Luke 12:35-5735Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. 41Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? 42And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 43Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 45But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. 49I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? 50But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! 51Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: 52For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 54And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 55And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 56Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? 57Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? (Luke 12:35‑57)
The Lord Jesus knew that He would be refused and put to death by the hatred of the rulers and that He would return to God the Father to Heaven. He knew that many would not want to hear His name, and would try to harm those who loved Him, so it would be hard for them to tell people of Him as the One Who died for. sinners.
So He said the disciples would be “servants” for Him while He would be away. He said they were to “gird” themselves. In those times men wore loose garments, which they girded, or held firm by belt or sash, to work (see Eph. 6:1414Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (Ephesians 6:14)).
His servants would prepare for His work by learning and keeping God’s words, which would keep their ways right. Jesus also said they were to have their “lights burning.” The streets in cities were not lighted as now, and on dark nights every man carried his own lamp or torch.
God’s words would be the “light” to guide these “servants,” so they would know the right path and also could show others, for their work would be to tell those who did not know God or His son Jesus.
Jesus would be a good Master, and would know all His “servants” would do for Him, and would fully reward them. But He knew how some of their own friends or families would not want to hear them, and that it would be hard to be faithful.
The comfort Jesus told the disciples was that they should look for Him to return, and wait for that time of joy. One loving promise was that “their Lord” or Master, would serve them. Was not that a wonderful promise? (vs. 37).
Sometimes people speak of serving Christ to receive eternal life with Him, but all God’s Word teaches such life can be given only because of Christ’s death to bear the punishment of sins. His true servants want to serve Him because they believe Him their Saviour.
All the people of that land should have known that Jesus was their prosed Messiah, for the Scriptures told that He would give sight to the blind, and heal all their diseases. So when Jesus did all those wonders, as no other could, they should have known Who He was. The things He did and His words should have been as signs for them.
Jesus said they could tell what the weather would be by the clouds and the wind, but they did not know it was the time promised.
All the disciples later went everywhere to tell of the. Lord Jesus, excepting Judas who was not honest or true. There must have been many boys and girls who heard Jesus’ words who did not forget Him, and became servants for Him too, telling others of Him.
ML 07/08/1945