Upwards Church

Today Jesus teaches us how loving actions should trump religious rules.  He goes on tell us how to have humility and how to help those who can not pay us back.   Jesus then tells the story of the Great Feast which represents God’s invitation to the whole world who mostly responds to his invitation with excuses.  Lastly he concludes by sharing the cost of discipleship.  Great reading!

 Jesus Heals a Man with Swollen Limbs / 14:1-6

 In the face of repeated miracles, the Pharisees stood stone-faced. They did not rejoice with the healed man; instead, they accused and condemned Jesus, for having compassion and doing good.

14:1-3 A leader of the Pharisees invited Jesus to his home, but the people were watching Jesus closely. It may be surprising to see Jesus on the Pharisees’ turf after he had denounced them so many times. Perhaps this Pharisee actually wanted to learn from Jesus or was interested in a discussion with him. But the fact that Jesus was being watched seems to reveal that the religious leaders were hoping to trip up Jesus. Because it was another Sabbath, perhaps they again hoped to find Jesus violating their Sabbath rules, for it seems quite suspicious that a man was there in front of Jesus whose arms and legs were swollen. This certainly makes one wonder if this man were not there on purpose—as if planted by the religious leaders so they could again catch Jesus in the act of healing on the Sabbath. It is also possible that the man was an outsider who came in near Jesus, as had the woman who had anointed Jesus’ feet at another Pharisee’s house (7:37-38). Also called “dropsy,” this disease had an abnormal accumulation of fluid in bodily tissues and cavities causing swelling.

Jesus knew what his “watchers” were thinking, so he asked them the question that had caused friction between him and them before, “Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?” (For more on Sabbath healings, see commentary on 6:1-9; 13:10-17.)

14:4-6 The religious leaders refused to answer Jesus’ question. Why didn’t they explain that it was not lawful and then patiently tell him why? Because they knew Jesus would heal the man and because they were hoping to use it against him. The men had no more concern for their rules at this moment than Jesus did. The rules did not serve the purpose, so they refused to answer. So Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. Jesus explained that when it served their purposes, these religious leaders did work on the Sabbath. They could go pull a son or a cow out of a pit if need be, but they were ready to condemn Jesus for touching a man and healing him from a disease. Jesus pointed this out to them, but they had no answer.

• LIFE APPLICATION – SORTING RIGHT FROM WRONG
• Sometimes matters of right and wrong can get appear complicated, as they had become concerning the Sabbath rules the Pharisees had made. Jesus cut through all the complications with a simple appeal to love. 
• Is your faith in gridlock (like the Pharisees) because of overlapping and conflicting regulations that hardly seem to make sense? With each action ask yourself—what does love require?
• Love will always respect God’s rules (the Ten Commandments, for example) and will always serve people’s best interests. Often a simple appeal to love will cut through the fog and clarify a plan of action.

 Jesus Teaches about Seeking Honor / 14:7-14

Jesus wasn’t one to mince words; he didn’t wait for a discreet time to teach and preach. In the midst of his enemies (the Pharisees were carefully watching him to see if they could trap him in any way), Jesus warns them of their arrogance.

• LIFE APPLICATION – SEEKING HONOR
• Here’s practical advice on avoiding embarrassment and practicing the love that serves others:  Direct your ambition for honor toward someone else’s gain. Then if honor comes to you, it will not be due to self-promotion.

14:7-9 In Jesus’ day, Jewish custom at a dinner was to arrange couches in a U shape with a low table in front of them. Guests reclined on the left elbow, and they would be seated according to status, with the place of honor being the seat at the center of the U. The seats would decline in status the farther away from that seat of honor. If arrivals had placed themselves in the best seat and then someone more respected arrived, they would be asked to move to lower seats. By then, the only seat that would still be open would be at the foot of the table.

This may seem like an odd bit of social manners given by Jesus, but his meaning went much deeper. This wedding feast pictures the Messiah’s Kingdom. Those who seek honor for themselves will be disgraced. Jesus explains that honor cannot be taken, it must be given by God. He will not honor those who seek to honor themselves.

•  LIFE APPLICATION – TRULY HUMBLE
• Who are those who exalt themselves? They are the arrogant people. They’re the ones who, in any group of people, would rather talk than listen, dominating the conversation with their own thoughts and ideas. They consistently think everyone else is far less intelligent than they are. They treat people in service occupations as inferior and meant to serve only them.

Who, then, are the humble people? Unfortunately, some people try to give the appearance of humility in order to manipulate others. Still others think that humility means putting themselves down. Truly humble people compare themselves only with Christ, realize their sinfulness, and understand their limitations. They also recognize their gifts and strengths and are willing to use them as Christ directs. Humility is not self-degradation; it is realistic assessment and commitment to serve.

14:10-11 Jesus explained that people should sit at the foot of the table. This would show that the person had not overestimated his or her own importance. Then, the host may ask that person to move to a better place. Then, instead of being disgraced, the person would be honored. The principle would be true in that situation, and in the Kingdom of God—the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. The host, God himself, will make the final seating arrangements in his Kingdom. People dare not presume upon their own importance; how much better to be honored by God.

14:12-14 While guests ought not presume upon their importance in the eyes of their host (14:7-11), hosts should not be exclusive about whom they invite. Jesus explained that they shouldn’t invite only people who can pay them back. Instead, they should invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. When God’s people can do good, without expecting reward or repayment, they will have truly served him unselfishly. God will reward those who so willingly serve him.

