Be Faithful

Matthew 24:36–51 (NKJV, also appearing in Mark 13:32-37; Luke 12:41-46, 21:34-36, 41-48)

³⁶“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. ³⁷But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ³⁸For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴²Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. ⁴³But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Matthew 24:36-44

Jesus continues His prophetic discussion of end times by pointing out the imminence and uncertainty of the timing of Jesus’ return, and the horror of not being ready. In this first passage, Jesus compares the coming of the Lord to the coming of the flood in the days of Noah, when no one believed it would come. When it did, it caught everyone by surprise except Noah and his family. Two people may be working together, and one be raptured while the other is not. This illustrates the absolute importance of being ready and watching, so that you are ready.

⁴⁵“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? ⁴⁶Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. ⁴⁷Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ ⁴⁹and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, ⁵¹and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 24:45-51

The destiny of individuals on earth is bound up in their obedience to God. Not purely good works, but a relationship with God that leads to obedience. Therefore, the faithful servant is faithful because he or she loves the Master. Be faithful! The reward is not the proper motivation when you love God, the love is the motivation! However, on those days when the motivation may be difficult, remember these options: the righteous will rule with Christ, but the unrighteous will be destroyed and weep!