Introduction
‘Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.’ Luke 12:1
Warnings And Encouragements
Many thousands had gathered together, so many they were trampling on one another and it’s at this point that Jesus warns His disciples to be on their guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, Luke 12:1 / Matthew 15:12-20 / Matthew 16:6.
It is the nature of yeast to spread throughout the bread, and so, it would be with the teachings and influence of the Pharisees whose hearts were far from God, Matthew 15:1-9 / Mark 7:1-9. Their hypocrisy was that they didn’t preach ‘justice, mercy and faith,’ Matthew 23:23. On the outside, they appeared to be righteous because of their ‘religious’ behaviour, but inwardly their hearts were full of hypocrisy.
‘There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.’ Luke 12:2-3
Jesus tells them not to be on their guards against them, Luke 12:1 / Romans 8:31 / Romans 8:37 / Philippians 4:13, because everything, whether concealed or hidden will be openly revealed, Luke 12:2.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This meant that the persecution and opposition of the Pharisees would not succeed in hiding the truth but would result in its being published. Persecution actually provided them, as always, the following benefits for the thing, doctrine, or person persecuted. 1. it intensifies the zeal of the persecuted party, 2. arouses sympathy for the underdog, 3. If intense enough, multiplies centres of dissemination for the hated truth. All these results were clearly observable in the history of the early church.’
Jesus tells them that whatever He had taught His disciples in the dark, Luke 12:3 / Matthew 10:27. that is, privately, they must speak in the daylight, whatever He taught them when He whispered teachings in their ear, that is, quietly, they are to proclaim from the rooftops, that is, openly and boldly, Luke 12:3 / Matthew 10:27 / Acts 5:20 / Romans 1:16 / Romans 16:25.
“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.’ Luke 12:4-5
They are not to be afraid of anyone who can kill the body but can’t kill the soul, Luke 12:4 / Matthew 10:28 / 1 Peter 3:14. If they have to fear anyone, it is God Himself, Isaiah 8:13 / Luke 12:5 / Hebrews 10:31, because He is the only one who can destroy both soul and body in hell, Luke 12:5 / Matthew 10:28 / Matthew 25:41 / 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9.
‘Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.’ Luke 12:6-7
Here we read that Jesus was the first person to introduce, the ‘buy one, get one free’ slogan concerning the sparrows, Luke 12:6 / Matthew 10:29. The point is that even though many people look at sparrows and think they are worthless, God notices them and He cares for them, Luke 12:6 / Matthew 10:29.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The mention of the disciples’ heavenly Father, Matthew 10:29, stresses His care that extends to the numbering of his or her hairs. Often people think that God cares only for the big things in life and is unconcerned about the details. Jesus taught the opposite. God’s concern with details should give us confidence that He controls the larger affairs of life.’
Just as He knows the sparrows, He certainly knows us all on a personal level, even to the point of knowing how much hair we have on our heads, Luke 12:7 / Matthew 10:30. We shouldn’t worry because mankind is worth far more than the sparrows, Matthew 10:31, that is, God will certainly take care of us if He takes care of the sparrows, Matthew 6:25-30 / Romans 8:31-39.
‘I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.’ Luke 12:8-9
These statements are made when Jesus was advising the twelve before sending them to preach throughout the land of Israel where they would experience some hostility, but He predicts much greater hostility which came after the ascension, Matthew 10:5-42.
Jesus plainly tells us that we must acknowledge Jesus before others, and by doing so, He will acknowledge us before the Father, Luke 12:8 / Matthew 10:32 / Matthew 16:17-18 / Romans 10:9-10 / Revelation 20:15 / Revelation 21:27. There is also a warning involved if we disown Jesus, He will disown us before the Father, Luke 12:9 / Matthew 10:33 / Luke 9:26 / John 12:42 / 2 Timothy 2:12. Peter denied Christ three times but repented and became a great apostle, Luke 22:54-62.
‘And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.’ Luke 12:10
I don’t need to tell you that these are some of the most serious words that ever came from the lips of Jesus Christ, Luke 12:10 / Matthew 12:31-32. In fact, the more you study this passage, the more terrible it reveals itself to be. It seems that Jesus is indicating a position into which if a man enters his case has become hopeless.
He says, ‘It is possible for us to adopt an attitude that makes it impossible for even God to forgive us.’ And for that very reason whenever we read this passage, either in the Gospel of Matthew or in the other Gospels, we ought to be very careful how we treat it. There are 2 possibilities with this passage. There are two ways of dealing with it.
1. There is the possibility of reading into the words, something that isn’t really there, and making it say something that even Jesus never meant them to say. And
2. It is possible to water it down so much, that you deprive them entirely of its meaning and its terribleness.
So why is this particular sin unforgivable? And why should a sin be unforgivable? Is it because God will not forgive it? Surely that can’t be the answer. Surely God hasn’t marked out one particular sin as being so hideous and wicked, so terrible and grievous that He says, ‘No’. ‘Murder, I’ll forgive that, lying, I’ll forgive that, immorality, I’ll even forgive that, blasphemy against Jesus, yes I’ll forgive that, I forgave Paul for doing that, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, No I draw the line there.’
Does God behave like that?
Of course, not. That’s an impossible theory, to suggest that there is one sin that God will not forgive is utterly out of the keeping of all that you know about the character of God. Because time and time again God has shown us, pleading with men. ‘Repent then, why will you die.’ We are shown a God whose deepest longing is for men to turn to God and be forgiven, Isaiah 1:18 / 2 Peter 3:9.
