Kingdom Management

Introduction

Being awakened unexpectedly in the middle of one’s sleep can get our adrenaline flowing. There have been times when a phone call in the middle of the night not only awakens us but may bring bad news. Or as the birth of a child approaches, those babies have their own time schedule. When Spenser was born, I had taken a group of teens horseback riding. Spenser was not expected for another week or so. Being an hour away and trying to get back in order to be with Barbara at the hospital was an exhilarating experience. Probably one of the most frightening experiences we can have is to wake up and find someone in our home who doesn’t belong. Some of you have had the experience of arriving home only to find that your home has been violated by those who stole from you. Such experiences are frightening and unexpected.

Luke 12 is concerned with kingdom thinking. In verses 1-12, kingdom people are not hypocritical. Kingdom people are by their character open and aware of God’s provision. In 13-34, kingdom people are not greedy. They do not commit themselves to accumulating things but to giving things away. Kingdom people develop a giving spirit rather than a keeping spirit. In 35-48, Jesus describes how kingdom people think about his coming. But more than just how they think he describes the anticipation they have and what his response will be with those who are expecting his arrival and what will be done with those who are not anticipating his return. Kingdom people expectantly anticipate Jesus’s return. Kingdom people look forward to Jesus’s return.

Kingdom Heart

This section doesn’t just start with no connection with what proceeds it. Jesus says in verse 34, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” While treasure refers to money it is broader than that as the definition of heart suggests. Kingdom people with kingdom hearts look toward an indestructible place to place their faith and hope. If your heart is in this world, we look for ways to make our place in this world better. We build our nest here and become very protective of it. Jesus says in verse 35 that kingdom people remain ready to serve and lamps burning. Both of these are images project being prepared. Verse 36 may be a difficult image to understand but it coincides with verse 35 in which kingdom people are ever ready.

In Jesus’s day, wedding feasts lasted for days. We have a reception which may last a few hours, but in Jesus’s day weddings lasted days. People would be eating and drinking throughout that time. It was a time of great celebration. But no one ever knew when the banquet would be over. And when one returned to his home following the celebration, he would anticipate that all his servants would be ready to open the door. The banquet may suddenly disband in the middle of the night. When the master returned home, his house which was bolted from the inside for protection would have to be opened to him. Servants anticipated the master’s return so that he would not have to wait on them. When he arrived the door was to be opened immediately. The focus in verse 36 is on the readiness of the servants in which they have been expectantly anticipating their master’s return.

In verse 39, if the one who was robbed knew when it would happen, he would have done whatever was necessary to prevent the break in. The whole point of 35-40 is that kingdom people stay ready for the return of the master. Our focus is not on this world but anticipating the return of Jesus. There is a pause in verse 41 as Peter asks about Jesus’s intended audience. But Jesus isn’t finished with his point.

Suppose that a servant is given charge over his master’s servants. This servant is to see that the Master’s servants are fed and taken care of. If the servant does what he is supposed to do then the master is pleased. But what happens if the servant abuses his privilege. What if instead of taking care of the servants he abuses them and uses them for his own advantage. The master is not pleased when he returns. The master returns at an unexpected time. And what the master sees distresses him. The servant is punished severely for his abuse of others and for his failure to be ready when the master returned.

Application

Throughout this section Jesus has left no doubt that kingdom people think differently from those who are not kingdom people. Kingdom people expect Jesus to return. They know the master will be back someday. In the meantime they must remain focused on his return rather than thinking of other things. But there are times that non-kingdom thinking can get in. Jesus says as much in verse 45: “My master is taking a long time in coming.” That is non-kingdom thinking. He will not come today. Instead of waiting expectantly for Jesus’s return we begin to think that today will be no different from every other day. There is no expectation or anticipation. There is only here and now.

When non-kingdom thinking enters our minds we act in ways which are not consistent with the kingdom. We begin to think only of the here and now. What can I do to make things better? How can I accomplish my goals? When I was a kid, I heard something that has stuck with me: “When Jesus comes back, would you be glad for him to see what you are doing.” Sometimes we go through life and we just go through the motions. We don’t think. We don’t focus. We work, we play, we go to school, we eat, we sleep. Nothing wrong with those good things. But do we anticipate Jesus coming? If Jesus appeared one day at school and walked with you throughout the halls, classrooms, and cafeteria, would you be glad for him to see what you do and say? If Jesus came to work with you, would he find you busy doing your job without abusing people?

Jesus’s point is don’t fall into the trap of getting our eyes fixed on this life. Whatever we do; whatever we say should have an upward glance. Anticipating the master’s return means to be ready. When Jesus returns, to say “I wasn’t ready” means you are not thinking in kingdom ways. When Jesus returns, to say “give me just a minute,” means you are not thinking in kingdom ways. When Jesus returns, to say “I wasn’t expecting you today,” means you are not thinking in kingdom ways. When Jesus returns, to say “can you wait until after the holidays,” means you are not thinking in kingdom ways. If Jesus were to return today, would he find you thinking about his kingdom or your own.

Let me show you something. Look at verse 37. When the master returns and finds his servants expectantly anticipating his return, the master becomes the servant. Here is the promise of our master. Be ready. Keep yours eyes looking towards the heavens. I will return and when I return if I find you serving the kingdom, then rest assured I myself will serve you. It will then be time for you to sit down and I will bring you food. Stay ready. Work hard. Then you can rest. Isn’t that a great promise?

Second Peter 3 speaks of this same point. Maybe because Peter wrote this because he remembered this particular incident with Jesus. Peter says he writes to stimulate his readers to wholesome thinking, but the day will come when scoffers will say “where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” Kingdom people do not think this way. Peter goes on to say in verse 11 that as we anticipate the coming of Christ we should live holy and godly lives. Are you expecting Jesus to return? Do you want him to return? Would you be glad for Jesus to see what you do and to hear what you say when he returns?

Kingdom people think differently. What kind of thinking do you have?

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