Title: Faithful and Wise Servants
Text: Matthew 24: 36-51
Date: October
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Every
one of us will meet God, that is for certain.
There is a day and hour fixed when Christ shall return the second time. The
Lord Jesus gives us instruction that every faithful and wise servant of the
Lord shall heed. That is how the Lord
characterizes the believer in our text. We would all be wise to heed it.
Title:
Faithful and Wise Servants.
Proposition: Every faithful and wise servant shall spend this life
watching for the Lord’s return and sowing to the Spirit, to his own spiritual
well-being and those of his brethren.
I. DO NOT SEEK THE TIME OF THE LORD’S
RETURN.
Matthew 24: 36: But of that day and hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
The day
and hour, no man knows, nor do the angels of heaven know. It manifests the pride of the deceitful heart
when men attempt to use the scripture to predict the time of Christ’s
return. Christ said plainly, it is not
for us to know. Not only is not for us to know the day and the hour, it is not
for us to attempt to predict the general time or season of Christ’s return.
Acts 1: 6: When they therefore were come together, they
asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to
Israel? 7: And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the
seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
True
godly humility will not seek to know.
While serving the Father in the earth, even Christ in his humanity, the
very one who himself would be returning, did not know or seek to know the exact
time.
Mark 13: 32: But of that day and that hour knoweth
no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the
Father.
The
importance of not knowing the time is so that we live every day by faith—watching
for his return. Considering how the
natural man—even the fleshly tendency of believers—is to neglect spiritual
matters, imagine if we knew the exact day and hour of Christ’s return how we
would live for this world and put the things that are truly important. It is best that we live everyday by faith
trusting the word of God’s promise.
II. DO NOT BE LIKE THOSE IN THE DAYS OF NOAH
INSTEAD, GET IN CHRIST NOW.
Matthew 24: 37: But as the days of Noe were,
so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38: For as in the days that were
before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39: And knew not until
the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be.
Noah
preached the gospel in his day--a
preacher of righteousness. He did so
because God chose to be gracious to
Noah—“Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” God called Noah. God
revealed his glory to Noah in Christ. So Noah preached the righteousness of God
manifest in Christ Jesus.
Noah’s Gospel
I know
what Noah preached because his gospel is my gospel—there is only one gospel—the
gospel of the righteousness of God manifest in Christ Jesus.
Noah declared
that every man is guilty before God
Romans 3: 23: For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God.
He
could point to that ark which was a type of Christ and say that the ark
manifests we are all sinners. Christ
Jesus the Son of God coming into this earth declares that there is none good,
no not one. Christ had to come, else all
would perish. Noah declared, “God owes
none of us anything but the flood of justice.
And that flood of justice is coming.”
Noah
declared that the LORD is merciful and gracious. Noah could say, “I am a sinner. I did nothing
to merit grace—grace is unmerited favor. God chooses to be gracious to whom he
will. And God keeps mercy for thousands—forgiving iniquity and transgression
and sin. What a merciful and gracious
God! So what is the purpose of this ark, you might ask—it declares that in
Christ God is merciful and gracious. That is the purpose of Christ coming forth
into this earth?”
Noah declared
God is holy and righteous in being merciful and forgiving. “God will by no means clear the guilty.” Noah could say, “See this ark—it typifies
Christ to come. God has set forth this
ark, to show us that in Christ, it is God who justifies freely by his grace.” Christ
paid the price of redemption. The price
each of his elect owed for our sins Christ paid by bearing the just demands of
the broken law. And he justified each
one he represented from our sins. Christ bore the flood of God’s justice in
place of those God put in Christ, just as this ark bore it for those God put in
the ark.
Romans 3: 24:
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus:
Noah declared
Christ is set forth as the place of mercy—the propitiation. He could say, “God has set forth this ark to
show us the place of propitiation—the place of mercy—is in Christ.”
Romans 3: 25: Whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the
remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God .
Noah
declared God’s longsuffering and forebearance.
Noah could preach that “God is longsuffering, his forbearance is great,
God is abundant in goodness and truth. You
see how God has waited for almost 120 years. He did it so I could preach the
truth to you. He did it because God is longsuffering, abundant in goodness and
truth. Now believe on God, believe on
Christ, get in the ark, get in Christ.
If you perish it will not be because you are ignorant of the truth. And
those who believe God, shall not glory in themselves but in God who justified
us for we are saved by God’s grace alone.”
That is our gospel today. Peter
said, “God is longsuffering to usward—the elect of God—not willing that any
should perish but that all should come to repentance.” And all those whom God is willing to save
shall not perish but shall, by the effectual call of God’s grace, repent and
believe on Christ Jesus and glory only in the Lord.
Romans 3: 26: To declare, I say, at this time his
righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth
in Jesus.
