#85 Luke 12:41-48 Who Then Is The Faithful and Wise Manager?
On August 21, 2022 by Amy BurginJoy:
Episode #85 Luke 12:41-48
Welcome
Amy:
Welcome to The Christgazing Podcast. We are so glad you’re here. I’m Amy Burgin.
Joy:
I’m Joy Burgin.
Amy:
Christgazing, kind of like stargazing, is the act of looking steadily and intently at Jesus. This podcast makes room for just that. Amid a world of many words, we slow down here and make space for the God-breathed Words, the best words, the ones that rightly convict, correct, and comfort us. Each week we read a portion of scripture several times and create stillness after each reading so we might also be still, listen, and know God more.
We are in a series that takes us through the book of Luke, focusing on the red-lettered words of Christ.
Pour Out Your Heart to God
Amy:
Before Joy reads today, take time to share your heart with God. Pour out your thoughts, your thanksgivings, your to-do-list, your frustrations, your needs and desires in this next minute.
What Does This Passage Say About God?
Joy:
I’m going to read today’s text two times. As I read, consider the question, what does this tell us about God?
Luke 12:41-48 [After Jesus told a parable about servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet] 41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, 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 is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Again?
Luke 12:41-48 [After Jesus told a parable about servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet] 41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, 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 is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Take a minute to be still and know what this says about God.
[Pause and know]What Does This Passage Say About People?
Joy:
As I reread the passage, consider a different question. What does this tell us about people?
Luke 12:41-48 [After Jesus told a parable about servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet] 41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, 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 is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Take the next few moments to answer the question, what does this passage tell you about people?
[Pause and know]Lord, What Would You Have Me Know Or Do Today?
Joy:
As I read for the last time, ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage?
Luke 12:41-48 [After Jesus told a parable about servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet] 41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, 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 is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Take the next minute to ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage?”
[Pause and listen]Blessing
Joy:
Christgazer, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. And may you turn your face toward Jesus today and know him more.
One Response
Amy:
Matthew also records this teaching in Matthew 24:45-51 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
Two things come to mind as I read these verses:
- You need not be a religious leader, priest, or preacher with a title given by men to serve God’s people. How good it will be for you when Jesus finds you loving others the way he has loved you!
- So many people are turned off from Jesus because they have had an abusive experience with so-called Christian religious leaders. As we can see in today’s verses, Jesus takes this very seriously. Anyone who calls Jesus Lord with their mouth on the stage but abuses their brother behind closed doors will not get away with it. Why? Because Jesus is just and right and true. His heart is set upon you.
In John chapter 2, we read how Jesus went to the temple one day and found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So Jesus made a whip out of cords and drove them all from the temple courts. He scattered the coins of the money changes and overturned their tables. He yelled, “Get out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”
1 Corinthians 3:16 says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple?” And zeal for his temple consumes him (Psalm 69:9). He will put an end to the abuse, and don’t we want a God like that, a God described in Deuteronomy 4:24 as a consuming fire, a zealous God? A God who loves and a God who fights for you.
Closing
Amy:
As always, you can find a transcript of this episode at amyburgin.com. Joy and I will be back again next week to go Christgazing together. Until then, don’t forget, when you put your trust in Christ, you are one in whom he dwells and delights, a dearly loved child of God. You are royalty in his strong and unshakeable kingdom. Though trouble abounds, Christ prevails, and so do you.
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