MY MASTER IS STAYING AWAY / MATTHEW 24:48-49

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Matthew 24:48-49

But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ ⁴⁹ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.

The Trap of “Someday”: Understanding the Wicked Servant in Matthew 24:48-49

In Matthew 24:48-49, Jesus exposes a dangerous heart condition that can quietly take root within the church. The wicked servant looks out at the horizon, notices the delay, and begins to say in his heart, “My master is staying away.” What follows this thought is a tragic shift in behavior: he begins to beat his fellow servants and eat and drink with drunkards. Christ’s unexpected return will not motivate those within the church who are unfaithful to the Lord and who see no need to be prepared and to remain ready.

Anyone who claims to be a Christian but continues to ignore God’s standard and lives in sin, believing that Christ will delay His coming for a few years, can be compared to this wicked servant. When we relegate the return of Christ to a distant “someday,” we remove the healthy boundaries of holy fear and accountability. Such a person will feel no immediate threat that the Lord’s return will take him or her off guard. This spiritual complacency doesn’t just stall our growth—it actively corrupts our lifestyle and how we treat those around us, shifting our allegiance from the Master’s table to the world’s revelry.

It is highly significant that Jesus connects spiritual unfaithfulness and insincerity with the belief and desire that Christ will not come anytime soon. The illusion of time is the enemy of urgency. When our hearts secretly hope the Lord delays so we can finish indulging our fleshly desires, we have already compromised our faith. True readiness demands that we live every moment with the understanding that the Master is at the door, evaluating our faithfulness not by our initial promises, but by our current posture.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, search our hearts today and expose any areas where we have assumed Your patience is an invitation to compromise. Forgive us for the times we have lived as though You are staying away indefinitely. We ask that You break any spirit of complacency or false security in our lives. Deliver us from treating others poorly and aligning ourselves with the world’s standards. Grant us the grace to live in continuous readiness, keeping our lamps burning bright and our hearts purely devoted to Your standards. May we be found faithful and active in Your service whenever You return. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. AN HOUR WHEN YOU DO NOT EXPECT HIM / MATTHEW 24:44
2. THE THIEF / MATTHEW 24:43
3. THEREFORE KEEP WATCH – YOU DO NOT KNOW ON WHAT DAY / MATTHEW 24:42
4. ONE TAKEN THE OTHER LEFT / MATTHEW 24:40
5. THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN / MATTHEW 24:37
6. ONLY THE FATHER / MATTHEW 24:36
7. THIS GENERATION / MATTHEW 24:34
8. ALL THESE THINGS / MATTHEW 24:33
9. THE FIG TREE / MATTHEW 24:32
10. GATHER HIS ELECT / MATTHEW 24:31
11. SON OF MAN COMING / MATTHEW 24:30
12. THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED / MATTHEW 24:29
13. THE GREAT TRIBULATION / MATTHEW 24:15-28
14. THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM THE END – THEN THE END WILL COME / MATTHEW 24:14
15. INCREASE OF WICKEDNESS / MATTHEW 24:12
16. MANY FALSE PROPHETS WILL APPEAR / MATTHEW 24:11
17. YOU WILL BE HATED / MATTHEW 24:9
18. MANY WILL DECEIVE MANY / MATTHEW 24:5
19. SIGNS OF THE END OF THIS AGE / MATTHEW 24:4
20. JESUS ANSWERED / MATTHEW 24:4-51
21. PROPHETIC ADDRESS FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES / MATTHEW 24:3 – 25:46
22. YOU WILL NOT SEE ME AGAIN UNTIL / MATTHEW 23:39
23. O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM / MATTHEW 23:37
24. ON THE OUTSIDE … RIGHTEOUS / MATTHEW 23:28
