12.03.25 Luke 12:35-48

Prepare

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of your presence today. We pray that here and now, we would behold your glory and by your spirit, be transformed into someone more and more like our risen King Jesus. Amen

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Watchfulness

35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, 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 is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Reflect

Hachiko was an ordinary dog born on a farm in Japan in the 1920s. You might have not be familiar with his story but Hachiko the dog would travel each day to a train station in Tokyo to meet his owner on the way home from his commute. He did this for almost 2 years until one day, his owner was taken ill and never came home. Still, for the next 9 years, Hachiko returned to the station every day to await his master’s return.

No one had to teach Hachiko to go to the station and wait. He did it out of love for his Master. Today, Jesus challenges us with the truth that we to live each day in expectation of our master, Jesus. This is a life that is noticeably different. A life of integrity. A life of responsibility and A life of Eternity. 

Be

Let’s first consider integrity. Jesus describes a servant in his parable who acts differently when his master is not around. He’s drunk, violent and unaware of his Master’s imminent return. Instead, we must live with the same integrity regardless of who we think is watching. Let’s take a moment of quiet to consider where we might be tempted to act differently, the moments we have forgotten that God sees all and knows all. 

Allow the spirit to bring these things out of darkness into his marvellous light

Become

Just like the master leaves his servant in charge of his house, Jesus has made each of his followers in carriers of his presence and ambassadors of his kingdom. We are not Idle. We must recognise all God has entrusted to us, gifts, talents, resources, opportunities. Let’s pray that we will be faithful with what has been entrusted to us. 

• Heavenly Father, thank you for the skills and abilities you have given me. I pray would you help me to use these for the sake of others, for your kingdom and your glory

• Heavenly Father, thank you for the people in my life who I have opportunity to witness to, to tell of your goodness and grace.  I pray would you help me to use these opportunities for the sake of others, for your kingdom and your glory

• Heavenly Father, thank you for precious gift of your spirit, that lives within me and beside me. I pray would you help me to hear and obey his promptings for the sake of others, for your kingdom and your glory

Do

Finally, we want to live in expectation and anticipation of Jesus 2nd coming. We don’t know when he has coming back but we are called to be ready. What will we be found doing on that day? Will be proud of what we’ve committed our time and thought to? Will Jesus call us “faithful and wise manager”. 

What’s a prayer or sentence you could write and hang up in room or save as a lock screen on your phone? Something to remind that Jesus will one day return.

Practice

Remember, with the Japanese dog hachiko, it was love that motivated him everyday to leave and lie in wait of his master. As you go through your day and if you feel yourself draining of desire or reason to live the life Jesus calls you to, remember the love he has for you, the love that no longer calls us servants but sons and daughters. Allow that love to fill you and flow out of you. In Jesus Name. Amen.