Sunday School Lessons: Luke 12:33- end of chapter

In this passage, Jesus continues to teach his disciple and prepare them for service through several parables about servants and masters. He is teaching them the seriousness of the service required of believers—both in actions and in faith.

35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

This first parable is about the need for readiness and watchfulness. To be dressed for action with the lamp burning is a picture of ready servants. In that culture, a man who was to be married first had a wedding supper with his friends and then left to go get his bride and bring her back to his house. Everything was to be kept in readiness for the arrival of the wedding party. What is the reward for the servants who are ready when the master arrives? He tells them that they must be ready ‘for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’ Jesus was with them at this time so this warning referred to his second coming. Remember we learned last week that Jesus would return from heaven someday and at that time, he would be coming as a Judge. No one knows when Christ will return so we must always be ready.

41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, 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 does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

In this parable, Jesus instructing his disciples about stewardship and service. Why is it important for his disciples to be ready and be busy? It is not enough just to believe that that master is returning and to be watching for him—the disciples (and we) are supposed to be actively spreading the Gospel and serving others. What caused the unprofitable servant to fail in his duty? The punishment for the servant who is not ready and not “acting according to his will is severe however, there is a difference in punishments. What makes the difference? When Christ was on the earth, to whom did he entrust the most? To whom does he entrust the most today?

49 “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, 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 her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

Jesus will ultimately bring judgment (fire) to the earth, but first he came as a Man to give his life to redeem His people and bring salvation to those who would believe. The baptism with which he had to be baptized was the cross and he confesses that he is distressed until it is accomplished. Remember what the Gospel is? The Person and the Work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is anxious to accomplish what he came to do. Why does the Gospel cause division?

54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Notice here that he is addressing himself to the crowds again. He says that they can interpret the weather but they cannot interpret who he is and what he is doing. They should have been able to recognize that he was the Messiah that was foretold, but the did not understand. They did not believe.

57 “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

The One who would judge them was present and they did not recognize who he was. He is calling them to “settle with him” before he came as judge over them.

Jesus will judge both believers and unbelievers. The unbelievers will be judged and condemned to eternal damnation. The judgment of believers is not re: eternal life vs. eternal death. We will be judged according to our faithfulness in obeying and serving Christ while we have the opportunity in this life. We will be judged according to our deeds and we will either receive or lose our rewards depending on whether we were faithful, ready, and busy doing the work Christ has commanded us.

What has Christ called us to do?

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students. You can find lessons for previous chapters here . All scriptures are taken from the ESV.