 Jesus Tells the Parable of the Great Feast / 14:15-24

The tie between this parable and the previous one is the resurrection. The host who invites the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind will be rewarded at the resurrection. Jesus went on to explain that God himself, the heavenly host of the messianic banquet, would offer the same invitation.

14:15 Jesus’ words about the resurrection sparked a comment from a man sitting at the table (apparently a Pharisee or teacher, 14:1-3). This Pharisee assumed that he and his fellow Pharisees and other leaders would have the privilege to share in the Kingdom of God. They counted on their ancestry and their law-keeping to have reserved places for them. Jesus would shatter this preconception.

14:16-17 It was customary to send two invitations to a party—the first to announce the event. Thus, this man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. It does not appear that anyone had declined, so the man made final preparations in order to have enough for everyone. The second invitation told the guests that everything was ready. In this case, the man’s servant personally notified all the guests that it was time for them to come.

•  LIFE APPLICATION-JOIN THE FEAST
• Jesus is calling all people to join him in a feast—the wedding supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9), when God and his beloved church will be joined forever. Have you accepted the invitation? Will you be there? 

Are you inviting others?  Do you support the outreach efforts of your church?

 14:18-20 The guests in Jesus’ story insulted the host by making excuses when he issued the second invitation. The guests decided that other matters were more important at the time. The point is that nothing should become an excuse to put off joining God’s Kingdom. All pursuits, no matter how valid they seem, can rob people of the great celebration with Jesus. Let nothing stand in the way of following Christ.

14:21-23 Upon learning how his invitations had been snubbed, the master of the house was angry. But his banquet was ready, the food had been prepared. Instead of abandoning the whole prospect, he sent his servant to bring into the banquet hall the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind (see also 14:13). This done, the servant reported back that there was still room for more. So the master again dispatched the servant to go throughout the country lanes and behind the hedges and fill the house. This story would seem scandalous to Jesus’ audience. No ancient wealthy person would ever invite the poor. This startling statement told Jesus’ hearers that God’s Kingdom is especially for the poor. Not a morsel of food was to go to waste. If the previously invited guests would not accept the hospitality of the master, then he would invite those who would.

• LIFE APPLICATION – TOO LATE
• In Jesus’ story, many people turned down the invitation to the banquet because the timing was inconvenient. People today can also resist or delay responding to God’s invitation, and their excuses may sound reasonable—work duties, family responsibilities, financial needs, and so forth. Nevertheless, God’s invitation is the most important event in life, no matter how inconveniently it may be timed. Are you making excuses to avoid God’s kind and generous invitation? Jesus said that the time will come when God will withdraw his invitation and offer it to others—then it will be too late to get into the banquet.

14:24 In Israel’s history, God’s first invitation came from Moses and the prophets; the second came from his Son. Jesus’ listeners, the religious leaders, accepted the first invitation. They believed that God had called them to be his people. But they insulted God by refusing to accept his Son. They would miss the banquet completely because they refused to accept the Son’s invitation—they would not get even the smallest taste of what had been prepared for them. Thus, just as the master in the story sent his servant into the streets to invite the needy to his banquet, so God was sending his Son to the whole world of needy people (Jews and Gentiles) to tell them that his Kingdom had arrived and was ready for them.

 Jesus Teaches about the Cost of Being a Disciple / 14:25-35

This collection of Jesus’ teachings about discipleship suggests a turning point in Luke’s narrative.  From this point to the end of this “Jerusalem section” around chapter 18, the Gospel contains materials that focus on discipleship.

14:25-26 Great crowds were still following Jesus. Perhaps all these casual followers considered themselves “disciples” of this popular teacher. Jesus explained what it meant to truly be his disciple. His disciples had to love him more than their own family members. Certainly this caused a stir among the people. Who would possibly ask his followers to love him that way?

Jesus was not going against the fifth commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12). Nor was he attempting to subvert the natural love that exists among family members. Instead, he was saying that his followers’ love for him should be so complete and wholehearted that their love for family members and for life itself would pale in comparison. In first-century Jewish family settings, deciding for Jesus could mean alienation from the family. Jesus warned the would-be disciples that they must be clear about their true allegiance. Those who cannot make that kind of commitment cannot be his disciple.

• LIFE APPLICATION- CASUAL DISCIPLESHIP
• Is your interest in living for Christ halfhearted? The time may come for you to make hard choices because God doesn’t care to be second.  If you make career your idol, or sports or wealth, perhaps you should reevaluate. You will have to decide: to what are you really devoted? To whom are you really loyal? Following Jesus must be your first priority.

14:27 Besides being willing to love Jesus more than any others and more than life itself, the true disciple must be ready to carry his own cross and follow Jesus (see also 9:23 and commentary there). Jesus gave this teaching to get the crowds to think through their enthusiasm for him. He encouraged those who were superficial either to go deeper or to turn back. Following Christ means total submission to him—perhaps even to the point of death.

14:28-30 Jesus promised his followers a Kingdom, but he also said that they would face difficulty and suffering because of their faith. Those on the fence needed to count the cost. When a builder doesn’t count the cost or estimates it inaccurately, his building may be left half-completed. What are those “costs” to believers? Believers may face loss of social status or wealth. They may have to give up control over their money, time, or career. They may be hated, separated from their family, and even put to death. All people must carefully count the cost of becoming Christ’s disciple so that they will know what they are getting into and won’t be tempted to turn back when the going gets tough.

14:31-32 In this second example, Jesus described a wise king’s decision to consider whether his ten thousand soldiers could defeat twice that number coming against him. He has to act, but should he fight or ask for peace? To rush out with his soldiers, without first discussing the options, would invite disaster for his nation. Far better to think it through beforehand. So those who want to follow Jesus should carefully consider their decision.