When Christ Returns It Shall be the Same as
in Noah’s Day
They
did in Noah’s day what folks are doing in this day as the gospel is being
preached.
Matthew 24:
38: They were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
v39: And knew not until the flood came,
and took them all away;
They
were not thirsty and hungry for Christ our Righteousness; not married to Christ
our Husband. Instead, they were busy eating and drinking of the cares of this
world; married to this world, giving their sons and daughters to be married to
this world.
They
sought not to keep the lamps of their inner man filled with the oil of the Spirit—like
the wise virgins-- but only their
earthly receptacles full of this world’s goods—like the unwise virgins. They
sought not to sow and increase in the spiritual talents—like the two faithful
servants. Noah sowed the spiritual
riches which Christ our Master gave to Noah, seeking the profitable increase of
God’s kingdom. But the selfish-worldling in Noah’s day had his mind set on sowing
and increasing in earthly pursuits and earthly riches—like the unfaithful
servant. So it is today.
Right
up unto the very day Noah entered the ark—they
knew not—they slumbered at the gospel Noah preached while they gave their
full attention to their business in the world.
Like a brute beast only concerned with his belly.
The
flood took them all away. Scripture tells us that in Christ all are
One—no distinctions between rich or poor, learned or unlearned, Jew or
Gentile. So it is for all outside of
Christ: many were wealthy and many were poor. But the pauper out of the ark
perished as well as the prince. There
were learned men in the world. But their knowledge could not deliver them. They
perished alongside the unlearned. There
were many zealous in vain religion and many wicked outside of religion. Both perished side-by-side. The oldest with the youngest, the oppressor with
the oppressed, all perished in the righteous judgment of God. The Lord said, “So shall also the coming of the Son of man
be.”
Paul
called it “A great falling away”—The Lord said, “when
the son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Eight souls were
saved in the flood. So it shall be when
Christ returns. Few shall be found who
truly believe and watch, just as it was in Noah’s day.
Illustration: Standing at the edge of the cliffs in Australia. Who would be so foolish as to stand on the
edge of eternity and be more concerned about his carnal security in this life
rather than the security of his eternal soul?
III. KNOW THAT WHEN CHRIST’S COMES HE WILL
SEPARATE HIS BELIEVING REDEEMED CHILDREN FROM THE REPROBATE AND HIS GRACE WILL
BE THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO.
Matthew 24: 40: Then shall two be in the
field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41: Two women shall be
grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Believers
and reprobate men and women live, work and worship side-by-side. Some sleep in the same bed, some live in the same house, go to ballgames at the same ballfield, work side-by-side at the same jobs
and set beside each other in the same church building. But when Christ returns he will separate his
elect from the unbelieving reprobate.
Matthew 24:31: And he shall send his angels with a great
sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four
winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
One
shall be taken to be with the Lord forever. The other left to suffer the judgment
and fiery wrath of hell forever. And it
shall be the same for those already in the graves.
Daniels 12:2: And many of them that sleep in the dust of
the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and
everlasting contempt.
Though
two work side-by-side at the same occupation and appear by the sight of the eye
to be the same, grace has made a difference.
God has quickened that one whom he shall receive to himself so that
their heart, their thoughts, are set on Christ and his righteousness. The one left, is just as he was when he was
born into this world the first time.
Ps 10:4: The wicked, through the pride of his
countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
In
Noah’s day they knew not until God
had shut Noah up in the ark. Then it was
too late. So it shall be when the Lord
returns in the twinkling of an eye.
There will be no time then for repentance, only judgment.
Application: Brethren, our Lord is instructing us not to have our
minds carried away with this world. Think of today: where we so busy today
that the thought never crossed our minds that today might be the day the Lord
returns? The next word is concerning just that.
IV. ALWAYS BE WATCHING AND READY FOR THE DAY
OF HIS RETURN.
Matthew 24: 42: Watch therefore: for ye know
not what hour your Lord doth come.
The
Lord is teaching us that though we have our day-to-day responsibilities in this
world, we must never let those things become preeminent in our hearts and minds
but have Christ and his return ever in our hearts.
Illustration: Friday night—working and watching. When we are looking
forward to the arrival of someone that we are eager to see, though we continue
with our necessary work, we watch. The Lord says, v42: Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come…
Having
our minds set on this world, allowing our daily responsibilities to occupy all
our thoughts, is compared to those who sleep in the night and to those who are
drunk in the night. Paul said,
1 Thessalonians 5:6: Therefore let us not sleep, as do
others; but let us watch and be sober.
The Lord gives an illustration in our text.
Matthew 24: 43: But know this, that if the
goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would
have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
If you
were told in what watch a thief would come to your earthly house, you would
watch for him. Is Christ not better to
watch for than a thief? A thief comes to rob our goods—Christ comes to give us
our inheritance.
