12th Sunday Pentecost

“Yours is the Kingdom!”

LUKE 12:32‑40

32. Don’t be‑afraid my children. Your Father decided to give you HIS Kingdom.

33. Sell the things you have and give the money to the poor people. Save for yourselves riches in heaven, so‑that no robber can take‑it‑away and no worms can destroy it.

34. Because the place you keep your riches, your heart will be in that place also.

35. Be‑ready, dressed for a trip with your lamps shining.

36. And become same‑as people watching for their boss to come again from a wedding, so they can open‑the‑door for him the minute he arrives.

37. Happy are those workers watching happens the boss arrives. I tell you, the boss will make them sit‑down to eat, and the boss will serve them food.

38. And if the boss comes home at midnight or early in the morning and finds the workers waiting, happy will those servants become.

39. You know if the father of the house knew the time the robber will come, the father would not let anyone break into his house.

40. You, also, get‑ready, because the Son of Man is coming at a time that you will not be‑looking for HIM.

Intro

My heart leaps (jumps) for joy at this promise in our Scripture (Bible) reading for this morning. Wow! Listen (attention)! Listen! Listen! To the wonderful promise of Jesus once again! Luke 12: 32, “Don’t be‑afraid my children. Your Father decided to give you HIS Kingdom.”

?Do you realize (know) what that means? Jesus is talking to His disciples (students people) in this verse which (also) includes us! Jesus calls the disciples (practice-er people) “my children.” Wow! We are disciples (train-er people) too (also). We are followers! We are doers! We are Christians! Right? Yes! We are God’s children. Any person can be God’s child through (join) Christ.

I am and you are God’s child! John 1:12-13, “12 But to all who believed him [Jesus] and accepted him [Jesus], he [Father] gave the right to become children of God. 13 They [people] are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting [happen] from human passion [want] or plan—this rebirth [born 2nd time] comes from God.[1]”

We don’t need to fear anything in this world. ?Why? ?Why don’t we live in fear? Jesus gives the answer as a fact (true) already (finish) accomplished (finish success). Jesus says, “Your Father decided to give you HIS Kingdom. ?How can we fear when (happen) everything already (finish) belongs (get) to us? We are heirs (inherit people) with Jesus! Praise God! Jump for joy! We have the very best from God! We have Jesus! We have eternal life! We have the Kingdom of God! God holds (keep) nothing back from us!

Romans 8:38-39 says, “38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his [God’s] love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39 Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation [world] will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed [show] in Christ Jesus our Lord.[2]”

Now we give up our selfish stubborn ways. We give our offerings happily to God’s work. We buy food and clothes for the poor. We can do free potlucks. We do free picnics and invite all the deaf! We refuse (won’t) to be bitter (sour) givers. We give without the string. We invite people into our homes and share. We serve and help others. We pray for our pastor! We pray for our Sunday school teachers! We do Sunday school teaching when (happen) no one else (other) volunteers. We visit the sick and pray for them. We visit the lonely and comfort them. We say good things about our enemies.

We are happy to continually give away our stuff (things). ?Why? We have the kingdom! We have the forgiveness of sins! We have the Lord’s Supper! We have the great promises of Jesus. “The kingdom is yours!” We have been (finish) washed clean in our baptism. We have seen the light of Jesus’ love and can’t stop loving EVERYONE!

We give! We give up! We serve! We forgive! We are with Jesus! We do things Jesus’ way! We are rich! We can afford (pay or enough) to give away! Jesus says in verse 33-34, “Sell the things you have and give the money to the poor people. Save for yourselves riches in heaven, so‑that no robber can take‑it‑away and no worms can destroy it. Because the place you keep your riches, your heart will be in that place also.”

?Where is your treasure? ?Is it on the golf course? ?Is it in the bowling alley (place)? ?Is your treasure in front of the TV watching the Packers? ?Where are you putting your money? ?Are you putting the money in your pocket or God’s pocket? ?Are you putting your time into your HOBBY, fun, or craft? ?Are you mad when (happen) the pastor asks you to give more than 1 one on Sunday? ?What about your skills? ?Are your skills helping God’s kingdom or your own kingdom? ?Are you waiting for someone to tell you to do something, or are you taking up God’s work before someone asks? ?Where is your treasure?

Jesus says, “Save for yourselves riches in heaven, so‑that no robber can take‑it‑away and no worms can destroy it. Because the place you keep your riches, your heart will be in that place also.” Christians know the last thing to become holy on a man…is his WALLET! Ha! A man’s time and skills are the next to last!

Maybe you are asking? ?Pastor, how do I put treasurer in heaven? And I would say, “believe in the promises Jesus has already given to you in His Word and Sacraments.” I would say the words of Jesus in verse 35, “Be‑ready, dressed for a trip with your lamps shining.”

We are dressed…how? We are properly dressed for heavens wedding celebration when (happen) we put on Christ. Only when (happen) we trust in Christ’s work on the Cross of CALVARY! Only when (happen) we believe Jesus rose (stand) from the dead to give us new life! We are fully dressed in Christ’s robe (clothes) of right living!

Our lamps are shinning bright when (happen) we have a life of prayer, faith, and we are only depending and fully on our Glorious Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.[3]” The lamp is Christ’s work shinning in our hearts. We must be like (same) the 5 wise virgins waiting for the husband to come pick us up for the honeymoon trip.

We are waiting for Christ, our husband to come pick us up to go on our honeymoon…for our celebration in heaven. We are working and preparing while (during) we are waiting. We are not resting, but working. We are preaching, teaching, visiting, helping, praying, loving, and doing the work of Christ until His return.

Verse 35-38 says, “Be‑ready, dressed for a trip with your lamps shining. And become same‑as people watching for their boss [master] to come again from a wedding, so they can open‑the‑door for him the minute he arrives. Happy are those workers watching happens the boss arrives. I tell you, the boss will make them sit‑down to eat, and the boss will serve them food. And if the boss comes home at midnight or early in the morning and finds the workers waiting, happy will those servants become.” Look for Christ! He is coming!

Jesus leaves us with a warning in our reading for this morning. Jesus makes this comparison (mirror story). If a father knew the time someone would break into the house. The father would be waiting to catch the thief. The father would be on guard and ready.

However, thieves normally come at time everyone is asleep or away on vacation. The thief is smart to wait for the best time to come. Jesus says He comes like (same) the robber. Jesus comes at a time no one expects (wait). ?Who knows their time of death? ?Who knows the time of Jesus’ 2nd return to earth? No one knows! Jesus comes at our death or Jesus comes on Judgment Day! ?Which will come first? ?Our death or Judgment Day?

Verse 39-40 says, “You know if the father of the house knew the time the robber will come, the father would not let anyone break into his house. You, also, get‑ready, because the Son of Man is coming at a time that you will not be‑looking for HIM.” Jesus will come at a time we are not expecting (prepare). Finish be ready! Believe and work!

But do NOT be fearful little children. We hold the promises of our Great King and God. Verse 32, “Don’t be‑afraid my children. Your Father decided to give you HIS Kingdom.” Ahhh! Yes! The wonders of our God! The kindness of our God! The beauty! Wow! Awesome! Our God gives us His kingdom! Your kingdom come and Your will be done! Amen!

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[1]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

[2]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

[3]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.