WATCHFULNESS

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LUKE 12:35-59
Lesson #37
WATCHFULNESS

• Memory Verse: Pro 8:34
• In our previous lesson Jesus gave us the parable that explained the Biblical fool as someone who lives his life as though there is no God.
  • This is a characteristic of the perverse generation Jesus spoke about in reference to the hypocrisy of the Scribes and the Pharisees and the lack of faith among his disciples.
  • The Biblical fool who thinks he will never have to answer to God for his life is going to encounter a great surprise. That is the theme of the rest of Luke 12.
• Read Luk 12:35
  • ^“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;” (35)
    • “Let your loins be girded about…”
      • This phrase refers to the long tunic worn by men in Bible times. It was impossible to run wearing a long tunic. Therefore they would tie up the lower part of the tunic to free the legs.
      • This phrase gives us the idea that the believer must be watchful and ready to move quickly with nothing hindering.
    • “…and your lights burning.”
      • In the book of Matthew the parable of the ten virgins is the context of what Jesus tells us here in Luke 12.
      • The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mat 25:1-13)
        • Read Mat 25:1-13

Jesus Christ is the bridegroom and the church of individual believers is waiting for Christ’s return.

Notice that all of the ten virgins are waiting for the coming of the bridegroom.

Therefore none of the ten virgins represents non-believers per se.

Non believers do not wait in anticipation for the coming of Christ.

The vessels represent the human body. (Act 9:15 Rom 9:21 1The 4:4 2Tim 2:21)

The lamps represent a person’s life testimony.

Every person has a life testimony either for good or for evil, for God or for Satan.

We display what we believe by how we live.

The oil in the lamps represents the Holy Spirit. This symbolism runs through all of the Bible.

The five wise virgins that have oil in their lamps are the believers in Christ that have been born again and have the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

When a person receives Jesus Christ into his heart he possesses also the Holy Spirit.

The indwelling Holy Spirit gives the believer in Jesus Christ eternal life.

The five foolish virgins that have no oil in their lamps say they are believers in Christ but they are not for they do not have the Holy Spirit.

Of course, when you know that the meaning of the oil is the Holy Spirit, you know that it is not humans who can give the Holy Spirit to another person. Only God gives the Spirit at the point of repentance when a person receives Jesus Christ into his heart.

Therefore, the wise virgins cannot share their oil with the foolish virgins.

• • • • • The central truth of the parable is that people need to be aware that Christ’s second coming can occur at any time. The only way a person can be ready for that event is to repent and invite Jesus into your heart so as to have the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. (Eph 1:13-14)
• Read Luk 12:36-40
  • The Parable of the Return from the Wedding:
    •  ^“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.” (Luk 12:36)
      • A good servant watches and waits for his master to return home so as to be ready to serve him.
      • In the same way the believer should be watching and waiting for the second coming of Christ.
        • In the cultural context of the time, a groom had a wedding feast with his friends. Then he would go with his servants to claim his bride at her house.
        • The groom’s servants would carry lighted lamps to light the way for this wedding procession.
    • “ …he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.” (Luk 12:37)
      • When Christ returns to this earth for believers, He will serve believers a wedding feast at what the Bible calls the Marriage supper of the Lamb.
      • Read Rev 19:9
    • ^“ And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.” (Luk 12:38)
      • The second watch and the third watch are at night when normal men are sleeping.
      • However, the blessed believer is ready for the Lord’s coming and does not get apathetic about his relationship with the Lord.
    • Christ comes as a thief in the night: (39)
      • This phrase “a thief in the night” refers to various different aspects of the Lord’s coming.
        • The tribulation period of 7 years: “…the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” (1The 5:2)
        • The event of the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation period: “… If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” (Rev 3:3)
        • The event of the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation period: “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Rev 16:15)
        • At the end of the thousand year reign of Christ’s Kingdom on earth before eternity begins: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2Pet 3:10)
      • In all of these, watchfulness is the warning. (40)
• Read Luk 12:41-48
  • The Parable of the Testing of Servants
    • This parable was spoken to the disciples but refers specifically to the Jewish leadership.
    • The wise servant
      • The wise servant is blessed if he continues to work for the Kingdom of God while the Lord is absent.
        • Inherent in the message to the disciples is that the Lord will be absent from them physically for a period of time.
        • The length of time of the Lord’s absence is not mentioned in the parable.
        • However, we know that the event of the second coming has not occurred for about 2,000 years.
      • When the Lord returns at the event of the second coming of Christ, He will establish His kingdom on earth for 1000 years.
        • At this time believers will rule with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom.
        • The parable says He will make the faithful servants rulers over all that the Lord has. (44)
    • The unfaithful servant (45)
      • First characteristic of the unfaithful servant is unbelief in the Lord’s promised return.
      • The second characteristic is a failure of proper spiritual priorities.
      • Then the third characteristic is a lifestyle of sin.
        • Mistreatment of others.
        • Drunkenness and a worldly lifestyle.
      • The consequences:
        • He will inherit the fate of the unbelievers.
        • Does this mean he has lost his salvation? No.

