Week 167 - Matthew 24: 43-51 - Watching, Waiting and Working

8/11/02

FAITH BIBLE CHURCH - www.faithbiblechurch.net

RAY RUSS - PASTOR-TEACHER

MATTHEW: THE KING HAS COME, WEEK 167

TITLE: WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING

TEXT: MATTHEW 24: 43-51

INTRODUCTION: (1) ACCORDING TO THE STATISTICS OF UNITED STATES CRIME RATES

* IN THE CALENDAR YEAR 2000, THERE WERE 2 MILLION 49 THOUSAND 946 BURGLARIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

** THAT’S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF BREAK-INS BY THIEVES INTO HOUSES AND BUILDINGS TO STEAL THINGS.

*** BECAUSE OF THAT REALITY, MOST OF US KNOW BY EXPERIENCE OR STATISTIC THAT A THIEF OR THIEVES COULD BREAK INTO OUR HOME OR APARTMENT AT ANY TIME, BUT ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.

**** THEREFORE MOST OF US LOCK OUR DOORS AT NIGHT, MANY OF US HAVE DEADBOLTS, MOST PEOPLE SHUT THEIR GROUND LEVEL WINDOWS AND LOCK THEM AT NIGHT, SOME BUY DOGS FOR PROTECTION (I MEAN THAT’S WHY WE HAVE OUR 6 POUND DOG, SHE’S BEEN TRAINED TO KILL).

(2) AND SOME OF YOU EVEN HAVE ALARM SYSTEMS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST THIEVES. (AND MANY OF THOSE THINGS ARE DONE KNOWING THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A CHANCE FOR THIEVES TO BREAK INTO WHERE WE LIVE.)

* NOW IF YOU RECEIVED A TIP FROM SOMEONE THAT SOMETIME OVER THE NEXT YEAR YOUR HOUSE OR APARTMENT WAS GOING TO BE BROKEN INTO FOR SURE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

** WELL, YOU WOULD BE WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING IN PREPARATION FOR THE THIEF THAT WOULD COME TO YOUR HOUSE AT NIGHT.

*** YOU WOULD DO ALL THAT YOU COULD DO TO BE READY! NO ONE WANTS THEIR HOUSE TO BE BROKEN INTO.

**** YOU WILL DO ALL THAT YOU CAN DO TO BE PREPARED FOR THE THIEF’S COMING.

(3) WELL, IN OUR STUDY TODAY OF MATTHEW, JESUS GIVES TWO ILLUSTRATIONS ABOUT BEING PREPARED FOR HIS COMING.

* AND IN THE FIRST ILLUSTRATION CHRIST LIKENS HIS COMING TO THE INVASION OF A THIEF.

** AND IF YOU KNOW WHEN A THIEF IS GOING TO COME YOU ARE GOING TO BE ON ALERT AND WOULD NOT ALLOW SOMEONE TO BREAK IN BY WHATEVER MEANS YOU HAVE TO TAKE.

*** AND THEN IN THE 2’D ILLUSTRATION IN OUR TEXT, JESUS TELLS THE STORY OF A FAITHFUL SLAVE AND AN EVIL SLAVE AND WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEIR MASTER GOES AWAY, KNOWING THAT ONE DAY HE WILL RETURN, BUT NOT KNOWING WHEN.

*** AND READINESS FOR THE FAITHFUL SLAVE MEANS FAITHFULNESS, BUT FOR THE EVIL SLAVE IT IMPLIES WICKED LIVING, THINKING THAT HIS MASTER IS NOT COMING FOR A LONG TIME.

(4) SO LIVE IT UP FOR AWHILE, I’VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME BEFORE HE RETURNS.

* BUT IN REALITY NO ONE KNOWS THE EXACT TIME THE MASTER WILL RETURN AND NO ONE KNOWS WHEN A THIEF WILL COME FOR SURE.

** BUT THIEVES WILL BREAK IN PLACES AND MASTERS WILL RETURN TO THEIR POSSESSIONS AND PROPERTIES.

*** BECAUSE OF THAT THE KEY TO PREPAREDNESS IS READINESS, WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING.

**** AND THAT’S WHAT I’VE TITLED OUR STUDY TODAY, IN LIGHT OF CHRIST’S COMING FOR SURE ONE DAY, BE PREPARED BY WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING.

