Thursday: 21^st Week in Ordinary Time-C

I Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13: May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race.

Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51: Stand ready.

The Lord’s Return and the Believer’s Duty:

Watch-Be Ready-Be Faithful and Wise, Mt 24:42-51

This was Jesus’ last week on earth so he taught his disciples and people with regard to the Lord’s return and believers’ watchfulness and faithfulness till the end of life. When will be the temple (Jerusalem) be destroyed? (v.3) (see Mt 24:1-25:46)

Jesus had just answered the disciples’ questions. Since he would be returning to earth and God wanted the hour to be kept secret, what was the believer to do? How was the believer to live? What was the believer’s duty? Jesus answered these questions in one forceful warning: “Keep watch!” then he shared three parables to explain what he meant by the strong exhortation, “Keep watch!”

1. The believer’s duty: Watch (v.42)

a. The Lord does return

b. Exact time unknown

2. Parable 1: The owner of the house (a professing believer) (v.43-44)

a. He had a house to look after

b. He lived without watchfulness

c. He suffered disaster

d. The point: Readiness is essential, for Christ

3. Parable 2: A faithful and wise servant (a genuine believer) (v.45-47)

a. His responsibility: To oversee and feed

b. His accountability: Is faithful

c. His reward: Put in charge

4. Parable 3: A wicket servant (v.48-51)

a. His attitude: Plenty of time

b. His behaviour: Acts unjustly worldly

c. His judgement: He is doomed

          1) The Lord catches him unexpectedly

          2) The condemns him to death-with the hypocrites

Thought: The Lord’s return is imminent. This is the point. We must stay alert and be diligent in looking his return-today! Every person is responsible for his or her life.

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