The next question usually asked concerning this sin is whether or not it is still possible to commit it today? Opinions on this question certainly vary, and scholars seem to be divided in their positions. The evidence, however, seems to point toward the idea that this sin cannot be committed today.
1. The circumstances under which the sin is described cannot prevail today, because the age of miracles has ceased, 1 Corinthians 13:8-12. No one today will have the opportunity to witness Jesus performing miracles in person. 2 Corinthians 5:16.
2. There is no other mention of the sin in any Biblical passage written after the resurrection of Christ.
None of the inspired New Testament writers refers to the sin in any epistle or the Book of Acts, and none offers warnings to new converts about avoiding the sin post-Pentecost.
In conclusion, ‘blasphemy against the Holy Spirit’ is the only ‘unforgivable sin’ mentioned in the Bible, and it is mentioned in the context of the Pharisees accusing Jesus of being possessed by the devil. The context indicates that it was a specific sin, and not a series of forgivable sins, or an attitude of persistent unbelief. After the resurrection, no inspired writer mentions the sin, and no warnings against it were recorded.
There is no concrete evidence that it can be committed today. The fact that it’s not mentioned after the resurrection, lends itself to the idea that it cannot still be committed. The indication from passages such as 1 John 1:7 / 1 John 1:9, is that ‘all unrighteousness’ that a person could commit today can be forgiven by the blood of Jesus.
‘When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” Luke 12:11-12
From this point on, Jesus begins to inform His disciples of the upcoming persecution they are likely to receive. They need to be on their guard because they will be handed over to local councils and flogged in the synagogues, Luke 12:11 / Matthew 10:17 / Matthew 23:34 / Acts 5:18 / Acts 5:40 / Acts 9:16 / Acts 12:1 / Acts 22:19 / Acts 26:11.
They will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles, Luke 11:11 / Matthew 10:18 / Acts 5:18 / Acts 12:1. This will happen because they follow Christ and when they get arrested, they aren’t to worry about what to say or how to speak because the Holy Spirit Himself will speak through them, Luke 11:12 / Matthew 10:19-20 / Mark 13:11 / Luke 12:11-12 / Luke 21:14-15 / John 14:26 / John 16:13-14 / Acts 4:8 / Acts 13:9.
Hagner, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This prediction has caused problems for many interpreters since there is no indication that the disciples appeared before governors and kings during the mission that followed. As mentioned above, Jesus was evidently looking beyond their immediate mission to what His disciples would experience after His death, resurrection, and ascension.’
The Parable Of The Rich Fool
“Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:13-15
Have you ever been having a conversation with someone when someone else jumps in and totally changes the subject? That’s what this guy does. Jesus had been speaking about vital truths, of divine providence. He had been speaking about vital truths of confession. He had been speaking about the Holy Spirit and while Jesus was talking with His disciples this man speaks up and jumps in with a statement. Teacher, he says, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me, Luke 12:13.
Now, what does this tell us about the man? Well, this tells us that he wasn’t interested in spiritual things, his whole heart and life were absorbed in his present life. And so Jesus said to this individual, ‘Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?’ Luke 12:14 Jesus bluntly refused to answer this man’s blunt statement. Jesus didn’t want anything to do with a quarrel over family property.
The Jewish Law was specific enough about this kind of thing, Deuteronomy 21:15-21. The Law said that the firstborn son was to receive a double portion of the inheritance and the remainder was to be divided among the other sons. For example, if there were three sons, the inheritance would be divided into four parts, with the firstborn receiving two parts, and the other two sons each receiving one part. This Law left no room for debate.
Now this man who spoke to Jesus obviously must have been the younger brother. And so he comes along and speaks to Jesus to try and get Him to go on his side in order to get an equal share of the inheritance. In other words, he knew the Law but he wanted more than his rightful share.
And what follows is one of the most severe warnings in the Bible against covetousness, Luke 12:15. And this warning covers any and all forms of covetousness. But what is covetousness? It’s not simply a desire for property. For example, a person can have an excessive and unrestrained desire for food, someone might say that they are hungry for food. Just as some people are hungry for food some other people may be hungry for gain.
In other words, some people have a selfish ambition to want more and more. And that’s because there are people who will never be satisfied with what they have. And anyone who desires anything in that way is a perfect example of what covetousness is, it’s an excessive desire for gain.
And so after warning against covetousness, Jesus states the reason for the warning, Luke 12:15. The NEB version says, ‘Even when a man has more than enough, his wealth does not give him life.’ What’s Jesus saying? He’s saying that life is more than things. He’s saying that the success of a person’s work cannot be measured in terms of what he has been able to accumulate. And if your still confused about what Jesus means, it’s now that He shares ‘The parable of the rich fool’ to illustrate the meaning.
“The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”‘ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:16-21
Every day of our lives we see evidence of covetousness all around us. And while adultery, drunkenness and dishonesty are still frowned upon, covetousness rides right through society and is pretty much ignored. Even among self-professed Christians, it is so widespread that it is scarcely recognised for what it is.
And what is it? It’s a deadly sin. A worldly atmosphere so threatens the church that its very life is threatened. Individual members are in such hot pursuit of their own interests that they have found very little time and energy left for the Lord. We really need to listen to what Jesus is teaching us here.
