Servant Faithfulness: A Just Reward
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The servant who is not ready for the master’s return.
The servant who is not ready for the master’s return.
After Jesus told his disciples not to worry and put their trust in him, he offers two parables concerning the disciple’s actions and attitude while he is away from them.
After Jesus told his disciples not to worry and put their trust in him, he offers two parables concerning the disciple’s actions and attitude while he is away from them.
The first parables is about a servant who waits at night for the master’s return, to keep the lamps burning and watching for the master, whenever he decides it is best to return.
The first parables is about a servant who waits at night for the master’s return, to keep the lamps burning and watching for the master, whenever he decides it is best to return.
Vs. 35 “Be ready for service” – literally, gird up you loins; the distraction of long garments gets in the way of practical working.
“keep your lamps burning” – to be ready day or night to receive the master when he comes, lest we miss the opportunity entirely.
Vs. 36 “He will dress himself to serve” - Christ will humble and dress himself to serve his faithful servants in a tender way at the heavenly feast promised to all received in glory (Luke 14:15.
Vs. 41 “Peter asked, ‘Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?’”
Instead of answering Peter directly, Jesus answers with a question and second parable about a faithful and wise servant.
Instead of answering Peter directly, Jesus answers with a question and second parable about a faithful and wise servant.
Vs. 42 “It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.” - Jesus says that the good servant must continue to serve faithfully as they had been doing when he was among them.
Vs. 43 “he will be put in charge of all of his possessions” – the faithful servant will be put in charge over all created things, which are all of God’s possessions.
Vs. 44 But then Jesus raises the question of the servant’s fidelity. “My master is taking a long time in coming,” beating other servants, and indulging in the food and drink of the master. Jesus then proposes that he (the master) will return unexpectedly, while the servant is acting poorly, and he will punish the servant harshly (dichotomeō: Gk. literally, to cut off) and he will treat him as an unbeliever, alluding to cutting the branch from the tree (Matt. 24:51); similar to kareth (Heb. meaning to be deprived of the afterlife).
On the Day of Judgment he will punish the unfaithful severely, as if they never believed.
Vs. 47-48 The servant who knows what the master instructed and does not follow it will have a more harsh sentence than the one who does not know. The servant that is given more instruction and more opportunities will be held responsible for what they have done in response to it.
Remaining a faithful servant is not an easy task, and anyone who has waited in the long hours of the absolutely silent night, keeping watch for the sake of all that has value and vitality, knows how easy it can be to succumb to the temptations, stealing us away from our appointed task.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Jesus points to the need for the servant to remain aware at all times, ready to open the door to him, remaining undistracted by fascinations of abusive privilege and power entrusted to them.
“The unfaithful and arrogant in power will be punished according to the nature of their behavior, their knowledge of the Lord’s will, and the level of power and privilege enjoyed.” – Craddock, IC
He ends here with, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.”
All of this seems terribly difficult if near impossible, and that is that case when it is attempted alone. It is impossible to remain faithful to God without the grace of God, as it is impossible to know the master’s instructions and follow him without the master enabling the servant to do so.
What Are We Waiting For? Is what we are waiting for valuable enough to make the effort?
Jesus serves the faithful as a reward, when he returns.
Jesus serves the faithful as a reward, when he returns.
For those disciples present during Jesus’ earthly ministry, they had to wait after Jesus died, and then again after Jesus ascended to wait for the Holy Spirit to come and be with them and empower them.
When he ascended, he did not tell them when he would return and that only the Father knew when that would be. If they knew they might say, “my master is taking a long time in coming,” and fail to be faithful, with the result that no others afterward could be drawn to him.
Jesus spoke of himself as the master who will return to his servants again unexpectedly.
It is he who says to be dressed, ready to serve, and keep your lamps burning to moment he returns.
True accountability to God is in balance with levels of leadership and influence. It is proportional.
The faithful servant does as instructed, not because of the circumstances but because God is infinitely good.
Jesus calls the faithful servant wise, faithful and happy.
Jesus does not answer Peter directly because it is not only those who are explicitly called into leadership that serve others. All true believers in Christ serve, but our reward is always based on how we have served.
They are blessed, but they are also served by the master. During his ministry Jesus served as an example in humility, after his coming, his humility in service is the reward of the faithful.
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
1 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
God is the reward of our faithfulness.
God is the reward of our faithfulness.
As we continue to be obedient and follow his instructions, we continue to receive God’s presence in life and through eternity, where God serves the faithful.
God serves the faithful upon his return.
God serves the faithful upon his return.
If we will continue to remain faithful to God, in the ways he has instructed, without allowing ourselves to drawn into doubt and cynicism of his coming, mistreating our neighbors in violence, and being tempted by the pleasures of this world; then we will have our reward at the Great Banquet, where we will be lovingly served by Jesus, who will say to us, “you have done well, my good and faithful servant.” – Matt. 25:23