It means he never actually became a servant.

Jesus is speaking of the Jews that thought they were saved and servants of God when in fact they were never saved in the first place.

How do we know this is what Jesus meant?

We know it by the context of the scriptures in this chapter: (49-59)

The non-believer has no oil (Holy Spirit) in his life.

To the non-believer, the coming of Christ is like a thief in the night, totally unexpected.

1 and 2 Thessalonians tell us that the believer in Christ is not caught unaware of Christ’s return.

• • • “…For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (48)
      • The testing of faithfulness:
        • All believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. (2Cor 5:10)
        • This judgment is to reward faithfulness for service.
        • All believers will not inherit equally but according to their faithfulness.
      • The testing of unfaithfulness:
        • The Jews were given many benefits by God, but never remained faithful to God.
        • All unbelievers will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment. (Rev 20:11-15)
        • All unbelievers will not inherit equal punishment but according to their unfaithfulness.
• Read Luk 12:49-53 Christ, the Divider of Men
  • “I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?” (49)
    • Fire speaks of judgment. At the second coming of Christ He will bring judgment.
    • At the first coming Jesus Christ established the dividing line between believers and non-believers.
      • Those people that receive Christ into their hearts and have the indwelling Holy Spirit are believers that serve Christ and watch for His second coming.
      • Those people that do not receive Christ, God’s gift of grace, are the non-believers. (Joh 3:15-16)
  • “But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” (50)
    • This is the baptism of fire about which Jesus spoke.
    • It refers to his crucifixion and burial.
    • It is the crucifixion that divides time, and it divides believers from non-believers.
      • The crucifixion ends the age of Law governed by the covenant of Moses.
      • The crucifixion begins the age of Grace governed by the New Covenant. (Heb 8:6-13)
  • Division in families (51-53)
    • Jesus speaks of division in families because some family members will receive Christ and become believers
    • But other family members will not receive Christ and become non-believers.
    • This is where every human must make his own personal decision for or against Christ.
• Read Luk 12:54-59 The Parable of Weather Forecasting: (Mat 15:32 – 16:4)
  • In Matthew Jesus refers to the “signs of the times”:
    • The phrase refers to spiritual signs of the second coming of Christ.
    • Jesus’ weather proverb:
      • Jesus used a weather proverb that was very common in his day and is still with us today.
      • “Red sky at night is a sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.”
      • Sailors used this proverb to predict the next day’s weather as to the safety of venturing out on the water in a boat.
  • What is the central truth of the parable of weather forecasting?
    • Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came from heaven. He is the greatest sign, both physical and spiritual.
      • Physical = Jesus’ incarnation, His virgin birth, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension.
      • Spiritual = that humans can invite Jesus into the heart and be born again spiritually.
        • If you want to be aware of what God is doing in the Spirit, then pay attention to what God is doing through Jesus Christ. (Joh 14:9-11 Joh 16:13)
        • If you want to be aware of God’s timetable, then pay attention to what God is doing with the nation of Israel. (Mat 24:26-33)
    • A wise person will discern spiritual things and become a wise servant of Christ.
  • Jesus ends this discourse speaking to the religious leaders, the Scribes and Pharisees. (56)
    • This is a warning that they are headed for the wrong side of the final judgment.
    • They will be judged by what they believe and do with Christ in the same way that all humans eventually will be judged.
• Application:
  • Jesus Christ is a divider of men: of believers from non-believers.
  • Make sure you are on the right side of this division!

Homework
Luke 13:1-9

• Application of Luk 12:35-59
  • Are you on the right side of the division between believers and non-believers? If you are not sure, you need to speak to your pastor or teacher.
• Preparation for Luk 13:1-9
  • Read Luk 13:1-9
    • What does the symbol of the fig tree represent? (Read Joe 1:6-7)
    • What is the message of the parable of the fig tree?
• Memory Verse: Col 1:10