Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture Reading

​Luke 12:13–21

Introduction

This morning in our study in Luke’s Gospel, we find an attempt by a particular man that was in the crowds listening to Jesus attempting to distract Jesus from His main purpose and mission in this world.

For the last while, we’ve been looking together at Jesus’ interactions with the various groups of religious leaders.

We’ve also looked at the cautions that Jesus gave to his disciples against the kind of religion that was prevalent in that day - one that was very self-centred and relied on a religious superiority in order to win favour with God.

But this morning we come to the first to two immediate texts that deal with the issue of finances, and in light of that, a question of priorities.

In particular, we will see how Jesus addresses the hearts of people and the priorities of people in terms of their approach and responses to financial situations.

As Jesus responds to this circumstance that arises in our text this morning, we will find that he addresses the weightiness of Gospel involvement and Gospel generosity, even in light of a perceived injustice.

In the text that we will Lord-willing consider next week, he will address the matter of Gospel generosity and priority, even in the context of a perceived lack of financial provision.

This is always a somewhat sensitive topic… But it is a very important topic, especially for us as Christians as we consider our manner of life in this world.

It is a matter that is very important, because very often our approach to finances and our response to our present financial situation can be a good indicator of where our priorities lie, and where our trust lies.

So, let us consider this passage together...

The first main point that I would like us to note from this text is...

1.

A Passion for Self (vv.13-15)

The scenario is introduced to us in verse 13…

​Luke 12:13

The crowd that is in mind here is that large crowd that was gathered to listen to Jesus after he had left the house of the Pharisee.

It was the crowd that was gathering around Jesus as He spoke to his disciples and warned them about the yeast of the Pharisees, which was hypocrisy.

Now, one of the people from the crowd, hears a break in Jesus words’, and decides to use this as an opportune time to bring a personal request to Jesus that would call upon Jesus to weigh in and act as an arbitrator between him and his brother in a dispute that they have over an inheritance handed down.

“Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me,” says the man to Jesus.

We are not given precise details in this instance as to the nature of the man’s concern.

In that day, the inheritance would usually be divided up among the sons of a deceased father, with a double portion going to the eldest brother.

From the complaint that is given in this instance, it’s possible that this was a younger brother, and he had not received his share of the inheritance.

Alternatively, it was the older brother complaining here, and the inheritance had gone to the younger brother, without him receiving his double portion.

Either way, the reality is that there was some unhappiness that justice had not been carried out.

And this man approaches Jesus in order to ask for help in resolving this perceived injustice.

Keep in mind that it was a common occurrence in those days for people to approach Rabbis in order to try and assist in these matters, and Jesus was well-known as a Rabbi, or teacher.

That’s probably the reason that this man approaches Jesus.

Two things that I would like to point out in this regard at this stage.

Firstly, the sheer impossibility for Jesus to weigh in on every dispute of every person.

There were literally thousands of people crowding around Jesus, trampling on each other in order to get to him, and now this man wants Jesus to focus his attention on him and help him to settle a dispute.

I think we can immediately get a sense of how selfish this man was being.

But further to this, we must keep in mind the context in terms of all that Jesus has been teaching.

He had been confronting the religious leaders, telling them that they were hypocrites, to the extent that they wanted to put him to death.

In light of this, he had taught the crowds not to fear men, but rather to fear God in obeying the Messiah, even though that would mean facing the rulers and authorities, and perhaps even being put to death.

There was an urgent mission on hand, and Christ was proclaiming the Gospel and the importance of it, and here comes this man and says, “Hey, can you just pause what you’re doing over here, and come and settle this inheritance dispute that we’re having here.”

It really was a little absurd.

In light of all that Jesus was teaching, and the weightiness of His words, all this man could concern himself over was his inheritance.

But friends, we must see the significance of this in terms of application for ourselves.

We come to church, and we listen to the Gospel being proclaimed.

We hear about the great sacrifices made to redeem sinners.

