Well Done!! Matthew 23-25

Matthew 24:45-51 (ESV)

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Well Done!!

Praise is a powerful motivational tool.   When we praise others we show them value and empower them to continue in the direction they are going.   In chapter 24, Matthew is telling us about how Christ answered the disciples question about the end times.  Here was the question:

Matthew 24:3 (ESV)

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

In verses 45-51, Jesus is still answering that question.   There is much written prior to verse 45, but seldom do these final verses get mentioned when we consider Jesus’ answer to their question.   Jesus has just told them these two things about the “signs of His coming:”

Matthew 24:36 (ESV)

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Matthew 24:42 (ESV)

42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

He is telling them that no one knows the time of Christ’s return and they should stay active while waiting for it.   This is the context for 45-51.   Jesus has left us here, like the “faithful and wise servant” to make sure we care for the “household” (other people of faith).  He tells us to “give them food at the proper time.”   His instruction to His disciples is to organize and structure the spiritual feeding of those of the household of faith.   That is their responsibility until Christ comes again.   

In a very similar text in the Gospel of Luke we read this instruction from Christ:

Luke 19:13 (ESV)

13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’

The “business” we are in is the “business” of His kingdom.  No more, no less.   Jesus is telling us in the above text that we must not think of Christ’s delay as a time to live in wanton behavior or neglect our calling of feeding the “household at the proper time.”   Jesus states that “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.”   Our faithfulness to our mission will be blessed by Christ upon His return.