• LIFE APPLICATION – EASY DECISION?
• If you made a decision sometime in the past to trust Christ for salvation but since then you haven’t paid much attention to your devotion and discipleship, you may be one of those followers who hasn’t counted the cost.
• A decision to trust Christ means that God Almighty is now your Lord and Savior. You had better listen to him, read his Word, follow his teaching. To “commit” and then drift along is no decision at all. If you have trusted Christ, show you mean it by doing what God commands.

14:33 The cost to be counted is giving up everything for Jesus. To be preoccupied with money or possessions is to miss the demands and joys of true discipleship, as with the people who refused the host’s invitation to the Kingdom (14:18-20). Again Jesus painted no rosy picture of a high-paying job with all the benefits. He said that the way would be rough and would be a way of self-sacrifice. Oddly enough, however, this is the only way to true fulfillment and satisfaction.

14:34-35 In the ancient world, salt was used as a seasoning and as a preservative. The salt came mostly from salt marshes in the area southwest of the Dead Sea. This impure salt was susceptible to deterioration and could lose its flavor, leaving only useless crystals. Such salt was simply thrown away. Jesus’ question, “How do you make it salty again?” did not require an answer—for once salt has deteriorated, nothing is left but worthless residue.

Many Believers blend into the world and avoid the cost of standing up for Christ. But Jesus says if Believers lose their distinctive “saltiness,” they become worthless. Just as salt flavors and preserves food, Christ’s disciples are to preserve the good in the world, help keep it from spoiling, and bring new flavor to life. This requires careful planning, willing sacrifice, and unswerving commitment to Christ’s Kingdom. Being “salty” is not easy, but if Believers fail in this function, they fail to represent Christ in the world. The person who is willing to hear should be able to understand these words and apply them.

Sources:   Life Application Bible Commentary, Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary, Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible – Commentary, Preaching the Word

For more information about The Ridge Fellowship or Darrell Koop go to www.ridgefellowship.com

Today Jesus reminds us that death is coming to each of us and repentance is necessary.  Bearing fruit –or life change is necessary.  Jesus then uses two parables to teach about the Kingdom of God.  Also today we find some of his most controversial teaching, The Narrow Door.  The worst words you could ever hear are, “I don’t know you.”  It’s not enough to know about Jesus. 

 Jesus Calls the People to Repent / 13:1-9

Jesus warned the people that judgment was around the corner. He took the well known current event of some recent deaths and reminded his listeners that all would eventually die and face judgment.

13:1 Pilate was last mentioned in 3:1. The city of Jerusalem, the site of the Jews’ Temple, lay in his jurisdiction. While no other historical source refers to this incident where some people from Galilee were murdered at Pilate’s orders, it is completely in character for this man. Galilee was a hotbed for fanatics who sought to bring down Rome by force. Galilee was out of Pilate’s jurisdiction, but when some Galileans arrived in Jerusalem, they were murdered.

13:2-3 Jewish theology attributed individual suffering to individual sin. While the Pharisees would also have liked to see Israel freed from Roman control, they were against the use of force that many in Israel (such as a group called the Zealots) were advocating. Some people, such as the Pharisees and their followers, would have thought that these Galileans that were murdered must have been worse sinners than other people from Galilee because they had suffered. The Pharisees, who were opposed to using force to deal with Rome, would have said that the Galileans deserved to die for rebelling.

Jesus explained, however, that suffering has nothing to do with one’s spiritual state. In fact, all people are sinful and, unless people repent, they all will perish. This doesn’t mean that everyone will be killed in such a manner. It could mean that death will be sudden with no second chance to repent, or it could mean that Jesus’ listeners would suffer at the hands of the Roman conquerors (which the entire nation did in a.d. 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed and millions of Jews were killed).

13:4-5 Just as suffering is no indicator of one’s spiritual state, neither is tragedy. The Pharisees would have seen the previous incident as God’s judgment on the Zealots, but the Zealots would have seen this incident as God’s judgment against those who had compromised with Rome. Again, popular thought would have concluded that the eighteen men who died when the Tower of Siloam fell on them must have been the eighteen worst sinners in Jerusalem, otherwise they would not have suffered such a fate. The Zealots, a group of anti-Roman terrorists, would have said that the aqueduct workers deserved to die for cooperating. The Zealots would have considered Jews working on a Roman project such as this as traitors and deserving of God’s punishment.

Again, Jesus explained that all people are sinners who must repent or they too will perish—spiritual death with eternal consequences. He said that neither the Galileans nor the workers should be blamed for their calamity. Instead of blaming others, everyone should consider his or her own day of judgment. Whether a person is killed in a tragic accident or miraculously survives is not a measure of righteousness. Everyone has to die; that’s part of being human.

• LIFE APPLICATION – OF LIFE AND DEATH
• Jesus dismissed ideas widespread in his day that accidents or human cruelties were God’s judgment on especially pernicious sinners. Why else would some die and others live? Jesus did not answer that question but instead pointed to everyone’s need for repentance.

Today some families will experience grief because of a car accident, airplane disaster, flood, tornado, or violent crime. They will ask why, and they will struggle to understand the unfairness of the loss. Jesus pointed to the only answer: God’s grace. Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior today. When disaster strikes, God’s promise will sustain you.