(5) AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 3 THINGS. NO. 1 THE READINESS OF THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE, VV. 43&44; NO. 2 THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A FAITHFUL SALVE, VV. 45-47; AND NO. 3 THE REBELLION OF AN EVIL SLAVE, VV. 48-51.

* SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE READINESS, THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE REBELLION UNDER THE THEME OF WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING IN VIEW OF CHRIST’S RETURN.

** AND WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INTRODUCTION, WE’LL GO TO OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE READINESS. LOOK AT MATTHEW 24:43 TO BEGIN WITH.

I. THE READINESS, (READ V. 43)

A. NOW V. 43 IS CONNECTED TO V. 42 WHICH SAYS: “THEREFORE BE ON THE ALERT, FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHICH DAY YOUR LORD IS COMING.”

* AND THE CONNECTION IS, V. 43 ILLUSTRATES V. 42. CHRIST GIVES THE EXAMPLE OF V. 43 TO COMMUNICATE THE TRUTH OF V. 42, TO BE ON ALERT, FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN YOUR LORD IS COMING BACK TO THE EARTH.

** AND ALERTNESS IS THE KEY HERE, FOR NO SANE THIEF WOULD ANNOUNCE HIS INTENTION OF ROBBING A HOUSE – RIGHT?

*** BUT ALSO NO SANE HEAD OF A HOUSE WHO KNEW IN ADVANCE AT WHAT TIME OF THE NIGHT A THIEF WAS COMING WOULD FAIL TO BE ON ALERT IN ORDER TO PREVENT HIS HOUSE FROM BEING BROKEN INTO.

**** AND BELOVED THE ILLUSTRATION THAT IS USED IN V. 43 INVOLVES THE SECRETIVENESS AND THE SUDDENNESS OF A THIEF’S ARRIVAL.

1. AND CERTAINLY IF A HOMEOWNER KNOWS FOR SURE THAT THE THIEF IS COMING, EVEN IF HE DOES NOT KNOW THE TIME OF THE THIEF’S ARRIVAL, HE WILL BE ON GUARD CONTINUALLY AND STAY PREPARED FOR THE THIEF.

* AND CONTEXTUALLY THE GENERATION LIVING DURING THE TRIBULATION IS SPECIFICALLY TOLD THEY WILL NOT KNOW THE EXACT TIME OF JESUS’ APPEARING.

** BUT THEY ARE INFORMED IN DETAIL AS TO WHAT THE SIGNS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING IT WILL BE.

*** AND TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, TO CARRY OUT THE FIGURE JESUS USES HERE, THEY WILL KNOW WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT THE THIEF WILL BE BREAKING INTO THE HOUSE SOMETIME VERY SOON AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE PREPARED ACCORDINGLY.

**** AND LET ME ADD, IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT JESUS WAS NOT COMPARING HIMSELF IN CHARACTER TO A THIEF.

2. BUT WAS COMPARING HIS COMING TO THE STEALTH AND UNEXPECTEDNESS OF A THIEF’S COMING.

* THE ILLUSTRATION INVOLVES THE SECRETIVENESS AND SUDDENNESS OF A THIEF’S ARRIVAL.

** AND THE IMAGERY OF A THIEF IN THE NIGHT IS REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE N.T. TEACHING ABOUT THE 2’D COMING AND THE DAY OF THE LORD.

*** FOR EXAMPLE IN I THESSALONIANS 5:2 PAUL SAYS: “FOR YOU YOURSELVES KNOW FULL WELL THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME JUST LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT.”

**** IN II PETER 3:10 IT SAYS: “BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME LIKE A THIEF, IN WHICH THE HEAVENS WILL PASS AWAY WITH A ROAR AND THE ELEMENTS WILL BE DESTROYED WITH INTENSE HEAT, AND THE EARTH AND ITS WORKS WILL BE BURNED UP.”