Here was a man who in the world’s eyes was a great success, yet God called him a fool, Luke 12:20. But why? What was wrong with his life? How did he miss the way? How did he act like a fool? Well, this man was a fool because of the important things he forgot, he forgot five things.
1. He forgot other people.
He thought of no one except himself. This is the first thing that leaps out at you when you read the parable. six times he uses the word ‘I’ in the parable, five times he uses the word ‘My’ in the parable. This man was all about self, everything he did, he did for himself.
And other people never even entered his mind, not once did he remember those people who worked for him, Luke 13:16-17. Think about it, maybe the farmer across the field was saying to himself, ‘What can I do, for I don’t have any bread to feed my children.’ And if he didn’t have enough barns, there were other places he could have put it.
You might ask where, where could he have put it? He could have placed it in the hands of orphans and widows, Luke 12:33-34 / James 1:27. That’s where he could have put his crops. He could have put it at the feet of the homeless, he could have put it in the houses of the widows, or he could have put it in the mouths of the orphans and infants. But Oh no this rich fool didn’t think about those barns, all he could think about was his own little world where there was no room for no one except himself.
2. He forgot that man is more than what he owns.
He looked at life in terms of the physical things only, Luke 12:18. And it’s here that he makes a tragic mistake like much of the world makes today. He didn’t distinguish between what a man has and what a man is. It’s not always easy to make a definite distinction because many of you who have been brought up in the church still counts a person fortunate if he enjoys a long run of prosperity, Mark 10:23 / 1 Timothy 6:9-10.
In other words, a person’s life is not the same as his business. You see it’s more important to be rich in good deeds than it is just to be rich in goods, 1 Timothy 6:17-19.
3. He forgot the source of real happiness.
He had a false conception of life and so because of that, he had a false conception of happiness, Luke 12:19. He thought he could be happy by indulging himself, Ecclesiastes 2:3-10. Happiness is not found in things, money can buy a lot of things but it can’t buy a sense of usefulness. It can’t buy a clear conscience, it can’t buy a mind content with God and man, Ecclesiastes 2:11. These are the real riches and without them, no one can be really happy.
4. He forgot about death.
He thought he was going to live a long life, Luke 12:19, and yet God says to him ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you,’ Luke 12:20. He only had one more day left to live and in so many ways we deceive ourselves constantly by thinking that we too have got plenty of time to live.
We put off until tomorrow and the truth of the matter is that we don’t even know if there will be a tomorrow. Satan doesn’t say to us, ‘you will not die’ but he does say to us is, ‘you will not die soon,’ Psalm 90:9-10. At the height of this man’s prosperity and self-satisfaction, God appeared to the rich man and required his life.
How much did he leave? He left it all. No wonder he’s a fool, Luke 12:20. He spent his whole life striving for the things he had to leave behind. He neglected the true values of life that he could have taken with him, Matthew 6:19-21.
4. His biggest blunder was, that he forgot God.
He didn’t take God into account at all, Luke 12:21. There was nothing wrong with him wanting to tear down his barns and build bigger ones because as we know a good farmer must have foresight. But his fatal mistake was that in all of his well-laid plans, he didn’t spare one thought for God. And this is a common downfall for many Christians.
Whatever our long-range plans may be, we need to remember that our biggest factor of all is God, James 4:13-15. And if we ever leave God out of our plans then you can be sure that our plans will end in ruin. Many people may have a good title while they are here on earth, whether it be the Queen, the Prime Minister, whether it is Lord such and such or the Mayor of London. But when they get to heaven, they have no permanent lease or title.
We know the story about the rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31. The story is about a rich guy who lived in a great big mansion and outside near the gate was a beggar named Lazarus. And for years he begged at his gates but the rich man did nothing about it.
Now he wasn’t unkind to the guy, he never had him thrown in prison or moved away. But one night his soul slipped out from him and all his wealth, all his ease and all his self-indulgences were gone. Why was the rich man condemned? The rich man lost his chance, Lazarus was right there in front of him, Luke 16:19-20, and yet he did nothing about it, Matthew 25:41-46. The rich fool in the parable forgot about many things and Satan whispered in his ear, ‘these are not important’.
Do Not Worry
‘Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.’ Luke 12:22-31
Jesus now addresses the subject of worry in a most powerful way. Jesus’ use of the word ‘therefore’, Luke 12:22 / Matthew 6:24, indicates that He is drawing a conclusion from His thoughts in Matthew 6:19-24, namely, that we must live for God and not for the world. We must trust God and not physical riches.
When Jesus stated, ‘do not worry about your life,’ Luke 12:22 / Matthew 6:25, He wasn’t making a suggestion, He was giving a command that we ought to obey. Jesus wouldn’t command us not to worry, if it wasn’t possible. Worry is a pain we inflict upon ourselves that does not have to be there. Are you like me? You could break the commandment not worry, several times before you even get out of bed in the morning, Luke 12:22 / Matthew 6:25 / Philippians 4:6.
If we are spiritually perceptive, we will realise that life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing, Luke 12:22-23 / Matthew 6:25. After all, earthly riches can provide food and clothing, but only God can give life and a body. Since God is the giver of both life and body, certainly He is capable of sustaining the one and covering the other.
Jesus strengthens His argument by referring to the ‘birds of the air’, Luke 12:24 / Matthew 6:26. They never plant, they never harvest, and they never stockpile for later. They don’t ‘treasure’ earthly things as man does, yet God takes care of them and provides for all their needs!
Surely, He will do the same for us since we are ‘of more value than they’, Luke 12:24 / Matthew 6:26. We are of more value than the birds and other animals because we are made in God’s image and because of our potential to serve. Jesus wants us to trust in God’s providence. God will feed us before He feeds His birds!
Because of the previous facts, He has mentioned, Jesus asks what good does it do to worry? Luke 12:25-26 / Matthew 6:27. Worrying is useless and nothing productive is accomplished by it. It can’t make us one inch taller, it can’t make us live one day longer, but it can shorten our lives.
Worrying has never been prescribed as a solution to a problem! Imagine a doctor recommending worrying to solve our ulcer! Imagine a preacher rebuking us for neglecting to engage in our daily worrying. Imagine a teacher urging their students to go home and worry about the test.
What good is it going to do us to worry? We are inflicting ourselves with a pain that is absolutely useless and does not help us one iota. Life is so much more than what we worry about, and worry indicates that I am allowing the external to dominate the eternal on my priority list. If I’m counting on God not to change His mind on Judgement Day about my salvation, Romans 8:1, why do I live like He’s going to change His mind tomorrow about what I need? We act like we believe in a God that can provide salvation, but nothing else.
Despite the fact, that He gives testimony through nature, that He can provide, Luke 12:27 / Luke 12:24 / Matthew 6:28 / Matthew 6:26. In the months ahead we will see the grass grow, the birds fly, the flowers bloom and the trees bud.
The Bible says we are in the hands of God, He opens up His hands and provides every living thing with what it needs, and we are in good hands with God, Psalm 145:16. We should put forth the effort to dress modestly, but there is no need to worry about attire. The lilies of the field are some of the most beautiful things on Earth, yet they do not worry or work at it, God ‘clothes’ them, Luke 12:27 / Matthew 6:29.
If God clothes the lilies which neither labour nor spin and if He clothes them more beautifully than Solomon in all his glory, then, how much more will He clothe His people? Luke 12:28 / Matthew 6:30. Worry portrays a false view of human beings as if we were only machines that need to be fuelled and lubricated.
We are bombarded daily with adverts that intentionally create anxiety, with the message that we are nothing more than complex machines which require maintenance. They tell us we need new clothes, we need a new brand of mobile phone, we need a new home, we need a new car, we need a different shaped tea bag. And if we buy these things and take care of our machine, we might get a few more miles out of it.
Jesus is here to tell us that we are more than that, we are more than just a machine to be maintained. He says that kind of orientation is absurdly unworthy of what a human being really is and He is calling us to a higher ambition. The problem with worry is it makes us forget the promises of God.
Trusting God to meet our needs doesn’t mean we don’t have to work, working is one way God gives us the ability to provide, He gives us the ability to work, Romans 8:32. It doesn’t mean we ignore other people’s needs, when we see a need we shouldn’t say, ‘Trust in God, He’ll meet our needs’, God could be meeting that need through our generosity.
Worrying is unnecessary for the person who has faith that fully relies upon and trusts God! Who will deny that God has made the fields and flowers beautiful? If the Lord does that for something that will be burned up as fuel in an oven, will He not provide for His children’s needs even better?
Jesus begins summarising, stating that we ought not to worry about the necessities of life. God’s care for the flowers and birds, Luke 12:27-28 / Matthew 6:28-29, should teach us to expect that He will show more interest in providing for those who have been fashioned for eternity, Luke 12:29 / Matthew 6:31. After all, God gave His Son for us, why would He withhold the necessities of life? Romans 8:31-32.
Worrying is unbecoming of true disciples. It’s perhaps to be expected that those who are not believers in God would have life’s necessities as their main interest, but Jesus tells His followers that they have a heavenly Father who will provide these things for them, and they are to trust Him to provide.
This is the case because He is both knowledgeable of our needs and able to supply them. Jesus also shows worry to be destructive. Worry robs us of our spiritual values and encourages us to focus on things in this world. An example of this can be seen in Luke 10:38-42. Martha was more concerned about being a good host, rather than learning as a disciple, her worrying wasn’t good. Today, many still allow worry to interfere with being the kind of disciples that God would have them to be.
Can we trust God to provide our daily needs like food, drink and clothes? Luke 12:29 / Matthew 6:31. Didn’t God supply food every day for His people in the wilderness? Exodus 16:4. Didn’t God supply water for His people to drink in the wilderness? Exodus 17:6. Didn’t God miraculously preserve their clothes and shoes for forty years? Deuteronomy 29:5.
What makes a pagan? Luke 12:32 / Matthew 6:32. A pagan looks for life in the external, instead of the eternal. The pagan might be the politest, kindest, decent person we have ever met but, he’s a pagan and he’s looking for life in all the wrong places. And if we are trying to find life in the external, we will worry.
If a person seeks only the material things of life, they will likely find them, but they cannot expect the spiritual. However, if a person seeks that which is spiritual, then they can expect both. That is a wonderful promise from God!
Notice, Jesus didn’t say ‘Stop seeking,’ Luke 12:31 / Matthew 6:33. That’s not the issue, the issue is, what are we going to seek this week? He tells us the thing we should want most and that is God’s kingdom and doing what God wants. We will worry tomorrow, not because our problems are too big, but because our goals are too small.
We were meant for more than just preserving the body beautiful; we were created to enjoy and to promote the Rulership of God in the world. If that is our priority, we can see that goal, which is truly worthy of what a human being really is. We can seek that goal no matter what happens.
Illness can come and we can still seek the goal of enjoying and promoting the kingdom of God. We can lose our job or a loved one through a divorce or death, an investment can go wrong. But nothing can happen to us tomorrow that can keep us from the goal that is worthy of who we really are.
Jesus didn’t say, we won’t have problems, but He did say that every day has its own troubles, Matthew 6:34. God knows what we need and God is faithful, God will see to it that we have everything we need to put His kingdom first. God’s going to make sure everything we need to be what He’s designed us to be and to pursue what He wants us to pursue, we will have.
Jesus said, ‘seek first the kingdom of God,’ Luke 12:31 / Matthew 6:34. Literally, this means we are to ‘keep on seeking’. To seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness is to endeavour to live a godly, obedient life at any cost, a life that glorifies God in the church, Ephesians 3:21, which is His kingdom, Matthew 16:18-19.
To accomplish this is to live by the principles set forth in the Sermon on the Mount, as well as the rest of the New Testament. To be worried about matters of life implies that we don’t trust God completely. If we don’t trust God fully, then our treasures are on the Earth and our master is money, Matthew 6:19-24.
Such a person may be seeking the kingdom partially, but such is not sufficient. God doesn’t want to hold second or third place, or even lower, in our lives. He expects that we make Him our number one priority! Mark 12:30. The fact is that all of our worrying will not give us control of tomorrow, it will only make us miserable today, Matthew 6:34. It’s foolish to attempt to anticipate tomorrow’s troubles today and to try to bear them today. As we noted earlier, much of our unhappiness arises from the dread of that which never comes to pass.
If there is one thing we should start tomorrow, it should be to improve our prayer lives. The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement. Can you imagine what would happen if we spent more time praying instead of worrying? We would have much less to worry about. We can’t control tomorrow, politicians can’t control tomorrow, our friends and family can’t control tomorrow but God can.
It should be noted that there is a big difference between worrying about the future and preparing for it to the best of our ability. All are to be good stewards of God’s entrusted blessings, but none should worry about tomorrow if they are doing their best to serve God faithfully today.
God will always listen to any of our problems and by improving our prayer lives we are recognizing that it’s God that controls tomorrow, not us. When we pray, we receive the greatest cure for worry, we experience the touch of the eternal. God is going to respond to our prayers when we talk to Him about our concerns.
He will do something about that concern if it’s in accordance with His will and He is going to send us a peace that cannot be explained away. When we pray, God sends us a peace that we simply cannot understand because it’s beyond our understanding. God protects us from unnecessary worry, when we turn the worry over to Him and leave that worry with Him, Philippians 4:6-7.
The word ‘worry’ is used repeatedly in this context, and if God is truly our Master, then there is no need to have anxiety or doubt regarding anything, God will take care of us, Romans 8:28. The worrier doubts and is double-minded, such a person is unstable and lacking in faith, James 1:6-8. Such a person fails to realise the benefits and peace of mind that come from relying upon God and not upon physical riches or ourselves, Philippians 4:6-7.
I find it interesting that the Greek word for ‘worry’ is the word, ‘merimnao’ which basically means distraction. Read through Luke 12:22-31 / Matthew 6:25-34, again but instead of reading the word ‘worry’ replace it with the word ‘distraction’. When you do this, I believe this puts a whole new perspective on what Jesus is teaching us here.
He’s saying we shouldn’t allow ourselves to get distracted by the everyday needs of our lives, God will take care of them for us. He doesn’t want us to get distracted, but He wants us to stay focused on serving God in His kingdom and continue to seek His righteousness.
The same idea is found in 1 Peter 5:7. ‘Peter literally says, ‘cast all our distractions upon God, because God won’t be distracted from meeting your needs.’ Perhaps this is what Peter had in mind because the word ‘worry’ or ‘anxiety’ is the Greek word ‘merimna’ and it means ‘distraction’. Peter and Jesus are both saying, don’t let your basic everyday needs distract you from seeking God’s kingdom today.
Turn your worries over to God, 1 Peter 5:7, means to let go of it, let God take care of our distractions because He’s not going to get distracted from meeting your needs. We will still have those things on our mind, but when we give them to God, we won’t be controlled by our anxieties because we trust God to take care of them for us. We might as well give our worries over to Someone who can do something about tomorrow because we can’t.
Do you know that doctors are prescribing more and more drugs for anxiety than any other illness? Do you know that the single most common sin that will steal our joy is the sin of worry? Worry is the fine we pay when we look for life in all the wrong places.
When we look for life in things that weren’t intended to give life, worry will be the tragic, yet inevitable result. We’re all created by God to need something to live for, something to give meaning to our existence and something to set our hearts upon.
Is worry a problem in your life? This next part examines what Jesus taught about worrying and offers some practical suggestions for overcoming it. There are many enemies of the mind, but worry may be the most destructive. Some have compared worry to a rocking chair, it gives us something to do but does not get us anywhere! Worry has also been likened to an old man with a bent head, carrying a load of feathers which he thinks are led.
