The Gospel of Luke (57): Preparing for the coming of Christ 03/03/2024

Covenant Commitments of the Church

Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now solemnly make this covenant with each other as one body in Christ.

We will walk together in brotherly love, we will exercise a Christian care and watchfulness over each other, will faithfully admonish and help one another as the need may be. We will be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation without delay.

If any stray from the path of truth, we will endeavor to restore them in the spirit of meekness. We will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, or neglect to pray for ourselves and for others.

We will seek to educate our children in the scriptures. We will seek to win our kindred and acquaintances to Christ and to holiness. As stewards of the Lord, we will aid in the support of a faithful evangelical ministry among us, and in efforts to preach the gospel to the whole human family.

We will live circumspectly in the world, denying ungodliness and unworldly lusts, and according to our ability and opportunities, will do good to all men. We will endeavor, as long as we live, to glorify him who has called us out of the darkness into his marvelous light.

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Preparation for the Lord’s Supper

Pray for ourselves in thoughts of peace, not of evil. Thou hast advised me to rescue us from sin's perdition, to restore us to happiness, honor, safety. We bless thee for the everlasting covenant, for the appointment of a mediator.

We rejoice that he failed not, nor was discouraged, but accomplished the work thou gavest him to do, and said on the cross, it is finished. I exult in the thought that by justice is satisfied, by truth established, by law magnified, and a foundation is laid for our hope.

We look to a precedent personal interest in Christ and say, surely he has borne our griefs, carried our sorrows, won our peace, healed our souls. Justified by his blood, we are saved by his life. Glory in his cross, we bow to his heifer.

Having his spirit, we possess his mind. Glory, we grant that our religion may not be occasional and partial, but rather universal, influential, effective. And may we always continue with thy words as well as thy works, so that we may reach our end in peace.

Amen. We know that each first Lord's Day of the month, we'll be observing the Lord's Supper. And as disciples of Christ, we ought to be preparing ourselves before we arrive here for this occasion. It requires self-examination, confession of sin, and of course, exercising fresh faith in Jesus Christ alone as our Lord and Savior.

So let's just take a moment and do so. Confess your sin, confess your faith in Jesus Christ, because this is only effectual to the degree we have faith in Christ. So pray and ask God to bless him to you.

The Bread and the Cup in Remembrance of Christ

We thank you, our Father, for this bread that so wonderfully portrays our Lord Jesus, the true bread that you sent down from heaven to give life to the world. And Father, as we hold this bread in our hands and as we ingest it, we do in faith, our God, embrace Christ wholly and fully and solely as our blessed hope and assurance of eternal life.

And we thank you, our God, that Christ is able to restore us to a fresh enjoyment and fullness of life. And we pray that you would do so, our God, as we exercise our faith in him, as we eat this bread that so wonderfully displays him before us.

We eat in faith, our God, in obedience, bless our fellowship with you and fellowship with one.

Another as we eat this bread, for we pray in Jesus name, amen. Well, it was at the last supper,.

Our Lord Jesus took the bread and he said to his disciples, take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. We offer both wine or grape juice, depending on your conviction.

The wine is in the purple shaded cups on the perimeter of each tray. Thank you again, our Father, for the precious blood of the Lord Jesus shed once for all on Mount Calvary so long ago. And yet it's effectual, our God, because of the infinite worth and character of our Lord Jesus.

It has the same power today as it did then, our God, to atone for our sin, to cleanse us of our sin. And so, our God, we drink this cup in faith and in celebration, Lord, of his suffering and his death upon the cross.

We pray, our God, as we drink this, that we would have sweet fellowship with one another in Christ and that we would sense the forgiveness of our sins, our God, as we have faith in Jesus and his death.

Bless this cup to us, our God, cleanses of our sins, that we can be restored to wonderful and beautiful fellowship with you and with one another, for we pray in Jesus' name, amen. Our Lord then took the cup in the same manner he gave it to his disciples, saying to them, this cup is the new covenant in my blood, this do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.

And if you're a disciple of Jesus Christ, you ate, drank, ate and drank in faith, confessing your sins, you may rejoice in the reality, your sins are forgiven you, amen. Let's pray. Father, we pray that you would now open your word to us, give us understanding.

May your Holy Spirit, our God, work effectually in our souls, accomplishing your good purposes in Christ through the instrument of your word, for we pray in Jesus' name, amen. Let's turn to Luke chapter 12, please.

