Luke 12:35-48

1. Many people aspire to change their lifestyle or increase their salary in pursuit of a better life. It has become a common trend for university graduates to enroll in polytechnic colleges to secure better job opportunities. They seek to enhance their practical skills and job readiness, which is why they choose to continue their education in a polytechnic college. This reflects a broader trend in modern education, which emphasizes that higher education—whether high school, university, or vocational training—can prepare individuals for the workforce. The primary reason I moved to Canada was to prepare for my missionary journey. At that time, I felt the need to learn English, so my wife and I decided to move to Canada for language training as part of our mission preparation. Now, I serve as a pastor at a Canadian church. It is natural for people to seek readiness for their next step in life. However, this raises an important question: What is the perfect system for being truly prepared? Is there an ideal way to achieve complete readiness? In Luke 12:35-48, Jesus teaches His disciples about being ready, but His perspective differs from that of the world. Through today’s passage, we can explore what it truly means to be prepared and what we should focus on in our readiness. Let us read Luke 12:35-40. 

Luke 12:35–38 NASB 2020

“Be prepared, and keep your lamps lit. You are also to be like people who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door for him when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will prepare himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and he will come up and serve them. Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

Luke 12:39–40 NASB 2020

“But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. You too, be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think He will.”

2. We can divide today’s passage into three sections, even though I have read only one. The first section, covering verses 35–40, is titled Be Ready and Watchful. The second, spanning verses 41–44, is Blessing for the Faithful. The final section, found in verses 45–48, discusses The Consequence of Negligence.

Be ready and Watchful: vv.35-40

Blessing for the Faithful: vv.41-44

The Consequence of Negligence: vv. 45-48

3. When we read and translate the Bible, we must remember that Jesus did not come to teach a moral philosophy or ethical principles. He is not merely a teacher of ethics. Instead, His purpose in coming was to save the world from sin.

John 3:16–17 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

4. The first section of today’s passage is not primarily about being ready in terms of our behavior or conduct, though that may be included later. The first and foremost meaning of being ready is to be prepared for God’s kingdom. Jesus is speaking about the attitude of the mind before anything else. As I began my preaching ministry, I often recalled God’s message: He looks at our hearts first. God always examines our minds before our actions. It is a profound truth that we can wear a religious mask—falling into hypocrisy. 

5. When Jesus speaks about being ready, He is referring to faith. Faith is not something we can attain through our behavior; rather, true transformation of behavior comes from faith. A friend of mine read the Bible three times in an effort to gain faith, but he was unable to find it. For him, reading the Bible was merely an outward change in behavior, not a genuine movement of the heart. 

6. God addresses the matter of the heart multiple times in the Bible. According to the NASB, the word heart appears 845 times. In Genesis 6:5, when God saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, He observed the thoughts and intentions of the human heart. Similarly, in Exodus, when God redeemed Israel from Egypt, He hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Therefore, our love for God, our faith in Him, and our worship are not based on outward behavior but must come from the heart.

Deuteronomy 6:5–6 NLT

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.

7. Therefore, we should first examine our hearts. Motivation is crucial, yet we do not always have the right motivation. It can stem from either comparison with others or from within our own hearts. In Korean culture, motivation often arises from comparison. As a result, many people struggle to find direction once they reach adulthood because their dreams were not born from their own hearts or desires but were shaped by comparisons with their peers. 

8. Recently, someone contacted me through social media to ask how to become a pastor at a Canadian church. His primary concern was improving his English, believing that once his language skills improved, he could become a pastor in Canada. I responded by advising him to first discern his calling and vision. Improving English is secondary—something to consider only after confirming God’s calling. Ministry in Canada and Korea is not fundamentally different; both begin with God’s calling and vision. Once we receive that calling, the next step is to prepare for ministry. If improving our English is necessary, then we should do so, as it is our responsibility in fulfilling God’s calling. Therefore, our behavior and the way we shape our conduct should be rooted in our hearts. When we set our hearts on God, we can remain faithful to Him. As our hearts begin to follow God, our outward actions will naturally align with His work.

Luke 12:41–44 ESV

Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 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? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

9. In Christian theology, there are two key concepts regarding salvation and the Christian life: Justification and Sanctification. Justification refers to our new identity in God through faith in Christ, while Sanctification is the process of living out the Christian life based on that new identity. Justification is not achieved by our own merit but by the work of Christ. Therefore, faith in Christ is the foundation of justification. N. T. Wright, a well-known scholar of Pauline theology, describes justification as vindication. Even though we are sinners before God, He vindicates us—not because of anything we have done, but because of Jesus Christ. Because we have been vindicated before God, we are set free through Christ and can begin to live our lives in Him.

10. According to these concepts, we understand that sanctification does not begin with our own efforts but with God. Unless God first justifies us, we cannot begin living a new life of sanctification through our own actions. Therefore, while both justification and sanctification originate from God and are based on His love and work, sanctification also involves our response to Him. God entrusts us with the responsibility of living according to His guidance. Sanctification is a holy responsibility, rooted in God and Jesus Christ.

11. Therefore, faithfulness does not come from us but from God and Jesus Christ. It is not merely about modifying our behavior but about having the right attitude of mind before God. With a renewed heart and mindset, we will not grow weary but will be renewed day by day. This is the true meaning of faithfulness. Faithfulness is not just a concept—it is an active mindset and a way of living to God and for God.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 CEB

So we aren’t depressed. But even if our bodies are breaking down on the outside, the person that we are on the inside is being renewed every day. Our temporary minor problems are producing an eternal stockpile of glory for us that is beyond all comparison. We don’t focus on the things that can be seen but on the things that can’t be seen. The things that can be seen don’t last, but the things that can’t be seen are eternal.

12. Are we ready? Are we prepared for the coming of Jesus? How can we be ready for His return Our preparation does not begin with outward behavior—it starts with our hearts and minds before God. When our hearts are set on Him, our actions will naturally follow. Therefore, the first step is to have faith in Christ and confess our belief in Him. We are truly ready when we accept the new life in Christ through faith in Jesus. Let us live out this new life with the help of the Holy Spirit. God is on our side, and He will sanctify us because He has already justified us through the work of Jesus Christ.