Luke 12:35-48 Responsible Service

Luke 12:35-48 Responsible Service

There used to be this comedian when I was young. His name was Leo Gallagher. He had specials on television and he would make observations about American culture. He was quite ironic. But his most famous joke was the “Sledge-O-Matic”.

This was his joke about the “Ginsu Knives” and other hilarious late-night consumer product commercials that would come along. He was making a comment about the consumerism in the United States. His joke started like this:

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! I did not come here tonight to make you laugh! I came here to sell you something! The Amazing Master Tool Corporation, a subsidiary of Fly By Night Industries has entrusted who? — me! — to show you! — the handiest and the dandiest kitchen tool you’ve ever seen, and don’t ya wanna know how it works! First you take an ordinary apple! You place the apple between the patented pans! Then you reach for the tool that is not a slicer, not a dicer, not a chopper in a hopper! What in the hell can it possibly be? SLEDGE-O-MATIC!”

– Leo Gallagher

Then Gallagher proceeds to bring out different food objects – an orange, an apple, an apple pie – and he smashes it with a huge mallet (ten times the size and weight of a regular mallet.) He will take all kinds of objects and smash them. This skit was made famous by the watermelons that he would smash in front of the audience. The first four or five rows of the audience would be splashed with food particles from this skit. The audiences would love it and he made it the highlight at the end of his comedy routine.

I know what some of you are thinking. What kind of a waste of food is this? Why would some comedian waste food in such a way as this, especially when there are people all over the world who are starving. Well, that was his point. The consumer can be very irresponsible with the food that they have been given.

Gallagher (and some people around the world) have been irresponsible with what they have been given. Jesus remarks here about the importance of being responsible as a servant of Jesus Christ.

First I would like to propose a definition for responsible love. A servant is someone who is responsible, one who serves Jesus by serving others with responsible love. If responsible love is defined as “not doing any harm”, then there is a way to love others positively. Serving Jesus means that we help and encourage other people and serve Jesus in a responsible way – in a positive, responsible way.

By its very definition, a servant is a slave. The word for servant in these verses is “doulos”, the Greek word that literally means slave. When we come to Jesus Christ we come as a slave to serve Him. This means that we do what He wants us to do. We don’t turn to do what we think we ought to do. We listen, obey and follow Jesus.

Jesus defines this servant as two examples: A responsible servant, and then an “unfaithful” servant.

THE RESPONSIBLE SERVANT

The responsible servant is the servant who is serving the Master when the Master returns.

Luke 12:36-38, 43

The responsible servant is aware that the Master is going to return.

Luke 12:42

THE IRRESPONSIBLE SERVANT

The irresponsible servant does not care that the Master will return.

Luke 12:39-40, 45-46

Because the irresponsible servant does not care that the Master will return, he acts in an irresponsible manner. He takes no responsibility for himself (therefore he drinks and gets drunk), and he takes no responsibility for others (therefore he beats up other people). The irresponsible servant is like the comedian who whacks the watermelon with a sledgehammer. The irresponsible servant whacks other people over the head. He is unloving and uncaring.

The responsible servant is the Christian. The “unfaithful” servant is a hypocrite. Let me explain:

GROUP #1 – Unbelievers

There is a progression in Luke 12 at the end of th explanation by Jesus of this parable. Jesus explains the judgment that everyone will receive when Jesus the Master returns. Group #1 in the judgment are the unbelievers. These unbelievers are given “a few stripes”. This is shown in Luke 12:48. They did not know the message that the Master is returning and yet they committed acts that required stripes. These people are beaten with “a few” stripes.

GROUP #2 – Irresponsible Unbelievers

Group #2 in the judgment are the hypocrites. People who say they are Christians but don’t act like Christians. People who say that they follow Jesus, but who follow their own agenda. This servant that Jesus was talking about was a hypocrite. Look at Luke 12:46-47. Jesus will come and tell this servant apart. He will smash him to pieces in the same way that this servant has smashed his other relationships. Jesus will place him in the place with unbelievers. (This place is called hell.)

The difference between Group #1 and Group #2 is the responsibility to act on the knowledge that each was given. Group #1 could not act, but Group #2 could. That is what Jesus says in Luke 12:47 – this servant knew that Jesus was returning and he knew the will of God. The people in Group #1 didn’t know how to act on the will of God.

