Shalom,
The more we get closer to Him, the more we understand His will and the more joyfully we do it. It is like when we work in a company, understanding the company’s policy is the key to help us give positive results, enhance the working environment, and develop creative ideas. Hence, it will give us credit from the boss and fellow employees or even a better remuneration. If our worldly masters understand about these things, our Lord of lords knows even better.
According to Luke 12:35-46, how could a servant attain joy in his work?
- An always-ready-to-work servant (vv. 35-40).
“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning” (v. 35).
Long time ago when people worked, they wore cloak that needed to be girded so that they could do their work maximally. Burning lights means a good preparation for the night work shift or at dawn (v. 38). This signifies a servant needs to be ready to work at all time even during the resting time at night. He must sacrifice his personal interest to make a good preparation for work.
“… and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding … Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching … 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” (vv. 36-38).
Imagine if the master comes home from a wedding party—a feast of happiness and intimacy then the servants welcome him, ready to serve him without thinking about their own interests. Surely the joy of the master will also be the joy of the servants! But if the opposite things took place: no great service from the lazy servants, unprepared or simply provided service below standard, what do you think would happen? If a husband comes home feeling exhausted, his expectation will be a caring wife and joyful kids giving him a warm welcome—obviously not a house full of nagging and quarrelling from his kids. The epitome of happiness is in an intimate marriage and family.
If a master feels blessed and finds joy in his servants, he will also make them happy. The word blessed was written twice, conforming the certainty of it.
Application : We as servants should be ready all the time of the day to please our master, the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 40). Then He will surely please his servants personally.
This parable was given when Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51; 13:22) and was about to be put on trial, mocked, scourged to Golgotha before He died on the cross. We were slaves of sin (Romans 6:17a) but His sacrifice opened the way that we might be his full-time servants. He was doing His work full of agony, shed His blood and crucified for us, sinners. Now He ministers to us personally through the Lord’s supper. So it would be very inappropriate if we the servants live in laziness while waiting for His coming.
- The servant who gets his job done (vv. 41-46).
The servants here (v. 41) refer to Jesus' disciples (v. 22) and also to us, small flocks (v. 32). We should preserve an eternal value and mind as a basis of our works and know what we should do.
“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” (v. 43-44).
Previously it was mentioned ‘those servants’ must be ready to work, but now it is stated as ‘that servant’ who will be made ruler over all. In other words, sometimes we are ready to serve the Lord because we become followers of others, but there will be a time that we will do that on our own choice without being affected by others. And in the end we will become independent but also interdependent with others when we serve the Lord.
Whose house needs to be taken care of? The Lord’s heavenly house? No, it is the earthly house that was mentioned in the Lord’s Prayer “Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). The house consists of us , the ministers, who serve according to our given talent (as musicians, choirs, multimedia, etc). The church is the place where the believers, who are also priests, gather together doing their respective duties. Every ministry has their own rules and conduct, hence collaboration is needed.
What is the task of an overseer of the house of ministry? To feed the others faithfully (pistos – trustable, not adikos – dishonest) and wisely (Phronimos – wise, not moros – stupid nor aphron
– lack of idea, indifferent, slack). Therefore, the food that needs to be distributed to other servants should be received in due time based on what they need.
Punishment has been prepared for the servant who doesn’t do his task faithfully and wisely. He shall be beaten like the unfaithful one (vv. 47-48). And if there is any conflict among ministers, it should be reconciled without any tumult (v. 46).
Application : We should guard our mouths not to say foolish things to beat other servants. Rather, let us give constructive ideas and honest words to build great programs. By doing so, we will minister with joy and when the Lord returns He will provide us with great position in our priesthood in the coming millennial kingdom.
- The servant who practices the Word of God (vv. 47-48).
How do we know our heavenly Master’s will? Through the Bible (from Genesis to Revelation) we can learn the mistakes of the previous God’s people (or ‘the servants of the house’) from Adam to Malachi and even people of the New Testament. Some of them desecrate the sacrifice, defile marriage, being dishonest in tithes, leave the ministry, being lovers of money, etc.
Don’t be afraid of any accusation when we listen, read or meditate on the Word of God, because the Lord has already reconciled us through His sacrifice and the Holy Spirit will always convince and lead us to all righteousness of our Master’s will.
Application: Let us put the Word of God into action and the Holy Spirit will lead us to accomplish our ministerial tasks in our place of ministry though there will be challenges and troubles which we must face. Every time we partake in the Lord’s supper, we remember His sacrifice that He did for us, the servants. Through it, our conscience shall be cleansed and we will be more motivated to serve Him honestly and intelligently.
We must not avoid ministry with the purpose to avoid beating (v. 48), because we will be eventually beaten by the Lord Himself and it won’t be easy. Though we were beaten a lot, it is for our own good that we may do our ministry with better preparation and understand it better. Even we will be doing better with other ministry divisions and we will be blessed and happy servants in the end.
Let us become well-prepared servants, knowing our Master’s will and execute it intelligently and in honesty. We manage things in our ministry to please our Master that when He returns, we will be happy with Him in His eternal Kingdom. Amen.