Eternal Consequences Luke 12:1-12

Introduction

Opening Illustration: Imagine that you were to go out into the streets of Chicago and take a spiritual survey of folks. And on that survey, the following question was asked, "What is the connection between our behavior here in this life, and our life there in the next life?" I suppose you would have, in general a few different answers. First, some would laugh at the question and deny the existence of a future life. Others would answer quite moralistically, how we behave here determines the merit we earn in the next life. Good behavior means better conditions in heaven. Lastly, you would have a small stack of Christian responses. The Christian responses would be dripping with the gospel. They would say two ideas simultaneously. On the one hand, they would boast of Jesus Christ. They would say that Christ alone has earned our salvation and that nothing we do in this life can earn heaven in the next life. Only Christ can do that for us. But then they would also say, that those who have truly received Christ will evidence in their life here, fruit of the reality of their new life there. Meaning, you could look at a person's life who has been saved by grace, and say "I see the connection between your life here, and your life there.

Context: In our passage today Jesus speaks about the connection between this life, and our behavior in this life, and its connection to our eternal life. His main idea is this, ‘Nothing here is without significance there.’ As Pastor Bulmore has said, “There is only a very thin veil between this world and the next.” In our text today, Jesus is going to show us three areas of life that reveal that thin veil between the two worlds.

Meaning & Application

I OUR HIDDEN LIFE HAS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE ON OUR ULTIMATE LIFE

First, the Gospel confronts our greatest secrets.

Luke 12:1–3 “In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.”

Beware the Leaven: Christ’s opening command to this great group is that they “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Leaven was a spreading agent. You put just a little bit of it into large ball of dough, and the leaven would spread evently throughout the entire loaf of bread. So is hypocrisy in our life. If there areas of our life lack integrity, a direct connection between what we say we believe about Christ, and how we’re behaving, and there is no remorse, no repentance, no laboring by the power of the spirit, simply settling for hypocrisy. That little hypocrisy will spread until it consumes us.

Hidden Sins Exposed: Then Jesus draws the connection between this life and next. He says, that everything that has been done in secret will be exposed and brought to the light. He says that everything that has been covered up here, will be unveiled there. This is why hypocrisy is such a fool’s errand, because while we may get away with our hypocrisy for a moment here, it will all be exposed there. This is fundamental to the Christian worldview. It was baked into the entire Bible.

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

Illustration - David: The classic story in the Old Testament of this is King David, and its worth thinking about how this played out in his life. David committed a sin in secret. He slept with a married woman who was not his wife. He believed it was in darkness, and that nobody would find out. But hypocrisy spreads like leaven. The woman, Bathsheba, became pregnant with David’s child. At this point, David is confronted with a choice, repent, come clean, and set things right. Or, operate of fear, and do all he can to cover up the iniquity. David calls Bathsheba’s husband home from the war, and encourages him to sleep with his wife. But Uriah is a noble man and will not take the pleasures of his bed while his men are at war. Again, David is confronted with a choice. Repent, come clean, set things right. Or operate out of fear. He operates out of fear, commands Uriah to go back to the war with a sealed letter in his hand, a letter which command his general to make sure Uriah died in the battle. David has Uriah killed, then marries Bathsheba, all to attempt to cover up a hidden sin.

Turn It On Us: The challenge with reading grand stories like these in the Bible, we can read them in a way that unrelable. We get ourselves off the hook by seeing a great distance between our moral character and someone like King David’s in that moment. But let’s really consider his sin, and our own.

Lust: David lusted after a woman that was not his wife. Jesus teaches us in the Sermon on the Mount,

Matthew 5:28 “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Today’s access to digital pornography has made visiting a brothel something you can do entirely in private.

Cover Up: David then tried to cover up his sin and make himself look better even though he was guilty. Have you ever done that? Have you ever tried to make your side of a story look better, trying to stack the cards to work in our favor, trying to manipulate events to work in the way that makes us appear as good as possible.

Condemned Uriah: Then David condemned Uriah secretly, behind his back. Have you ever gossipped about a person behind their back. Said things about another person that tore them down to others behind their back?

Doctrine: When we sin in private, whether in thought or action or mood, and we are content in that sin, thinking it didn’t harm anybody, it was hidden, no need to make a big deal about it. We reveal that there is a chasm between what we say we believe about God doctrinally, and how we live that doctrine out. We say we believe that God is omniscient, knowing all things, and that nothing is hidden from his eye. But when we’re content to sin in private, with no remorse, no sense of our rebellion against God, we’re functionally denying God.

The Gospel: I began by describing three groups of people and how they would respond to the question of the connection between this life and the next. That second group were the moralists. That group believed that there may be a judgment and they would be judged according to how they have done, whether good or bad. But this passage should horrify the moralist and satisfy the Christian.

Horrify the Moralist: It should horrify the Moralist because they are going to truly be exposed, hidden sins and all. One day they are going to stand in judgment and give an account for every lustful thought, for every angry sentiment, for every wicked desire. And there is no person alive today that could stand before God, and give an account for our private sins, and be able to say, we have earned God’s love. The law of God condemns us.

Satisfy the Christian: But the Christian, is not horrified, they are satisfied. Because the Christian knows how deep their sin goes. The Christian is unashamed on that day of judgment when God exposes the depth of our sin. Because the Christian knows that their sin runs far deeper than they would ever let on to anybody. But the Christian also knows that they have a redeemer, one whom has ransomed them from the wrath of God, Jesus Christ, their victor. And so the Christian looks at Jesus’ words and has no fear of that judgment day. Because when all their sin is exposed before God, they will point to Jesus and his death in their place, and his resurrection from the grave, and they will say, “I’m saved by grace, not by works.”

Application Vulnerability: The point here is that our hidden life has great significance on our ultimate life. And I’d like to challenge you with a thought. If we are going to live in total vulnerability there, why not start living in total vulnerability here. Many Christians still do not practically understand the Gospel. When we carry shame regarding our sin, and fear to confess our sins to one another, we’re still living in bondage to sin.

1 John 1:9–10 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Our hidden life here has great significance on our eternal life

II WHETHER OR NOT WE FEAR GOD ABOVE ANYONE IN THIS LIFE HAS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE ON OUR LIFE THERE

Secondly, whether we fear God above anyone else has great significance on our eternal life.

Luke 12:4–7 ““I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Their Context: In this passage, Jesus speaks directly to what would have certainly been the greatest fear of every one of those early disciples. It’s a fear that the Apostles themselves would experience on the night when Jesus was betrayed. When Jesus was arrested, the Apostle Peter when questioned in the courtyard as to his allegiance to Jesus, fled away from the scene for fear that they would to him, what they were doing to Jesus.

Throughout History: Throughout Christian history, this fear has been well recognized. Christians have experienced every kind of persecution the world has ever developed. Right now as we gather here, many of our brothers and sisters around the world are gathering for church, but they are doing so hidden in basements and secret rooms, because of the very harsh reality, that if they are caught they will be taken to the authorities and be forced to pay dearly, many with their lives, many more with separation from their family, and years in prison.

Today: Today, we in the West can barely imagine living in a situation where your allegiance to Jesus could cost you your life, or your family’s freedom. Nevertheless, this passage is speaking about the fear of man, and not letting the fear of man hinder us from obeying and serving Christ.

Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”

What does that little proverb even mean? Actually, I think that proverb may have been in Jesus’ mind as he gave this mini sermon on Luke today. “The fear of man is a snare.” It is a trap. When we find ourselves in situations where we are adjusting our behavior according to our fears of what man may think of us or say about us, we have found ourself in a vicious trap. Like, a trapped rabbit, we can kick and churn as hard as we want, but so long as the fear of man remains, we only make the issues worse.

The Need for Approval: What is underneath our fear of man? It’s the need for other’s approval.It’s the need to be validated, and ultimately the need to be loved. There is not a human alive that does not crave approval and love. But herein lies the problem. If we find that approval and love that our heart craves in the approval of other men and women, then we will always be behold to whatever they ultimately want from us. We become slaves to their changing desires.

Illustration - Pastoring Clothes: I remember in the first few years I started pastoring, I had a funny week. Early in the week, a very faithful well meaning person came up to me and said, “Hey Raef, you know you should really dress down in the clothes of the people to be more relateable, like other pastors do.” Ironically, later that week, a totally separate well meaning person came up to me and said, “Hey Raef, have you ever thought about preaching in a suit and tie to really elevate the reverance of the pulpit.” I thought, I can’t win. Who will I please?

Change of Approval: Herein is the point that Jesus is making. Do not fear, and seek the approval of man. Otherwise you will forever be a slave to man.

Luke 12:5 “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

Surprising for Two Reasons: Jesus words are surprising here for two reasons.

Cast Into Hell: First, his logic is remarkable. He says, if you are driven by the fear of man, you may live, you may survive for a while. But what happens when you die and you stand before the one to whom you were truly made to fear, he who holds your eternity your hand. And if in your life here, you forsaked him and his approval, for the temporary approval of man, then the connection is that he will forsake you there. If you do the math, it doesn’t add up.

Contrasted with God’s Love: But there is a second remarkable aspect of this passage. Right after speaking about how God has the power and authority to truly judge you, he speaks these love-saturated words of verse 6-7

Luke 12:6–7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

This passage says that in Christ, the one who truly judges you, knows and loves you intimately and perfectly. Compare if you will the fear of man to fear of God. The secular person in Chicago is saturated by the fear of man. They’re comparing themselves to others. They’re evaluating their worth by how others see them. The great challenge with ultimately fearing man is two-fold. First, you are a sinful broken person, and you know it, and therefore you don’t really want your fellow man knowing every hair on your head. Because of that, a fear of man causes us to create separation with others. But seceondly, men change. You may be loved in your office today, and despised tomorrow, not because you’ve done anything wrong, but simply because people change.

Contrast that with the fear of God. This passage says that God knows you intimately and loves you perfectly. His love never grows weary. His evaluation of your never diminishes. Why? Because he’s unchanging! Do you see how the Christian motivation and drive is utterly different?

Psalm 56:11 “in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

What a bold life a Christian leads!

Application - Fix Eyes on Christ: Now here is the application. What’s the connection between this world and the next. Who you ultimately fear, whose approval you’re ultimately seeking, has a direct connection to the next life. Whenever you sense in your heart the fear of man welling up, the heartache of someone disapproving of you, the sense that you you’re not living to someone else’s standard. Fix your eyes on the cross. Go home and find a quiet place, and look to the cross. Where the Father sent the Son to rescue you, to claim you, to make you his. Fix your eyes on the cross, where the love of God was poured out for you in the blood of Christ. Fix your eyes on the cross, to Jesus Christ whose is the only approval you will ever need.

III OUR PLEDGE TO CHRIST HERE HAS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE ON OUR LIFE THERE

Third and finally, how we handle trials here has great significance on our life there.

Luke 12:8–12 ““And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.””

The Text: What is teaching us? If we acknowledge Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ when he stands in judgment over us, will acknowledge us. If we deny Jesus Christ, then Jesus Christ when he stands in judgment over us, will deny us. Our commitment, and our pledge to Jesus here, directly impacts our eternity there.

Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit: There is one fairly large questions surrounding this passage that I want to deal directly before really considering how this text should be applied properly. Verse 10 speaks about an unforgiveable sin.

Luke 12:10 “And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.”

Over the years I have counseled many people who really want to know what this means and if they have accidentally committed the unforgiveable sin. And my encouragement to them, is that if they are worried that they have committed this sin, then it is very likely that they have not committed the sin. Over the years many scholars weighed in to try to figure out what Jesus meant when he spoke of “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.” My best synopsis is this. The text pits these two ideas against each other, “speaking against the Son of Man” on the one hand, and “blaspheming the Holy Spirit” on the other. It seems to me that “speaking a word against the Son of Man” is something like an immediate dismissal of Jesus. It is being confronted with the truth of Christ and rejecting it. This is something that many of the Apostles did. Paul did this. Peter did this at least once. Thomas did this. Many of your own stories involve seasons where you dismissed Christ. “Blaspheming of the Holy Spirit” seems to be something far more permanent. This is a closure of the heart towards Christ in such a way that reveals permanency. Darrel Bock, a wonderful New Testament scholar says it this way,

“Once the Spirit’s testimony about God’s work through Jesus is permanently refused, then nothing can be forgiven, since God’s plan has been rejected.”

And so, the person who is worried about whether or not they have committed this sin, is revealing through their worrying that their heart is not so calcified to all things pertaining to Christ.

Words Given to You: But remember what this section is all about. Our pledge to Christ here has eternal signfiicance. Jesus, says these words to his listeners that must have been both unsettling and comforting. He looks into their future and he sees what their pledge to Christ is going to cost them.He says, “There will come a day when you are going to have to say publicly that you believe that Jesus is the Messiah. And on that day, you will be full of fear. You will tremble. You will be dragged in front of officials and rulers and authorities.” Jesus says, “You pledge yourself to me, because I have already pledged myself to you”

Luke 12:12 “for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.””

Reformed: God has placed his Spirit inside of you, which is a pledge, a down payment of your salvation. We tend to think of our salvation in the wrong terms. We imagine a door that we walk through, a pledge to Christ, that we make all on our own. I will hold onto Jesus, that’s my pledge! When in reality, it is not us who first pledged to Christ, it is Christ who first pledged to us. Christian, your faith is secure, not because of your grip on Christ, but because of Christ’s grip on you.

John 10:28–29 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

Illustration (Dad and Little Girl): Imagine if you will for a moment, a father and a small child on a hike together up a rocky path. They’re holding each other’s hand. At a certain section, they get high enough up and there is a large enough drop on one side that the child begins to be frightened, and she squeezes her Daddy’s hand tighter. Whose grip is going to make sure that little girl is safe? The little girls grip on her Dad, or her Dad grip on her?

So it is in our great trials we face in this life. As we pledge ourself to Christ, ours is but the weaker of the two pledges. Our father’s grip on us is far greater than our grip on him. He will never loosen. And so Jesus encourages us that when we are slandered for the name of Christ, when in the future some of us called to give testimony for Christ to our superiors, to our bosses, to our colleagues, to courts and judges, know whos grip sustains you. O how bold we would be if we could see the hand of the father that holds us.

We Would Be Like Christ: And of course, when it comes to this passage, Christ is our great exemplar. Jesus was accused of crimes he did not commit and draged before leaders and judges. He was beaten as a criminal though he had committed no crime. At every point he relied perfectly upon the Holy Spirit. The Spirit always gave him words of clarity and love to speak over even his accusers. Jesus teaches us that it in whatever persecution we might face for serving Jesus, the same Holy Spirit that led Christ will lead you.

Summarize All Three: I find it so compelling that with all three examples we have looked at today, Christ saturates the message with love. Our hidden sins, Christ died for those. Our great fears, Christ knows everything about you, even the hairs on your head. Our deepest trials, Christ will be with you and will speak through you.

Conclusion

I began by stating that there is only a thin veil between this life and the next. What is your life here revealing about the life you will have there? May the Chrisitan be consistent. May we learn to live in light of the deeper reality of what is still yet to come!