Worrying is a serious problem in the twenty-first century. If we allow it, worry can destroy us by slowly taking over our minds and bodies! People worry about most anything and everything. For instance, people worry about things that have already happened. Such is pointless since the past cannot be changed. One should learn from the past, seek forgiveness on God’s terms when sin has been committed, and move on, that’s what the apostle Paul did, Philippians 3:13.
People also worry about things that will inevitably happen. Many fear growing older or dying, but again, such is futile. Rather than worrying about these matters, it would be better to simply prepare for them to the best of our ability.
We must remember that death is not the end, Hebrews 9:27, and that there are blessings to be had in old age, 2 Corinthians 4:16. Additionally, people worry about things that will never happen. The fact that most of our fears will never come to pass should help us understand the futility of worrying.
Mark Twain once said, ‘I have worried over a great many things in life, the most of which never happened’.
Finally, people worry about things that God has already taken care of. In Mark 16:3, the women who went to anoint Jesus’ body early Sunday morning expressed concern over who would move the stone away from the tomb. As it turned out, God had already taken care of the matter.
How often does He share His compassion with us? Every day, every morning, Lamentations 3:22-23. When Jesus taught the people how to pray, He told them to pray for their daily bread, Matthew 6:11. How many times have we missed today’s blessings by worrying about tomorrow’s possibilities? Worrying is a sin because it makes us miss today’s grace. God gave us food today, He gave us clothes today, He gave us friends today and a place to worship today. Are we missing our reason to rejoice today because of something that might happen tomorrow?
Don’t let tomorrow keep us from living today fully, Psalm 118:24. We’ve got today to hug our kids or kiss our wife or husband. We’ve got today to give someone a smile. We’ve got today to make a new friend or do something for an elderly person. We’ve got today to read our Bibles and get down on our knees to worship God.
Jesus says, don’t let food, drink, clothes or even tomorrow distract us from serving God today because He’ll take care of those things for us. I don’t know what will come to each and every one of us tomorrow. I don’t know what distractions will come our way, but I do know that when worry knocks, we don’t have to let it in, we can let faith in instead. Wouldn’t it make more sense to give our worries and our life over to Someone who can control tomorrow?
‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’ Luke 12:32-34
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following, concerning Luke 12:32.
‘The Pharisees, like one of their number at a later date, were breathing out threatening’s and slaughter against the Lord, but Jesus calmly assured his chosen that, despite all that, the kingdom would indeed occur and that they should possess it. In Luke 12:31, the kingdom is to be sought, here it is to be given, but ‘both are possible since God gives men the possibility of seeking, and finding God’s gift’.’
A topical study of the Gospels reveals that Jesus spoke on the subject of money or materialism often. He evidently considered the love of money and material things to be a serious problem that needed to be addressed continually, 1 Timothy 6:10. We haven’t changed much in the last two-thousand years, the problem remains today.
Boles, in his commentary, says the following, concerning Luke 12:33.
‘This does not mean that a Christian should give up everything that he has to those who are not trying to serve God, neither does it mean that a Christian should give up what he has to those who are living lives of idleness and wickedness.’
In the first century, the idea of a secure bank was unknown, and the safest way to keep their money was to bury it. However, doing such would subject the money, which was composed of metal, to rust and corrosion. They could choose to keep their treasure above ground but then took the risk of having it stolen by a thief breaking in. In actuality, the Greek words here literally indicate that the ‘thieves dig through,’ Luke 12:33.
This statement is accurate since houses of that day were frequently made of loose stone or sun-dried bricks. It was easier for a thief to dig through the wall than attempt to break through a more secure door. Thus, there really was no absolute way to protect their physical treasures. Any of them could be stolen, metal was subject to corrosion, and clothing could be destroyed by moths.
To ‘treasure’ something is to love that object more than anything else. To ‘treasure’ the things of this world are foolish because they are both uncertain and temporary. Happiness may be found in such ‘treasures’ for a while, but not true, lasting joy. These verses don’t teach that it is sinful to be materially rich in the present world. To be rich is dangerous, but not sinful, Matthew 19:23-24.
However, this passage does teach that we must ‘possess’ whatever material goods we are blessed with and not vice versa. To possess a large amount of money or resources isn’t wrong, but to love those things and consider them to be a ‘treasure’ is to fall into Satan’s trap, 1 Timothy 6:7-10 / Luke 12:15 / Hebrews 13:5.
Anyone with such a mentality will hoard these possessions to harm others and himself. Instead, those who are rich should be careful to remember that they can only trust in God and not in themselves or their earthly treasure. Let them do much good with the things the Lord has entrusted them with, 1 Timothy 6:17-19.
Jesus makes a strong case for laying up treasure in heaven while exposing the folly of hoarding earthly treasure by contrasting the corrupting forces of this world with the security of heaven, Luke 12:33-34.
To practice righteousness to be seen by God and to bring glory to His name is to make a deposit in God’s heavenly ‘bank.’ There is great security in knowing that such treasures cannot be stolen or damaged. The riches of heaven are eternally secure for the person who continues to treasure them.
Watchfulness
‘Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Luke 12:35-40
Jesus proceeds to teach how believers should behave in view of the fact that there will be nothing to warn that His Coming is imminent, Mark 13:33-37 / Matthew 24:42-43. Jesus uses two images here, being dressed for action and keeping the lamps burning, Luke 12:35 / Matthew 25:1-13. We are to be like people who are waiting for the master to come home from a wedding banquet so that we can open the door immediately when he comes, Luke 12:36.