The Travel Narrative in Luke and the Urgency of Christ’s Coming

I know we have an abbreviated time on this first Lord's Day, but I really hope we can get through these notes. It's important to do it, I think, in one setting. Now, here in Luke 12, let's just recall that we're in the midst of Luke's travel narrative from Luke 9 51 through Luke chapter 19.

We have Jesus and his disciples traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem, where he would be betrayed, suffer and die, and be raised the third day. And so his time was limited in this journey. There was a sense of urgency pressing upon him, Jesus, and upon everybody, and that is reflected in Luke's narrative, and we'll point that out as we continue to work through this gospel.

And so soon after his departure, upon his death, resurrection, and ascension, his disciples would be the ones who would carry on the work of the kingdom of God, but they had much to learn. Moreover, in their work of the kingdom, they would face severe difficulties and opposition, but they were not yet prepared to face these challenges.

And so as they continued their journey, the master instructed, encouraged, and warned his followers of the dangers and difficulties that lay before them, but he also told them of the glory that will most certainly follow at his second coming.

And we too may find much instruction and encouragement in serving our Lord in these days as we consider our Lord's words respecting our service in furthering his kingdom. And so may we be ready for his coming.

May we affirm in faith, amen, come Lord Jesus. Almost the last words of the Bible in Revelation 22. So we return to Luke 12, where we will continue our study of this chapter, beginning with verse 35 and continuing through verse 48.

In the passage before these verses that we addressed last Lord's day, we've already addressed these, we read of our Lord instructing his disciples not to be concerned about earthly possessions or provisions.

Disciples of Jesus Christ are to beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. Life is much more than just living to please oneself and indulge oneself with comfort and possessions and pleasure.

Rather than being governed by a covetous heart, disciples of Jesus Christ are to first seek the kingdom of God. And if they do so, God would see to it that he provides for them and protects them. They need not, no, they should not worry about such matters for Jesus assures them that God has promised, God is pleased to give his people his kingdom.

With verses 35 and following, the subject and focus of our Lord's teaching shifts significantly. Ceasing to be anxious about worldly cares and concerns, his disciples were to put forth their focus and effort to be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man, as expressed in verse 40.

And one described the matter in this way, freed from worldly cares through trust in the fatherly care of God and hope in the coming kingdom, the disciples are not to let themselves be enticed by the temptations of the world of laziness, self-indulgence, and self-assertion, but are to spend their time profitably and in readiness to serve the Son of Man when he appears.

Now as we glance over these verses, we can see an obvious division, and we'll read them shortly. But after our Lord first gave a parable, verses 35 through 40, Peter speaks up. He interjects a question, verse 41, and this then is followed by Jesus giving a second parable.

And so through these two parables, our Lord instructed his disciples about being ready for his coming. In the first parable, Jesus compared his disciples to servants waiting for the return of their master who is away for the evening at a wedding feast.

The time of his return to his house is not known by his servants, so they were always to be ready to serve him regardless of when he arrived home. We may summarize the teaching of verses 35 through 40 simply as, be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man.

Well, again these words of Jesus generated a question from Peter whether Jesus was speaking to his disciples only or to everybody. And you recall that there was a great gathering of people before Jesus on this occasion.

Multitudes, throngs, pressing upon one another. Well, Peter's question resulted in Jesus giving a second parable. This metaphor considered a rather wealthy householder leaving on a trip, apparently an extended lengthy trip, but who feared a possible burglar in his absence.

And so through this parable, our Lord was warning his disciples against unreadiness to protect and preserve the goods of the householder. And so Jesus promised his disciples that if they were faithful to him unto his coming, he would reward them with greater future authority for their faithfulness.

And so this parable may be entitled the blessing of those who prepare, who those prepared, who will receive greater future authority for their faithfulness. And so the parable can be entitled the blessing of those prepared for his coming, but also it speaks about a warning for those who are not ready for his coming.

There are consequences for not being ready. And so Jesus warned them of profound consequences for their failure to be faithful in his absence. And again, he's speaking to disciples, professing believers.

And so let's consider these words of Jesus by first reading the passage. Jesus said, let your ways be girded, your lamps burning, and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding.

That when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master when he comes will find watching. For surely I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them.

