Getting to Know Jesus More #26

As we have seen the past few days, in Luke 12 Jesus was so surrounded by people as far as one could see that He was giving His message to his apostles to take out to the crowds. The last parable He gave was for servants to be ready for His return at any time.
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. 49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

It's always easy for us to see how a sermon applies to someone else; they are the ones who really need it. Jesus does not directly answer Peter's question, but His reply is something we all need to listen to; we need to examine ourselves to see if we are living in such a way that we are ready for His return. It has to do with what we we with our resources, how we treat people, understanding what He is doing for us while we wait, and being willing to sacrificially serve Him while we wait, even though others may not understand.  All of these things are issues Peter, the other apostles, and all of us who follow Him must wrestle with: "Am I living in readiness for His return?"