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Happy Servants

Happy Servants

Last updated on: May 7, 2024 at 12:00 pm by Rick Rice

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Happy Servants 2024-05-07T12:00:10-04:00 Rick Rice

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As followers of Jesus, we’re servants; God has given each of us a job to do in his Kingdom. How can we fulfill his purposes as “happy servants”?

Scripture:

2 Samuel, chapters 13-14; Matthew, chapter 24

Matthew 24:36-46 (CEB):

“But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the heavenly angels and not the Son. Only the Father knows. As it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Human One [Son of Man]. In those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. They didn’t know what was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. The coming of the Human One [Son of Man] will be like that. At that time there will be two men in the field. One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken and the other left.

Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know what day the Lord is coming. But you understand that if the head of the house knew at what time the thief would come, he would keep alert and wouldn’t allow the thief to break into his house. Therefore you also should be prepared, because the Human One [Son of Man] will come at a time you don’t know.

Who then are the faithful and wise servants whom their master puts in charge of giving food at the right time to those who live in his house? Happy are those servants whom the master finds fulfilling their responsibilities when he comes.”

Observations – Happy Servants

I’ve reflected on passages dealing with Jesus’ return before, and my tendency is to not do that if I can help it. That’s not because I don’t believe Jesus is coming back; He is. It’s also not because I don’t believe what Scripture says about his return. I do. But I also believe what Jesus himself says in this passage: Nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the heavenly angels and not the Son. Only the Father knows. So why do we spend so much time and energy trying to “crack the code” and figure out when it will be?

“Stay Alert!”

Instead, let’s focus on two other things that Jesus says in this passage. First, he tells us, “Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know what day the Lord is coming.” I suggest that “staying alert” does not mean “keep trying to figure out when it will be.” I think it means something more like “be ready every day, because someday it will happen.”

You can know when something is going to happen and still not be prepared for it. How many students cram for exams that they knew were coming, waiting until the last day to study? You leave on vacation tomorrow; are you packed yet? Time for my annual physical; is it too late to lose 20 pounds before Friday? Knowing that something is coming does not automatically mean that we are prepared. In fact, we may be less prepared, because we think we have time. Even if we knew precisely when Jesus will return, that would not guarantee that we would be here to see it.

Faithful and Wise Servants

Jesus goes on to explain to us who the faithful and wise servants are: those who do what God directs each day. Happy are those servants whom the master finds fulfilling their responsibilities when he comes. Because we don’t know when he’s coming, we need to fulfill our responsibilities every day. We all have kingdom responsibilities; God doesn’t call any of us to be spectators. God has given each of us gifts that he expects us to use: “There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; and there are different ministries and the same Lord; and there are different activities but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

Did you catch that? “A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good.” It may not be “flashy,” may not attract attention or compliments. But God gives each of us a job to do, and he expects us to do it. Happy are those servants whom the master finds fulfilling their responsibilities when he comes.

Application – Happy Servants

So only God knows when Jesus will return. And God has given each of us responsibilities within the body for the common good – which means, for his Kingdom purposes. I’m thinking that because Jesus made a point of saying that nobody knows, God hasn’t given any of us the responsibility of figuring out when it will be! Instead, we should focus on what is in front of us – fulfilling our responsibilities.

It’s interesting to me how many phrases we have to describe that mentality:

“You had one job”
“Stay in your lane”
“Each what’s on your plate”
“Find your purpose”

I could go on, but you get the point. Only the Father knows when Jesus will return; happy are those servants whom the master finds fulfilling their responsibilities when he comes.

Prayer:

Father, we confess that it is tempting to try to “crack the code.” Forgive us for our presumption in thinking that somehow we might prove Jesus wrong. I know we don’t think of it that way, but when he said, “Nobody knows,” that included us. That means that if we think we know, we’re wrong! And any time and energy we spend trying to figure out something that we aren’t supposed to know is time and energy that we’re not spending “fulfilling our responsibilities.”

Help us today to recognize what you have for us to do. Today’s responsibility may be just the first step in a long process – a process that you have planned for us. Or it may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to touch someone’s life in Jesus’ name. Either way, help us to follow your plan for today. Because someday, Jesus is coming back. Happy are those servants whom the master finds fulfilling their responsibilities when he comes!

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