Kevin Bennie
Dec 16, 2023 9:55 AM
👇💥 FULL DEVO BELOW💥👇 Stewardship is given by Jesus as a framework on the way we can live our lives as a preparation for eternity. However, there is something really important we need to touch on before we leave these parables, and that is - what exactly does Jesus say we should do with our time and energy here on earth? If we are going to steward our time, energy, resources well, what do we spend it on? Jesus is looking at what makes a prepared, good, faithful, servant, in the whole of their life. 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 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. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 24:45-51 Treating others fairly and with kindness, compassion, and dignity is critical. Eating and drinking with drunkards = living life for yourself and living the lifestyle of someone who is regularly drunk. Hypocrisy is what Jesus is condemning here, not being a friend with someone who drinks too much. Saying you are a servant of the master, but then living as though you don’t care about his kingdom is not an option in the Kingdom of God. Remember, Jesus also ate and drank with sinners but with the purpose to meet the doctor who can make them well. (Luke 5:31) Separate the sheep from the goats 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matt 25:34-46 Kindness and compassion towards those who are in need and those who are vulnerable is essential to the servant of the King! It is non-optional. When we reject the needy, we reject Christ. In our whole life we need to consider how we can give our resources, money, time, or our energy to these efforts. Does this need to be our career, no. But they do need to be a regular part of our life rhythm. Sit with the Lord in prayer in these passages and talk to the Lord about this.