Luke 12

Much of this chapter are not abut the the blessings of the coming kingdom, but as time draws short, the focus of the recorded events are about alerting or warning the followers. Wake up- things are becoming more perilous.

The Jewish term for preaching is “Charaz” which means “stringing pearls”. They are individual nuggets and they are not as closely or tightly connected as typical of today’s preaching which often has an overall theme with 4 or 5 main points. This chapter is an example of the pearl analogy.

OOOOOOOOO Luke 12:1–3 (HCSB) Beware of Religious Hypocrisy

12 In these circumstances, a crowd of many thousands came together, so that they were trampling on one another. He began to say to His disciples first: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known. 3 Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Things are tending to increase and amplify. The crowds are building, the interest is spreading throughout the region. Jerusalem is monitoring the teachings and reactions.The scribes and Pharisees are working together to entrap Jesus. Watching every word to see what can be used for evidence. And now the crowds are in the thousands- so many that they are stepping on one another.

This is a continuation of the conversation before. Her Jesus first tells his disciples and then addresses the crow.

What are the tactics used by the Pharisees? Is it threats of torture, or intimidation towards the crowds or Jesus’s groups? Jesus warns them that hypocrisy is the tactic to be on guard against. Jesus calls this yeast. This was a description

that was used to describe sin in other sections. But yeast works unseen, quietly and permeates everything.So one picture is displayed or claimed to be true, but in reality the true nature contradicts the appearance.

Jesus, who is one portion of a just God, says that everything will be revealed . Nothing whispered in darkness will remain vanquished by the coming light. What has been whispered from one to another will be proclaimed in public. Gossip woks in the same way in that it is whispered, and often is disguised as concern for a person but it carries with it poison. Even private conversations will be made known- kind of lie Facebook indiscretions [sins].

The hypocrite can lie to himself or even to God, because he thinks that his motives will be kept hidden. The heart of hypocrisy is insincerity. While one thing is presented, the actual work behind the scene may be completely opposite.

This is not some rhetorical flaw or bad manners, but can also refer to those things that will lead to accusations and charges made in the final judgment.

OOOOOOOOO Luke 12:4–7 (HCSB) Fear God

4 “And I say to you, My friends, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. 5 But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! 6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. 7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! Jesus tells them, his friends not to be afraid even though they might kill them, instead revere the One who has power and authority beyond death. He reemphasizes by repeating , Yes this one who is beyond death the one who is to be revered. Fear the one who can throw you into eternal punishment.

And this One knows the situations of every sparrow. and the details of every hair on your head. Don’t you know that you are much greater than this small things, yet God knows about the smallest things and you are held in much higher regard than those things.

It was said about John Knox as he was being lowered into his grave. “Here lies one who feared God so much that he never feared the face of man.”

The point: be fearless- you are never lost to God in the crowd. Don’t worry about other people or your needs. Revere God only.

OOOOOOOOO Luke 12:8–12 (HCSB) Acknowledging Christ

8 “And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God, 9 but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 Anyone 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. 11 Whenever they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how you should defend yourselves or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said.”

Three reasons are offered to encourage disciples to confess Christ: one, there is “the principle of reciprocity”—that is, if we desire Christ to confess us (acknowledge us as rightfully belonging in heaven—before the angels 12:8b) we must confess Him before men (12:8–9). Two, there is the problem of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (12:10). This appears to be a case of willfully denying the revealed truth about Christ—that is, unbelief. A “permanent rejection” (cf. Bock, Luke, 1143) of the Spirit-revealed truth will not be—indeed cannot be—forgiven. Third, Jesus encouraged His friends to confess Him before men by reminding them of the promise of the Holy Spirit (12:11–12).

Back again to you reap what you sow. Deny Jesus, then Jesus will deny you.

Many saints have been frightened that they have committed the unforgivable sin.

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....one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. The Holy Spirit is the power which endows the words of the gospel as proclaimed by Jesus, in the word, by the disciples, or by the saints. The blessing and the acceptance of God’s truth is enabled by the Holy Spirit accompanying those messages. If you deny this empowerment from God, then you have gone against God. Denying the purpose and the source of the words, you have changed the words into profane human utterances and denied the truth of God.

