A WORD TO THE WISE
OR
FAITHFULLY FOUND DOING
SUNDAY OCT. 24, 2021
Scripture To Consider:
“Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘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 he has.’”
“But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.”
“And that servant [one-time believer] 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.” Luke 12.41-48
Something To Consider:
Our lesson today begins with Peter asking a question of Jesus. “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” I am a firm believer that if a verse, a quote, a question, or an answer made it into the canon of Scripture, it is there for the benefit of all in every generation who have ears to hear what the Spirit of God is declaring.
Jesus speaking in Mark 13.37, regarding His second coming, very candidly said, “And what I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’” If we as followers of Jesus and leaders in training can receive it, this is indeed a word to the wise. For Jesus in Mark chapter 13 is speaking of the signs of the end of the age as well as the end time tribulation that must come prior to His second coming which is immediately after the tribulation of those days, according to Jesus. Therefore, let us be watching and waiting for the recorded signs of His coming!
But are we truly watching for the return of Jesus? Are we paying attention to the biblical signs leading up to the second coming of Jesus Christ? Do we know and understand the biblical signs that should prepare us for the coming of Jesus and for the tribulation Jesus warned us of? Or, are we entrenched in the falsehood of a pre-tribulation rapture and the end time mandates of behind-the-scenes global elites working on behalf of the soon to be revealed Antichrist and who will be pushing Satan’s end time agenda?
Do we believe Daniel’s end time prophecy of a rising ten nation alliance, and the Antichrist subduing three of these nations, thereby leaving seven and therefore giving us a hint to the identity of the Antichrist? This individual will appear to be a man of peace, but he will be the definition of evil! He will not be a faithful servant. He will be the end time earthly representative of Satan, Lucifer, the devil, or whatever of the many names the bible claims him to be.
Something Else To Consider:
In the Middle Eastern culture a good, wise, faithful servant was prized above sons. If a servant was proved to be watchful, faithful, and trustworthy, he was often made ruler over his master’s household. Many times the master of the house would delight in revealing important matters such as business and finance to his faithful servant, rather than to reveal them to his own family members.
Jesus, the true Master of all true believers, has left us with so much biblical end time information. Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, that are overflowing with end time prophetic predictions spoken by Jesus and recorded for our benefit. In all three gospels Jesus begins His explaining end time events with the words, “Take heed that no one deceives you.”
But why would Jesus warn His followers in every generation to beware of not being deceived? It is because He explained in the following warning, “For many [not a few or some but many] will come in My name, saying, ‘I [Jesus] am the Christ,’ and will deceive many [not a few or some but many].” Though Jesus has left us so many recorded and preserved warnings of not being deceived, many in the end times will be deceived by false self-seeking hungry for power, money, and the enlarging of their personal kingdoms as wolf-like religious leaders in sheep’s clothing.
Jesus warned of a coming massive deception by those who will and have come in His name as so-called Christian religious leaders. They will and have come claiming Jesus to be the Christ or the Messiah as revealed in the Old Testament. But the message they herald is extremely deceiving and in opposition to the bible. And we must understand that according to Jesus, many, not a few, but the majority of religious leaders, as in Jesus’ day and age, were spreading deception and false unbiblical religious concepts.
Something More To Consider:
Therefore, will we be found among the faithful few who are found watchful for that widespread deception and false religious concepts? And what will the end time deception look like or resemble? The end time deception will resemble false concepts created by men such as the Once Saved Always Saved lie of the enemy of our souls, but propagated by religious leaders more interested in the filling of pews than the filling of believers with the truth of the Word of God.
The end time deception may appear as a religious concept such as tithing in a manner not called for by the Word of God in order to finance religious but not spiritual leader’s personal kingdoms and earthly memorials. But do not take my word for it. Take a good look at Deuteronomy 14.22-29 for God’s proper and biblical principles of tithing. You will be surprised and greatly relieved of much financial bondage and released from the merchandizing of false Christianity!
And finally, end time deception may come as a false theory such as a pre-tribulation rapture that is in complete contradiction to many Scriptures and a slap in the face to the millions of true Christian believers that have been martyred for their faith. Will we understand that perilous times must come and that there will be no pre-tribulation rapture, according to the Word of God?
A Few Final Words:
Jesus said, “Blessed is the servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.” What is it that we as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ are to be found doing upon His return? As faithful servants we are to be doing what it is He has commanded us in His written Word. As faithful servants we are to be watching for His coming and we are to be able to interpret the end time signs of His coming. And we are to be found enduring to the end of this age or unto the end of our lives. Will we be blessed or will we be beaten with many stripes?
The written Word of God should be considered as a word to the wise! And blessed will be those found doing what the Word of God wisely declares. For Jesus also said, “And that servant [one-time believer deceived by the many] who knew his master’s will [Jesus’ will within the Word of God], and did not prepare himself [or herself] or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.”
Will we be among the faithful few who have studied the Word of God and are found doing what the Word of God proclaims? Or will be deceived by the many who have come in Christ’s name as if Christian but declaring an Antichrist false and damning message? The choice remains our choice entirely!
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, prepare us to be found faithfully doing Your will as good and faithful servants. Teach us to be faithful to Your wise and in advance warning words spoken by Jesus. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 