Jesus describes his disciples as people who are prepared so that when the master comes, they are awake and ready, Luke 12:37. Notice that this preparation is not a one-off effort. The servant doesn’t get dressed for action and then falls asleep on the couch until the master returns, Luke 12:37.
Notice that Jesus says the servants that are found ready and awake are blessed, Luke 12:37. Why are they blessed? Jesus says that the master is going to dress himself for service and have the servants sit at the table, Luke 12:37. Then the master is going to come and serve the servants at the table, Luke 12:37. The servants that are found ready, prepared, and awake are going to be given an amazing gift. We would think that the servants would serve the master at the table and the servants would be happy to do so.
However, notice the turn of the story, the servants are going to be told to sit at the table and the master is going to prepare himself to serve and will serve them, Luke 12:37. We know the master is going to bless us if we are ready for him. It is not known when the master will return, he might come in the middle of the night, Luke 12:38. that is, the second watch or toward daybreak, that is the third watch.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘They are the second and third of the Roman four watches, representing the dead of night, and by metaphor, the unexpectedness of the Second Advent. The Jews reckoned only three-night watches.’
Jesus describes His return as the arrival of a thief and we must be ready, Luke 12:39-40. He says that it will be unheralded, like the coming of a thief in the night, Matthew 24:42-44 / Mark 13:32-35. Jesus will fulfil these words by coming at an unexpected hour, 1 Thessalonians 5:2. Thieves don’t give signs, thieves don’t send cards saying, ‘hope you’re not home next Monday night, we’re hoping to drop by.’
The Lord has not left us ‘in the dark’ that He will appear suddenly, without warning. So, by always being prepared, we will not be caught out, 1 Thessalonians 5:4. The Lord Jesus says, ‘I am definitely coming suddenly.’ Can we with confidence and with joy say, ‘Even so, come, Lord Jesus’? Revelation 22:20.
‘Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or everyone?” The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.’ Luke 12:41-48
Peter appears to be curious and asks Jesus if the parable was for them or everyone, Luke 12:41. Jesus answered him by asking the question, ‘who then is the faithful and wise manager,’ Luke 12:42. In other words, what He’s about to say is telling us how we should be prepared for His return.
To illustrate what is involved in watching and being ready, Jesus contrasted two servants. The first servant is described as ‘faithful and wise’, Luke 12:42 / Matthew 24:45, he had fulfilled his responsibilities while his master was away, and he would receive a great reward when his master returned, Luke 12:42-44 / Matthew 24:45-47. So, it is with those disciples who remained faithful and wisely understand their duties to serve the Lord.
The second servant is described as ‘wicked’, Matthew 24:48, he wasn’t faithful, he was not wise, and he didn’t fulfil his responsibilities while his master was away, Luke 12:45 / Matthew 24:49. And so, he would be punished when his master returned, Matthew 24:50-51.
Coffman, in his commentary, says threw following.
‘The ‘weeping and the gnashing of teeth’ are expressions used by Jesus to convey some idea of the anguish and despair of the condemned who shall be cast into the outer darkness.’
This is graphic language, the master will come and ‘cut the servant into pieces’, Luke 12:46. Except that we should not be too relieved because the punishment that awaits us is far worse, eternal torment and separation from God. We will be put with the unbelievers and unfaithful, Luke 12:46.
Jesus is clear in Matthew’s Gospel that the place reserved for the faithful servants and unfaithful servants is eternal punishment in hell, Matthew 5:29-30 / Matthew 25:31-46. It’s possible to be a servant of Jesus but because we are not ready and prepared for His return, we will be cast with the unfaithful when He arrives.
The consequences of unfaithfulness will be perfectly fair and just. God will judge those who didn’t know or understand less strictly, but those who should know better will have to answer for it.
Boles, in his commentary, says the following concerning Luke 12:47-48.
‘The punishment will be proportioned to the powers, gifts, opportunities, and knowledge of the offenders.’
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Jews never inflicted more than forty stripes for one offence, Deuteronomy 25:3. For smaller offences, they inflicted only four, five, six, etc., according to the nature of the crime. In allusion to this, our Lord says that he ‘that knew not’, that is, he who had comparatively little knowledge, would suffer a punishment proportionally light. He refers, doubtless, to those who have fewer opportunities, smaller gifts, or fewer teachers. They who have much committed to their disposal, as stewards, were given much, etc, Matthew 25:14-40.
Most commentators suggest that in this parable, the master represents Jesus, the manager represents the apostles or those who have leadership roles, and the household represents the church or Christians in general. The master’s return represents Jesus’ second coming and His judgment upon Christians who are prepared and serving and those who claim to be Christians but aren’t ready or serving.
Those who are found faithful will be blessed and experience the full bounty of heaven! Those who neglect following the will of the Lord will be disciplined. And those who know the Lord’s will and flat out reject it will be ‘cut into pieces and put with the unfaithful’, which is a reference to eternal punishment in hell.
Not Peace But Division
‘I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Luke 12:49-53
Jesus says He has come to bring fire on earth, Luke 12:49. Many commentators have different views as to what the ‘fire’ is referring to. Some suggest judgment, some suggest discord, some suggest Christian love and some suggest the Holy Spirit. It’s also possible that the ‘fire’ refers to the Word of God, Jeremiah 23:29. The preaching of the Gospel certainly brought a lot of joy to some people but it also caused a lot of turmoil among people because many would reject the Gospel message, Acts 8:1-4 / 2 Corinthians 2:15-16.