The Jews thought of the spirit helped men to understand God’s truth. By repeatedly denying the spirit a person becomes calloused, hardened. We can become unable to understand or see God, nor determine good from evil. And then the next stage can be complete denial. Without acknowledging God, or good from evil there can be no repentance and without that they cannot ever get close to God. Without repentance there cannot be forgiveness from God.

The scribes and Pharisees were unable to hear from God or see him under the heaps of laws, rules, and their concealing hypocrisy.

In practical terms or worldly effect, without the Holy Spirit you cannot understand and thereby accept Jesus nor his teachings. Without the personal conviction enabled by the Spirit endorsed words, you are unable to be saved.

God has said you are for me or against me. If you deny the Holy Spirit and the gospel delivered through Him, then you will be denied before the judgement of angels. You might deny Jesus before men, but to deny the Holy Spirit and his message denies God before God. Reference Matthew 10:32–33 (HCSB)32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. In denying Jesus there is the possibility of repentance. If you deny the wooing by the Spirit, you will not , you cannot repent. You have essentially turned off the affect of God’s persuasion.

But when you are brought before men [ synagogues, authorities] don’t fret. The holy Spirit will teach you right then and there about what to say in your defence. You don’t have to study or prepare because in that very hour of need and pressure, the Holy Spirit will be the lawyer on your case. You will testify according to his instructions.

The Holy Spirit will be active in your moments of needing help and your looking to him for your help.

OOOOOOOOO Luke 12:13–21 (HCSB)

13 Someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 “Friend,” He said to him, “who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 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.”

Then some guy hollers out and asks Jesus to settle a personal family matter- he is asking God himself to intervene as his own private litigator for his estate. This man addresses the creator of the universe with his minor concern. He only sees himself. There was a saying about a self-centered young lady names Edith. “Edith lived in a little worlds, bounded on the north, south, east, and west by Edith”

Jesus addresses the the man along with the crowd and gets to the core problem. Jesus addresses the root problem: greed. In this case it was about his wealth. The Romans had a proverb which said that money was like sea water, the more a man drinks, the thirstier he becomes.

Greed can draw you away. Greed cannot be satiated. Greed can replace God as your objective. 1 John 5:20–21 (HCSB)21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Greed is just one more face of the world which rises up to replace God.

Don’t clamber in strife for more wordly trinkets and wealth. He goes on with the parable about a guy who finally made it in the world and he had such a surplus. What do I do to keep all that I have, even that which I don’t need? Now that I’m retired I can finally enjoy things. I have sacrificed my dreams, many family needs, my allotted time to get to the point that I can now afford joy. Each step in my life’s journey could have been in the continual steps of the joy of the Lord rather than the empty temptations from chasing the worlds rewards.

Not so fast-for tonight you are dying. After these few remaining minutes of your life, who will own all that you posses? A story about the conversation between an old guy and a young, ambitious man. The young man said “ I will learn my trade”. “And then”, said the old man.

“ I will set up my business”, said the young man. “ And then?” said the wiser old man.

“ I will make my fortune”. responded the young man. “And then?’ questioned the old man.

“ I will grow old and wealthy and then retire”. “And then”, questioned the old man.

“ I suppose that I will die someday” said the young man. “ And then”? said the old man.

If your treasure is not God, if your measure of worth is not God, then who will eventually own it. All that you have worked for, sacrificed for, yearned for over the years for will be forfeited immediately to another after those final seconds of your remaining life. If your objective is only this momentary world of trinkets, then you have missed the eternal wealth of the kingdom.

OOOOOOOOO Luke 12:22–34 (HCSB) The Cure for Anxiety

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? 25 Can any of you add a cubit to his height 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? 29 Don’t keep striving 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. 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.

The Jesus turns from the crowd and gives an enhanced teaching to his disciples. Therefore= since your worldly possession are fleeting and worthless- turn to God. He gives your daily provision and a provision that is fulfilling, beautiful, and good. Don’t waste your time running after worthless, prizes found in a box of Cracker Jacks.

All the stress, wear and tear of worldly desires gives only a hint of beauty of luxury. The real luxury and beauty and joy comes from the kingdom of God; not the world of the unbeliever.

The unbeliever tires himself out by his vain pursuit of fulfillment. Don’t allow your wealth to steal your joy. Heaven is will never be depleted, it it completely secure, and no one nor nothing can erode or steal your greatest treasure.

31 “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you. Get your priorities straight- no replace your priority. The kingdom is not a competing priority over other things, but it is always the priority above all things.

But if you pursue worthless things and put your hope for security in these things, then your heart will follow the treasure you have selected. Your heart will become deceived, hardened, lost if you lose sight of the kingdom.

OOOOOOOOO Luke 12:35–40 (HCSB)Be Ready for the Master’s Return

35 “Be ready for service and have your lamps lit. 36 You must be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once. 37 Those slaves the master will find alert when he comes will be blessed. I assure you: He will get ready, have them recline at the table, then come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the middle of the night, or even near dawn, and finds them alert, those slaves are blessed. 39 But know this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

Jesus continues in his teaching about how you should expend your efforts. He provides a parable of the servant who waits for the return of his master from the wedding banquet. The typical lamp in the middle east was a wick floating spouted bowl filled with oil. Continual effort and attention was needed to replenish the oil, and the wick had to be trimmed. And in the case of the wedding feast knoone knew the exct time of the masters return, so you must be ever ready. Your effors are required continually; don’t stop until your duties cease.

You are like those servants - you don’t know when the Son of man will come. Rembeber that the Son of man had not yet left, so this was probably not clear in their minds. There is some confusion and it is questioned in the next verse.

OOOOOOOOO Luke 12:41–48 (HCSB) Rewards and Punishment

41 “Lord,” Peter asked, “are You telling this parable to us or to everyone?”

42 The Lord said: “Who then is the faithful and sensible manager his master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their allotted food at the proper time? 43 That slave whose master finds him working when he comes will be rewarded. 44 I tell you the truth: He will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and starts to beat the male and female slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 that slave’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47 And that slave who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten. 48 But the one who did not know and did things deserving of blows will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.

There is a subtle shift in Jesus preceeding statement. Jesus was addressing the disciples already, but Peter is still a step behind. And wants to know who this is addressed to. Jesus does not specifically answer Peter’s question.

Jesus now does not anser about the readiness of the slaves, but Jesus references the manager of the slaves. If the manager abuses the household slaves and eats and drinks the master’s reserves then he is at risk. He doen’st know when the master will returen. But the manager knew what was expected of him- he knew how he was supposed to act. Because he knew his job and intentionally did not do it, he will be severley punished. The one who didn’t know what he was to do will be reprimanded or punished to a lesser degeree than the manager. ...Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more. The mature saint, the prophet, the pastor, the teacher will be held to a higher standard as well as be subject to sterner punishment for dereliction of duty. A policeman or soldier is held to a higher standard of behaviour than others. He is to be braver, and calmer in a crisis. Those who knw aer expected to abide in what they know. The ignorant will be accountable, but not to the dame degree.

OOOOOOOOO Luke 12:49–53 (HCSB) Not Peace but Division

49 “I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already set ablaze! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how it consumes Me until it is finished! 51 Do you think that I came here to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52 From now on, five in one household will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

53 They will be divided, father against son,

son against father,

mother against daughter,

daughter against mother,

mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law,

and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

OOOOOOOOO Luke 12:54–56 (HCSB) Interpreting the Time

54 He also said to the crowds: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, right away you say, ‘A storm is coming,’ and so it does. 55 And when the south wind is blowing, you say, ‘It’s going to be a scorcher!’ and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don’t you know how to interpret this time?

OOOOOOOOO Luke 12:57–59 (HCSB) Settling Accounts

57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your adversary to the ruler, make an effort to settle with him on the way. Then he won’t drag you before the judge, the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last cent.”