Parables – Parable of the Watchful Porter Study-30-Mark 13:33-37

Parable of the Watchful Porter

Introduction
Last week we studied the parable of growing seed to understand the immense power in the word of God. This
week let us look into the Parable of Watchful Porter which helps us to understand how diligent we should be for
the return of Jesus Christ.

Open question

1. Recollect someone in your life who postponed the salvation and died without it.
2. What is your attitude toward the timing of Jesus second coming?
1. We don’t know when Jesus
coming, so it doesn’t really 3. I don’t know when Jesus is
matter. Let us live a wordly life
coming,so I have to be
for there is timespan to return at
alert,eager and ready for His
any time
coming.
2. We don’t know when Jesus
coming, so we have to find out a
date and set a date.
Memory Verse

Mark 13:33 “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”

Observation Questions

1. Why did Jesus tell this parable?

Jesus told this parable to ask the disciples to watch, keep alert and pray.
2. What did the man do before travelling to another country?
1. He gave authority to his 3. He commanded the door keeper
servants to keep watch
2. Each one his work
3. When will the Lord of house be
coming?
We will not know about timing. Whether it is at evening, or at midnight, or when the
rooster crows, or in the morning; or coming suddenly
Interpretation:

1. What did the master do to his servants before he went for a long journey?
 He gave authority to his servants. It was the responsibility as well as the power to
act in his absence. He trusts his servants.
 Each servant was assigned a specific task
 The porter or the door man was given a specific responsibility
 Watch means he has to keep himself awake.The idea is the that of
vigilance,awareness and protection

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Parables – Parable of the Watchful Porter Study-30-Mark 13:33-37
2. What did Christ do before he descended to heaven?
 Christ when He descended high,went to heaven- The land which is afar off
 He left His house – which is the church
 He assigned everyman a particular work,for which He gave him proper gifts and
abilities
 He assigned apostles and all his servants their duty
 He left them uncertain about when He would return.
 Thus Jesus left three things to us
a) His house – The church which belongs to Him is now entrusted to each one
of us
b) His authority – We are to live and serve with the authority of Jesus. The
authority is coupled with responsibility
c) His work – Each one has his work to do. We aren’t responsible for someone
else’s task,but certainly we are responsible for ours

3. What should we watch over?

 We should watch over against false prophets; over ourselves as well as the whole
church
 The words are particularly addressed to the disciples of Christ
 The important thing here is how faithful at their post, defend the house from
danger, and be ready for His return
 The door keeper was entrusted particularly, the faithful care of the house, whose
duty is to attend faithfully those who came, and those who left the house

4. What can we learn about the timings Jesus mentioned in the parable?
 The Jews had for long recognized three watches of the night, lasting from
a) sundown to 10:00 P.M.,
b) and from then to 1:00 A.M.,
c) and from then until sunrise.
 But, with the establishment of the Roman empire in Judea, these had been
changed to the four watches mentioned by Jesus in this admonition
a) even ending at nine;
b) midnight ending at twelve;
c) cock-crowing ending at three;
d) and morning ending at six..Luke 12:38

Application:

5. What is mentioned about the timing of Christ return?

 The emphasis about the uncertainity about the time is very clear in His word
Of that day and hour no one knows (Mark.13:32)

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Parables – Parable of the Watchful Porter Study-30-Mark 13:33-37

You donont know when the time is (Mark 13:33)

You donot know when the master of the house is coming (Mark 13:35)
 It is not only about the timing of Christ, but also about our life in this world. For we
donot know when our life ends. When our Life ends, the next is the Christ coming.
We don’t know how soon we will be called for judgement. "Everyone must die
once and after this comes judgement"Heb 9:27 .Thus this applies to Christ's
coming to us at our death, as well as to the general judgment.
 We know not whether our Master will come in the days of youth, or middle age, or
old age; but, as soon as we are born, we begin to die, and therefore we must
expect death. Our great care must be, that, whenever our Lord comes, he may not
find us secure, indulging in ease and sloth, mindless of our work and duty. He
says to all, Watch, that you may be found in peace, without spot, and blameless.
 If we are renewed, pardoned, repented of our sins, believed Him and are leading a
holy life-then we are ready
 If not ,the cold hand of death will be laid upon us. Very soon after that we will be
hurried to the place of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth.
 So how important is to be ready, and to escape the awful sufferings

6. What are the probable things than can keep us away from watching?
 We might get tired and give up our watch too soon
 We might get busy doing something else,be it Job,family,friends,career and so –
and neglet our preperation
 We might think after a long delay in the masters return, there is no longer any
reason to keep such a vigilant watch
 We may abandon our post completely, or even become like one of the masters
enemies.

Summary
We never know when the Lord will come for us. What we have to remember is that we are
servants having responsibilities in accordance with the resources he has provided us. We all
have our particular ministry to carry out. Futhermore we must also be awake with respect to our
Christian character.
"But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all
sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then,
let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who
sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day,
let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a
helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ." 1Thess 5:4-9