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I. WHAT WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND BY THE COMING OF THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE. By "the master of the house" here is meant Christ, as it is also in Luke 13:25. The world in general, and the visible Church in particular, and especially the spiritual part of it, are His house (Ephesians 1:20-23; Hebrews 3:3-6). His coming is represented in Scripture in different lights and for different purposes. In this chapter of Mark, and in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, and the twenty-first of Luke, He is represented as coming to judge and punish the Jewish nation, His visible Church of old, or His house, for rejecting Him (Deuteronomy 18:19; comp. with Acts 3:23; Hebrews 12:15). In other places He is represented as coming to judge all mankind at the last day (vers. 24-26; 2 Peter 3:3-12). He is said to come when He visits in a peculiar way, whether in judgment or mercy, any nation, or Church, or any particular member of it (Revelation 2:5-16; Revelation 3:3). He comes to each of us at death (Revelation 1:18; Revelation 2:25; Revelation 3:11). It is this last coming of Christ to which I would especially call your attention. For it is of the greatest importance to us, since —

1. It will separate us from all below, from our occupations, enjoyments, possessions, families, relations, and friends, and even from our own bodies.

2. It will finish our state of trial, and determine our condition forever.

3. It will bring us into the unseen and eternal world — a new, untried, unknown state.

4. It will place us in the presence of God, that we may receive His smile or frown, may enjoy the effects of His favour and friendship, and communications of bliss from Him; or feel the effects of His wrath, and find Him to be a consuming fire.

5. It will make a most astonishing change in our circumstances.

6. It often comes suddenly, and gives no warning.

II. WHAT IS THAT WATCHFULNESS WHICH IS RECOMMENDED AS A PREPARATION FOR HIS COMING?

1. It implies spiritual life, in opposition to that sleep of death which is mentioned (Ephesians 5:14; Ephesians 2:1).

2. It implies a lively sense of the reality and importance of spiritual and eternal things, such as persons awake have of temporal things, the seeing, feeling, tasting them, so to speak, in opposition to that insensibility about them which is implied in spiritual sleep.

3. It implies a thoughtfulness, care, and concern about them, in opposition to that thoughtlessness and unconcern about them, which is natural to us.

4. It implies a sense of our danger from our enemies, visible and invisible — from the devil, the world, persons, and things, the flesh, our own hearts; and the standing on our guard, in opposition to security of mind and foolish peace.

5. It implies activity, and the vigorous exercise of every grace and virtue, as repentance, faith, hope, love, patience, etc., in opposition to indolence and sloth.

III. THE VAST IMPORTANCE OF THIS WATCHFULNESS AS A PREPARATION FOR EVERY DISPENSATION OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE AND ESPECIALLY FOR DEATH.

IV. HOW WE MAY BE ENABLED TO TAKE THIS ADVICE, AND TO "WATCH," AND WHAT ARE THE MEANS LEADING TO THAT END.

1. We must not presume on a long life, which is a most dangerous temptation, and an abundant source of unwatchfulness; but we must set before us, and have always in view, the shortness and uncertainty of the present life, and the certainty and nearness of death.

2. We must remember that unless we were lords of our own lives, and could appoint the time of our death, we can never be exempt from the duty of a wakeful and active attention to our spiritual and eternal interests.

3. Those whose constitutions are peculiarly feeble, or whose circumstances or employments expose them to peculiar danger, or who are arrived at old age, should consider themselves as being under special obligation to be watchful.

4. We must be particularly on our guard against our own nature, and every person and thing around us, which tends to lull us asleep, and against sensuality and worldly cares (Luke 21:34).

5. We must remember that thousands are found sleeping, even thousands of professors, at the coming of their Lord. We must pray much — a duty frequently inculcated in connection with watchfulness (ver. 33; Luke 21:36; Ephesians 6:18).

(J. Benson.)

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KJV: Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

WEB: Watch therefore, for you don't know when the lord of the house is coming, whether at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning;