Matthew 24:45-51; Luke 12:42-48
Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project®
for Kids. In Sunday’s Bible account, Jesus was sitting on the Mount of
Olives when His disciples came to Him with a question. The disciples had
been puzzled when Jesus told them that the temple would be destroyed.
(Matthew 24:2) They asked, “What is the sign of Your coming and of the
end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3).
Matthew
24 records Jesus’ response. He told of persecution and tribulation. The
chapter ends with a parable about faithful service to Jesus. The
parable of the faithful servant serves as a warning to believers, urging
them to be prepared for Jesus’ return.
Jesus
described what the day will be like when He returns. He begins with a
question: “Who then is a faithful and sensible slave, whom his master
has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper
time?” (Matthew 24:45). Jesus told about a faithful servant whose master
finds him working hard when he returns. The faithful servant will be
put in charge of the master’s possessions. But if the servant is
wicked—assuming he can do as he wants while his master is away—he will be punished when the master returns.
In
the parable, the master is Jesus. He gave His disciples the specific
task of teaching and preaching, of feeding His sheep. (See Matthew
28:18-20; John 21:17.) Jesus’ parable implores the faithfulness of
everyone so that when the chief Shepherd appears, they “will receive the
unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4). The parable also serves as a
warning to those—like the scribes and Pharisees—who take advantage of their position for their own gain.
Jesus
gives believers the responsibility of caring for His world and sharing
the gospel. No one knows the exact time Jesus will return to earth. We
must always be ready. When Jesus returns, those who faithfully work for
Him will be rewarded, but those who do not will be punished.
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