And if he should come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Therefore, you also be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Well, then Peter said to him, Lord, do you speak this parable only to us or to all people? And the Lord said, who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his master will make ruler over his household to give them their portion of food in due season?

Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, my master is delaying his coming and begins to beat and begins to beat the male and female servants and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master that servant will come on a day when he's not looking for him at an hour when he's not aware and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

He's speaking to believers who are not true believers, they're hypocrites, and their end will be the same as unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master's will and did not prepare himself to do or do according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes.

But he who did not know yet committed things deserving of stripes shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given from him much will be required, and to whom much has been committed of him they will ask the more.

The Disciples’ Lack of Understanding Before the Cross

Now as we consider our Lord's words that we just read, let us be reminded of the great advantage we have in understanding our words over those who heard our Lord Jesus in person on this occasion. Our Lord had taught his disciples well but they had really very little understanding respecting the things as they followed him throughout his ministry and listened to him teach them.

They had much common Jewish belief to unlearn and they had much kingdom or gospel truth to learn but they were disadvantaged and had diminished capacity for learning for they lived and were taught before the cross and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus and before the bestowal of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

For example although Jesus spoke of his betrayal suffering and death at Jerusalem they seemed not to grasp the reality of this impending event. We read of them earlier in Luke's gospel when Jesus said let these words sink down into your ears for the son of man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men but then Luke tells us but they did not understand this saying and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

They were clueless and when Jesus spoke of them of his resurrection they didn't really understand what he was telling them. We even read of the three privileged disciples Peter James and John when they came down off the mount of transfiguration with Jesus.

Jesus commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen till the son of man had risen from the dead so they kept his word to themselves but notice questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

They didn't even understand the resurrection and so before us here in Luke 12 34 and following Jesus spoke to his disciples of his coming. We understand well to be a second coming at the end of the age but it must have been quite an enigma for these three for these disciples listening to his words.

They didn't even understand his death, burial, resurrection, yet alone his coming again. Only later would they understand his words after the events of the passion of Jesus and they were enabled by the holy spirit to understand the scriptures and so it must have been puzzling to his disciples when Jesus said to them on this occasion therefore you also be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Well may our lord give us understanding as we examine the words of our passage. We're greatly advantaged over them in that context when they were listening to Jesus. Let's consider the first parable be prepared for the coming of the son of man.

Again we read the words our lord's words of command and instruction let your ways be girded your lamps burning and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.

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 and if he should come in the second watch or the third watch or come in the third watch and find them so blessed are those servants.

So we read that the returning master will honor his faithful servants as illustrated in this parable by the master of the house causing his servants to be seated so that he might serve them. Our master the lord Jesus has prepared wondrous things for his disciples for having faithfully served him and kept themselves with view to his coming.

The blessing will be so great that watchfulness should be maintained regardless of how long one must wait as house servants wait for the returning master even into the early hours of the morning. And the great outcome or perseverance in godly living and faithful witness that's what Jesus is speaking about is what is being stressed regardless of how long or perhaps how difficult a period of time one waits and endures for you and me it's between now and the second coming of Christ.

An analogy is given of servants who are to be busy preparing the house and themselves for their master who would return that night from a wedding banquet. They were to have all things ready and they themselves were to be ready to joyfully welcome him and serve him upon his return.

The application is for disciples of Jesus Christ if they are were ready at the coming of Jesus Christ that is if we are ordering our lives according to his will and are found doing so upon his return great reward beyond our grandest dreams will be realized.

The returning master will honor his faithful servants as illustrated in the parable by the master of the house causing his servants to be seated so that he might serve them. The great outcome for perseverance in godly living and faithful witness is what's being stressed regardless of how long or perhaps how difficult a period of time one waits.

We read in verse 35 that two commands are given by the master to his servants. Let your waist be girded. Your lamps burning. Loose robes were the common garment for men in that day and so to gird up your waist was to tie up the flowing robe to facilitate labor or ease of travel.

The verb in this sentence which is actually a participle use has significance as one wrote the use of the perfect participle with the imperative a me. The greek word meaning to be gives the sense be the kind of person who never needs to be told to gird up his loins because they were always girded up.

Garments were worn loosely around the waist without a belt in the house. To tie them up with a belt was a sign of readiness for departure on a journey or for activity and service they were always to be ready.

The second command to his disciples was let your lamps be burning. This suggested need to be prepared for activity even in the time of darkness. What is suggested is that they always be ready for future service both presently and for future service to the master upon his arrival.