We hear that the very Son of God was put to death so that I could be saved, and live a new life in freedom from sin, that I would not be under the just wrath of God.

And then we walk out and start worrying about such petty things.

We’re consumed by the worries of this world, rather than profoundly moved by that which is of eternal significance.

It’s in light of this, that we see a very strong response from Jesus in verse 14…

​Luke 12:14

Christ will not allow himself to be dragged into this man’s concern and so become distracted from His work of Gospel proclamation, saving sinners.

He will not even become distracted for the perceived injusticeover an inheritance.

It was not that this man didn’t have a case to be settled.

But there were other places to and have the case settled.

They would have had courts that they could go to in order to settle their disputes.

But clearly, Jesus knew what was in this man’s heart, and he knew that his mission here was not to deal with squabbles over an inheritance.

There was a higher priority work to be done.

But we must also not lose sight of the fact that Jesus knew the hearts of men.

He knew where this man’s priority was.

It was evident of the selfish request that was brought.

But Jesus also knew the hearts of men, and that they are so quickly drawn to placing trust and putting emphasis on the wrong places.

We must consider our own hearts in light of this.

Our natural and general tendency as people is to place a priority on riches, and to place our trust in riches, and to look for satisfaction in the things of the world, rather than to place a top priority, a first importance in the Gospel work of Jesus Christ.

We look to find a sense of security in what we have, and what our bank balance looks like.

We often think that if we have abundance of riches, well then we’ll have so much less to be concerned about.

We think that the more we have the happier we’ll be, and the more freely we’ll be able to serve Jesus.

This is a natural tendency, and Christ knows the proclivity of the heart of man towards sin, particularly as it relates to financial matters.

This was indeed a matter of justice or injustice if this inheritance was not correctly apportioned.

However, there was something far more important that needed to be dealt with here.

There was something that was of far greater priority.

Going further, having essentially told this man that he will not get involved in this personal dispute, he goes on to give a warning, both to this man, and to the crowds around him.

​Luke 12:15

Here is another warning that Jesus gives to the crowds.

He already warned them previously to be on their guard against the yeast of the Pharisees.

The natural tendency of man within that context was to create a self-centred religion, and to try to earn one’s salvation.

To do good works in order to please God.

In this case, the warning is against greed.

Notice the force of the words of Christ… “Watch Out!!” It is a strong warning to the man that he is in a dangerous place.

It is a strong warning to the crowds listening that they must guard themselves against greed.

Likewise, it is a strong warning to us today to guard our own hearts.

The man that approached Jesus was motivated by greed.

Thus, the warning from Jesus is against greed.

“Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.”

The word that Jesus uses here to convey this to the crowds refers to a continual longing for more.

It is when a man wants more and more and more continually and is not satisfied with what he has.

We must see also that he speaks about all kinds of greed.

What are these all kinds of greed that he speaks of?

Greed for more wealth.

Greed for greater status.

Greed for more respect and honor from people.

Greed for anything within this world.

The fact is that the heart of man tends to be greedy for things in this world.

Listen to some Scriptures that point this out for us.

Solomon wrote a fair deal on this in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Keep in mind as we read these verses that Solomon was a man with great wealth and he had experienced what was to have much.

And yet, as he lived his life, you realize that there was a lack of meaning in this abundance in and of itself.

The constant refrain from Solomon through the book of Ecclesiastes is, “vanity, vanity, all is vanty…”

The point that I wish to make from this is simply the fact that the heart of man tends to not be satisfied with what he has.

As we look at the world around us, as we consider what the people around us have and enjoy, we have a tendency to be jealous or to covet what they have.

Very often we will couch this in very reasonable language.

But beyond this, even if we’re not jealous, we can tend to place a priority on this world, rather than on the Gospel of the kingdom of Christ.

We’re more concerned for justice and our rights being done, than in Christ’s name being glorified and honoured and hallowed in the world.

Let us be sure that we will never acknowledge that we are greedy from our own side.