Mark 13:34-36 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work… Unless we work, we shall not keep spiritually awake and lively: unless we are awake, we shall not work. The last thing that would please a master would be the idle curiosity which would make the servants neglect their work to stand outside the door gazing to catch a glimpse of his return. What the Master desires is wakeful work. He desires — I. WORK. 1. Work of mercy. 2. Work of uprightness. 3. Work of struggling against evil within us. 4. Work of witnessing for Christ. 5. Work of helping others in various ways. 6. Work of comforting the sad, of supporting the weak. 7. Work of reclaiming the erring. 8. Work of saving the lost. II. HE WANTS THIS TO BE DONE WAKEFULLY; in that fresh and earnest way which men take (1) when their faculties are on the alert; (2) when they are on the watch for opportunities of doing good, and against seductions to neglect it; (3) when they are wakeful enough to see a living Saviour, and feel His inspiration; (4) when they watch lest they lose the things they have wrought; (5) when they are awake to the immense needs and the awful dangers of their fellow men; (6) when they are awake to the littleness of time and the greatness of eternity— the nearness and sufficiency of the Spirit's help, and the certainty and value of the Saviour's reward. When there is this working and this watching mutually aiding each other, then the desire of the Master is fulfilled, and whenever He appears we are (R. Glover.) Parallel Verses KJV: For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. |
    |