13:6-7 After highlighting the need for repentance, Jesus used an illustration to show the people that while God is gracious in giving people time to repent, come to him, and grow in him, that patience will not go on forever. In the Old Testament, a fruitful tree was often used as a symbol of godly living (see, for example, Psalm 1:3 and Jeremiah 17:7-8). Jesus pointed out what would happen to the other kind of tree—the kind that took valuable time and space and still produced nothing for the patient gardener. In this way, Jesus warned his listeners that God would not tolerate forever their lack of productivity. (See 3:9 for John the Baptist’s version of the same message.) A fig tree in fertile soil should certainly have produced fruit—a tree that did not produce for three years was probably not going to produce at all. The farmer gave the command to cut it down so another, more fruitful tree, could be planted in its place.

 *Are you producing any fruit? Is there a difference in your life because of Christ?  Are you more loving, do you serve others, do you care that there are people who do not know Christ?  If not it’s time to repent, or turn from your current ways and ask Christ to change your life.

 13:8-9 The gardener intervened and asked the owner to give the tree one more chance. He even offered to give it special attention and fertilizer. Jesus had come to the nation; the time for repentance had come. The extra attention and love had been showered on the nation in the presence of their Messiah. God’s judgment had been graciously held back. But if the people continued to refuse to “bear fruit” for God—if they continued to refuse to live for and obey him—the end would come. The tree would be cut down. There would be no more chances. God is merciful toward sinners. But for those who reject him, he will not be merciful forever. They will be punished.

• LIFE APPLICATION – GOD’S PATIENCE
• God patiently allows more time. Do you suffer from an addiction that has spoiled your life for years? Lots of people have given up on you, but not God. Have you resisted coming to faith, forgiving your family, or admitting a crime—and the festering secret has spoiled friendships and jobs?
• Maybe you’ve given up on yourself. But God has not given up on you. Give your problem to him. With the support of mature Christians, seek the help you need. Make the change today.

Jesus Heals the Crippled Woman / 13:10-17

The story of healing this woman is unique to Luke. It reveals the unfruitfulness of the nation of Israel to which Jesus’ parable of the unfruitful tree alludes (in the previous passage, see 13:6-8). Instead of finding love, justice, humility, and mercy among God’s people, Jesus found an arrogance that didn’t even allow healing a woman on the Sabbath, the day set aside for the God of mercy.

13:10-11 Jesus had already come into conflict with the religious leaders over how the Sabbath should be used. At this particular time, as Jesus looked over the crowd, he saw a woman who had been bent double for eighteen years. The text explains that this was the work of an evil spirit. She may not have been demon-possessed, because a demon didn’t speak and Jesus did not cast out any demon. Instead, this woman’s painful affliction is attributed to Satan’s work (see 13:16).

13:12-13 The woman did not ask; instead, Jesus called her. He touched her and she was instantly healed. She stood up straight for the first time in eighteen years. No wonder her first response was to praise and thank God!

13:14 Jesus had performed a great miracle with God’s power; a woman had been set free from years of suffering and was praising God! But the synagogue leader was indignant. Why? Because Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath. The synagogue leader, who was addressing his remarks to the crowd and not to Jesus, could not see beyond the law to Jesus’ compassion in healing this crippled woman. He simply concluded that if Jesus wanted to heal people, he should reserve his healings for the other six days of the week. Jesus did not need to abide by those laws, for they did not fulfill God’s intention for the Sabbath and were burdensome on the people.

13:15-16 Jesus shamed this synagogue ruler and the other leaders by pointing out their hypocrisy. They would untie their animals and care for them on the Sabbath. Yet these same people refused to see that care for humans is far more important. Jesus attributed the woman’s illness to Satan and bondage by him. Whatever the immediate cause of an illness, its original source is Satan, the author of all the evil in the world. The good news is that Jesus is more powerful than any devil or any disease. He often brings physical healing in this life; and when he returns, he will put an end to all disease and disability.

• LIFE APPLICATION –OPEN TO CARING
• Today, well-meaning Christians have allowed purely human rules to intrude on the church’s welcome to “outsiders.” Dress codes, hair codes, behavior codes, and language codes give many churches a pharisaic feel. Let Jesus remove all such barriers to people finding God’s love. Let compassion be your guide; let the rules that hinder it be forgotten.

13:17 When Jesus made this point, all the people rejoiced. They probably appreciated a rabbi who stood up for them against the burdensome laws that the religious leaders had placed on them in every area of life. Jesus had shamed his enemies. This humiliation would cause such intense hatred that they would plot to kill him.

• LIFE APPLICATION-PLANT LIFE
  Take any seed—most are small. It represents your life with God. Plant it. Care for it. Each time you check it, praise God for your growing faith. It may be slow and quiet, but it’s sprouting and bearing and reaching for the sun. When you water that plant, water your life with God’s Word. When you weed around that plant, eliminate activities that stunt your spiritual growth. As you watch it grow and blossom, thank God for his personal love and care for you.

 Jesus Teaches about the Kingdom of God / 13:18-21

First-century Jews expected the Kingdom of God to come all at once, in great glory and power. But Jesus corrected their perception, by the illustrations of the mustard seed and yeast. Both are small; but one grows into a huge tree and the other eventually permeates an entire loaf. Jesus’ ministry began small, but the gospel would eventually grow to cover the entire globe (a story Luke begins to tell in the book of Acts).

