Luke 12:35-48; Isaiah
25:6-10
In the Name of the Father and of the
+ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Just like
Adam and Eve, whose nakedness the LORD clothed with animal skins, shedding innocent
blood that our First Parents might be saved from the consequences of their sin,
so the LORD clothes us still, not with animal skins, but with the righteousness
of His Holy, innocent Son Jesus Christ, who willingly became our Paschal Lamb
to take away our sins and the sins of the entire world. Thus, when Jesus
exhorts you to “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,” He
provides you both the clothing, His righteousness, and the oil, your faith
which receives and trusts in the LORD’s forgiveness. And so, you are
dressed. Christ has dressed you in His righteousness and holiness, having
washed you clean of your sin and guilt in His holy, innocent shed blood. Now He
exhorts you to “stay dressed.” Likewise, your lamps are, or at least
were, burning. Truly, your Lord Jesus has given you your lamps and has filled
them with the oil of faith and forgiveness. Now He exhorts you to “keep
your lamps burning.”
How do you
stay dressed and keep your lamps burning? By attending to the needful things
and not being distracted and sidetracked by the cares, anxieties, pleasures,
and pursuits of the world and your flesh. You are to be “like men who are
waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast.” That is to say,
you are to be doing all things that such servants would do expecting that their
master might return home at any moment. What things are these? Well, that
depends on your vocation. What has the LORD called you to do and given you to
do? Are you a husband or a wife, a father or a mother, a son or a daughter? Are
you a teacher, a nurse, an engineer? Are you a caregiver, a volunteer, a
friend? Are you a mentor, an evangelist, a musician, one who cares for the
altar and the sanctuary of the LORD? Do those things, whatever they might be,
but do them as one who has been called, dressed, and filled with the oil of
faith and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. And, the only way that you can do these
things is if you stay dressed and keep your lamps burning. Therefore, you must
wash your robes in the blood of the Lamb in daily contrition, repentance, and
faith in Christ and you must receive His gifts regularly and faithfully that
you may persevere and be fruitful, that you may shine forth with the Light of
the World in your Christian vocations, that other may see Christ in you and
glorify Him.
Jesus’ first
century audience would have understood His exhortation in light of the house
churches in which they gathered in fellowship to hear the apostolic teaching,
to pray the liturgy, and to receive the body and blood of the Lord in the Holy
Eucharist. Jesus’ exhortation is to not neglect this practice and reception and
to not treat it lackadaisically as you await His coming. Your staying dressed
and keeping your lamps full of the oil of faith and forgiveness is not a
solitary or isolated practice, but it is a practice done in the community of
the Church, your family of faith. Part of your watchfulness includes
encouraging and exhorting your brothers and sisters in Christ to faithful
watchfulness as you wait. The main thing, however, is that you live your life
and bear the fruits of faith in Christ as if you knew the day and the hour He
will return. If you live your life and trust in Him in this way, then you will
be dressed and your lamps will be burning should He return even the second or
third watch. Thus, what Jesus describes is not an occasional watchfulness, or
an annual watchfulness, or even a weekly watchfulness, but an
every-day-of-your-life watchfulness, anticipation, and expectation. For, the
temptation is to live your life as if He is not coming soon and to become
listless, lazy, and fruitless concerning your own faith as well as the faith of
others.
But then,
Jesus gives a specific exhortation to His Apostles and to His Pastors who are “stewards
of the mysteries” in His Church until He returns. To be a steward is to be a
servant and a manager. Pastors have been given stewardship and management of
the Word of the LORD and the Blessed Sacraments in the Church, and of the flock
entrusted to their care as well. Jesus says, “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? Blessed is that servant whom His Master
will find so doing when He comes.” Faithful pastors are much more concerned
about faithful stewardship of the Lord’s gifts than they are about the wants,
desires, and opinions of the people they have been called to serve. Pastors
will have to give an account of their stewardship when the Lord returns in
glory. Likewise, Pastors must be about their vocations, faithfully proclaiming
the Word of the LORD in Law and Gospel and administering the Blessed Sacraments
in accord with that Word. This is what Jesus exhorts pastors to be found doing
when He comes. Therefore, pastors appreciate when their congregants pray for
them and help them to remain faithful, even calling to their attention where
they may have spoken incorrectly or mishandled the Blessed Sacraments. However,
congregants must not tempt their pastors to bow to the wants, desires, and
opinions of the world and the flesh any more than they should become listless,
lazy, and fruitless concerning their own faith and the faith of others.
In total,
these Words of our Lord are for us all, “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.” Let us treasure the gift of righteousness and faith that has
been bestowed upon us by not neglecting these, but seeking out the Lord, His
Word, and His Sacraments, hungering and thirsting for them, and shining forth
with His Light in this world of darkness that others might know Him and join us
in His kingdom that has come, that comes among us now, and that is coming on a
day and hour we cannot know. Lord Jesus, preserve and keep us in faith and make
us a blessing to others to the glory of your Name.
In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.
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