We
would watch if it were our earthly house.
Is not our spiritual house—our inner man, our new heart—better to guard
than our earthly houses?
If we
knew what watch the thief was coming, though we knew not the exact hour, we
would know which watch in the night, so we would be ready in that watch,
looking for the unexpected hour. Christ
has told us he is coming in this watch—these are the last days—the last watch
of the night.
Matthew 24: 44: Therefore be ye also READY:
for in such an HOUR AS YE THINK NOT THE SON OF MAN COMETH.
Unbeliever,
are you indifferent about the good of your own eternal soul? Are you
indifferent about what you are hearing now?
You have been given a tremendous privilege to hear the unsearchable
riches of Christ preached to you week after week—to whom much is given much
shall be required! Do you give diligence
to search the scriptures to see if these things be so? Do you give the same diligence to spiritual
matters as you do to your school work, or sports or some other earthly thing? These are the words of eternal life. Which one will benefit you eternally the
plays in your coach’s playbook or these words of God with whom we all must
face? Today is the day of salvation. This
is the time to prepare.
In the
parable of the virgins—they all slept at midnight. We have to care for our families, be faithful
employees, and so on. But the five were
wise because they had oil in their lamps.
When the cry was made at midnight, they were ready. Be diligent to sow to the Spirit, to seek
spiritual, heavenly, eternal matters.
For us brethren,
who believe, are we as diligent in watching our heart, watching for the Lord’s
coming as we are about our day-to-day lives?
This helps me put my daily affairs in perspective. When I become overly concerned—anxious—about
things in this earth, I should ask myself this question, “If I knew I would die
today and meet my Redeemer would this earthly matter really be as important as
I am making it out to be? What if the
Lord was returning today, is this matter something that is vital?”
2 Peter 3:11: Seeing then that all these things shall be
dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and
godliness,…14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing
that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace,
without spot, and blameless.
Philippians 3: 8: Yea doubtless, and I count all things
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom
I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may
win Christ, 9: And BE FOUND IN HIM, not having mine own righteousness, which is
of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith: 10: That I may KNOW HIM, and the power of HIS
RESURRECTION, and the fellowship of HIS SUFFERINGS, being made conformable unto
HIS DEATH; 11: If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the
dead. 12: Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect:
but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended
of Christ Jesus. 13: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this
one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth
unto those things which are before, 14: I PRESS toward the MARK for THE PRIZE of
the HIGH CALLING of God in Christ Jesus. 15: Let us therefore, as many as be
perfect, be thus minded:
In the
parable of the talents, the two faithful servants diligently sowed the riches their
master provided and they profited thereby.
Christ has given the believer spiritual riches—grace FOR grace. Not for the purpose of sowing to the world
but to sow to our own hearts and to fellow believers and to the hearts of those
he shall call. Christ promises to give more grace. Only God gives the increase. But the unfaithful servant was slothful. He sowed what his master gave into the earth,
rather than into that spiritual bank where God gives the increase. So the unfaithful servant made no increase in
spiritual riches. If a man is not
faithful with less, he will not be faithful with more. But to him that is faithful in the least, he
shall be given more of the Lord.
Galatians 6: 7: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8: For he that soweth to his
flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
So
shall we be wise and faithful servants or unwise and hypocritical
servants? The Lord shall publicly reveal
each and shall reward each.
Matthew 24: 45: Who then is a faithful and
wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them
meat in due season? 46: Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh
shall find so doing. 47: Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler
over all his goods.
Our
reward in this life is more grace, more light personally and greater
opportunities to serve God in his church.
Our reward in the life to come is that every believer shall be
joint-heirs with Christ
Matthew 24:
48: But and if that evil servant [not
faithful, but evil; called a servant in title only, a hypocrite--but the LORD
is the sovereign over false servants as well as his true servants] shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his
coming;
Remember
when Moses delayed to come out of the mount.
The people gathered unto Aaron, and said, “Up, make us gods, which shall
go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land
of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.” (Ex 32: 1) When they did that they did the following:
Matthew 24:
49: And shall begin to SMITE his FELLOWSERVANTS,
and to eat and drink WITH THE DRUNKEN;
But the
wicked hypocritical servant shall his public reward as well.
Matthew 24: 50: The lord of that servant
shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he
is not aware of, 51: And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his
portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
So let’s go home heeding these three words of
our Lord:
1) Get
in Christ the ark. Be not as those in
Noah’s day, as those in the world around us.
2)
Watch and be ready for the coming of the Lord.
It shall be in this watch. Guard
your spiritual house until he comes.
3) Use
the grace God has given us to wisely and faithfully sow to the Spirit, feeding
one another as fellowservants in God’s house. The Lord honors
faithfulness. He gives more grace. And one day soon we shall reign with our King
for all eternity.
Amen!