13:18-19 Jesus used a variety of parables to describe what the Kingdom of God is like. Nothing on earth can completely explain the Kingdom or give us an adequate picture of it, for the Kingdom will be far beyond anything anyone could ever imagine. Jesus used this parable to explain that his Kingdom would have a small beginning. The general expectation among Jesus’ hearers was that the Messiah would come as a great king and leader, freeing the nation from Rome and restoring Israel’s former glory. But Jesus said that his Kingdom was beginning quietly. The mustard seed was so small that it would take almost twenty thousand seeds to make one ounce. From one tiny seed would grow a tree. A mustard shrub could grow ten to twelve feet in just a few weeks. No other seed so small produced such a large plant. While that is not technically a “tree,” Jesus used its rapid growth to stress both the insignificance and magnificence of the Kingdom. Like the tiny mustard seed that becomes a large plant, the Kingdom of God would eventually push outward until the whole world would be changed.

Jesus’ mention of birds added color and showed how large the shrub could become, but they probably had no allegorical meaning. Some commentators, however, think the birds may represent the Gentiles becoming part of God’s Kingdom (see prophecies such as Ezekiel 17:22-24; 31:6).

13:20-21 Another symbol of something small producing something much larger occurs with yeast. In some Bible passages, “yeast” is used as a symbol of evil or uncleanness (12:1). Here it pictures positive growth. Although yeast is a minor ingredient (only a small amount is used), it is responsible for the dough rising. Although God’s Kingdom had small beginnings, it would grow to have a great impact on the world.

 Jesus Teaches about Entering the Kingdom / 13:22-30

Jesus answered a person who asked whether only a few would be saved. Jesus turned this theoretical question into a practical question. Instead of letting the questioner analyze who would be entering heaven, and by implication judge the process and then those who would enter, Jesus asked that person: “Are you saved?”

13:22 This is the second reminder that Jesus was intentionally pressing on toward Jerusalem (the other time is in 9:51). Jesus knew he was on his way to die, but he continued traveling and teaching. The prospect of death did not deter Jesus from his mission.

 13:23-27 The question about whether only a few or many people would be saved was a topic of debate and much speculation among the rabbis. Jesus refused to be drawn into taking a side in this argument; instead, he urged his listeners to be among those who would be saved, no matter what the final number might be. He told his audience to work hard to get in. The word “work” means to put one’s whole self into the task of listening and responding. Jesus did not explain the narrow door, but the picture is of a way that one must seek out and then enter into while it is still open. Although many people know something about God, only a few have acknowledged their sins and accepted his forgiveness. Just listening to Jesus’ words or admiring his miracles is not enough—all must turn from sin and trust in God for salvation. Regardless of how many would be saved, Jesus said that many will try to enter, but it will be too late. The time for decision would pass them by.

• LIFE APPLICATION – FINDING SALVATION
• Many people react negatively to the concept of a narrow door or of Jesus being the only way. Behind their reaction may be the desire that the door of their choosing be the right way to God. The point of Jesus’ story was not to keep people out or to make it difficult to enter but to stress that the narrow door was still open for a short time. God opens the door, not people. He makes salvation available. People do not custom-design their own salvation. All people must come to God on his terms, not their own.

It’s difficult to submit and surrender to God. It’s difficult to accept someone else’s terms, even God’s. It’s difficult to give up control.  Don’t let your ego keep you from God.

 Familiarity with Jesus will not count when God’s Kingdom arrives and people rush to be a part of it. When the door is locked, the time for salvation will have passed, and they will not be able to enter. While many will claim to have eaten with him and listened to his teaching, they had not turned to him in faith for salvation. Such people will be utterly rejected, for Jesus will simply say, “I do not know you.” Such words will be the final pronouncement of rejection on those who rejected him. They will be sent away from God and the Kingdom.

13:28 When the door is shut and they are sent away, there will be intense sorrow (weeping and gnashing of teeth). Jesus pictured them looking in the windows at the ancestors on whom they had depended for their salvation—the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They will also see all the prophets, many of whom had been slain for speaking God’s messages. These men had not had the opportunity to see the Messiah, but they had loved God, believed his promises, and trusted that he would accomplish what he said. Thus, they received places in the Kingdom. By contrast, many of these Jewish people, who did have the opportunity to eat and drink with and then listen to the teachings of the Messiah himself (13:26), subsequently rejected him. For such rejection they would be thrown out of the Kingdom.

• LIFE APPLICATION- TRUE FAITH
• How could those who have known Jesus be rejected by him? Jesus makes clear that the way of salvation is open to all. No one is excluded by birth or background (13:29). Yet salvation does not happen merely because of loose association with Jesus. Jesus said in 5:32, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (niv). We must come to Jesus on his terms, not our own. Jesus requires action, namely repentance, from those who desire to be his followers. As we present Christ to others, we must stress the importance of repentance. As we deal with those who have been in the church for many years, we must help them see that associating with Christians will not substitute for true faith and repentance.

13:29-30 God’s Kingdom will include people from all over the world. Israel’s rejection of Jesus as Messiah would not stop God’s plan. True Israel includes all people who believe in God (see Isaiah 49:12). The inclusion of Gentiles in God’s Kingdom had been prophesied, but it still would have astounded Jesus’ Jewish audience to hear of the Gentiles being involved in God’s Kingdom at all. This was an important fact for Luke to stress because he was directing his Gospel to a Gentile audience (see also Romans 4:16-25; Galatians 3:6-9). Even worse for these Jews, however, was the statement that some of them might not have places at the feast.

• LIFE APPLICATION- FIRST-PLACE FINISHERS
• If nations grow by war and conquest, God’s kingdom grows slowly and quietly. If successful people fight to the top, successful Christians enjoy the bottom.
• Someday, all the strategies for greatness the world has devised will be dismantled as God’s kingdom fully emerges. The poor, ordinary, faithful believer will be honored as first; the powerful pagan will be relegated to last. Don’t be troubled by your ordinary life today. Faithfully follow Jesus. At history’s finish line, you will be a champion.