Perhaps peter had these words of our lord in mind when he wrote first peter. Peter wrote. Therefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of jesus christ as obedient children not conforming yourselves to the former lust as in your ignorance.

But as he who called you as holy you also be holy in all your conduct. Because it is written be holy for i am holy. One could say that is an interpretation of what jesus said on this occasion. In luke chapter 12 the purpose of always being ready for service is set forth as preparation for the return of the master.

Again verse 36 reads. You yourselves be like men who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Take note that in this parable there is no suggestion that the master is a bridegroom.

He was away at a wedding feast but it's not said he's the bridegroom. There's no mention of a bride. Moreover later in luke's gospel we'll read about the promised messianic banquet. But that's not what's suggested here that won't occur until the second coming of christ.

This master is simply a prominent man in the community who was attending a wedding feast and would then return home. And his servants were to be ready to open the door to his house and to welcome him on his return.

That's what faithful and diligent servants would do. We then read in verses 37 and 38 of the blessedness of the servants if the master finds them awake and ready to serve him upon his return home. Blessed are those servants whom the master when he comes will find watching.

Assuredly i say to you he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so blessed are those servants.

The jews divided the night into three watches whereas the romans divided the night into four watches. Well luke recorded jesus using jewish time. In this parable the master does not appear in the first watch and might only appear in either the second or third watch of the night.

The point is that the servants are unaware of the precise time of their master's arrival home. They don't know they would be ready regardless of when he would arrive. By the way an additional subtle point might be interjected here the lord is hinting to his disciples of a possible prolonged period before his coming before his return.

It's not an overt indication but it's implied that the lord might return at a much later time than expected. As one wrote the verse reckons with a certain interval before the parisia which is the greek word for appearing.

In other words the second coming. Jesus' appearance at his second coming and here we might say is a word of correction to something you might have heard frequently but that is simply not true. Some argue for an imminent second coming or rapture of jesus christ by claiming that the christians of the first century expected christ's second coming to occur at any moment you've heard of that they teach.

The early church believed in the imminent return of jesus christ. But this is not taught in the new testament. In fact just the opposite is true. The disciples were instructed that a prolonged period of uncertain duration would transpire before second christ's second coming.

For example the disciples knew before christ would return jerusalem would be utterly destroyed and the city would be occupied by gentiles for a prolonged period of time a time referred to as the times of the gentiles before the end comes.

And we'll see that clearly in luke 21. When we arrive there someday the disciples were also taught that the time before christ's coming would be characterized by nations rising and falling and war seemingly many wars being conducted.

That doesn't sound like an imminent return does it. The time before the end would also entail a worldwide mission of the gospel encompassing all nations the world the gentile world. The disciples were warned that before the end came many of them would be dragged before kings and would forfeit their lives for their faith.

In fact at least one of the disciples that being peter himself knew that he would die before christ's return. Jesus told them that in john 21 certainly peter was not expecting christ's imminent return.

The emphasis of the new testament is not to stress the imminence of christ's return but the need for preparedness for his coming. For you do not know when he will return. That's the point of emphasis.

Matthew henry wrote of the delay of the coming of christ. The time of our master's return is uncertain. It will be in the night. It will be far in the night when he is long deferred his coming and many have done looking for him.

The second watch just before midnight or in the third watch next after midnight is coming to us that our death is uncertain. And to many it will be a great surprise for the son of man comes at an hour that you think not without giving notice beforehand.

This bespeaks not only of the uncertainty of the time of his coming but the prevailing security of the greatest part of men who are unthinking and all together regardless of the notices given them so that whenever he comes it's at an hour that they think not.

There's uncertainty. And of course that's what the lord wants. Our lord express some amazing and startling words regarding this master's behavior toward his faithful servants. Jesus said assuredly i say to you he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them.

Amazing statement. Jc ryle commented on this. This is perhaps one of the most wonderful promises which is made to believers anywhere in the new testament it is. It must probably be interpreted figuratively.

He suggested. The meaning evidently is that there is there is no degree of honor and glory which the lord jesus will not gladly bestow on those who are found ready to meet him in the day of his second advent.

Some think that there will be in some way a literal fulfillment of this promise and that our lord refers to this when he says at the last supper i will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of god should come.

