GOSPEL: Luke 12:42-48

Reading:
And the Lord said, 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.   But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;   The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.   And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.   But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Commentary:
Because we yet have this sinful flesh, there is always that temptation to take God's forgiveness of our sins for granted, and abuse such with wicked living.  God does not want that LAST DAY to come upon us unaware, wherein we turn and "beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken."  There is also here a warning of a greater and lesser punishment.  Christians who stubbornly despise Christ and fall away without repentance (thus becoming deniers of Christ), such fallen will have a greater condemnation than those unbelievers who never knew Christ by faith.  This agrees with Matthew 12:45.  Since we then know Christ by faith now, and we daily rejoice that we are saved not by any works of righteousness, but by Him who loved us first, "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."