Jesus does not deny that the message of salvation was sent to everyone. To the Jews, they had the Old Testament, to the people today, we have the New Testament. Each age (before and after Christ came) has its own witness to Him. It is as if Jesus left a message on the door to Jews and to Gentiles. To Jews, He pointed to Himself in the Old Testament. To Gentiles like you and I, Jesus pointed to the New Testament. He said: “Read my note. I will come back in 15 minutes Divine Standard Time.” Since we don’t know Divine Standard Time Zone, we have to do what His note says.

So, some of us in this room are in Groups #1 and #2. Some do not know much about Jesus. They are thinking about His claims and they are considering whether they should come to Him. Some know much about Jesus. They say they love Jesus, they even claim that He is God, but they don’t do what it takes to follow Him. You are the irresponsible servant. You are the unfaithful servant. You are the hypocrite, as you are called in Matthew 24:17. You are an unbeliever yet you say you are a believer in Jesus Christ. To this group, Jesus says: “Shape up and get your life lined up with Me. I won’t tolerate this double-mindedness.”

GROUP #3 – Responsible Christian Servants

There is also Group #3. Group #3 are Christians. They are not the unbelievers who receive “a few stripes”. They are not the hypocrites or irresponsible servants who receive “many stripes”. Group #3 are the servants listed in Luke 12:42-43, and also 48. The difference between Group #3 and #1 and 2 is this: They knew about Jesus, and they prepared themselves.

But Jesus brings about the principle of servant responsibility in these last verses. He says essentially this: “faithfulness to Jesus will bring more responsibility”. You could say it this way: “As a Christian, you can’t receive more from God until you are prepared to handle it.” Jesus describes an increasing line of faithfulness and responsibility. Notice that He says that when you are faithful for small things, He will give you more responsibility. The converse is also true. If Jesus h

as given you much responsibility, He expects much from you. He won’t punish you like He does other irresponsible servants. You are a responsible servant. But every Christian could be more responsible with what they are given.

Notice the contrast of responsibility of the responsible servant. He is given responsibility over the Master’s household until the Master returns in Luke 12:42. Then the responsible servant is made ruler over “all that He has.” Later, this servant will not be responsible for just the household. The Master will make the servant responsible over all properties and assets that the Master owns. This responsible servant has built trust with the Master and now the Master gives Him more.

Which one are you? Are you someone who does not know Jesus Christ? He is God’s Son and He will return to lead this world. He came 2000 years ago to make things right between God and humanity. He put away the sin that separated us from God. God will bring Jesus back and Jesus will put all authorities, all kingdoms, all rules, all governments – everyone who says that they are master of someone or some group – under the authority of God His Father. The question for you is not IF you should come under the authority of God. The question is WHEN will you decide to let God lead your life. God has said to come to Jesus His Son and let His Son lead you to God.

Are you someone who says that they know Jesus Christ? Have you made that decision completely, or are you saying to yourself: “I can put off that decision.” Perhaps you have not made baptism a step to show that you follow Jesus. Perhaps you tell other people that you are a Christian, but on the inside you are not. Perhaps you have said that you were “sprinkled” as a baby or confirmed as a child. You think that will make you a Christian, and that these steps are enough. But Jesus wants to be part of your entire life. He will not be set to the background of your life. He says you are my servant for your entire life or you are not one of Mine. You need to make that decision for yourself. You need to responsible and make it clear Who you will follow.

Are you someone who say that they follow Jesus Christ? How responsible have you been with the faith that Jesus has given you? Are there people in your life that Jesus has placed under your authority? Are there unbelievers that Jesus expects you to tell them about Him? Are there places of ministry that Jesus has asked you to serve? What are the responsibilities that Jesus has given to you? Have you been faithful?

Perhaps you are wondering why certain things are not happening in your life? Why is your marriage difficult? Why are your children having problems? Why are you having problems as a couple? Why are you having problems with developing true friends? Could it be that Jesus is telling you need to be responsible with whom/what He has given you? Have you asked Jesus about how you can go from “ruler over a household” to “ruler over all that the Master has”?