This could be the most important parable for this earthly hour, and this spiritual season we are in right now. The Parable of the Faithful and Wise Steward hits us hard where we live right now. May it be an inspiration and a revelation to you and your family of faith.
As you dig into this study you might want to expand it to more than Luke 12:42-53. 

The Parable of the Faithful
and Wise Steward 

In this parable, you will clearly see how Jesus treats his
faithful & obedient servants with honor, love, respect, joy, and celebration. 

You will also see clearly how Jesus treats his disrespectful,
unfaithful & disobedient servants. This parable is truly an eye-opener. 

If you ask me (and by the way you didn't, so this is free advice):  Every modern church should have this parable posted on their wall--and visible to all, even before they walk into the sanctuary. The precepts of this parable should be infused into every Bible Believing fellowship across the land.

Please Read  Luke 12:42-53.

But don't just read it for academic information, or Study it for intellectual stimulation. Dig into the roots, and search the heart of the text. Search out the very reason, and the purpose for which Jesus taught us this parable.

Stretch your mind, and your heart to hear the heart of God. 

• • Become more than just a professor of religion. 

  • Become a possessor of Jesus' heart. 

Know his mind. Saturate yourself in Jesus' sentiments. Picture and abide in his pain, as well as his joy. See those things that stir his heart to wrath, and share them. Embrace those things that stir his heart to joy and walk with him in them.

Here you will find the true heart of Jesus: to fully bless, fully reward, and gratefully rejoice, in the ones who will keep his commandments. 

Here:  JESUS  KNOWS,  LOVES, and INTIMATELY STANDS BY, as well as,  HELPS,  COUNSELS, ENCOURAGES,  ABIDES IN  & WITH: 
HIS OBEDIENT SERVANTS. Jesus dedicates himself to making his obedient servants abundantly successful.

When looking at the Parable of the Steward, A good parallel picture to compare it with is John 10. I find it a good exercise  to try see the Wise Steward of the Master and the Sheep of the Good Shepherd in a parallel Light. Like superimposing one image on top of another, in order to see how God meshes the two different kinds of relationship nature into one understanding within these two parables. 

Reading both these messages with the other in mind, helps me see deeper into the heart of Jesus and, how his leadership practically plays out in the story of both the sheep who hear the Good Shepherd's Voice, and the Wise stewards who do their master's will, even when the master is gone on a long journey, and is not physically there with them.

John 10:4-5 (KJV)  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

John 10:10-16 (KJV) ... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep . . .

John 10:14-16 I am the good shepherd, and [I] know my sheep, and am known of mine [they know me].  As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 

John 10: 12-13 But he that is an hireling [an unfaithful steward], and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

John 10:26-28 (KJV) But ye believe not [evidenced by 'ye obey me not'], because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: [Can you see how Faith & Obedience = Following? Can you see how ALL 3 work together to create a required Biblical Faith, recognized by Jesus?] 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

When Jesus looks into the lives of  THE  FAITHFUL,  Jesus sees a mirror image of himself reflecting back at him.  Jesus sees the  LIVING,  POWERFUL,  JOYFUL,  LOVING,  SACRIFICIAL,  WHOLLY OBEDIENT,   HOLY  LOVE OF THE FATHER  

Living in the heart of
HIS FAITHFUL ONES. 

When Jesus sees the heart of His faithful, living in the soul of his disciples . . . when he sees that heart of pure devotion and true commitment, and the power of the kingdom living inside of his holy ones . . .  and when he sees his nature, passion, and love like a mirror reflecting back his nature and goodness . . . Jesus literally celebrates, and is thankful, that his sacrifice on the Cross was not in vain. 

These are the ones Jesus knows--they are the sheep of his pasture, who continually listen for his voice, and follow after him--and they reflect all of HIS BEATITUDES--as they let their light, so shine for HIM. 

Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
  --Matthew 5:16 (KJV) 

Here, in the Parable of the Wise Steward, you will discover what makes an evil and foolish Steward. You will perceive those who disrespected their duty and their calling to faithfully represent the King of Heaven hear on Earth--are not honored one wit by Jesus. 

You will also find, the wrath of Jesus, and the holiness of his word, paying back retribution, and vengeance against those who decide to fragrantly disregard his commands, thus breaking his commands, and the commandments of his father. For this they will suffer eternal punishment.

JESUS HARSHLY JUDGES, PUNISHES, and REJECTS THOSE who BREAK HIS COMMANDMENTS: who VIOLATE HIS SACRED TRUST, and who REJECT HIS SACRED RESPONSIBILITIES,  REJECTING EVEN THE COMMON and NORMAL EXPECTATIONS that JESUS REQUIRES from ALL THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM.

And if you ask me, (and you didn't), I would estimate that Jesus is most angry about his people misrepresenting the nature, and the essence of his FATHER--his goodness, his kindness, his generosity, his faithfulness, and his HOLINESS.

In the parable, Jesus lays out the everyday common expectations of any normal manager (of a household, business, or industry).

The Key to this parable is to use your ability to See the parables scenarios being played out in real life all around you. 

Your ability to Hear. Your ability to identify and to feel the weight of the negligence of the disobedient Steward from Jesus's Perspective--is Paramount. To perceive the damage being done to not only the business itself, but to the name and reputation of the Business Owner--Namely God who gave his managers their responsibilities to carry out faithfully his will, but then they didn't care about that at all, but instead trashed God's name.

The unjust stewards flagrantly and wantonly disobey even the basic decency of their duties. They didn't even perform the most minimal jobs, and responsibilities with faithfulness. Instead they get drunk and abuse God's other servants, attacking those who are seeking to keep Jesus' commandments, and be faithful to do God's will.

