Be Watchful

Jesus then advised them all not to worry. He reminded His disciples and the crowd of what He had taught on the mountainside by the Sea of Galilee. Continuing from His same teaching, Jesus then advised them all not to build their treasure on earth, but in heaven.

Jesus then spoke of watchfulness “Stay dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. Be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake and on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, the master will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them. Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed.”

“But understand: If the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, they would not have let their house be broken into. You too, always be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”

“Lord,” said Peter, “are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?” 

And Jesus answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whose master finds them doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, the master will put them in charge of all his possessions.

"But suppose that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and he begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day the servant does not expect and at an hour the servant does not anticipate. Then he will cut the servant to pieces and assign the servant a place with the unbelievers. 

"That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded."

See Luke 12:35‭-‬48‬‬‬‬

Notes: watches of the night: The Israelites had three watches of the night. The first was from sunset (about 6 pm) to 10 pm; the second was from 10 pm to 2 am; the third was from 2 am to sunrise (about 6 am).