Jesus Grieves over Jerusalem / 13:31-35

Luke placed Jesus’ grieving over Jerusalem right after a discussion about salvation, those being first (the Jews who were chosen by God) being placed last (or excluded from God’s heavenly Kingdom). Jesus mourned Jerusalem’s rejection of God’s message and salvation.

13:31 The motives of these Pharisees remain unknown. Perhaps they were simply trying to get him out of their area. They thought that telling Jesus of Herod’s plan (whether true or not) would cause Jesus to be afraid and run. Herod Antipas had killed John the Baptist and had been perplexed about who Jesus was (9:7-9). It is highly possible that he did want to kill Jesus. But Jesus’ life, work, and death were not to be determined by Herod or the Pharisees. His life was planned and directed by God himself, and his mission would unfold in God’s time and according to God’s plan.

13:32 Jesus was hardly going to run in fear of Herod; in fact, the message he sent to him was filled with contempt, calling Herod that fox. Jesus clearly explained that Herod would have absolutely no control over Jesus’ life and ministry. Jesus would continue doing miracles until the day when he would accomplish his purpose.

• LIFE APPLICATION – ON GOD’S TERMS
• Often it appears that life unfolds by accident, by someone’s power-decision, or by luck. Jesus knew that life unfolds by God’s guidance and control. Herod could hunt for him, but God alone controlled Jesus’ future.
• Likewise for you. Don’t worry about threats or accidents or evil catching up with you. Your life is God’s to guide. Don’t be afraid. You will fulfill the purpose God has for you.

13:33-34 Jesus knew that he must proceed on in his ministry until the very moment appointed for his death. The words, it wouldn’t do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem, have a stinging sound—Jesus knew he was to die and he knew he would die in Jerusalem. Jerusalem had a history of rejecting God’s prophets (1 Kings 19:10; 2 Chronicles 24:19-21; Jeremiah 2:30; 26:20-23), and it would reject the Messiah just as it had rejected his forerunners. Thus Jesus mourned for the city. Jesus’ emotional words reveal his compassion and love for the people to whom he had come. Like a mother hen who protects her chicks beneath her wings, Jesus would have gathered and protected his people. Several places in the Old Testament picture the loving God protecting his people under his “wings” (see Ruth 2:12; Psalms 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7; 91:4). But they wouldn’t let him.

•  LIFE APPLICATION – FULL RANGE OF EMOTION
• Jesus was clearly saddened by Israel’s resistance to God’s message. His compassion for people included love’s full range of emotions.
• So should yours. When love gets exuberant, let it show. When love must weep, don’t hide your emotion under a phony front.
• Jesus was “real.” He spoke about his feelings. He voiced the reasons for his sadness. Follow his permission to do likewise.

13:35 House could refer to the city itself or to its Temple. The nation had rejected their promised Messiah and invited the final result of such rejection. They would be empty (or forsaken). In Jeremiah 12:7, Jeremiah prophesied the coming destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians. The nation’s sin had sealed their punishment, and God’s presence had left the Temple. When Jesus Christ came, God himself again stood in the Temple. But the people’s refusal to accept him would have severe consequences, for he would leave again. The Temple stood for the people’s relationship with God; an empty Temple meant separation from God (see Matthew 23:38).

The Jews understood their Temple to be the dwelling place of God on earth. The city was intended to be the center of worship of the true God and a symbol of justice to all people. No wonder Jesus loved the city and grieved over it. But the people had become blind to God. They had killed the prophets and would put to death the One about whom the prophets had testified. In that very city, the Messiah would be rejected and put to death (13:33). God’s presence would leave what was supposed to have been the holy city. The city would not see him again until the words of Psalm 118:26 would be fulfilled, “Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” While some take this to refer to Jesus’ Triumphal Entry, Matthew recorded these same words as being spoken after the Triumphal Entry (Matthew 23:39). The solemn prediction of desolation would come true, but as always, God would have compassion. A day would come when some of God’s people would recognize him as their Messiah (Romans 11:25-26).

Sources:  Life Application Bible Commentary, Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

For more information about The Ridge Fellowship or Darrell Koop go to www.ridgefellowship.com

Are you a hypocrite?  Are you greedy?  You can find out in today’s reading.  Do you worry?  Today, Jesus will encourage faith instead of worry. Are you ready for His return?  Jesus is coming back and today’s chapter shows us how to be ready. Are you ready for the final judgment?  Every person must decide what to do with Jesus before it’s too late.  Have you?   

 Jesus Warns About Hypocrisy / 12:1-12

After denouncing the religious leaders for hypocrisy, Jesus warns his disciples of the same destructive problem.

12:1 Even as Jesus began to infuriate the religious leaders, his popularity continued to grow, for the crowds grew into the thousands. As Jesus watched the huge crowds waiting to hear him, he warned his disciples against hypocrisy—trying to appear good when their heart was far from God. Just as yeast works its way through dough, so a small amount of evil can affect a large group of people. The yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy—could permeate and contaminate society, leading the entire nation astray.

• LIFE APPLICATION – DON’T BE A HYPOCRITE
• Jesus warned against the spread of hypocrisy and its destructive consequences. How do you avoid hypocrisy? Try these suggestions:
• At the start of the day, ask God to lead you one step further—enough to challenge you.
• Get in a small group and talk honestly. Share your life with these people.
• Join a church where people can be who they are, a church that invites diversity in its membership.
• Serve in grateful response to God, and not as a scheme to gain anyone’s approval.

