48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
24:48
But [contrast to faithful slave] if that evil [shameful] servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’
The unprepared believer will count on the Lord’s delay of His coming. He will not prepare himself for the coming kingdom.
24:49
and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,
The Lord’s coming means He will hold us accountable for what we do. Many believers will squander their opportunities because of an attitude of lack of urgency toward the Lord’s coming. They will live for their evil ends and indulge in their own pleasures, and even move into brutality.
24:50
the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,
The Lord’s coming will surprise those who live for themselves. There is an urgency in waiting for the Lord to come.
Ro 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
1 Co 1:7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ph 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
He 10:24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Ja 5:8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
1 Pe 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
Re 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
24:51
and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.
Jesus will assign these professing believers to the category of hypocrites as religious phonies. They represent two opposing principles simultaneously.
This punishment is retribution, not extinction. This is the discipline of what unwatchfulness leads to if it is not awakened.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Weeping and gnashing of teeth represent grief and torment. It is remorse for loss. This does not refer to hell but to discipline. It is a metaphor of severe judgment. This is how God deals with believers out of fellowship.
PRINCIPLE:
Trifling with truth manifests independence from the Lord.
APPLICATION:
By ignoring the reality of the coming of the Lord, we trifle with truth. This results in independence from the Lord. There will come a day when we give account for what we do with our lives. We view all service in light of the coming of the Lord. God will measure our faithfulness to Him at that time.