3. IN REVELATION 3:3 OUR LORD SAYS TO THE CHURCH AT SARDIS: “REMEMBER THEREFORE WHAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED AND HEARD; AND KEEP IT, AND REPENT. IF THEREFORE YOU WILL NOT WAKE UP, I WILL COME LIKE A THIEF, AND YOU WILL NOT KNOW AT WHAT HOUR I WILL COME UPON YOU.”

* AND THEN IN REV. 16:15 OUR LORD IS BEING QUOTED AND SAYS: “BEHOLD, I AM COMING LIKE A THIEF. BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO STAYS AWAKE AND KEEPS HIS GARMENTS, LEST HE WALK ABOUT NAKED AND MEN SEE HIS SHAME.”

** NOW FROM ALL THESE VERSES WE SEE HOW FREQUENTLY THE THIEF IMAGERY IS TIED, JOINED OR BROUGHT TOGETHER TO THE DAY OF THE LORD JUDGMENT.

*** FOR THE SUDDENNESS, UNEXPECTEDNESS AND FINALITY OF CHRIST’S RETURN ARE AMONG THE KEY FACTORS THAT MAKE THE DAY OF THE LORD SUCH A FEARFUL PROSPECT.

**** NOW BEFORE I MOVE ONTO V. 44, ONE FINAL THOUGHT. FOR SOME OF YOU, YOU MAY STILL BE WONDERING, HOW CAN UNSAVED PEOPLE GO ON WITH BUSINESS AS USUAL AS THEY DID IN THE DAYS OF NOAH DURING THE TRIBULATION WITH ALL THE SIGNS AND DISASTERS GOING ON AROUND THEM AND NOT EVERYONE TURNING TO CHRIST?

4. WELL, MY ANSWER IS, BEING BLINDED BY SIN AND SELF-WILL AND PRIDE, NO AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE WILL CONVINCE MOST TO REPENT.

* INSTEAD, MOST LIKELY, HOSTILITY TOWARD GOD WILL REACH A FEVER PITCH NEVER KNOWN BEFORE ON EARTH.

** AND TO SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE BLINDED BY SIN AND SELF-WILL AND BECOME HOSTILE, ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LOOK BACK TO PHARAOH AND EGYPT AND JESUS AND THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF HIS DAY.

*** THESE PEOPLE SAW GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS. DID PHARAOH REPENT? NO. DID THE MAJORITY OF THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS REPENT IN JESUS’ DAY? NO.

**** TOTAL DEPRAVITY RESULTS IN WILLFUL BLINDNESS AND LOVE FOR SIN THAT HARDENS MEN’S DEAD HEARTS. AND UNLESS THERE IS DIVINE INTERVENTION BY GRACE, PEOPLE WILL FREELY CHOOSE THEIR SIN OVER CHRIST.

5. SO FROM PAST HISTORY, AND WHAT WE SEE TODAY, IT IS NOT HARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALTHOUGH THE BIRTH PAIN SIGNS OF THE TRIBULATION WILL BE THE WORST PEOPLE HAVE EVER SEEN, STILL IT WILL NOT TURN THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE TO CHRIST.

* NOW WITH THAT IN MIND, AS WE GO BACK TO THE THIEF IMAGERY USED BY JESUS IN V. 43 OF A THIEF, WE’LL MOVE ON TO THE APPLICATION OF THE ILLUSTRATION IN V. 44. LOOK AT V. 44 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 44. NOW KNOWING THAT JESUS IS COMING BACK, A FACT, BUT NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHEN HE WILL RETURN, SHOULD AGAIN PROMPT READINESS.

* BE READY! BE READY, BE READY, FOR THE SON OF MAN IS COMING AT AN HOUR WHEN YOU DO NOT THINK HE WILL.

** AND REMEMBER, JESUS’ PURPOSE IN TELLING ABOUT HIS RETURN WAS NOT TO STIMULATE PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE DATE, BUT TO WARN PEOPLE TO BE READY.

