Category: Luke 12

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Reconciling ourselves with God

Luke

It’s been interesting going through the gospels and looking at the teachings of Jesus, because as I’ve mentioned before, Jesus often repeats what he says, but in different contexts.

In the Sermon on the Mount, he admonished the people to make things right with others as soon as possible. Otherwise, they might get dragged into court and judged, and at that point, it will be too late to make things right. (Matthew 5:25-26)

Jesus basically uses the exact same words here, but this time, he’s using it on a much higher plane. Here, he is not talking about our relationship with others, but with God.

He first criticizes the people because they could tell what the weather would be like by the signs that they saw.

But when the clearest sign of God’s presence was right there in front of them, Jesus Christ himself, they couldn’t recognize him.

Not only that, they were fighting against the very things he was teaching. But in doing so, they were putting themselves at odds with God, and were in very real danger of judgment.

So Jesus told them,

As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. (Luke 12:58-59)

Here Jesus is warning them, “Make your peace with God now. Because if you don’t judgment is coming.”

How about you? Are you at peace with God? There’s only one way: through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

He died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins, and only if we put our trust in him and his work will we be reconciled with God.

And so as the apostle Paul said,

We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

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Luke Luke 12

The fire of the gospel

Luke

Fire can be a terrifying thing, especially in a forest. The speed with which it can spread and the damage it can cause can be incredible. But fire can also do positive things for a forest.

Among other things, fire can remove debris, opening it up to the sunlight, and thus allowing the soil to be nourished.

It also burns up excess underbrush allowing the remaining trees to take in more of the soil’s nutrients, causing them to become stronger.

In addition, it kills insects that prey on trees, and helps rid the forest of diseases.

In short, fire can cleanse and bring life.

Jesus told his disciples,

I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! (Luke 12:49)

What fire was that? Many people debate on the meaning, but I believe it is the fire of the gospel. How was it kindled?

Jesus tells us in the next verse.

But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! (Luke 12:50)

I think it’s pretty clear that the baptism Jesus was referring to was his death.

He makes another reference to this later when James and John ask to be his right hand men in the kingdom (Mark 10:38).

By his death and subsequent resurrection, the fire of the gospel was lit. And like a fire, it spread rapidly, cleansing the souls of people and giving them life, their sins forgiven, and their relationship with God restored.

But Jesus also knew that fire can burn and cause pain. So he warned his disciples as he did once before,

Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.

From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.

They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. (Luke 12:51-53)

The same fire that cleanses is also painful to the touch. And some people don’t want any part of that. When their conscience is singed by the fire of the gospel, they recoil.

Instead of letting it purify them, they run. More, they fight against anyone who tries to bring the gospel into their lives, even members of their own family.

That’s what Jesus is talking about here.

But as much as we may suffer from the rejection we may receive from others, even from members of our own family, remember that Jesus suffered much more when he died on that cross.

So as the writer of Hebrews put it,

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:3)

And let us carry the torch of the gospel forward that it may cleanse and bring life to those it touches.

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Luke Luke 12

Being ready

Luke

Jesus closes up his warnings against hypocrisy, greed, and desiring the things of this world with one last admonition. Be ready for his return.

He told his disciples,

Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.

It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. (Luke 12:35-37)

In other words, we should never be caught unaware when Jesus returns. Our hope should be so set on him, that we are quick to respond to his call when he comes.

I must admit though, that too many times, I am not ready.

It’s so easy to get distracted by the things of this world. And Jesus warns us,

But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk.

The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. (Luke 12:45-46)

We often say that we believe Jesus could come at any time, but do we truly believe it?

How often, without ever voicing it, do we live like Jesus will never come back. And so we start mistreating our brothers and sisters in Christ, gossiping about them, insulting them, and hurting them.

Or we start getting soaked up in the pleasures of this world. Jesus says that if that happens, we will be judged.

He says,

That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.

But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:47-48)

Put another way, the more you know, the more you will be held accountable.

But don’t think that just because you don’t know you can plead ignorance. Jesus makes it clear here that you should have known. That you should have made the effort to find out what he expects.

You may be punished less than the person who knew, but you still will be punished.

But that’s the negative. Jesus also says,

Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?

It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.

I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. (Luke 12:42-44)

If we are faithful, if we are doing the things that God has called us to do when he comes back, we will be rewarded.

How about you? Are you doing the things now that God has called you to do? Are you being faithful? Are you ready?

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Luke Luke 12

Parable of the rich fool: What this life is all about

Luke

What is this life all about?

So many people wander about lost because they don’t know. Often times they search for meaning in money, possessions, and things.

That’s what the man who asked Jesus to judge between he and his brother about their inheritance was worried about.

But Jesus told him,

A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. (Luke 12:15)

He then told all the people,

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.

Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. (Luke 12:22-23)

Why does he say this? For two reasons.

First, life is far more than food, clothes, or anything else you can buy in this world. These things are temporary. They are here one moment and gone the next.

And while buying these things may satisfy your stomach or your heart for a time, eventually, you start to hunger for more.

In other words, the things of this world will never truly satisfy. It always leaves you longing for more.

But second, God cares about you. He knows what you need, and if you will put him first, he will provide for you.

And if that’s the case, shouldn’t we put our priority on other things? What then is life about? God’s kingdom.

What is God’s kingdom? It’s people. People for whom Jesus died. People whom God desperately desires a relationship with. And that’s where our focus should be.

When we see people in physical need, we should do our best to meet those needs. To love these people more than our own money, giving generously as God gave to us, and in so doing, storing up a treasure in heaven that will never be exhausted.

But even more importantly, we need to see their spiritual needs and reach out to them with the love of Christ.

God has given us his kingdom. He’s given us his Son that our sins might be forgiven. He has adopted us as his children.

So let us not waste time chasing things that are temporal. Let us chase what is eternal. Let us pursue our relationship with the God who loves us, and reach out with his love to those around us that they may know him too.

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Luke Luke 12

When our time comes

Luke

Our life is fragile. And in an instant, it can be taken from us. Whether it be in a car accident, an earthquake, or whatever it may be.

And on that day, when we see God, what will he say to us?

Jesus was asked by a man to make his brother divide the family inheritance.

Apparently, there was some dispute on how it should be divided, but the main point was, the man was in love with money.

Perhaps his father was rich, and for years, he had dreamed of the money he would inherit when his father died. But when that day came, he found himself on the short end of the stick, and all his dreams of comfort and luxury were dashed.

And so he came up to Jesus to try to rectify the situation.

But Jesus quickly rebuffed him, saying,

Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you? (Luke 12:14)

In short, “Forget it.”

And then Jesus gave the second warning in this chapter.

Earlier he had given a severe warning about hypocrisy. Now he warns us against greed, saying,

Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. (Luke 12:15)

What was he telling the man? Life isn’t all about things, and the comfort and luxury they might bring.

He then told a story about a man whose life was all about money and luxury. He had had a very successful crop one year, and wondered what to do with it.

He could have given some to feed the poor. He could have used his profit to help others in need. But instead, he had only one thought: Himself.

He said,

This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” (Luke 12:18-19)

That’s the dream of a lot of people. Retire early, and then live for themselves. Eat, drink, and be merry!

But God told the man,

You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself. (Luke 12:20)

And Jesus said,

This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:21)

So we get back to my original question. When your time comes, what will God say to you? Will he say, “You fool. You totally wasted your life on things that were not important.”

Or will he say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

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Luke Luke 12

Undercover Christian

Luke

I remember hearing a comedy sketch one time about an “undercover Christian.” Someone for whom his faith was “a personal thing.” Something he kept to himself.

But Jesus has another word for an undercover Christian: a hypocrite. An actor.

Someone who when he walks in the “Christian world,” talks and acts like a Christian. But when he gets out in the secular world, pretends that he doesn’t know Christ at all.

But Jesus says in this passage, sooner or later, your “secret” will get out.

I heard a story of an undercover Christian here in Japan.

He prayed to receive the Lord, but was afraid of what his parents would say. And so he determined to “show his love” for his parents by continuing to offer incense and praying at the Buddhist altar in his parent’s house.

But his secret got out. And when it did, his father went ballistic. He said, “You’ve been a Christian all this time, and you continued to do these things at the Buddhist ceremonies? What kind of Christian are you?”

Instead of “enhancing” his witness by “showing his love,” it greatly damaged it.

Jesus said,

I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.

But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8-9)

Does this mean that if we’ve ever disowned Jesus before others, that we’ve lost our salvation? No. Peter, remember, disowned Jesus three times in a time of weakness.

I remember as a junior high school and high school student also denying my faith, or at least, being silent about it, even when being asked point blank about it.

But we cannot consistently deny Christ before others and still call ourselves Christians. Either you are a Christian, and you proclaim that fact before others, or you’re not.

One of the main points of baptism is to make that proclamation. To tell the world who you belong to now. And if you refuse to do that, can you really call yourself a Christian?

Let us not be undercover Christians. Instead, let us proclaim him who died for us and rose again.

Some will reject us if we do.

But others will find the joy that we ourselves have found.

Isn’t that worth it?

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Luke Luke 12

Fear, fear not

Luke

Just a brief note concerning this blog: for the teachings of Jesus, if he repeated things (as he often did), I may or may not comment on the things he repeated, depending on if God brings something new to light in my own heart.

In most cases, if the same teaching is repeated, it should have been noted in previous blogs in the title.

As I look at this passage though, something does strike me. Three words: Fear. Fear not. Jesus said,

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.

But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. (Luke 12:4-5)

In other words, “Fear God, not people. People, at worst, can kill you. But God has the power to throw you into hell. Physical death comes in an instant. But spiritual death is forever.”

Does this mean that we are to live in utter terror that God is just waiting to nail us every time we fail? That he takes pleasure in throwing us into hell?

No. For Jesus also tells us,

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7)

I think there are two things about God’s character that we always need to keep in balance. First, his holiness. Second, his love.

Too often, people focus on the latter while trying to forget the former.

But throughout the Bible, whenever people first see God in his glory, it is always his holiness they see first. And not only his holiness, but their own unholiness.

The result? Fear. Fear because they know they deserve punishment. Fear because they know they don’t even deserve to live.

But the second thing they always see is his love. And time and again, the first words that come out of God’s mouth is, “Fear not.”

Jesus shows us the same thing here.

First he tells us to fear God. God is holy. And his holiness demands that sin be dealt with. Anyone who doesn’t come before God and deal with his sin here on earth, will have his sin dealt with in hell later.

But that’s not God’s desire. He truly does care for us. He wants the best for us. We are not just one of billions of people to him. He knows each of us by name, and every detail about us.

He cared so much for you that he was willing to send his Son to die for your sin. And even if you were the only person who had ever sinned, Jesus still would have died for you.

And when we truly realize that, our initial fear turns into overwhelming love for him.

We no longer need to live in fear of God or anyone else. Because if we have put our trust in him, no matter what happens to us here on earth, our future is secure in heaven.

So let us remember the words of John who wrote,

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.

The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:16-19)

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Luke Luke 12

Hypocrisy

Luke

It’s interesting to me how Jesus used the same illustrations to bring out different points. This passage is an example.

Earlier, when he had sent his twelve disciples out, he talked about how everything concealed would be revealed, and how all that was hidden would be made known.

There were many things that he had taught the disciples in private that the multitudes did not have access to. But he was telling them that this was not to be the case forever.

Instead, he told them that what he had taught them in the darkness, they were to bring into the light. And that which he whispered in their ears, they were to proclaim from the rooftops. (Matthew 10:26-27).

Now Jesus uses these same pictures in a different context. He told his disciples,

Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. (Luke 12:1)

He then told them that while they may hide what is in their hearts, it eventually would be revealed.

The things that they said in the darkness, thinking that no one heard, would be heard in the daylight. And the secret things they had whispered would be shouted out from the rooftops.

In short, you can play being the good Christian, but if there is hypocrisy in your heart, if you are saying one thing, but living another, it will come out sooner or later, either on earth or in heaven.

So let us not simply play at being righteous. Let us be honest before God and others. Because if we aren’t, the truth will come out, and we will be revealed for what we really are.

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Sermon on the Mount: Worry

The gospels

This is one of those passages that I know in my head, but I don’t know if it has truly sunk into my heart. In fact, I’m pretty sure it hasn’t.

I know because I still worry about stuff, most recently about my job and my finances.

So when I read this, my mind says, “That makes sense. God takes care of the birds. He takes care of the flowers of the field. Surely he will take care of me.”

And yet, I still find myself worrying about things. How can I save more money? Will I be able to get a better job?

While some things I worry about are to a degree controllable, other things are, at least to some degree, not.

So again, my mind says, “You’ve done what you can. Now leave it in God’s hands. Be at peace.”

But my heart wars against it and continues to worry.

I can just hear Jesus speaking to me, “O you of little faith! The world runs after these things, but don’t you know that your Father cares about you? Don’t you know he’ll take care of your needs?

So take your eyes off these things and put it on him. If you do, if you seek him and his kingdom above all things, he will take care of you.”

To be honest, because I struggle with this so much, all I can think of to do is to pray. Please feel free to join me.

Father, you said that you love me. That you care for me. I do believe it. But Lord increase my faith. I have so little of it, and that’s why I worry so much.

But Lord, you have been faithful to me in the past. I have no real reason to doubt you. Why do I doubt you now?

Lord, help me to get my eyes off of my worries, and on to you, that “all things that surround [may] become shadows in the light of you.”

You are the only true reality. Help me to focus on you. And to trust. In Jesus name, amen.