12:2-3 Hypocrisy can happen when certain actions or attitudes are hidden. One day, however, everything will be revealed. The Pharisees could not keep their attitudes hidden forever. Their selfishness would act like “yeast” (12:1), and soon they would expose themselves for what they really were—power-hungry impostors, not devoted religious leaders. The time of this “revelation” could be the final judgment day when the true attitude of these hypocrites will be exposed (see Romans 2:16; 1 Corinthians 4:5).

• LIFE APPLICATION-HYPOCRISY
• What are the signs of hypocrisy?
• Hypocrisy is knowing the truth but not obeying it.
• Today, like the Pharisees, many people who know the Bible do not let it change their lives. They say they follow Jesus, but they don’t live by his standards. People who live this way are hypocrites. Believers must make sure that their actions match their beliefs
• Hypocrisy is living a self-serving life.
• People desire positions of leadership in the church. It is dangerous when love for the position grows stronger than loyalty to God. Jesus is not against all leadership—church leaders are important—but against leadership that serves itself rather than others.
•  Hypocrisy is claiming Christ as Lord without following him.
• Jesus challenged society’s norms. To him, greatness comes from serving—giving of yourself to help others. Service keeps believers aware of others’ needs, and it stops them from focusing only on themselves. Jesus came as a servant. Are you serving
• Hypocrisy reduces faith to rigid rules.
• Do you care more about keeping rules or serving people?  Is your faith in Christ or what you do or don’t do, or what denominational tradition you follow? 
• Hypocrisy is outward conformity without inner reality.
• Living your Christianity merely as a show for others, but not dealing with real sin inside you is like washing a cup on the outside only. When you are clean on the inside, your cleanliness on the outside won’t be a sham.

 12:4-5 Jesus explained that his followers (his dear friends) might face death for their faith in him, but he also told them not to be afraid of people who could kill them or even of death itself. Evil people may be able to kill the body, but they cannot do any more. Jesus knew that fear of opposition or ridicule could weaken their witness for him because the natural human tendency is to cling to peace and comfort, even at the cost of one’s walk with God. Jesus said that there is only one whom all people should fear—God alone. He controls eternal consequences. It is more fearful to disobey God than to face martyrdom.

The word translated hell here is Gehenna. The name was derived from the Valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where children had been sacrificed by fire to the pagan god Molech (see 2 Kings 23:10; 2 Chronicles 28:3; Jeremiah 7:31; 32:35).

12:6-7 While Jesus’ followers should “fear” God because of his awesome power, they are not to be afraid of him because they are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows. A person could buy five sparrows for a small amount of money; they were the cheapest type of living food sold in the market. Even so, God does not forget a single one. God loves his people so much that he cares about the smallest details of their lives—down to knowing the number of hairs on their heads. We stand in awe of God not because He will destroy us, but because He who has all power cares! We are important to Him!

• LIFE APPLICATION – WORTHWHILE
• Jesus taught how valuable each person was to God. How does a person assess his or her worth? A student’s worth is measured by grade point average; a pitcher’s by earned run average; a career professional’s by salary; a salesclerk’s by commission.
• God measures your worth with no number, no calculation, no ratio.
• You simply bear God’s image.
• Your life was worth God’s Son.
• Your future is in God’s home.
• Know that you are a person filled with value, known intimately by God, destined for greatness. Shed your silly inferiorities. You are a son or daughter of the Almighty.

 12:8-9 God sent his Son to die for people worldwide, and salvation is offered to all people. But individuals still must choose whether or not to accept God’s offer. Jesus clearly explained that anyone who publicly confesses faith in and allegiance to him will find that the Son of Man will openly acknowledge that person in the presence of God’s angels. By contrast, the person who denies any relationship to Jesus will face denial by Jesus in heaven. These words refer to those whose lack of allegiance will be revealed under pressure. Most likely, this does not refer to an incident where lack of courage might cause a believer not to speak up, but rather to a person who totally rejects Christ and lives a life of denial. The astounding statement is that each person’s standing before God is based on his or her relationship to Jesus Christ. This “acknowledgment” involves more than simply a verbal confession. It involves a witness of both word and deed.

• LIFE APPLICATION- DENY OR ACKNOWLEDGE?
• Acknowledging Jesus demands our full allegiance to him. People deny Jesus when they hope that no one will think they are Christians, decide not to speak up for what is right, are silent about their relationship with God, blend into society, or accept their culture’s non-Christian values.
• By contrast, people acknowledge Jesus when they live moral, upright, Christ-honoring lives, look for opportunities to share their faith with others, help others in need, take a stand for justice, love others, acknowledge their loyalty to Christ, and use their lives and resources to carry out his desires rather than their own.

 12:10 While 12:8-9 deals with apostasy, 12:10 focuses on people who have not yet come to believe. These words mean that speaking against the person of Jesus can be forgiven because the insult may be based in ignorance of his true identity (before the resurrection, not even Jesus’ disciples completely understood who he was). But anyone who speaks blasphemies against the Holy Spirit—continually rejects the Holy Spirit’s message about Jesus and his convicting influence—will never be forgiven because he is beyond redemptive help. Whoever rejects the prompting of the Holy Spirit removes himself from the only force that can lead anyone to repentance and restoration with God. That act has eternal consequences.

This sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has worried many sincere Christians. The unforgivable sin means attributing to Satan the work that the Holy Spirit accomplishes. Thus the “unforgivable sin” is deliberate and ongoing rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work and even of God himself. A person who has committed this sin has shut himself off from God so thoroughly that he is unaware of any sin at all. A person who fears having committed this sin shows by his very concern that he has not sinned in this way.