*** AND READINESS TO THE UNSAVED COMMUNICATES BEING SAVED, BOWING TO CHRIST, COMING TO REPENTANCE AND FAITH, BEING SPIRITUALLY PREPARED TO MEET CHRIST AS LORD AND KING RATHER THAN AS JUDGE.

**** AND FOR THE BELIEVERS AT THAT TIME READINESS MEANS FAITHFULNESS TO CHRIST AND WE’LL SEE THAT IN THE NEXT ILLUSTRATION IN VV. 45-51.

6. AND CERTAINLY IN APPLICATION READINESS FOR US TODAY FOR MEETING THE LORD IN THE AIR COMMUNICATES WORK, LABOR, FAITHFULNESS, PURITY AND EXAMINING OURSELVES. READ I JOHN 3:2&3 AND I COR. 11:26&28.

* BELOVED, WE KNOW THAT CHRIST IS COMING. WE DO NOT KNOW THE HOUR. THEREFORE IT SHOULD MOVE US TO BE PREPARED AT ALL TIMES.

** AS I JOHN 2:28 SAYS: “AND NOW, LITTLE CHILDREN, ABIDE IN HIM, SO THAT IF HE SHOULD APPEAR, WE MAY HAVE CONFIDENCE AND NOT SHRINK AWAY FROM HIM IN SHAME AT HIS COMING.”

*** AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS WE DO NOT WANT TO BE ASHAMED BEFORE CHRIST AT HIS COMING, IN HIS PRESENCE.

**** AND CERTAINLY IF WE ARE NOT WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING, WE WILL BE.

7. SO READINESS IS THE THEME OF VV. 43&44, CONTEXTUALLY TO THE GENERATION IN THE TRIBULATION BEFORE CHRIST’S RETURN TO EARTH, AND IN APPLICATION TO US WHO WILL MEET HIM IN THE AIR.

* WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE RESPONSIBILITY. FOR UNDERSTAND THAT READINESS LEADS TO RESPONSIBILITY, READINESS IMPLIES FAITHFULNESS. LOOK AT V. 45 PLEASE.

II. THE RESPONSIBILITY, (READ V. 45)

A. NOW BEGINNING IN V. 45 AND GOING TO THE END OF THE CHAPTER, JESUS GIVES ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION AND SOME WOULD SAY A PARABLE, TO REINFORCE THE STATEMENT AT THE END OF V. 44, “THE SON OF MAN IS COMING AT AN HOUR YOU DO NOT EXPECT.”

* AND IN THIS ILLUSTRATION OR PARABLE THE IMAGERY APPEARS TO BE PRETTY CLEAR.

** THE MASTER REPRESENTS CHRIST.

*** THE BLESSED SLAVE OR SERVANT REPRESENTS FAITHFUL BELIEVERS.

**** AND THE EVIL SLAVE OR SERVANT REPRESENTS UNBELIEVERS.

1. NOW BEYOND THAT THINGS ARE NOT QUITE AS CLEAR BUT IT APPEARS THAT HUMAN LIFE IS PORTRAYED AS A STEWARDSHIP IN WHICH THE SLAVES OR SERVANTS ARE GIVEN OVERSIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MASTER’S POSSESSIONS.

* THE MASTER’S “GOODS” OR “POSSESSIONS” MAY BE METAPHORS FOR THE TIME, TALENTS, RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES GOD ENTRUSTS US WITH.

** AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE WAS GIVEN TO US BY GOD, I CORINTHIANS 4:7.

*** AND WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW WE MANAGE WHAT HE GIVES US, AND THE TIME WILL COME WHEN EACH ONE OF US WILL GIVE ACCOUNT.

**** FOR THE BELIEVER AT THE BEMA, THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST, ROMANS 14:12, II CORINTHIANS 5:10.

2. AND FOR THE UNBELIEVER AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT IN REV. 20:11-15.

* FOR IN THIS PARABLE, THE RETURN OF THE MASTER MEANS IT IS TIME FOR THE SLAVES TO GIVE ACCOUNT.

** NOW SPECIFICALLY IN V. 45, THE FAITHFUL SLAVE, THE RESPONSIBLE SLAVE, THE BLESSED SLAVE IS THE ONE FOUND DOING WHAT HIS MASTER HAD COMMANDED.

