Luke 12:35-48 ~ Blessed are those

 

Luke 12:35-48

35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 

39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 

45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 

48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.


Consider:

Philippians 4:11-13

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.


It's hard to fine the balance. 

The balance is why Joshua kept on for 40 years.
God named His Son - Yeshua. 

God is for perseverance.  In dire circumstance and in routine.

The example of the Disciples and the last man to see Jesus - Paul:

We say too much. Pushed aside.

We are thrust out of the inner group. We are suckered in. Made much of. Rejoiced in and relied upon.

We are used. Respected.  Why not stay home - with all comfort and ease - safety?
Traveling when home is loved.

We are in circumstance wildly beyond expectation. In a slow lane of regular old, rut.

We are in endurance. We are thriving. We are in joyful expectation.

Told to be bold. Told to hush.


Why not quit when no one is pleased?
Because. Usually, Someone is pleased! 

When you want to please God.
The goal is not applause. God is pleased and pleased more completely. 
Pleasing God is putting the steam in your soul to go forth.

Just like the beginning of Jesus Christ's Church. For four centuries. Evil days happen. It is our godly desire not to fall away and fall back away from doing the Call of God.

Usually, when someone will speak up to put you down - you did something.
Something worthwhile. Even Winston Churchill said so. Scripture can be difficult. Life can be difficult.

Few people comment on the outrageous aspects of their lives.

Some days are difficult. Really difficult.

 Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home.

We are Loved Cherished Believed Strong

Children of God. 




 Revelation 1

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.

But he laid his right hand on me,
saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one.

I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.


Consider, we know the Historical timing of Patmos Island for John. Beloved, long living John. John defies the old age of Ecclesiastes. In fact, John is recorded in History going forth boldly with the Gospel. Sorting out Gnostic knowledge versus the Love God has for us all. Arguing the humanity - real humanness of Jesus Christ. Putting aside factions. And all of this is in the 2nd Century. John is praying and joyous when he sees Jesus. John is content.







And then we have the days, we know we are blessed. But everything on earth irritates us. And we know we are petty, but so annoyed. Determined to stay level. Struggling apparently succeeding to - - - maintain. All is well, but we feel like imploding. The marvelous ability to tell someone and feel back to the Compass of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Consider the unity of Jesus Himself in Revelation 1.

Names - God names us our name is important and still the 7 Churches are unnamed. Because they blend, accepted, embraces, held, loved into being the Body of Christ in Heaven. In God's Heaven, in God's Home, in God's House, in God's Heart - we become - His - Jesus' Beloved. Filled with God's Love - living past all the trials - leaning to the Love and Joy. For Eternity.

I had one of those mornings everything required triple time, triple find, triple broken, triple effort, triple bad attitude, triple 'gr' at all things, triple pick up the attitude go far EFFORT. If we are careful who we invite to our home - to spend the weekend - then why would we doubt God's need to see us grow up in all circumstances? Gotta grow up. In my mother's office for 31 years, they labeled these days, "Put on your adult underwear and grow up." God might be more gracious and say "Gird up your loins with Truth and put on the Breastplate of Righteousness." Note to self: breastplates of righteousness don't find &%$^ certain words helpful, self.












That is what is important. 

Each of us is unique, important and special to God. Gifted of the Lord. And in life, the just and the unjust get rained on and sunny days. We get to decide we are living a life worthwhile.  We can focus on the stain on our shirt or on the immeasurable grace Jesus gives us daily. God will listen. Love. And Care. Always.

 

Father God, 

Thank You for giving us the ability to see real care. And the drive in the Holy Spirit to endure with hope - tough times. The gratitude of good circumstance. In Jesus, we find the joy of each day, the sufficiency and the ability to complain in moderation and rejoice in optimism. We lift up our lives to you and the ones we love - to be the people You are pleased to dwell and live with. 

 And Jesus' Words remind us - this present sufferings will not compare to the Glory Jesus has gone ahead to prepare for us.

To be gracious to us and allow real emotions - is a path of God. Father God - help us to be sensitive to the needs of others.  Thank You Father God for the bravery of people who have counted the cost - and go forth in Jesus for millenniums. 

Jesus is always needed. Jesus is found easily!!! Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †