Untitled Sermon

What is life?

Luke 12:14-34

Series: Life

Introduction

Today we are going to start a new series called “LIFE” as we walk through portions of Luke 12 and 13 we are going to see what life is and what it’s all about. were we created form more than just being born, living, getting stuff and then moving on? What is life? What defines our life? Does our life really matter at all? Those are some of the things we will look at.

EX. we use to play this board game called Life, and int hat game, when you start you decide things like career, kids, and as you roll the dice you see what life hands you, and ill will have to admit, a lot of times in real life, it seems like we are rolling dice to see what life throws at us next.

We don’t have to worry about what tomorrow will bring, we don’t have to worry about what is around the next corner, we can have a hope and security that no matter what it is, our God is in control and that he has a plan.

So we often have wondered what do we have to do to get through life. I don’t know how many of you know who prince is, but he was a popular musician when I was in school. He wrote a song called lets go crazy, in the opening of that song, he points to the fact that we are just trying to make it through life and that there’s something beyond life, there is an afterlife.

I think that is a good way to start a popular secular song. Prince was no different than everyone else, struggling through life while thinking ahead to eternity. that’s really what our text is aobut and ultimately this series is about. What we will see is how Jesus views life, and how we should view life…

Luke 12:34 (CSB)

Luke 12:34 CSB

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

There are 5 things that we need to see…

Our stuff does not define us 15-21

15 He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”

16 Then he told them a parable: “A rich man’s land was very productive. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. 19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” ’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’

21 “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Before we get too deep into this, I think I need to define a word… GREED…greed means wanting more, and more specifically wanting what does not belong to you. the 10 commandments warns us or forbids it. its possession jealousy, it’s a heart problem, and when it goes unchecked in our lives it leads to a bunch of other sins like stealing or even adultery. In the text Jesus says watch out, be on guard, against all greed. And here is why… because our life is not defined by the amount of stuff that we have…

Think about the number of scams that take place, the reason they are so effective is because people are greedy. And we are not taught to be greedy, that comes naturally because of sin nature. Think about a toddler, they don’t like to share. They sound like the sea gulls from finding nemo….mine,mine,mine.

If we guard our hearts against greed and always having to have more, we can protect ourselves form so many things. Get rich quick schemes, pyramid schemes, prosperity gospel. the only reason prosperity preachers and internet scams can do what they do is because so many people think their life is defined by what they have.

Do you know what one of the fastest growing businesses is in the United states? Storage buildings. Why? Because we want what someone else has and we hoard, we have to have a place to keep all of our stuff. So we go out and buy or rent places for our stuff so we can but more stuff and hoard more stuff.

Jesus says that’s crazy thinking. He tells this story of a guy building bigger barns to keep his stuff so he can sit back and live the good life. Some people think the good life is eating drinking and being merry.(19), but here is the problem, when we see Jesus face to face we can’t take our stuff with us and we will have to answer for what we did with what he gave us. It’s a foolish man who thinks he can take his possessions with him. it’s foolish to think our lives are defined by what we have. It’s not what we have that matters, its who has us that matters.

Life is more than food and clothes 22-24

22 Then he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds?

Verse 22 Jesus says don’t worry about your life, your food, your body your clothes. He says your needs are not you life. What he is saying there, is we don’t have to put so much into those areas to have what we need. No one needs 50 pairs of shoes, no one needs 25 purses, no one needs filet and lobster. And a Walmart belt will work just as good as a Gucci belt…What we need is basic necessity. There is nothing wrong with having those things as long as those things don’t have you.

Jesus gives us an illustration in the ravens. The reason you shouldn’t worry about your needs and the reason your life is worth more than your needs, is that you and I are worth more to God than the ravens are. If god takes care of the raves, certainly he will take care of those created in his image.

The world is a cruel place, it will tell you that if you don’t have the best of the best, if you don’t have the finest things then you are worthless. Never judge your life or gods care for you by what you have. You are worth more than your needs, and your life is not determined by what you have.

Life is wasted by worry 25-28

25 Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? 26 If then you’re not able to do even a little thing, why worry about the rest?

27 “Consider how the wildflowers grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. 28 If that’s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he do for you—you of little faith?

