LESSON XIII.—SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1900
THE DUTY OF WATCHFULNESS.
35 "LET your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning; 36 and be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their Lord, when He shall return from the marriage feast; that, when He cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto Him. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them. 38 And if He shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through. 40 Be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh. 41 "And Peter said, Lord, speakest Thou this parable unto us, 42 or even unto all? And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall set over His household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He cometh 44 shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that He will 45 set him over all that He hath. But if that servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming; and shall begin 46 to beat the men servants and the maid servants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the unfaithful." Golden Text: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." Matt. 26:41. (1) In seeking the kingdom of God (verse 31), what is it necessary for the Christian to do? V. 35. Note 1. (2) What class of people are Christians to be like? Where had the Lord been? When the Lord of such servants came, what would they be able to do? V. 36. Note 2. (3) What will be the condition of such servants? What gracious act will the Lord perform for His faithful ones? V. 37. (4) During how much of the night is the servant expected to watch? V. 38. (5) What other illustration does the Saviour use in the lesson of watchfulness? V. 39. (6) Therefore, what admonition does the Saviour give His disciples? Why is this necessary? V. 40. Note 3. (7) What question did Peter ask the Lord in reference to this matter? V. 41. (8) In answering the question, whom did the Saviour introduce as a type of every Christian? What is the position of the steward? What is he expected to do? V. 42. (9) What does the Lord say of the faithful steward? V. 43. Note 4. (10) What will the Lord do for him? V. 44. (11) But what is it possible that the servant may say? Allowing himself to think this, what may he do? V. 45. (12) When will the Lord of this servant appear? What will He do to the unfaithful servant? V. 46. Note 5. 1. The girded loins.—An indication of watchfulness, and readiness for any emergency. The long oriental robe requires to be taken up and the skirt fastened under the girdle to allow freedom in walking or running. So the Christian must not allow any earthly entanglements to impede him in his mission. He must be ready to serve his Lord at a moment's notice. Your lights burning.—There are no dead lights on the ship Zion. When our light goes out, we have lost connection with Christ; we are no longer Christians. 2. When He shall return.—This is the second coming of Christ, not conversion; for the "men" mentioned are already servants. This is the time brought to view in Isa. 25:8, 9: "He will swallow up death in victory. . . . And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us." Those who are faithfully watching at that time will sit down at heaven's table, and Christ Himself will serve them." Verse 37; Matt. 26:29. 3. Be ye also ready.—"God has always given men warning of coming judgments. Those who had faith in His message for their time, and who acted out their faith in obedience to His commandments, escaped the judgments that fell upon the disobedient and unbelieving. The word came to Noah. He obeyed, and was saved. The message came to Lot. He placed himself under the guardianship of the heavenly messengers, and was saved. Christ's disciples were given warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who watched for the sign, and fled from the city, escaped the destruction. Now we are given warning of Christ's second coming, and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Those who heed the warning will be saved. The advent of Christ will surprise the false teachers." Desire of Ages. 4. That servant, . . . so doing.—The Lord has given a lesson on watchfulness. Now He shows that the lesson applies to all, by bringing in the idea of stewardship in answering Peter's question, and thus brings in also that other essential of Christian life, work. The steward who was "so doing," was giving to the "household" "their portion of food in due season." Waiting, watching, and working are the three characteristics of the Christian life. 5. In a day when he expecteth not.—He had not said that Christ would not come. He had not scoffed at the idea of His coming; but "by his actions and words he declares that the Lord's coming is delayed." In this way he influences others to sleep and imagine that the Lord is not coming quickly, and is thus in a measure responsible for their lack of preparation. His influence confirms them in their worldliness and stupor. But upon all such the day of the Lord will come as a snare, as a thief, bringing sudden destruction, from which there is no escape.