Red sky in the morning

WE ACTUALLY KNOW MUCH OF THIS

I titled my blog on the passage before todays, “have no fear” and I noted that it is easier said than done.  In fact I suggested when faced with a situation that might make you fearful, the key is to change how you view reality by thinking about God’s faithfulness and generosity.

Yet today, as we hear Jesus’ words, they seem challenging (at least to me). Jesus seems stern. He tells us to be dressed for action. He gives high praise for servants who are in fact doing their job, he says the master will even wait on them. But when he turns to those who do not do their jobs, his words are much stronger.

In some ways, in the first half of this chapter we read other words from Jesus,

“Who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” (second half of verse 13). That was when someone yelled out to him about dealing with an inheritance situation. Yesterday I was focused about how humans get afraid of not having money and so they wanted Jesus to help them…he reinforces the foolishness of this by telling them the parable about “the rich fool.”

Today those human issues are still present, but I am looking more at Jesus’ words. I am thinking back to his comment about “not being a judge” and I am thinking…well…his is THE judge of all. When the subject matter becomes serious, when Peter asks about whether or not Jesus is talking about those who are his disciples…well our Lord is rather pointed.

Perhaps he is even harkening back to verse 2, “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or will be hidden that will not be known.”

I find it to be one of those passages that takes reading slowly…You take a read through the text and see what you make of it. Some additional comments are below.

³⁵ “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶ and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. ³⁸ If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! ³⁹ But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

⁴¹ Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” ⁴² And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? ⁴³ Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. ⁴⁴ Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶ the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. ⁴⁷ And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. ⁴⁸ But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Not Peace, but Division

⁴⁹ “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. ⁵² For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Interpreting the Time

⁵⁴ He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. ⁵⁵ And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. ⁵⁶ You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Settle with Your Accuser

⁵⁷ “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸ As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. ⁵⁹ I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

So I have read this slowly…several times. In small pieces it makes sense. People who are responsible please the master. People who abuse their position and should know better, suffer severe consequences. People who abuse their position and do not know better, have consequences, but less severe. That all makes sense. It also makes sense that if you have been given a lot, that a lot is expected.

Jesus is saying again…in different language…that following him is serious business. How serious? Well, he says, “Do not think my teachings, and my coming to earth will make everyone happy. Do not think my death and resurrection will cause us all to hold hands and join in singing.” Jesus is saying again, that when you follow him, when you live for others and not yourself…this will cause division…even in your own house. Again, it makes sense. It is not that those who follow Jesus “pick a fight” with their family, it is just their family might get very upset with them. I have friends exactly in this situation…they are Christians…they do not fight with their family about it…but their family is angry over their faith…it is hard…Jesus is simply saying, do not be surprised.

Hard words, but if we slowly read them, I think we have to say they make sense…and finally…he points out we know this…we know how to “read the signs” as it were.

Which in some ways, is actually comforting…it makes sense…we actually know some of this…Red sky in the morning…