Who would think or expect the master to have his servant seated. And he would serve them. But the lord jesus is intimating that this reflects his gratefulness and the graciousness he will show to his disciples at his second coming.

As william hendrickson wrote the underlying figure seems strange. Must we imagine then that an earthly master would actually wait on his servants. Probably not. But this master the one here symbolized did that very thing when he was on earth.

Note. I am among you as one who serves in john 13 picturing jesus washing the feet of his disciples. What is promised here therefore is that our lord at his second coming will in a manner consonant with his glory and majesty wait on his faithful servants.

No wonder these servants are called blessed. This almost unbelievable promise is introduced by the formula amen i say unto you. Well after our lord's initial exhortation he gave them a cautious warning to watchfulness jesus said.

But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Well if the previous words of jesus emphasize the possibility of a delay in jesus returning at his second coming these verses stress the lord's return to be like the sudden and unexpected arrival of a burglar coming to pillage the house.

He comes as a thief and that doesn't mean he comes quietly. You know it means he comes without people knowing it or expecting it. He comes at a time when you think not so. This warning is given through the illustration of a house owner who suffers lost of his things through burglary because he was not alert to guard his house.

This warning is to disciples professing followers of the lord jesus. The warning is for that disciple who lives with no thought of christ second coming and accounting. The counting that will come will then suffer great loss.

This is not a warning against true disciples. Rather it's a warning against hypocrites false disciples. God does not promise salvation to the hypocrite. One who claims to be a disciple of jesus christ but whose life testifies otherwise and churches are filled with them the hypocrite will be found out on the day of the lord.

And therefore the warning extends to all who claim to be followers of the lord jesus. You must always be ready for you do not know when he will come. In fact if you are in reality a hypocrite you may be most assured of this.

You will not know and will not be ready when he comes free purposes to judge you damn you. By the way here is a word to all date setters and date setter followers. You do not know nor can you know when jesus christ will come again.

In fact if you say he will come on such as such a day we can be certain he will not come on that day because he will come at an hour when you do not expect him. And yet there are always those ready to set dates and they're all over youtube.

And there are always those willing to embrace those dates and date setters. I have two books i've saved over the years 88 reasons why the rapture could be. In 1988 that little booklet was sent out to every pastor in america.

And then the book 1994 by harold camping jesus is coming back in 1994 each of these authors were convinced jesus christ second coming would occur in these years. And don't be so foolish to say well i might not know the hour but i think i know the season.

The whole point of our lord's words are this. You will not know when he comes. So always be ready that you're ready regardless of when he comes again. The lord deliberately left matters vague. So people would not know when he will return because he knows human nature.

He knows that we would postpone readiness if we knew we had time to postpone action. The prophecy of the bible with respect to the second coming of christ is designed not to tell us when he will return but to stress the certainty of his coming and to promote anticipation and readiness in view of his coming.

Well these last words must have troubled peter. And so peter asked a question and peter said to him lord do you speak this parable only to us or to all the people. This question could be understood in one of two ways.

First lord you must be talking about non-disciples. Aren't you. For we're your people. And these things seem to portend destruction even for us if we're not ready. Are you telling this parable to us your disciples or to non-disciples to the crowd the multitude.

Or this question could be understood in this way. Lord are you telling this parable to all the disciples or specifically to the leaders of your disciples. In other words the apostles. And there are different views on this and i've read the arguments for for both views.

Well the lord responds with the words recorded in verses uh 41 should be through 48 which we may describe as the blessing of the servant prepared for his coming and the consequences for the one not ready.

And the lord said who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his master will make ruler over his household to give them their portion of food in due season. Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes truly i say to he will make him ruler over all that he has.

But if that servant says in his heart my master is delayed is coming and begins to beat the male and female servants to eat and drink and be drunk. The master that servant will come in a day when he's not looking for him at an hour when he's not aware and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

See he was a professing believer but his fate is the same as unbelievers. This guy was a professing believer or they will be professed but they're hypocrites. 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.

But he who did not know yet committed things deserving of stripes shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given from him much will be required and to whom much has been committed of him they will ask the more.

The Steward’s Responsibility and the Reward of Faithfulness

And so the response to peter's question seemed to suggest that jesus told forth his parable especially to leaders. But if it's true for them it's also has bearing on all others as well. Of course. And so in verse 42 we read the great responsibility of the disciple but especially the leaders of the people.