It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
Matthew 24: 46 (NIV)
Jesus told three parables to increase His disciples’ understanding of the end times. The first in the Stories About the End Times series, this devotion explores the parable about the faithful and unfaithful servants. We find that disciples of Jesus need to working while they watch for His return.
Nuggets
- The faithful servant is placed in a position of influence because of wisdom, skill, and dedication.
- That faithful servant will be rewarded when he is faithfully performing the assigned tasks when the Master returns.
- The unfaithful servant will be cut off and punished as a non-believer.
I previously did a series on Jesus’ teaching on the end times in Matthew. It covered most of Matthew 24.
To read devotions in the How Do We Know If We Don’t Know series, click the appropriate button below.
I stopped when I got to three parables that Jesus told to help His disciples understand what is expected of them while we wait for the end times. It is time to pick that thread back up.
Note: I started writing this as s/he, him/her because this is talking to all of us. It got confusing. Since Jesus identified the servant as a “him,” that is what I am going with. If you want to read it as “her,” go for it.
A Faithful Servant
“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make ruler over all his goods” (Mt. 24: 45-47 NKJV).
The faithful servant was placed in a position of influence. He was put in this position because of wisdom, skill, and dedication.
Notice it says that the faithful servant is going to “… give them food in due season” (Mt. 24: 45 NKJV). He probably didn’t make up the schedule — but the schedule is still followed because he performs the job. He knows that, while in a position of authority, he is still the servant, not the Master.
One reason is because the faithful servant knows that his way or the highway is not going to work. He won’t have outgrown his britches.
There won’t be favorites. Those being served will be who matters the most.
Instead of focusing on himself, the faithful servant puts the focus on providing what the others need. Basic care to sustain life is going to be given.
The faithful servant will be doing what he is supposed to be doing when the end comes. He won’t be lazy. Work is going to happen right up to the end. Whatever is required is what is going to be completed.
That faithful servant will be rewarded when he is faithfully performing the assigned tasks when the Master returns. Yep, the faithful servant probably got raises along the way, but the end is the time for the big reward.
It is interesting when you realize what the reward will be. “Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions” (Mt. 24: 47 NLT emphasis added).
Sometimes, I think that we think these blessings will be something that is bigger and better. Nope, it is just permanently in charge of what we already have.
I don’t know how that connects with I Corinthians 2: 9: “But as it is written: What eye did not see and ear did not hear, and what never entered the human mind — God prepared this for those who love Him” (HCSB). I will have to look at that.
An Unfaithful Servant
“But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying this coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with drunkards, the master of that servant will come one day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” Mt. 24: 48-51 NKJV).
Ooo, baby. When the cat is away, the mice will play!
Really, to me, this is a stinging condemnation. It says that the servant isn’t doing his duty. Well, actually worse than that. Let’s break the verses down a bit.
“… that evil servant …” (Mt. 24: 48 NKJV). Okay, so the unfaithful servant is a servant of God. He has admitted to sinning, believed on Jesus as Redeemer, and confessed God as Sovereign Lord.
But instead of imitating Jesus, the unfaithful servant “… begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with drunkards” (Mt. 24: 49 NKJV). He lives a life that is polar opposite to what God commands.
Instead of producing fruit and furthering God’s kingdom, the unfaithful servant starts to live in a life of sin. It pops in his mind that Jesus isn’t coming back right away, and his conduct immediately changes. He becomes very cruel and self-indulgent.
But Jesus does return in this story — when the unfaithful servant is least expecting it. It is not pretty when He does. The master “… will cut him in two pieces and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt. 24: 51 NKJV).
The New Living Translation says that the master will “… cut the servant to pieces” (Mt. 24: 51 NLT). That doesn’t really fit with “… assign him a place with the hypocrites …” (Mt. 24: 51 NLT). It probably means that the unfaithful servant is going to be cut off from any spiritual grace and treated as an unbeliever.
Making the Connections
What? You don’t think this could happen? You don’t think a servant can be elevated?
Have you heard of Eliezer? He was the servant who was going to inherit Abraham’s estate — that was until Isaac came along (Gen. 15: 2).
I know you have probably heard of Joseph. When his brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt, he landed as a slave in Potiphar’s house. Look what he told Mrs. Potiphar when she was trying to stir up some trouble. He told her that “… my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do …” (Gen. 39: 8-9 NLT).
Matthew 24: 46 says that the faithful servant will be blessed. “Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing” (Mt. 24: 46 KJV).
We talked about being blessed once. Jeremiah 17: 7 says, “But I [God the Father] will bless the person who puts his trust in me” (GNT). We can’t be blessed without asking God to be our Father.
To read Will Being Kind to Others Get Us into Heaven?, click on the button below.
If we look at the faithful servant being a minister of the gospel, we see that he has to be committed to carrying the gospel wherever the call indicates. That may be across the room or across the world. Ministers of the gospel have to be dedicated to serving the whole family of believers.
Because of the influence ministers have, they have to be diligent in living lives that reflect Jesus’ example. That means they should know God’s laws and commandments — and follow them.
My mind keeps coming back to Matthew 24: 10. “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other” (Mt. 24: 10-11 NLT). The unfaithful servant is going to make a conscious choice to turn away from God. But conscious or unconscious, the outcome will be the same.
How Do We Apply This?
It doesn’t matter if we are called to be a minister or a follower. We all need to be watching for Jesus’ return. We all need to be performing the tasks to which God has called us.
I loved what one of the commentaries said. “God does not reward service by granting idleness or selfish indulgence in luxury, which would mean no reward to the true servant. As it is a great honour to be permitted to serve, it cannot be a reward to be set aside from further service; the great reward is just the privilege of larger service” (Homiletics).
If we question what we will be doing for eternity, that gives us a clue. We will be serving God forevermore.
Gracious Father. Jesus used stories so that His disciples could understand what He was talking about. We are His disciples, also, and we want to understand. More than that, God, we want to do what You are calling us to do. We want to be the faithful servants who will hear “… Well done, my good and faithful servant …” (Mt. 21: 21 NLT). Amen.
Related Links
The quoted material was pulled from the following website:
https://biblehub.com/commentaries/homiletics/matthew/24.htm
What do you think? Do you think Jesus is delaying His return? Have you begun to slide away? What do you need to do to make sure you are performing the tasks to which you have been called?
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