 Nothing these false men did was from a loyal and faithful heart with the desire to be pleasing and honoring to their master. The breach of trust and responsibility was trashed, the instructions left to complete were spit upon, and thrown into the rubbish heap. 

Now, as we feel the anger and the misappropriation of funds and the waste fraud and abuse put into action by these false shepherds, we can begin to just feel a teeny portion of the wrath of God that Jesus felt, and that will help us interpret the actions of Jesus, casting these disobedient servants into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping in gnashing of teeth.

If a normal negligent and vile manager should go to jail for mishandling the job in an earthly company, how much more so should a man be judged for mishandling a heavenly company?

How much more shall we be expected to fulfill the responsibilities of one in charge of sharing the kingdom of God, and fulfilling all its priorities, and management and leadership responsibilities?

Here we must ask: 

• • • Does Jesus truly have the right to be angry, and pour out his wrath on those whom he gave all of his authority, AND all of his resources? 

    • Jesus gave us: All of his love, all of his sacrifice, all of his best teaching, and still, MANY CHOOSE to reject his word, his instructions, and his authority, and despise his intimate invitation?
      
      

• What kind of punishment would be appropriate for such crimes against heaven?

• What kind of timeframe should be allowed for repentance?

• When should that window of opportunity be ended?

  • • • • The clock is ticking. 

        • Time is running out. 

The Day is almost over, and then the night shall come.
Our Time Here is limited, there is only so much work that can be down.

• • • When will we all be about our father's business?

    • When will we all make that the top priority of our life?

When Jesus looks into your life or mine--will He see His Reflection, or will he see something else. Maybe a reflection of WORRY. A reflection of DOUBT; of FEAR; or maybe ANXIETY; PRESSURE; FUTILITY; CONFUSION; DISSIPATION; LAZINESS; LIFELESSNESS; or maybe just a little LUST; a little GREED;  a little SELFISHNESS;  a little GLUTTONY;  a little WORLDLY PLEASURE; or maybe just a little human idolatry (worshiping the fashions of Hollywood--needing the latest clothing, sunglasses, cars, shoes, etc.), or maybe just old-fashioned MAMMON WORSHIP (materialism--the constant need to buy more, and more stuff, and constantly be upgrading your stuff). Yet so little do we give to those in real desparate need?

If you were the CEO or top manager of our modern religious system, and you could see all THE FRAUD, WASTE & ABUSE, that is passing for Following Jesus, what might you do to solve the current problems, and be the solution--by keeping Jesus Commandments, rather than perpetuating the problem--by breaking Jesus commandments.

Is the true essence of following Jesus: fulfilled by going to religious club meetings a couple times a week, and talking about the current buzz in the club's goings on, while floating down the river of ignorance & negligence, enjoying the waters of disobedience, and self gratification? Where we have meeting after meeting about ourselves, and what we think--rather than doing what Jesus commanded.

Or: Is the true essence of following Jesus: fulfilled by Picking up our Cross while following Jesus, into the darkest parts of this world, that need His light more than anywhere else? Where we live like an heavily fortified icebreaker ship, going upstream against a frozen river, breaking the ice, and creating a path that other boats can follow and be rescued, from their frozen stagnation?

 In the first scenario our job is to fit in. We do that by speaking, kind and nice words, so that we can be accepted, and not make any waves, or cause any disruption.  We can be religious, just not too religious. Because we don't want to feel like others are threatened, or that we are in any way being intolerant.  

NEVER MIND that the majority of those around us are walking along the broad road that leadeth to destruction. Never mind that the majority are living like goats neglecting all the needs of others all around them. Living like foolish virgins fully unprepared and out of oil on the day Jesus comes. Living like unwise stewards who negligently know not, and do not the will of their master. Who live like the second son who  said to his father, "I will go and work in the vineyard today." But then never did go. They lie to the father's face, but never repent, nor change their lying behavior.
In the second scenario, our job is to make waves. We do that be shining the light that is burning brightly inside of us, (that has been stored up inside of us like treasure, and diligently sought after like gold) and is bursting at the seams, and ready to break out. We know from experience, that the common response to us shining our light will be rejection--just as Jesus taught us it would be. See Matthew 5:10-12 (KJV) 

• • Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

  • Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

  • Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. for so they persecuted the profits who were before you

When we walk as Jesus walked, and speak, as Jesus spoke, and love, as Jesus loved, in spirit, and in truth, we shall expect to be rejected, persecuted, and spoken evil of against us falsely--because the world hates us shining our light upon it, just as it hated Jesus who shown his light upon it. When in the depths of our soul, we shine the light of Jesus upon this world, the world is bound to hate us. And especially those in the church will be against us. This is how you can tell those who are following Jesus, and keeping his Commandments, and those who are faking it.

• • John 15:18 (KJV): "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." [1]

  • John 15:19 (KJV): "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." [1]

  • John 15:20 (KJV): "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also."

According to Jesus this should be our normal expectation. We should not be stumbled when men get offended when we share plainly the commandments of Jesus with others.

• • 1 John 3:13 (KJV): "Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you."

  • 1 John 3:14-15 (KJV): "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." 

Above is just a preview of the Topic of : What Describes a Righteous Servant  from a Wicked One?
For the full Message choose this pdf link--(it is free to  copy, share, use, or edit as you see fit.)
As you can se the  Word of God uses a  lot of synonyms (words that mean nearly the same thing to describe one type of person, and also uses lots of symbols and parables to do the same thing.