When we rush to the door, who is it we expect to find?

Continuing with Jesus’ parable of The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant in Luke 12, we come to verse 41. Here, Peter interjects a question. It seems pretty benign and an easy one to just skim past.

As a writer writing dialogue, I will occasionally use what I call, “Throw away lines”. This is dialogue that doesn’t give much information but just keeps the exchange between characters more interactive or it will que one character to give more information. I’ve been mistaken many times to treat certain lines in the Bible as throw-away lines without a lot of meaning. This is one of them.

Peter asks, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” Honestly, it seems kind of a lame question. Like some others the Disciples ask, Jesus seems to almost ignore it and just continues to teach. Right? I mean the simple answer would be for Jesus to respond either “It’s for you” or “It’s not for you but for them.”

But what is Peter asking? He is actually trying to get clarification and to make a point. Saying – If you are talking to us, Jesus, we are right here. We have given all up to serve and to follow you. Where you go, we will go so certainly you are not talking to your Disciples. They are not yet understanding the part about Jesus going away.

So, Jesus actually directly responds to the question. He moves the object of the teaching from a mere servant/slave (Doulos) to a Steward (Oikonomosthe) still a servant but a manager of household affairs. Jesus is recognizing the Disciples as leaders of the church.

Peter refers to Jesus’ teaching as a Parable (Parabole) – where we get the word Parabola – a geometric curve that is identical on either side. The parable is considered “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning” but at its core it refers to a placing of one thing by the side of another. Putting something juxtaposition to another for comparison. An example is 2 ships squaring off for a sea battle. Each ship can look at the other and determine where they stand as a fighting force. A Battleship would feel pretty good about itself if it was facing a Destroyer.

In Mark 4:30 Jesus asks, “And he said, whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison (Parabole) shall we compare it?”

When Jesus tells a parable, he is painting a picture and letting the listeners compare themselves to that picture. Or, it’s like looking in a mirror and gauging what’s in the reflection. I don’t know that it is a common phenomenon but now as I am getting older, when I look in the mirror, I believe I often mentally prepare myself and don’t see that I’ve changed all that much. I kind of see what I want to see. However, if I unexpectedly walk past a mirror and happen to notice myself, it can be a shock. Is that old, gray, fat guy really me?

The True Mirror

We have had a full-length mirror that is framed with smaller mirror tiles set up in my wife’s work room. We had to do some renovation to that room. When we went to move the mirror, the glue holding a number of the tiles had dried and the tiles started to fall off. Falling, sharp pieces of glass is a dangerous thing. I told my wife that we should get rid of the mirror before someone gets hurt. She pushed back declaring, “But I love that mirror! All of my friends love that mirror!” I shook my head, wondering, How do you love a mirror?

Being the dutiful husband, I agreed to keep it, but move it to a place where there wasn’t a lot of traffic. She agreed. So, my son and I lugged it upstairs and set it up. I wiped it down and stood back. Taking a good look I declared loud enough for my wife to hear, “I love this mirror!”

Why did we love this mirror? Because it was warped and everyone who gazed into it saw an image of them that looked taller and thinner. I decided right then to give up dieting and exercise and I would only look in this mirror. But, unfortunately, Christ’s mirror is a true and accurate one. His parables cause us to get a true image of ourselves.

In this section of scripture Jesus is not just teaching about waiting and watching but about doing and in response to his disciples, establishing a pretty high standard for those put in authority.

In verses 45-47 he says, “But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two (Dichotomeo) and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.”

The Greek word, Dichotomeo does mean to cut something in 2 pieces but was also used as the name for a gruesome Hebrew practice of cutting captured enemy in two. Do you think that got the listener’s attention?

In my book, WHO IS THIS GUY? I ask this question about Jesus based on His words and behavior in a number of Gospel episodes. This particular teaching did not make the cut but certainly is a top 10 finisher. Here, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, threatens bad servants with being cut in two, being thrown out of the kingdom and being whipped with many stripes. I ask again, Who is this guy?

But, let’s step back and remember how Jesus is instructing, highlighted by Peter. Jesus is using a parable or a relatable earthly story that provides a heavenly meaning. When Jesus speaks of a good master finding his steward being way out of line, his disciples knew what would result. They understood what would happen in that situation. The bad steward would rightfully be taken to the woodshed.

Jesus did not say He would do that but now they had a basis for relating to His main teaching point being “To whom much is given, much will be required”. In essence, Jesus is saying, You are my disciples. You will be my leaders. You have been blessed to live and be in relationship with the Savior and much will be required of you. He’s answering Peter’s question with – “Yeah, I’m talking to you! When I leave you behind, and if you go totally off the rails, there will naturally be consequences.”

