Trusted By God: Luke 12:41-48

Immediately after the parable we looked at in our last episode, one of Jesus’ disciples has a question about what Jesus shared, and specifically who the parable was for. In response, Jesus shares another parable that references, but also expands on the theme of the previous parable.

Let’s read what Jesus shared, and to give us context for this follow-up parable, I’ll reread the parable from our last episode to help lead us into this one. Our passage is found in Luke, chapter 12, and we will read it from the New Century Version. Starting in verse 35, Jesus shared that:

³⁵ “Be dressed, ready for service, and have your lamps shining. ³⁶ Be like servants who are waiting for their master to come home from a wedding party. When he comes and knocks, the servants immediately open the door for him. ³⁷ They will be blessed when their master comes home, because he sees that they were watching for him. I tell you the truth, the master will dress himself to serve and tell the servants to sit at the table, and he will serve them. ³⁸ Those servants will be blessed when he comes in and finds them still waiting, even if it is midnight or later.

³⁹ “Remember this: If the owner of the house knew what time a thief was coming, he would not allow the thief to enter his house. ⁴⁰ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a time when you don’t expect him!”

That was last episode’s passage and parable. Continuing in verse 41:

⁴¹ Peter said, “Lord, did you tell this story to us or to all people?”

⁴² The Lord said, “Who is the wise and trusted servant that the master trusts to give the other servants their food at the right time? ⁴³ When the master comes and finds the servant doing his work, the servant will be blessed. ⁴⁴ I tell you the truth, the master will choose that servant to take care of everything he owns. ⁴⁵ But suppose the servant thinks to himself, ‘My master will not come back soon,’ and he begins to beat the other servants, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. ⁴⁶ The master will come when that servant is not ready and is not expecting him. Then the master will cut him in pieces and send him away to be with the others who don’t obey.

⁴⁷ “The servant who knows what his master wants but is not ready, or who does not do what the master wants, will be beaten with many blows! ⁴⁸ But the servant who does not know what his master wants and does things that should be punished will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And from the one trusted with much, much more will be expected.

When reading this parable, I am always a little amazed at how it appears as though Jesus answers, but doesn’t really answer Peter’s question. Peter basically asked Jesus if this parable was for the group of disciples, or if it was for all people, and Jesus doesn’t really give a clear answer.

However, Jesus’ parable-answer is challenging, and it does give us an answer, specifically a third option that was not included in Peter’s original question. Peter’s question had two groups specified, specifically the disciples, or everyone, and Jesus wants us to focus on a different group.

In His response, Jesus takes the conversation in a different direction. Instead of answering Peter’s one or the other groups, Jesus describes that the servants who are wise and the ones Jesus trusts are the ones that are doing His work. While it sounds obvious, this brings a third group into view. Not everyone is wise or to be trusted to do God’s work, and while it may be hard to believe, not all the disciples fit this category either.

While it is easy to look out at the world today and see people who are not wise or trustworthy, looking at Jesus’ core group of disciples prompts us to see an interesting challenge. We would hope that those who were closest to Jesus were wise and trustworthy in God’s eyes, and even knowing about Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, doesn’t change much. Instead, knowing that Judas was in this closest group presents a different idea.

Judas Iscariot’s presence in the group of disciples, when mixed with this parable, shows how someone can actually lose their salvation. While it isn’t something that we like thinking about, someone who is wise and trustworthy might not always choose to be wise and trustworthy, and someone who has not been trustworthy in the past might change as well.

This passage prompts us to understand God’s blessings as progressive in nature. When God sends a challenge, a task, or a situation our way, He is looking for how we will respond. One might call this a test, but for some people, this brings back negative memories of difficult times in school. Instead, let’s call this a chance to glorify God and a chance to help others.

The wise and trusted servant is one who God can repeatedly give responsibilities, and that servant will diligently carry out the tasks. Every successful task will prompt greater trust from God and greater responsibilities in the future.

This parable, and Jesus’ response to Peter’s question, broaden the group of God’s trusted servants to include more than just the disciples, but to include all those believers who determine to be trustworthy and obedient.

However, in Jesus’ response, we see the focus being shifted off of looking at a group of people, and being focused on a group of one. This response subtly shifts the focus off of looking at other people, and it challenges each of us to be diligent, wise, and trustworthy. While there are punishments included for not being trustworthy, I think it is not wise to focus on these punishments because they lead to serving out of fear and not out of love.

Instead, let’s be motivated by the rewards God has promised us, and diligently serve God because of what he has done for us, because of how He has blessed us, and because of the future He has promised to give us when we love, trust, and serve Him!

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As always, continue to seek God first and place Him first in your life. Choose to be a trustworthy, obedient servant who serves simply because it is a better choice. Don’t take for granted God’s absence or silence as a license for rejecting Him. That will only end up breaking trust. Instead, choose to reveal your character by being trustworthy even when no one is present or watching.

Also, keep praying and studying the Bible for yourself to learn and grow closer to God each and every day. Look to the Bible for guidance and truth, and let the Bible be your guide even when things seem crazy in this world today.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!