*** HE’S PUT IN CHARGE OF A RESPONSIBILITY, FOR HE IS FAITHFUL AND SENSIBLE. HE IS A WISE, PRUDENT, JUDICIOUS SLAVE WHO WAS TRUSTWORTHY ENOUGH TO BE PUT IN CHARGE OF THE FEEDING AND CARING OF THE HOUSEHOLD IN THE MASTER’S ABSENCE.

**** AND NOW THE WORD “THEN” TO BEGIN WITH IN V. 45 INDICATES THE CONNECTION WITH V. 44, AS IF TO SAY SUCH READINESS IMPLIES FAITHFULNESS.

- NOW LOOK AT V. 46 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 46. NOW THE FAITHFUL SENSIBLE SLAVE TALKED ABOUT IN V. 45 IS IDENTIFIED IN V. 46 AS THE ONE “SO DOING WHEN HE (THE MASTER) COMES.”

* THIS SLAVE IS FAITHFUL, HE IS A WISE SERVANT, FOR HE TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS FOR HIS MASTER, AND IS FAITHFUL WHEN HIS MASTER RETURNS.

** HE DOESN’T SLACK OFF IF HIS MASTER APPEARS TO BE DELAYING HIS RETURN OR NOT COMING FOR A LONG TIME AS V. 48 SAYS.

*** AND THIS KIND OF SLAVE IS REWARDED. NO. 1 IS CALLED BLESSED. THE BEGINNING OF V. 46, “BLESSED IS THAT SLAVE”.

**** AND THE GREEK WORD FOR BLESSED IS THE WORD MARKARIOS WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN.

1. AND THIS WORD IS USED 9 TIMES IN THE BEATITUDES IN MATTHEW 5:3-11 AND LIT. MEANS “HAPPY”, “FORTUNATE” OR “BLISSFUL”.

* AND THE FULLEST MEANING OF THE TERM HAD TO DO WITH AN INWARD CONTENTEDNESS THAT IS NOT AFFECTED BY CIRCUMSTANCES.

** IT IS JOY FROM GOD THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HAPPENSTANCE AND CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT OBEDIENCE AND RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST.

*** AND WITH THAT DEFINITION IN MIND, WHAT KIND OF SERVANT IS BLESSED? ONE WHO IS FAITHFUL AND WISE IN HIS WORK FOR HIS MASTER, EVEN WHEN HE IS AWAY, KNOWING ONE DAY HE WILL RETURN.

**** AND KNOWING ONE DAY HE WILL RETURN, NOT KNOWING WHEN, HE IS STILL FAITHFUL AND PRUDENT. AND THE REWARD OF THIS RESPONSIBLE SERVANT CONTINUES IN V. 47. LOOK AT V. 47 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 47. NOW WHEN THE MASTER OF THE SLAVE RETURNS AND HE HAS FOUND HIM FAITHFUL AND PRUDENT, SENSIBLE, WISE.

* THE MASTER PUTS THIS SLAVE IN CHARGE OF ALL HIS POSSESSIONS. THE REWARD IS GREAT!

** THIS FAITHFUL RESPONSIBLE SLAVE IS REWARDED BY BEING PLACED IN CHARGE OF ALL THE MASTER’S GOODS.

*** HE IS GIVEN SWEEPING POWERS TO MANAGE ALL THE MASTER’S POSSESSIONS. HE IS IN EFFECT ELEVATED TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SEAT OF AUTHORITY AND PRIVILEGE, EXCEPT FOR THAT OF THE MASTER HIMSELF.

**** AND OF COURSE FAITHFUL BELIEVERS WHO HANDLE THEIR MASTER’S AFFAIRS WHILE HE IS GONE WILL BE REWARDED ONE DAY, READ MATTHEW 16:27 AND REV. 22:12.

1. AND BELOVED THE TRUTH IS A FAITHFUL, RESPONSIBLE, SENSIBLE SERVANT OF GOD IS SERVING HIS MASTER, EVEN WHEN HIS MASTER SEEMS TO BE DELAYING HIS COMING.

