Luke 12:35–48 (ESV) "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. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 41 Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?" 42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

1. The way of life of the ready. (v.12:35–38)

A. The ______________of the ready.

Romans 10:8–10 (ESV) But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

B. The _______________ of the ready.

Titus 2:11–14 (ESV) 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, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

C. The _______________ to the ready.

John 13:3–5 (ESV) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

2. The judgment against the not ready. (v.12:39 & 40)

A. The ______________ of the event.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 (ESV) For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

2 Peter 3:10 (ESV) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

B. The _________________of the command: be ready.

Mark 14:38 (ESV) Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Luke 21:36 (ESV) But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."

C. The ______________ of the command.

Daniel 7:13 & 14 (ESV) I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

3. The blessing to the faithful. (v.12:41–44)

A. The ____________ of Faithfulness.

Matthew 25:14 (ESV) For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.

1 Corinthians 4:1 (ESV) This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

B. The _____________ for faithfulness.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV) And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

4. The verdict against the unfaithful. (v.12:45–48)

A. The _____________ of the unfaithful.

2 Peter 3:3–5 (ESV) knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,

B. The _____________of the unfaithful.

1 Corinthians 15:32 (ESV) What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

C. The ____________ of the unfaithful.

James 4:17 (ESV) So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

5. The light of faithfulness. (v.12:48)

A. The __________ of light.

Psalms 19:1–3 (ESV) To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.

1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV) The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

B. The ____________ of light.

Matthew 13:16 & 17 (ESV) But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Psalms 36:9 (ESV) For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.

C. The ____________ of light.

2 Corinthians 1:3 & 4 (ESV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.