Kingdom Principle: To combat our allegiances to this earthly realm Jesus challenges us to value those things that heaven values. As we do, we will store up treasure in heaven and we will treasure up heaven in our hearts. 

1. 3 Characteristics of a ______________________ Servant

Luke 12:35 “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.

1. Service

The first quality of a good servant is that he/she is about the master’s business.

1 Corinthians 12:4–7 (ESV) — 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 

1 Corinthians 12:12–20 (ESV) — 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 

1. Diligence

The blessed servant should not only be about their regular tasks, they should also be preparing for the master’s return by maintaining their lamps. 

Titus 2:11–13 (ESV) — 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 

We should be about our business (the tasks that the Lord has assigned to each) in light of the Lord’s business.

1. Anticipation

Luke 12:36–37 (ESV) — 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…

The blessed servant is the one watching and listening for the Master’s return. He maintains his responsibilities, he diligently keeps his lamp burning, and he is also looking for the Master’s return.

Philippians 1:20–25 (ESV) 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 

Everything we do in this life should be done in anticipation of the life to come.

Questions to Consider

• How has the Lord called you to serve as you wait for his return? 

• In what ways is he calling you to prepare for his coming?

• What do we have to look forward to when he returns? How should this motivate us for service?