Luke Chapter 12

Luk 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trod one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

The leaven of hypocrisy. It doesn't matter if our pastors, our teachers, our neighbors, and our friends think we are moral upright holy Christians; what matters is that God sees us that way. We can look the part, act the part but God sees the depth of our hearts. We need to strive to be honest before God and man. The Pharisees were religious, pious, and appeared to be righteous. They made a big show of keeping the law without fault. If you could see in the depths of their hearts though, you would see that they were full of jealousy, hatred, pretense and lacked mercy. Outward religion is vain if the inner man is full of evil. So much evil has been done throughout the centuries because of outward religion that lost its love and compassion.

We must remember that Jesus came to save the lost, the unloved, the scum, and the prisoner. That poor child in the slums is just as important to God as the rich man's child. When any church forgets this, they are doomed to be only an outward religious institution that is dead, boring and dry as dust.

In saying this however, I must emphasis that yes, we should have compassion and much mercy but that should not cause us to agree with sin, compromise sin and forsake the word of God. The old devil tries to get us one way or the other. We can have so much love and compassion on people that we forget to bring them to repentance and a changed life. In reality, that is agreeing with their sin and it is not true compassion. ON the other hand we can be so strict, religious and strait-laced that we despise sinners instead of helping them find Jesus Christ. We need to have balance and not forsake one for the other.

Luk 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
Luk 12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

If we remember that God sees and hears everything we say and do, perhaps our behavior would improve. In fact, a place that has much sin and lawlessness is a place that has lost its fear of God.

Luk 12:4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Luk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

We are to fear God not man.

Luk 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Luk 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

If we are right with God, we are not to fear the things in this life that pop up to harm us but to only fear God.

Luk 12:8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
Luk 12:9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

This is very important to understand. When we pray, give and do religious works, we are not to do it to be seen of men for our own glory. However, when it comes to sharing the gospel or confessing that we know Jesus Christ, it must be openly before all and without shame. If we want God to acknowledge us, we must publicly acknowledge Him. While we are to pray in secret we are to confess Him before all.

Luk 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

This may be a continuation of the message in the previous chapter, Luke 11, where the Pharisees accused Jesus of doing works for the devil. This is a very dangerous thing to do and in this we must be careful not to accuse people who seem to be doing mighty things for God. If they are for God, leave them alone and let God decide whether they are good or evil. We must warn against false doctrines and make sure we teach truth but we must be careful not to get into false accusations.

Luk 12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
Luk 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

If we are walking in the Spirit, we don't have to worry about what to speak because God is there with us to help in all things.

Luk 12:13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
Luk 12:14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

We sometimes worry about this type of thing but when we live and walk in Jesus Christ, we are not to be concerned about material things and inheritances. Our treasure is to be in heaven and our love in God. Things in this life are to be used as necessary but we are not to set our hearts upon them. When we come to Christ our priorities should be different and our trust should be in Him completely.  How many of us could trust God and walk away with this attitude?

Suppose a rich father died and his children were fighting over the inheritance.  One who trusts God completely walks away with the attitude that if God thinks I need any of the things my father left, He will see that I get them.  He then thinks no more on it but gets back to the matters that counts while leaving his siblings to fight.  I know this is hard and most of us could not do this but this is the attitude we should have. 

Luk 12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luk 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
Luk 12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
Luk 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
Luk 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Does this sound like Jesus preached the modern day prosperity doctrine? We are not to let these things consume our minds but to trust in God.

Luk 12:22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
Luk 12:23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Luk 12:24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
Luk 12:25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
Luk 12:26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Luk 12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Luk 12:28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Luk 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
Luk 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
Luk 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

This should be a chapter of comfort if ever there was one. Seek first the kingdom of God and all we need shall be added to us. Some in this life and some in the next but we shall not suffer loss of anything that was worth having.

Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

We see hear that Jesus may be talking of what we receive in the kingdom to come and we are not to be seeking treasure in this life but trust Him for necessary things. This teaching is crucial to us as Christians that we don't take this message too far one way or another. Some have thought that Jesus meant that if we seek Him first, we can get rich now. Some have taken it to mean that our pastors should live like hermits and not have anything nice. Lets try to take the word of God for what it says and not add to or take away the true meaning. If any of us lack understanding, God will show us.

Luk 12:33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
Luk 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

I can't say this better than the Lord said it. Where our treasure is, our heart will be. This is the very opposite of the prosperity doctrine.

Luk 12:35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
Luk 12:36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
Luk 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
Luk 12:38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
Luk 12:39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Luk 12:40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Live every day just as if the Lord were coming today.

Luk 12:41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
Luk 12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Luk 12:43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Luk 12:44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
Luk 12:45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
Luk 12:46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

The Lord will come when we think He is not coming.

Luk 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

We can live everyday in the Lord's will.

Luk 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Luk 12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
Luk 12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
Luk 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

They that choose to live godly and obey God in all things will be at odds against those that do not want to live that way. It does cause division. I know Jesus wants us to have love and unity but that doesn't mean that we compromise His word in any way. At times our stand for truth will cause division because the world does not see things as one who believes sees it.

Luk 12:52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
Luk 12:53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

God requires us to choose to follow Him instead of following the will of our friends and family. If we put family first, we are not worthy of Him.  If we care about what our friends think and we hold back our obedience to God, we are not worthy of Him. 

Luk 12:54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
Luk 12:55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
Luk 12:56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
Luk 12:57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
Luk 12:58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.
Luk 12:59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

God will show us the right way to do things if we seek Him, ask Him and believe that He will give us wisdom. We don't have to grope about in darkness and not know what is right. We are to judge righteously. Try to make friends and treat people fairly being a good example of holiness, however when it comes to choosing to fear God or fear the opinions of man, we must fear God.

Luke 13

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