August 21, 2022
“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.” Luke 12:37
What an amazing promise for God’s faithful ones! He Himself will have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. We are often instructed in Scripture to be watchful. There is a spiritual alertness that comes with living in the expectancy of Jesus’ return. It is in His word that we continually learn of Him while also gaining understanding of world events in light of Biblical prophecy. Things are rapidly worsening, just as He said they would. This “darkening” will, by contrast, draw more attention to the brightness and glory of the everlasting gospel message for the purpose of saving souls!
Jesus also spoke of professed servants of His who are not watchful. Such a servant will not openly scoff at God’s word, but his lifestyle reveals a lack of expectancy. He will find company with other professed followers who also do not openly deny the truth, but live as though the master is delaying his coming. This is a dangerous recipe for presumptuous sins (Psalm 19:13, see also Numbers 15:30, Deuteronomy 17:12, 2 Peter 2:10).
“But if that evil servant says in his heart, “My master is delaying his coming,” and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of.” Matthew 24:48-50
To beat fellow servants is not a reference to physical beating; it means he becomes critical of those who are watchful and obedient to God’s word. He seeks the company of others who are not watchful. To drink with the drunkards is a reference to swallowing the wine of Babylon: false doctrines that confuse and convolute truth by mixing in error. Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand that made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations are deranged. The woman (Babylon)…having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations… Jeremiah 51:7, Revelation 17:4
To presume upon the Lord’s patience and mercy places one in a precarious position, set to be lulled into a false sense of security, and dulled to the point of forgetting the true God of the universe. Be watchful!
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith… 1 Peter 5:8-9a