Notice that Jesus says He has a baptism to undergo, Luke 12:50, which is a clear reference to His upcoming suffering.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The path laid out for Jesus was extremely narrow and difficult. On the one hand, his was the task of convincing all men that he is King of kings and Lord of lords; and, on the other hand, this had to be done in such a manner as to frustrate Satan’s purpose of getting our Lord killed as a seditionist. The skill and genius by which Jesus negotiated this narrow path have ever been the marvel of all who contemplated them.’
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘How do I earnestly desire that it was passed! Since these sufferings ‘must’ be endured, how anxious am I that the time should come! Such were the feelings of the Redeemer in view of his approaching dying hour.’
Jesus isn’t bring peace but division, Luke 12:51. Matthew tells us that Jesus is bringing a sword and it seems out of place to think that the Prince of Peace, was bringing a sword, Matthew 10:34 / Isaiah 9:6 / Ephesians 2:14.
This sword, that is, the Gospel message would have a devastating effect on our close relationships with our family members, it will divide, Luke 12:52-53 / Matthew 10:34-37. A sword should be identified with Christ in any sense as a warning of the severity which is one characteristic of His glorious nature, Romans 11:22.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The sword of Christ is, 1. a sword of separation, 2. the word of God, Ephesians 6:17 / Hebrews 4:12, 3. the sword of civil authority, Romans 13:1-8, 4. the sword of judgment, Genesis 3:24, 5. the sword of correction, Revelation 2:16, and 6. the sword of victory, Revelation 19:13. Even Mary, the mother of Jesus, was acquainted with that sword. ‘Yea, and a sword shall pierce thine own soul,’ Luke 2:55.’
In Matthew 10:36, Jesus quotes Micah 7:6, which refers to rebellion that happened during King Ahaz’s reign. It pointed to a greater division in Jesus’ day. In both cases the root of the conflict involved righteousness and unrighteousness.
It appears that even our own family members would struggle with us loving Jesus more than them and if we give into them and love them more, we won’t be counted worthy of Jesus, Luke 12:52-53 / Matthew 10:34-37 / Genesis 29:31.
One who obeys Christ despite family or parental opposition feels the edge of that sword. A young woman who maintains her ideals and purity in an office where low standards prevail soon feels that sword in her heart. All who live for Christ and bleed inwardly when His name is profaned or His word denied have felt it.
These verses show us that lines of cleavage between Christ’s followers and the world cut sharply through the dearest and most intimate relationships on earth, Luke 12:52-53 / Matthew 10:35-37. In every church, almost in every household, there are scars caused by this sword. Jesus is talking about the indirect result of His work and that of His followers. Anyone who promotes good and denounces bad will gain enemies and have problems. Sometimes this happens even within families.
The Gospel produces inner peace, peace with God, but the believer will experience resentment from the enemies of the Gospel even though the Gospel is good because they prefer evil. So, the indirect result of the Lord’s good work is trouble from enemies of the Gospel even when they are members of one’s own family, the alternative is to not accept the truth. In such situations, the choice will be, to follow Jesus or give in to the family.
Interpreting The Times
‘He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time? “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” Luke 12:54-59
Jesus tries to reason with the crowds by speaking about the well-known fact, that they had the ability to give a forecast of weather conditions based upon the appearance of the skies and clouds, Luke 12:54-55 / Matthew 16:2-4. The crowd could easily look to the heavens and see the signs in the sky and make a determination as to what would happen with the weather.
Jesus challenged them to do the same thing in relation to the spiritual nature of the miracles He has performed and preaching He has taught. If they can determine the outcome of weather by the signs they see, then why can’t they discern that Jesus is the Lord by the signs that He has performed? Hence why they were hypocrites, Luke 12:56 / Matthew 15:1-9.
The implication here, Luke 12:57-58 / Matthew 5:25, is that we have done something wrong and our adversary has a case against us. In such circumstances, we should try to make friends quickly and defuse the situation by agreeing with them and we should try to be reconciled. Otherwise, we are likely to end up in prison!
The word, ‘adversary’, Luke 12:58 / Matthew 5:25, is a word used by the accuser in a lawsuit and implies in the context that it’s better to settle any disputes as quickly as you can before it ends up going to court where the judge will get involved and exercise the law against one of them by that time it’s usually too late for reconciliation, because either party may find themselves in prison, Luke 12:58 / Matthew 5:25.
A ‘penny’, Luke 12:59 / Matthew 5:26, was a small, insignificant copper coin. After the debtor was put into prison he was held there until the debt was paid, but if he couldn’t pay the debt, he would stay in prison until he died.
Jesus’ warning against lawsuits is clear, but we could easily avoid all these problems if we simply went and settled matters between ourselves first. Jesus’ meaning here is simple, if we wrong someone and don’t do everything we can to reconcile with them, we will be judged and punished, perhaps by civil government, but definitely by God, ultimately, Matthew 18:34.
We must love our fellow man! We must take our brothers or sisters to court, 1 Corinthians 6:1-8. We must seek to ‘live peaceably with all men’ to the best of our ability, Romans 12:18. We must pursue reconciliation. If not, we will get what we deserve!