* HE WANTS TO BE READY, SO HE IS WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING. BUT THERE IS A CONTRAST BEGINNING IN V. 48 TO THE FAITHFUL SLAVE AND THAT IS AN EVIL SLAVE. AND WE WILL SEE THIS KIND OF SLAVE’S REBELLION BEGINNING IN V. 48, WHICH IS OUR LAST POINT TODAY, THE REBELLION. LOOK AT V. 48 PLEASE.

III. THE REBELLION, (READ V. 48)

A. NOW I BELIEVE THE EVIL SERVANT REPRESENTS AN UNBELIEVER, WHICH WILL BE SHOWN BY HIS PUNISHMENT IN V. 51.

* AND THIS EVIL SLAVE, THIS UNBELIEVER IN THIS ILLUSTRATION OR PARABLE, SAYS IN HIS HEART, THE HEART BEING THE FOUNTAIN AND SEAT OF HIS THOUGHTS, PASSIONS AND DESIRES, AN UNCONVERTED EVIL HEART IN THIS ILLUSTRATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN MADE NEW.

* THIS EVIL SLAVE SAYS IN HIS HEART, MY MASTER IS NOT COMING FOR A LONG TIME.

** AND THE WORD MASTER HERE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT JESUS BEING HIS LORD OR MASTER, BUT HIS SLAVE MASTER WHO OWNS HIM CONTEXTUALLY IN THIS PARABLE.

*** AND THIS SLAVE’S CONVICTION WAS THAT HE HAD FREE REIGN TO DO AS HE PLEASED BECAUSE THE MASTER WOULD NOT BE BACK FOR A LONG TIME.

**** HIS EVIL HEART LED HIM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION, WHICH IS DESCRIBED IN THE BEGINNING IN V. 49 OF WHAT HE ACTUALLY DOES. LOOK AT V. 49 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 49. NOW V. 49 PORTRAYS THIS EVIL SLAVE IS VIOLENT TOWARD HIS FELLOW SLAVES, AND AS SELF INDULGENT, USING HIS POSITION TO SERVE HIMSELF RATHER THAN HIS SLAVE MASTER.

* AND THIS SELFISHNESS BEING A PART OF HIS DEPRAVED NATURE, INTRINSIC TO HIS BEING EVIL IN HIS HEART, WAS MANIFESTED BECAUSE HE HAD NO CONCEPT OF A COMING DAY ACCOUNTABILITY.

** THE EVIL SLAVE LIVED ONLY FOR IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION, INSTANT GRATIFICATION.

*** WHY WAIT FOR ANYTHING. HAVE IT NOW. SATISFY YOUR SINFUL DESIRES NOW. BUT SOMEDAY PAYDAY IS COMING. ONE DAY THERE WILL BE A RECKONING OF HIS STEWARDSHIP.

**** FOR UNBELIEVERS WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR STEWARDSHIP FROM GOD. AND THAT DAY OF JUDGMENT FOR THE EVIL SLAVE WILL TAKE PLACE WHEN HIS MASTER COMES BACK, IN THIS CASE, WHEN THE MASTER RETURNS HOME. LOOK AT V. 50 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 50. NOW IN V. 50, IN THIS CASE THE MASTER WILL NOT COME AS SAVIOR AND KING TO BLESS AND TO REWARD, BUT WILL COME AS JUDGE AND EXECUTIONER TO CONDEMN AND TO DESTROY.

* THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS CONDUCT CAME UPON HIM WHEN HIS MASTER RETURNED.

** AND THE MASTER CAME BACK WHEN THE SLAVE DID NOT EXPECT HIM AND AT AN HOUR HE DID NOT KNOW.

*** BUT HE KNEW HE WAS COMING BACK, BUT HE DID NOT KNOW WHEN, AND DID NOT PREPARE, GOING BACK TO V. 44 (READ V. 44).

**** SO THIS SLAVE WAS NOT WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING FOR HIS MASTER’S RETURN, BUT LIVING FOR SELF, AND DOING WHAT HE WANTED. AND THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE SEVERE. LOOK AT V. 51 PLEASE.

D. READ V. 51. NOW THE NATURE OF THE PUNISHMENT HERE. I BELIEVE, PROVES THAT THIS EVIL SLAVES REPRESENTS AN UNBELIEVER.

* FOR WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS AN UNMISTAKABLE REFERENCE TO HELL USED IN MATTHEW 13:42&50, IN THE PARABLES OF THE TARES AND THE DRAGNET (READ MATTHEW 13:50).

** THIS EVIL SLAVE WHO IS JUST AS BAD AS A HYPOCRITE, FOR HE IS ONE, FOR WHEN HIS MASTER IS AWAY HE LIVES FOR SELF, AND APPARENTLY WHEN HE WAS AROUND, HE QUOTE “LIVED FOR HIS MASTER”.

*** BUT HERE HE IS CAUGHT IN THE ACT, CUT IN PIECES AND THE PHRASE CUT IN PIECES COMES FROM A WORD IN GREEK WHICH IN ENGLISH MEANS DICHOTOMY.

**** THIS GUY LIT. WAS DICHOTOMIZED, CUT IN TWO, WHICH PICTURES THE TERRIBLENESS OF HELL, THE PAIN.

1. AND WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH, FIGURES REPRESENTING THE ENDLESS SORROW AND TORMENT OF HELL, UNENDING PAIN, TORMENT, SORROW AND WOE. THIS IS STRONG IMAGERY OF THE CONDEMNATION IN JUDGMENT OF UNSAVED PEOPLE BY A THRICE HOLY GOD.

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY: (1) LET ME SAY THE POINT OF THE ILLUSTRATION IS CLEAR, BE READY FOR CHRIST’S RETURN, BY FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS.

* PREPARE BY SAVING FAITH FOR EVIL SLAVES, FOR SINNERS THAT ARE NOT MADE RIGHTEOUS OR RIGHT WITH GOD THROUGH CHRIST.

** AND THIS EVIL SLAVE REPRESENTS NOT A TRUE DISCIPLE, BUT ONE WHO PROFESSES TO SERVE HIS MASTER.

*** BUT HIS EVIL WICKED HEART THAT HAS NOT BEEN CONVERTED WAS REVEALED BY THE FRUIT OF HIS LIFE, HIS ACTIONS, HIS SELFISH LIFE AND ABUSE OF POWER.

**** AND HIS LACK OF ANTICIPATION OF HIS LORD’S RETURN DEMONSTRATED THAT HE WAS NOT A GENUINE BELIEVER.

(2) AND HIS PUNISHMENT IN HELL SHOWS THAT HE WAS NOT A BELIEVER. IF YOU’RE HERE TODAY IN THAT STATE, REPENT AND TURN FROM YOUR SINS TO THE SAVIOR FOR FORGIVENESS AND A NEW HEART.

* BUT SECOND AND LAST OF ALL, OUR LORD IN LIGHT OF HIS RETURN IN THE AIR AND TO THE EARTH CONTEXTUALLY IN MATTHEW 24, DEMANDS FAITHFULNESS FROM HIS TRUE SERVANTS.

** WE DO NOT KNOW WHEN HE WILL RETURN, BUT WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL, RELIABLE, DEPENDABLE AND PRUDENT DOING HIS WORK UNTIL HE RETURNS.

*** THEREFORE, IN ANTICIPATION OF HIS RETURN, WE NEED TO BE DOING HIS WORK, NOT OURS.

**** AND BELOVED I CANNOT EMPHASIZE FAITHFULNESS ENOUGH IN LIGHT OF THESE TRUTHS.

I COR. 4:2 SAYS: (READ IT). ALSO READ LUKE 16:10.

(3) BELOVED, MAY WE BE FAITHFUL STEWARDS OF THE TIME, TALENTS AND TREASURE THAT HE HAS ENTRUSTED TO US UNTIL HE COMES OR TAKES US HOME. THEN WE WILL BE BLESSED AND REWARDED.

* MAY WE BE WATCHING, WAITING AND WORKING UNTIL JESUS RETURNS. (LET’S PRAY)