In Luke 12 our Lord Jesus prepares His disciples for His absence from them. The snares and the resources of His own whilst He is away and the attitude they should occupy till His return are the main points of the passage. What motives and encouragement are given! – God's light, God's care, Christ's reward and the Holy Ghost's power!

The great practical principles that are to mark His own are unfolded. They are not to think of to-morrow, but to trust in God. "Your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things" is a lovely word indeed. If God's kingdom were sought, all else would be added. Precious instruction for our anxious hearts (vers. 22-31). Thus fear, covetousness, and care, three terrible foxes that spoil the grapes in God's vintage, are disposed of:the fear of man, by the fear of God; covetousness, by being rich toward God; and care, by the care of God. Thus does the blessed Lord set the heart free from earth, to enter into what is heavenly, and be occupied with Himself, while waiting for His return.

But there is more than this:"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Our hearts might fear lest we had not a crust for to-morrow; His heart shows itself by giving us the kingdom. The knowledge of this lifts the saint up. He becomes practically a pilgrim, and a stranger. He can part with things here, for he has a treasure in heaven; and "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (vers. 33, 34). The world's motto is "Slave, and gather." The Lord's injunction to His own is, "Sell, and give." What a difference! But this the saint never will do until he has a treasure in heaven-even Jesus Himself. Do I hear you say, "I am trying to make Him my treasure?" You will never manage it that way; but when you learn that He has a treasure on earth, and that you are that treasure, then, without an effort, you will make Him your treasure. "We love Him because He first loved us." Moth, rust, and thieves, sooner or later sweep away all we set our hearts on here. How good to have "a treasure in the heavens that faileth not!"

Notice that here three things influence the heart-the Father giving the kingdom, the prized treasure in heaven, and the expectation of the Lord's return. "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the lord, when he cometh, shall find watching:verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them… Be ye therefore ready also:for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not" (vers. 35-40). Until the Lord comes they were to wait and watch, the lamps burning, and all ready; the whole position expressive of expectation, while devoted service marked the waiting hours. When He returned, He would bring them into the Father's house, gird Himself, make them sit down to meat, and serve them. This, I take it, alludes to His ever remaining in manhood, in which He has already served us in love. Love it was that led to His incarnation, and to His death; and when He has His own in glory, He will yet serve them, for He will never cease to love. Love delights to serve; selfishness likes to be served. How great the contrast between Jesus and us oftentimes!

Now the teaching of this chapter seems plain enough, though confessedly it be difficult always to walk up to it; but evidently Peter was dubious as to its application, and so says, "Lord, speakest Thou this parable unto us, or even to all?" The Lord's answer is plain enough, as He says, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath" (vers. 42-48). Responsibility is the point here, connected with profession. All who profess the name of the Lord are clearly comprehended here. Whether true, or false is not the question, although the issue to the false is sad in the extreme.

Two things are to mark Christ's disciples-1. They are to wait and watch for Him; 2. They are to serve Him till He return. "Occupy till I come" is the Master's word, and the loving laborer's motto. The true-hearted watcher, that waits with girded loins for His return, labors patiently till He arrive, and then finds his reward and rest in being with his Lord, is feasted by Him-joy and happiness being ministered to him by the Lord Himself-while his faithfulness in service gets its recompense by his being set over what belongs to his Lord. If there be professed servants, without reality, the end of such is detailed to Peter (vers. 45-48) in a way that I doubt not left its mark upon his soul, a mark that reappears clearly in his Epistles-especially the second. God requires of men according to their advantages. If this be so, who will be so guilty as those who, while professing to be the servants of the Lord, neither do His will, nor wait His return? By W. T. P. Wolston