And his teaching is not about being penalized for failing at your Job, it is more about abusing your position which we have seen all too many times in the church. The British Lord Acton is credited with writing this powerful truth, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It wrings accurate in every realm of power, including the religious and spiritual realms.

Is it really the “What” that we are Waiting, Watching and Doing for or is it the “Who”?

When we focus on the “What” that we are waiting for, it draws us back into an old covenant mindset – things that we are waiting, watching and doing. Focusing instead on the “Who” is relational and a New Covenant mindset – who is it we are actively anticipating and preparing for?

Let’s look at this episode and teaching in the context of our relationship with God. Jesus arrived not to condemn but to bless and restore. Confirmation of God’s goodness is found before, in the middle and after this parable/teaching. So, where is the relational and good we know of Jesus and expect in this teaching? Let’s consider the following verses:

• Verse 12:32 – “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom… a treasure in the heavens that does not fail. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Good stuff!)
• Verse 12:37 – “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.
  • It strikes me that there are basically 2 kinds of servant/master relationships. The first would be when the master goes away, the servants are anticipating and more excited about his departure. They would feel relief with his absence and dread his return.
  • The alternative would be when the master goes away, the servants are dreading his absence and feel relief and excitement about his return. Why, because in their presence he is a great source of strength and comfort and joy. When he returns, he comes bearing gifts and actually has them sit down and he serves them the delicacies that he has returned with.
• Verse 12:48 – “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
  • Now, how is Jesus coming to send fire on the earth a good thing? Other than the fact that there is a lot of stuff in this world that I would be happy to see torched.
  • As I mentioned before, this is another, “Who is this guy?” verse. A similar verse I cover in my book is where we find Jesus saying in Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”
  • The Greek word for Bring is Ballo – it means to cast or to throw or to scatter something without caring where it falls. So, Jesus came to scatter fire on the Earth. What is the thing Jesus is anxious to scatter on fire? In Luke 3:16 it reads, “John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Jesus is saying that he can’t wait to submerge His people with spiritual fire.
  • In Psalm 104:4 it confirms the intent, “Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.” Jesus is talking about setting His people’s hearts/spirits on fire.
  • But why does Jesus say, “How I wish it were already kindled.”? It’s my contention that Jesus dreaded facing the torturous death and separation from the Father but could not wait to see the resulting salvation and baptisms of fire. That’s why in verse 50 he says “But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!” The Greek word for distressed is Sunecho and it means feeling constraining pressure like the pressure exerted in making a snowball. Or, the act of handling cattle using a constraint system called a “working chute” which holds the calf still while it is vaccinated or medicated. The anxiety for the cattle skyrockets when constrained in this way.
  • Jesus, as a man, was understandably distressed and anxious about facing the baptism of death and separation but still could not wait to see His People’s Baptism with the Holy Spirit and the resulting glory to God. Hebrews 12:2 says “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Waiting for Jesus

Okay, so when should we be Waiting, Watching and Doing? The indication from the parable is that we should be ready for any moment. Not just for a particular moment. While His bride awaits the epic physical return of our Savior, He’s knocking on our door every day. My belief is that ‘girding our waists and keeping our lamps burning’ is about establishing a mindset of expecting Jesus to show up, at any time on a daily and even moment to moment basis. The master surprising us to bring good gifts, to feed us and to set our hearts on fire.

Each day are we waiting on God, watching for His arrival and prepared to answer the door when he knocks, ready to respond at His direction? We are to be waiting, watching and doing not only for the 2^nd coming but for His “any-second” coming

• Psalm 121:1- I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
• Revelation 3:20 -Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

So, let your waist be girded and your lamps burning – always ready to respond to a loving, all powerful God, bearing good gifts to show up to be in relationship and to direct us and guide us and empower us in the way we should go.

Each and every day there is a knock on our heart whispering, “Speak to that person” or “Comfort that person” or “serve that person” or “Pray for that person”. Perhaps asking us to step out in faith to believe God can do something that nobody else believes. Be my ears, eyes, mouth, hands and feet.

The popular acronym, WWJD or “What Would Jesus do?” is a great challenge but an even better challenge is to know what Jesus would do and to DWJD (Do What Jesus Did)

In order to be His ears, eyes, mouth, hands and feet we have to be ever growing in our knowledge of Him. But, still, we do well to not think we have a complete handle on who this Jesus is who will arrive at the door. Paul writes to the Philippians to, “work out your own salvation.” For me, this translates into a continuous walk down the relationship road with our friend and savior growing in our knowledge of Him. A life of endless discovery of who He is that we may, as both James and Paul say, become perfect imitators of Him.

So, let’s be ready to answer the door to discover all Jesus is and all He can be in and through our lives!