25. WOE TO YOU … PHARISEES, YOU HYPOCRITES / Matthew 23:13
26. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR / MATTHEW 22:39
27. LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD / MATTHEW 22:37
28. AN EXPERT IN THE LAW / MATTHEW 22:35-36
29. PEOPLE WILL NEITHER MARRY / MATTHEW 22:30
30. FEW ARE CHOSEN / MATTHEW 22:14
31. WEDDING CLOTHES / MATTHEW 22:11
32. WILL BE BROKEN TO PIECES /MATTHEW 21:44
33. KINGDOM TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU / MATTHEW 21:43
34. THE TENANTS / MATTHEW 21:33-44
35. IF YOU HAVE FAITH / MATTHEW 21:21-22
36. A HOUSE OF PRAYER / MATTHEW 21:13
37. JESUS OVERTURNED THE TABLES / MATTHEW 21:12
38. RANSOM FOR MANY / MATTHEW 20:28
39. NOT SO WITH YOU / MATTHEW 20:26
40. MEN TO WORK IN HIS VINEYARD / MATTHEW 20:1
41. FIRST WILL BE LAST / MATTHEW 19:30
42. RECEIVE A HUNDRED TIMES / MATTHEW 19:29
43. GO SELL YOUR POSSESIONS / MATTHEW 19:21
44. LITTLE CHILDREN / MATTHEW 19:13
45. FOR MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS / MATTHEW 19:9
46. UNLESS YOU FORGIVE / MATTHEW 18:35
47. IF TWO AGREE / MATTHEW 18:19-20
48. IF YOUR BROTHER SINS / MATTHEW 18:15
49. ANGELS / MATTHEW 18:10
50. WOE TO THE MAN / MATTHEW 18:7
51. MILLSTONE … AROUND HIS NECK / MATTHEW 18:6
52. UNLESS YOU CHANGE / MATTHEW 18:3
53. WHO IS THE GREATEST / MATTHEW 18:1
54. FAITH … NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSIBLE / MATTHEW 17:20
55. UNBELIEVING AND PERVERSE / MATTHEW 17:17
56. WAS TRANSFIGURED / MATTHEW 17:2
57. COMING IN HIS KINGDOM / MATTHEW 16:28
58. TAKE UP HIS CROSS / MATTHEW 16:24
59. KEYS OF THE KINGDOM / MATTHEW 16:19
60. PETER … ROCK … CHURCH – THE GATES OF HADES WILL NOT OVERCOME / MATTHEW 16:18
61. BE ON YOUR GUARD AGAINST THE YEAST / MATTHEW 16:6
62. YOU HAVE GREAT FAITH / MATTHEW 15:28
63. OUT OF THE HEART / MATTHEW 15:19
64. THAT IS WHAT MAKES HIM ‘UNCLEAN’ / MATTHEW 15:11
65. THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME / MATTHEW 15:8
66. FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR TRADITION / MATTHEW 15:5-6
67. DON’T BE AFRAID / MATTHEW 14:27
68. PRAY ALONE / MATTHEW 14:23-24
69. LOAVES AND FISH / MATTHEW 14:19
70. DANCED FOR THEM / MATTHEW 14:6-7
71. SEEING PAST THE FAMILIAR / MATTHEW 13:55
72. SEPARATE THE WICKED FROM THE RIGHTEOUS / MATTHEW 13:49
73. KINGDOM … A NET / MATTHEW 13:47
74. KINGDOM … TREASURE / MATTHEW 13:44-46
75. THE FIERY FURNACE / MATTHEW 13:42
76. WEED OUT … EVERYTHING THAT CAUSES SIN / MATTHEW 13:41
77. YEAST / MATTHEW 13:33
78. A MUSTARD SEED / MATTHEW 13:31
79. LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER / MATTHEW 13:30
80. GOOD SEED … WEEDS / MATTHEW 13:24-25
81. EVIL ONE SNATCHES AWAY / MATTHEW 13:19
82. WHOEVER HAS WILL BE GIVEN MORE / MATTHEW 13:12
83. LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER / MATTHEW 13:30
84. AN EVIL SPIRIT / MATTHEW 12:43
85. JONAH / MATTHEW 12:40
86. BY YOUR WORDS / MATTHEW 12:37
87. THE DAY OF JUDGMENT /MATTHEW 12:36
88. BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE SPIRIT / MATTHEW 12:31
89. TIES UP THE STRONG MAN / MATTHEW 12:29
90. THE KINGDOM OF GOD / MATTHEW 12:28
91. SABBATH / MATTHEW 12:1
92. COME TO ME / MATTHEW 11:28
93. GLUTTON AND A DRUNKARD / MATTHEW 11:19
94. FORCEFUL MEN LAY HOLD OF IT / MATTHEW 11:12
95. GREATER THAN HE / MATTHEW 11:11
96. JOHN / MATTHEW 11:7
97. PROPHET RIGHTEOUS MAN / MATTHEW 10:41
98. TAKE HIS CROSS / Matthew 10:38
99. I DID NOT COME TO BRING PEACE / MATTHEW 10:34
100. ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE MEN / MATTHEW 10:32
101. YOU ARE WORTH MORE / MATTHEW 10:31
102. HELL / MATTHEW 10:28
103. DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THEM / MATTHEW 10:26
104. CITIES OF ISRAEL / MATTHEW 10:23
105. GIVEN WHAT TO SAY / MATTHEW 10:19-20
106. PREACH THE KINGDOM / MATTHEW 10:7
107. AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT EVIL SPIRITS / MATTHEW 10:1
108. ASK THE LORD TO SEND / MATTHEW 9:38
109. THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL / MATTHEW 9:37
110. NEW WINE INTO OLD WINESKINS / NEW WINE PRESERVED / MATTHEW 9:17
111. THEN THEY WILL FAST / MATTHEW 9:15
112. EAT WITH ‘SINNERS’ / MATTHEW 9:11
113. THEY PLEADED WITH HIM TO LEAVE / MATTHEW 8:34
114. DEMON-POSSESSED MEN /MATTHEW 8:28
115. LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR OWN DEAD / MATTHEW 8:22
116. HEALED ALL THE SICK / MATTHEW 8:16-17
117. GREAT FAITH / MATTHEW 8:10
118. DON’T TELL ANYONE / MATTHEW 8:4
119. JESUS TOUCHED THE MAN / MATTHEW 8:3
120. I NEVER KNEW YOU / MATTHEW 7:23
121. MANY WILL SAY LORD, LORD / MATTHEW 7:22
122. DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER / MATTHEW 7:21
123. BY THEIR FRUIT YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM / MATTHEW 7:16
124. WATCH OUT FOR FALSE PROPHETS / MATTHEW 7:15
125. SMALL IS THE GATE … AND ONLY A FEW FIND IT / MATTHEW 7:14
126. YOUR FATHER … GIVE GOOD GIFTS / MATTHEW 7:11
127. ASK … SEEK … KNOCK / MATTHEW 7:7-8
128. DO NOT JUDGE / MATTHEW 7:1
129. SEEK … KINGDOM … RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 6:33
130. IF THAT IS HOW GOD CLOTHES / MATTHEW 6:30
131. DO NOT WORRY / MATTHEW 6:25
132. MONEY / MATTHEW 6:24
133. EYE IS THE LAMP OF THE BODY / MATTHEW 6:22
134. WHEN YOU FAST / MATTHEW 6:16
135. IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE / MATTHEW 6:15
136. IF YOU FORGIVE / MATTHEW 6:14
137. DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE / MATTHEW 6:13
138. FORGIVE AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN / MATTHEW 6:12
139. DAILY BREAD / MATTHEW 6:11
140. YOUR KINGDOM COME – YOUR WILL BE DONE / MATTHEW 6:10
141. THIS THEN IS HOW YOU SHOULD PRAY / MATTHEW 6:9
142. PRAY IN SECRET / MATTHEW 6:6
143. ‘ACTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS’ BEFORE MEN / MATTHEW 6:1
144. DO NOT RESIST AN EVIL PERSON / MATTHEW 5:39
145. EXCEPT FOR MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS / MATTHEW 5:32
146. HELL / MATTHEW 5:29
147. LOOKS LUSTFULLY / MATTHEW 5:28
148. ANGRY … RACA … FOOL / MATTHEW 5:22
149. UNLESS YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 5:20
150. GREAT IN THE KINGDOM / MATTHEW 5:19
151. THE LAW TO FULFILL / MATTHEW 5:17
152. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS / MATTHEW 5:14-16
153. SALT OF THE EARTH / MATTHEW 5:13
154. PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 5:10
155. THE PEACEMAKERS / MATTHEW 5:9
156. THE PURE IN HEART / MATTHEW 5:8
157. THE MERCIFUL / MATTHEW 5:7
158. HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 5:6
159. THE MEEK / MATTHEW 5:5
160. THOSE WHO MOURN / MATTHEW 5:4
161. BLESSED POOR IN SPIRIT / MATTHEW 5:3
162. SERMON ON THE MOUNT / MATTHEW 5-7
163. THE KINGDOM AND HEALING / MATTHEW 4:23
164. FISHERS OF MEN / MATTHEW 4:19
165. SATAN / MATTHEW 4:10
166. ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD / MATTHEW 4:8
167. IT IS WRITTEN / MATTHEW 4:6-7
168. FASTING FORTY DAYS / MATTHEW 4:2
169. JESUS … TEMPTED / MATTHEW 4:1-11
170. THE TRINITY IN EXAMPLE / MATTHEW 3:17
171. SPIRIT … ON HIM / MATTHEW 3:16
172. JESUS … BAPTIZED / MATTHEW 3:13
173. WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / MATTHEW 3:11
174. FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE / MATTHEW 3:8
175. PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES / MATTHEW 3:7
176. KINGDOM OF HEAVEN – REPENT / MATTHEW 3:2
177. WARNED IN A DREAM / MATTHEW 2:22-23
178. KILL ALL THE BOYS / MATTHEW 2:16
179. ESCAPE TO EGYPT / MATTHEW 2:13
180. CHIEF PRIESTS AND TEACHERS OF THE LAW / MATTHEW 2:4
181. HEROD – MAGI / MATTHEW 2:1-2
182. NO UNION WITH HER UNTIL / MATTHEW 1:25
183. VIRGIN … GIVE BIRTH TO A SON / MATTHEW 1:23
184. JESUS / MATTHEW 1:21
185. MARY … JESUS / MATTHEW 1:16
186. CHRIST – SON OF DAVID /MATTHEW 1:1
187. GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST / MATTHEW 1:1-16
188. CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace