashes instead of many.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Luke at the rest of v.48
Luke 12:48 (ESV)
…Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
Jesus here is teaching the principal of God’s perfect justice. That degrees of reward and judgement from God exist.
This principle teaches us that:
Faithful servants are rewarded according to their faithfulness.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Bad- things not evil but of no value.
2. There are differing degrees of punishment in hell for unbelievers. That degree of punishment is directly related to their knowledge of the truth.
The more a person has been exposed to the truth of God’s word the more dangerous it is for them to reject it.
The second coming of Christ is imminent. It is going to happen. If you defiantly reject the truth of the Gospel, or you are callous and indifferent to it, or frankly to be completely ignorant of it, is to spend eternity in hell under the perfect justice of God meted out for your sin.
Thats why Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6:2
2 Corinthians 6:2 (ESV)
… Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Repent and believe the Gospel today. Those who refuse to do so will face the wrath of God perfectly poured out on them for all eternity.
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Let me close with these words from the writer of the book of Hebrews, hear them this morning, I plead with you
26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
