God’s Expectations
Posted by Karah
Pause
Write one area of obedience you tend to treat as optional in your walk with Christ. Ask God to open your heart and mind to obey Him in all areas.
Read Luke 12:43. Jesus wanted His disciples to be watchful, but He also wanted to find them working. The same is true for you.
“Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.”—Luke 12:48b
Now, read Luke 12:41-48.
Underline any of Jesus’ words that remind you that the timing of His return is unknown.
Note the different possible results for the slave in verses 43-48:
If he is working:
If he is living in blatant disobedience:
If he is unprepared:
If he did not know God’s will:
Each slave was held accountable for his knowledge and action or inaction. Knowing the Master’s will and not doing it is dangerous. Circle the three possible scenarios from the list above for anyone who knows God’s plan and purpose for their lives. What does today’s reading tell you about Christian leaders’ responsibility to the message of Jesus? Explain your answer.
Respond
You are accountable to God for completing the tasks He gives to you. No matter how significant or insignificant your task may seem, you are responsible for that task.
In what ways has God entrusted you with more? Where does God have you working right now? Journal your thoughts about being held accountable to God for those things. Ask Him to help you remain faithful to your responsibilities and to be actively involved where He is at work around you.
What steps will you take this week to be actively involved in the work of the kingdom? Write them on your mirror or on a sticky note placed on the back of your door.
For further study, read Luke 8:4-15.
Behind the Story
Jesus often told parables to the religious leaders because He said they would never see or understand. But the disciples were allowed to know “the secrets of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 13:11). Jesus’ statement of “who then” (v. 42) actually implies a rhetorical question, which Jesus indirectly answered by way of the parable found in verses 42-48. In this case, “who then” was directed toward the disciples.
The Point
It is not enough to simply wait for Jesus’ return; you must be actively involved in His work while you wait.
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions