Luke 12:13-34
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week we got an eschatology lesson and got to learn in a little detail, more about the historical judgement of Israel and Jerusalem and about the signs at Jesus return.
Now we jump back to Luke 12 and we need to be reminded of a little context:
We’re back in what’s called the “travel narrative” with Jesus beginning the journey toward Jerusalem and the Cross
Luke 9:51 “51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,”
Jesus goes to Samaria first and there He commissions the seventy
Luke 10:1 “1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.”
They come back joyfully
Luke 10:17 “17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.”
And Jesus gives them the parable of the good Samaritan
Now Jesus heads on the Bethany and Judea where we met Mary and Martha and learned the Model Prayer and heard about Jonah.
He’s also having conflicts with the religious leaders that are getting more and more contentious and all along the way Jesus is teaching with parables and changing the categories people thought in. He’s also preparing the disciples for the immediate struggle and enemies of the Gospel will mean for them
Luke 12 starts with Jesus warning the disciples:
Luke 12:1 “1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”
Luke 12:4–5 “4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”
and we hear: Luke 12:11–12 “11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”
And then, in the middle of that big crowd of people...
Luke 12:13-21
Luke 12:13-21
Parable of the Rich Fool
Parable of the Rich Fool
13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Part of a Rabbi’s job was to decide estate disputes between family members
And we don’t know the context here for sure.
We know the right of the firstborn was double, maybe the younger wanted the same? Maybe he wanted out of the family business to go to a far land and party.
Either way, John 5:22 tells us Jesus is judge over all the earth, but right here and now, this guy needs to take it to the civil authorities
Then Jesus takes the opportunity to warn them about greed.
One definition of covetousness: An inordinate desire for what one has not.
Puritan Thomas Watson called it: a “mother sin”. He calls it “a breach of all 10 commandments”
He tells them life is about more than just getting more
The ancient historian Plutarch said, “Greed never rests from the acquiring of more”
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
This guy had a record year on the farm, so much he didn’t have room to put it all. I’m thankful I see many of you grow a garden and when you have more than you can cook or can, you bring and share with others.
But this guy, he had the thought, “I’ll build bigger barns to keep my more mine”. My fruits, my barns, my goods, my soul...all mine!
On top of that he’s only asking himself what to do without one time even thinking to ask his family, his workers, and certainly not the One that gave it all
Then with my “more”, I’ll relax and do less and I’ll eat, drink, and be merry
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
This man thought he was now part of the up and coming, the rich and famous. What he didn’t realize was the Master that owns it all had a different plan and he was about to join the dead and departed
a biblical fool doesn’t mean dumb in the sense of what they know. He’s the man in Psalm 14:1 “1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” living as if God isn’t there
The word for “required” is used for calling in a loan. God isn't just ending his life; He's collecting on what was always His. Every breath, every bushel, every barn was on loan.
So how is a person “rich toward God”?
The point Jesus is making in this parable isn’t to tell them there’s a “salary cap” on earnings for God to be pleased.
Unfortunately, from the desert fathers in 3rd-4th centuries who taught and acted like the less you had the holier you were to the “social gospel” today that teaches taking from those that have a lot to give to those that don’t, the church has a pretty distorted idea of wealth that’s just not biblical.
Understanding that every single thing a person, community, or nation has is given by God and belongs to Him.
We’re called to be good stewards of money and talent that isn’t given to us to hoard so we have the most or to get us to the point we lounge and do nothing but “eat, drink, and be merry”
Being a good steward is to realize every gift of God is given from a master that expects a return on investment
being the hands and feet of Jesus to the poor and to the church
giving to support the church and growing the kingdom by the spread of the gospel
and even creating and building businesses and wealth to leave an inheritance both for our families, and yes even communities
Luke 12:22-34
Luke 12:22-34
Do Not Worry
Do Not Worry
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Therefore, because the rich fool died hoarding, therefore don't live anxiously grasping. The rich fool and anxious disciple are two symptoms of the same disease.
The fool had too much and tries to hang on; the disciple fears having too little and worries.
Both are looking around and to themselves for security instead of looking to the Father.
Jesus clarifies, the problem isn’t with the stuff. It’s worrying only about the stuff and where it’s coming from and not having a heart and an eye toward the One that gives it all
Jesus isn’t teaching against earning and owning and preparing. His teaching them about provision.
Life is more than food and body is more than what you wear, Life is really about our relationship to a 3 times holy God
The ravens, unclean animals by levitical law, don’t plant and harvest and store but God feeds them, and you are worth so much more to God than ravens. They weren’t created in His image the way you were!
And which of them or us can add an inch to either our height or a minute to our lives?
So if they or we can't do those “little” things, why worry about everything else that only God can do anything about?
27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
The lilies don’t do a thing to grow themselves, yet are more beautiful than the robes Solomon wore or the fanciest dress or suit a president or movie star would wear with all the billions of all the richest people in the world behind them.
If God clothes the grss we’ll step on when we walk through the yard and is mowed and blows away tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you?
Only those with no faith in the Father worry about these things
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The world that doesn’t acknowledge God work all their lives worrying and working only for the very things that only God provides.
God knows what we need and disciples’ priorities are different from those of the world. We are called to pursue relationship with God, his will and the evidence of his rule and guidance in our lives as we seek to serve him!
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Jesus calls them and us “little flock”. Picture tender, easily frightened sheep who need the care of a shepherd. Psalm 23:1 “1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
We may be tender, fragile, but God promises to care for us and make us strong. It’s not everything we want, but it’s everything we’ll need to do what he desires and wills.
Jesus point isn’t to serve God, get rid of all your stuff. It’s to hold your treasure with the right attitude. Where our treasure is put and held and used shows how our heart is truly directed.
Conclusion
Conclusion
When I first started studying this week my first thought was “what in the world does the rich fool have to do with Jesus coming back?
Hopefully now you see there’s a bigger picture.
We absolutely need to guard our hearts against:
The covetousness of the brothers worried about the portions of the inheritance
We absolutely need to guard our hearts against the greed the culture today lives with all around us
But we don’t need to worry about the things we need to live.
1 Peter 5:6–7 “6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
We need to care about using ALL He gives us to glorify the giver of all life and stuff!
And how much does care?
John 3:16 “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
And if God Almighty tells us not to worry about those “little things” like life, we don’t need to worry about when Jesus is coming back either.
We need live our lives with sword and trowel in hand, working to build the kingdom for His glory!
