PARABLE 8 - Watchfulness

PARABLE 8 — LUKE 12:35-40 — WATCHFULNESS 

40 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

36 And 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.

37 Blessed 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.

38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 And 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. 40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Discussion Questions – Parable 8

PARABLE 8 — LUKE 12:35-40 — WATCHFULNESS 

1. What is it like to wait for someone without knowing when he or she is coming? (Think hours, days, weeks, months.) 

Have you ever been late meeting someone for lunch? Have you ever forgotten about an appointment or forgotten to call someone after you said you’d get back to him? Of course you have. How do you think the other person felt? How do you feel when this happens to you? What if you expect to hear about a job application in a week and don’t hear anything after 2 weeks? What if your taxes are being audited and you expect to hear something in 2 months and 4 months go by without hearing anything? What if you son is traveling around

Australia and he says he’ll call “when he has a chance” and after 6 months you’re still waiting to hear from him? 

2. How were the servants to be while waiting for their master? (12:35-36) How long did Jesus say the servants should be willing to wait for their master? (12:38) How does this translate to you today? 

The servants were to be dressed. Early translations say, “loins girded” meaning the loose outer garments gathered up for work or travel, not let loose for sleeping. Lamps were to be burning. In these two images, Jesus says, “be prepared” and “be awake” even if many dull hours have passed and you’re very tired. 

How long to wait? Jesus didn’t really say, but implied the master might not come home until quite late, “the third watch.” Night was divided into four watches by the Romans: (1) 6:00 - 9:00 pm, (2) 9:00 pm - midnight, (3) midnight - 3:00 am, (4) 3:00 - 6:00 am. The Jews had only three watches during the night: (1) sunset - 10:00 pm, (2) 10:00 pm - 2:00 am, (3) 2:00 am - sunrise. The parable probably referred to the last two of the Jewish watches. The wedding banquet would have begun in the first watch right after sunset. 

Today, are you waiting for the second coming? Are you prepared if it were to happen tonight? Are you ready? Most of us are not. Most of us would like just a little more time to prepare. Most of us say I need more time to read my Bible. I’m just so busy with everything else, but maybe I’ll have more time next week. Or next year. Or never. 

3. What happened to the servants who were watching properly? (12:37) 

In Verse 37 Jesus says, “It will be good for those servants [that is, believers] whose master finds them watching when he comes.” Then, having said that, he says something that is totally not expected from Middle Eastern culture. He says, “...I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.” 

Notice in actual life back then the master would come home to his house, knock on the door, and find his servants ready. They open the door, escort him in, hang up his coat; they show him to his favorite chair and they give him a hot drink. They say, “Do you want a bath?” They’ve already warmed the water because there were no hot showers in those days. Basically, they greet him with an attitude of “we are ready to serve you.” 

But, in the parable, we read the very opposite. In Verse 37 when it says “he will dress himself to serve, the “he” does not refer to the servants. It is a singular word and it refers to the master. So here we have the master girding himself up and saying, “I want you servants to recline at my table and I will serve you.” That is a huge difference between a Middle Eastern lord or master, who would absolutely never do that. So in the story who does the master represent? The Lord Jesus Christ. The wedding banquet that the master went to would seem to be a symbol for the enthronement of Jesus in heaven and it points to his return for the final judgment for which he wants every believer, every one of you to be prepared. 

4. For what are we to be watchful? What does watchfulness involve? Why is watchfulness not a passive activity? What are the three main messages of this parable? 

We must be watchful and ready for Jesus’ return at any moment. Jesus’ return is certain but the time is not known. In Matthew 24:36, it says, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” A specific outline of the future would actually be a hindrance, not a help, to faith. Certain signs have been given, but not for the purpose of making detailed predictions. 

Watchfulness is not passive or easy. As Luke warns in 21:34 – “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.” 

The three messages in this parable: 

1) The disciples—and all believers—must be ready for a return of Jesus at any moment. As verse 40 says, “the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” 

2) You must not allow for a delay that will reduce your expectancy nor slow the progress of your preparedness (vs 38). You must not let this delay discourage you so you fall into a trap or get overwhelmed by the drudgeries and anxieties of life. 

3) You must faithfully manage the resources that have been entrusted to you by God. Don’t forget, you are stewards—caretakers—not owners. As the last parable emphasized, you can’t take it with you. 

5. What responsibilities or duties might God demand of you? What can you do for God in your area of responsibility?