The Quality of Faithfulness
TRANSLATION
(36) “But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven nor the Son but only the Father. (37) As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (38) For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day when Noah entered into the ark. (39) And they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (40) Two men will be in the field. One will be taken and the other will be left behind. (41) Two women will be grinding with a hand mill. One will be taken and the other will be left behind.
(42) “Therefore keep watch, for you do not know the day when your Lord will come. (43) But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. (44) Therefore you must be ready, for the Son of Man will return at an hour when you do not expect him.
(45) “Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? (46) Blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing so when he comes. (47) Truly I tell you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. (48) But if that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My lord is staying away for a long time,’ (49) and then begins to beat his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with drunkards, (50) the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour of which he is not aware. (51) He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, and there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
OBSERVATIONS
Jesus continued his Olivet Discourse with even more warnings about the need to be ready for his sudden return. Several repetitions help us grasp the thrust of this segment. “Day(s)” is found five times (vss. 36, 37, 38, 42, & 50) while “come/coming” occurred six times (vss. 37, 39, 42, 43, 44, & 50). “Son” or “Son of Man” was used four times (vss. 36, 37, 39, & 44), “flood” twice (vss. 38 & 39), and “took/taken” three times (vss. 39, 40, & 41). In the final paragraph, “servant(s)” is found five times (vss. 45, 46, 48, 49, & 50) while “master” was used four times (vss. 45, 46, 48, & 50).
OUTLINE
I. No one knows the specific time when the Son of Man will suddenly return. (36-41)
II. We must be ready for the Lord’s return whenever it occurs. (42-44)
III. Upon his return, the Lord will reward those who are faithful but will punish the faithless. (45-51)
IDEA STATEMENT
Being ready for the Lord’s return means that we serve him faithfully no matter how long his coming is delayed.
APPLICATION
“The test of a person’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” Although this maxim, attributed to the famous basketball coach, John Wooden, has become a cliché over the past number of years, its message remains valid and timely for believers today. This sentence sums up the thrust of Jesus’ message to all who are patiently waiting for his return.
This quality of faithfulness involves more than being “full of faith.” It requires that we remain unflinchingly loyal to a person or a cause and then put that loyalty into consistent practice regardless of extenuating circumstances. In the case of the Great Tribulation coming on the whole earth, faithful servants are those who continue to serve the Lord to the full extent of their ability no matter what takes place in the surrounding world nor however long it takes for him to return. For those who are faithful, Jesus has promised great rewards. Those who fail to remain steadfast will suffer great loss. When our Master returns, those who persevere will receive his commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”