You may be saying after that last point, preacher I hear you, but I still have to eat, I still have to put food on the table… I’m sure that’s what some were saying as Jesus said don’t worry about what you are going to eat or wear. Look how Jesus responds in 25 Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? What he is saying is, if you can’t do anything about even the smallest of things, why worry about the rest?

Our world and our lives are full of worry. And the thing is, we are tempted to think that worrying is the same as thinking about or planning or even protecting our selves. The reality is worrying is completely useless when it comes to adding to our lives, worry only takes away…

You are not going to get a better job by worrying, not going to protect our kids by worrying, not going to end war by worrying, not going to change our neighborhood by worrying. Those are all good things that need to be addressed, but not by worrying.

We are not to worry, we are to trust God. think about it this way, every place where we worry is an opportunity to show our faith and trust in God. And again if God takes care of the grass of the field how much more will he take care of those created in his image?

So when it comes to life and when it comes to the worries of life, we have to let go and let God. he will take care of you, he will supply all of your needs

Life should be about seeking God and His kingdom 29-31

29 Don’t strive for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious. 30 For the Gentile world eagerly seeks all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

31 “But seek his kingdom, and these things will be provided for you.

It’s a fascinating thing in our church, when someone has a need, someone meets that need. And we have had some people need some strange things, but it seems those needs are always met by someone looking to help someone else. This a small picture of verse 29-31. When people seek Gods kingdom, God meets their needs in life. God takes care of those who are walking with him. understand, the father knows your needs, and when we seek his will in our lives, he supplies those needs. I’m not talking about your greed’s, I’m talking about your needs.

Many times in church life someone will say to someone else, “if you need anything just let me know”. There is a desire to meet a need but not a knowledge of a specific need. So we can have the desire to help but not a knowledge of how to help. God in all of his infinite wisdom has the desire to help, the knowledge to help, and the power to help. He wants to meet your needs. Long before we ever pray and ask, he knows, even before we know we have a need, he knows, he never leaves us, he never backs away from us, he’s never caught off guard, and there is no need that he cannot supply.

Understand this when it comes to our purpose, we are to seek God and his will for us in the kingdom, not things, not needs, but seek him. you have to understand who the truly needy people are around us. Its people who do not have a relationship with Christ. there is no greater need than the need for salvation. When we seek God in our lives and have a relationship with Christ, not only does our greatest need get met, our lesser needs get met as well.

Understand you can have every possession in the world, finest homes, cars, clothes, meals, and be broke because we don’t have Jesus.

Life’s pleasure pursuit 32-34

32 Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Here is what verse 32 says, the kingdom of God is not like an easter egg hunt, it’s not like a game of hiding seek. You don’t have to search for it and hope you find it, you don’t have to wonder if you will ever find it. the bible says that giving believers the kingdom is a delight for him. that’s what he wants to do. It’s not like how we give sometimes, where we give and later regret giving, or resent giving. It pleases god to give to his children, the bible says if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us and will give us what we ask for. The key is being in the will of God when we ask.

When we come to the realization that when we are in gods will he takes care of our needs the worlds stuff doesn’t have a grip on us anymore. Look at verse 33, we can take life’s possessions and bless those around us because we know the father gives us a kingdom and a treasure that cannot be taken away.

Here is the deal, show me someone who cannot give to others, and I will show you someone who does not believe the Father gives to him…

Show me a person who cannot give and ill show you a person who doubts he has greater riches in heaven. Show me a person who cannot part with their things and ill show you a person who does not believe heavens treasures are better.

V34 says our life follows our treasure!!!! The key to life is to have treasures in heaven.

Conclusion

Big Idea: we do not live for our lives for earthly possessions, , we have life in order to seek and know God.

I think Prince was right, we all struggle through life wondering about the afterlife. That’s another reason we were created, to live forever. To find and enter the kingdom of heaven. How do we do that? It begins with repenting of our sin and turning to Jesus Christ as our savior and lord. God sent his son into this world to save us from coming judgement. He came to pay our sin debt, and to give us his righteousness. Jesus takes our place and so we are made right with God. today have you accepted Jesus as your lord and savior? if not, today is the day that you need to do that.

What about you believer, are you living a life that is completely seeking Gods will for you, and then living that life as a witness to others? If not today is the day to change that. Make that commitment today to live 100% sold out to Jesus.