Luke 12:22-40

Introduction:

For a few weeks now we have heard Jesus speak a great deal about anxiety and not being too concerned with possessions. On the surface, it might seem that this Gospel lesson we heard today is simply a continuation of Jesus’ teaching on possessions, but Jesus connects the proper attitude toward possessions here with the kingdom of God. This means that, in today’s Gospel reading Jesus puts His teaching on possessions into the context of the End Times.

A. Don’t worry about storing up possessions for yourself, give freely to your neighbor.

Just after Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool, he goes on to speak about how we ought not be unduly concerned and worried about things like food, clothing, drink, and all these things that are essential for survival. My favorite example that Jesus uses here is the raven. Ravens are considered detestable and unclean according to God’s own Law given in and . Jesus is basically saying, “If God cares for these detestable, unclean creatures each every day, gives them everything they need to survive, how much more will He do that for you!?” God does care for you and sustain you. On top of that he gives you even MORE than you need. None of us sitting here are just surviving. We are thriving. And this is because we have a God who calls us His dear children. We have a Father in heaven who gives us all good things. He is our Father because Jesus blood has washed us of all sin. His death on the cross has made peace between us and God. The merits of Jesus death and resurrection have been applied to us in the washing of water with the Word in Holy Baptism. In Baptism, we were made sons of God. The Father in heaven said to you, on the day you were baptized, the same words He spoke at His Son’s baptism in the Jordan: “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased!” We are His dear children and He is our dear Father. He gives us exactly what we need and MORE!

You are a Christian. You are not unduly concerned with these earthly “treasures.” “Do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them” (). Jesus says, “Your Father knows what you need.” The nations, that is, the world of unbelievers, seek after all these vain things. The world seeks after money, food, drink, clothes, and all these. And that’s it. That is ALL they seek after. All they seek after are the comforts of this temporal life that have a huge expiration date stamped on them. That is a hopeless and sorry state, people! If we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied!

Jesus says, “Instead, seek God’s kingdom, and these things will be added to you” (). Don’t worry, Jesus isn’t preaching prosperity gospel! He isn’t promising you that, if you seek God’s kingdom, you will get everything you ever wanted. If you give to charity, go to Church, have a strong faith, then God will increase your material wealth. He isn’t saying anything like that. Jesus says in the Gospel of John, “In this life you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” What Jesus IS saying is that we shouldn’t worry about all these things that are necessary for our life because God KNOWS that we need them. Instead, we SHOULD seek after God’s kingdom and all along the way, without us even realizing it all the time, God is going to sustain us and then some. He is doing it right now. We are all breathing oxygen. Even if you have to breathe it from a tank, you didn’t create that oxygen! None of us did! None of us in this building right now are doing anything to make sure that electricity is coming in for our air-conditioning. No one that goes and drinks out of our water fountains had to do anything to get that water besides pressing a button. God is using His creation (people, animals, plants, wind, water, all of it) to sustain you right now in ways you hardly ever consider. He uses you to sustain other people as well. These are the good works that Paul speaks of when he says, “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” This is a part of seeking God’s kingdom. Living a life of good works done for those around you is the work we are given to do in God’s kingdom and it is part of what it means for God’s kingdom to come. “God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.”

B. The good works you do are empowered by God’s giving of the kingdom.

Jesus doesn’t just say “seek God’s kingdom” and leave it at that. He goes on to say, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” () God is well pleased to give His children the kingdom. You are God’s child. You are baptized. With you He is well pleased and well pleased to give you His kingdom. And this kingdom comes in two ways. The first way that God’s kingdom comes is right now through the Word and Sacraments. It is here where God gives His Holy Spirit to create faith, sustain faith, empower you to do good works, and all that God does to save you from sin, death, and the devil. This is how God destroys the devil’s kingdom and supplants it with His own, by bringing the merits of His Son’s life, death, and resurrection directly to us HERE AND NOW. It is God’s Word and His Sacraments that empower you to “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy and provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys” (). God has made you His own dear child in Baptism. You are in Christ, who is seated at the right-hand of God. That is where your GREATEST treasure lies! When Pastor Kahle tells you to “Lift up your hearts” today, you’re going to respond by saying “We lift them up unto the Lord!” And indeed, they are lifted up to the Lord because God himself is present here absolving you through Pastor Kahle, giving you His Word in the readings and preaching, and strengthening your faith and love by giving His Son’s body and blood to you for the forgiveness of sins. This is where you receive everything needed to inherit everlasting life and, on top of that wonderfully perfect treasure, you receive the power to love and serve your neighbor. This is treasure that endures as well because the good works you do in faith are pleasing to God and these works follow you.

C. God will continue to give you His kingdom.

I mentioned that God’s kingdom comes in two ways, but I only mentioned the first way. God’s kingdom comes to us now by the Word and the Sacraments. The second way that God’s kingdom comes is when the LORD comes again to judge the living and the dead. That is what the last few verses of our Gospel lesson today are about. Jesus says, “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes” (). You may have heard this “dressed for action” language translated as “gird your loins” in other English versions of this text. Having your loins girded and a lamp burning is the posture of a person ready for work. We are in this posture when we are seeking God’s kingdom and are busy loving and serving our neighbor. God’s kingdom is right here before your very eyes and your neighbor is every single person you interact with. The work we must busy ourselves with is receiving that kingdom of God before our very eyes today and doing the work that God empowers us to do through the giving of that kingdom. When Jesus finally comes again and finds us ready and awake, He will gird his loins for work, have you recline at His table, and He will serve you. That’s right. The Creator of the universe, God Almighty, desires nothing more than to SERVE YOU. It is God’s good pleasure to serve you. It is God’s good pleasure to feed you. It is God’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Conclusion:

Your God has given you everything you need to support this body and life and EVEN MORE. He has given you this abundance so that He may use you to give abundantly to your neighbor. This work of the kingdom is only done when you are empowered by God sending His kingdom here to you. He has done it THIS VERY DAY in the words of absolution, the readings, this sermon, and in a few short moments, with our hearts lifted up unto the Lord, He will bring down His kingdom in our very midst in the very flesh and blood of His own Son. This great gift will purge you of every sin, strengthen your faith toward God, and fervent love toward your neighbor. You will once again be assured of your eternal life with God, which is the greatest treasure stored up for you. You will also be empowered by the Holy Spirit to live in service to your neighbor until that great and glorious Day when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ returns at an hour you don’t expect. When He returns and finds you trusting His promises and serving your neighbor, He will “dress himself for service and have you recline at table, and He will come and serve YOU” ()!