12:11-12 Jesus told the disciples that when (not “if”) they would be brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, they need not worry about what to say in their own defense. They would not be left unprepared—Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would supply the right words at the very moment they were needed. This promise of the Spirit’s help, however, does not compensate for lack of preparation. Remember that these disciples had three years of teaching and practical application. Study God’s word, then God will bring his truths to mind when you most need them, helping you present them in the most effective way.

• LIFE APPLICATION- TIMELY DEFENSE
• Making a public defense of your faith in Christ sounds intimidating. But Jesus assures and advises:
• Don’t worry—this is God’s trial too.
•  Don’t bother with a scripted speech—your intelligence is not the issue.
•  Take a deep breath, pray, and just be honest about all God has shown you. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.

Jesus Tells the Parable of the Rich Fool / 12:13-21

Perhaps because of Jesus’ constant insistence on justice (11:42), a person from the crowd asked him to arbitrate a dispute. Instead of addressing the injustice, Jesus exposed the greedy motives of the man and revealed God’s perspective on the foolishness of greed. The simple parable Jesus told describes a person who is solely concerned with himself—his welfare, pleasure, and security. He possessed no gratitude toward God or a willingness to share with those less fortunate. His ingratitude invoked God’s anger and led to the man’s downfall.

12:13 A person in the crowd appealed to Jesus as an authority. He wanted Jesus to settle a dispute over his father’s estate. The Old Testament laws covered most cases (see, for example, Numbers 26–27; 33:54; 36; Deuteronomy 21:17), but sometimes an issue would arise that needed intervention in order to make a decision. Problems like this were often brought to rabbis for them to settle (see 10:38-42).

• LIFE APPLICATION – GREED
• Jesus warned against greed for possessions. Greed keeps track of every tool lent, every dime shared, every overtime minute worked, every check to charity grudgingly written.
• Jesus leads the way to generosity, a rare trait today. As God opens heaven to you, clutch less what you own and share more what you have been given

12:14-15 Jesus used the man’s request as an opportunity to teach his listeners about the pitfalls of being greedy. “Greed” is the excessive and consuming desire to have more possessions or wealth. He explained that the good life has nothing to do with being wealthy; real life is not measured by how much we own. This man apparently thought that the division of the inheritance would solve his problems. But Jesus wanted him to deal with deeper issues.

12:16-18 Jesus proceeded to illustrate his point that life consists of more than wealth and possessions. This story includes a rich man who had a productive year on his farm. He tore down his barns and built bigger ones so that he could store everything. While there was nothing wrong with the man’s rejoicing in his crop or building to make storage, his basic flaw was in focusing completely on his wealth and on his own enjoyment. In Greek, this story includes the word “my” four times and the word “I” eight times. As this story reveals, the man’s joy came from his things—but things do not last forever.

•  LIFE APPLICATION – MORE
• The rich man in Jesus’ story died before he could begin to use what was stored in his big barns. Planning for retirement—preparing for life before death—is wise, but neglecting life after death is disastrous. If you accumulate wealth only to enrich yourself, with no concern for helping others, you will enter eternity empty-handed. Jesus challenges his people to think beyond earthbound goals and to use what they have been given for God’s kingdom. Faith, service, and obedience are the way to become rich toward God.

12:19-20 The rich man was concerned for no one else, and he had no care for God. With no eternal perspective, the man’s life was completely focused on the temporal. His goal to take it easy and to eat, drink, and be merry reveals his desire for mere self-indulgence. He thought that, with his barns storing up mountains of wealth for the future, he had everything completely under control. The rich man had made a fatal flaw: he had forgotten to put God at the center of his life. Concerned for no one but himself, when the time came for him to stand before God, he was nothing more than a fool.

•  LIFE APPLICATION – FOR THE FUTURE
• Fully funded retirement plans and adequate life insurance are practically synonymous with wise stewardship. Everyone should provide for older age and family survivors.
• At the same time and with the same resolve because life is more than money, God wants you to share generously today with those who are poor. And, should wealth accumulate, never, never put your hope and pride in real estate, insurance, or mutual funds. God should be your security and joy.

 12:21 The moral of the story: fools spend all their time storing up earthly wealth but neglect to have a rich relationship with God. The turning point is for whom the treasures are being accumulated. If for oneself, then the evils of wealth will be turned loose. Being rich toward God means using wealth as he provides it to fulfill his priorities. People who are “rich” in this way love God and are filled with a passion to obey and serve him and to give to others. In this way, the “treasures” a person may gain in this life can be gladly handed back over to God for his use in furthering his Kingdom.

 Jesus Teaches about Worry / 12:22-34

Luke placed Jesus’ teaching about believers and possessions right after the negative example of the rich fool (12:13-21). Instead of hoarding possessions, believers should give them away. Such generosity builds an eternal inheritance in God’s Kingdom. Believers should completely trust in God’s loving provision for them; this should free them to show generosity.

12:22-23 Jesus continued to highlight the priorities of those who want to follow him. Again, these words were directed not to the crowd in general, but to his disciples. Just as their attitude toward money should differ from the world’s (12:15), so their life view should be different. All the goals and worries in life can be entrusted to the loving heavenly Father who promises to meet every need. The command, don’t worry, does not imply lack of concern, nor does it imply that people should be unwilling to work to supply their own needs and thus have to depend on others. Instead, Jesus was saying that worrying about food and clothing should never take priority over serving God. Worriers immobilize themselves and focus on their worries. They refuse to trust that God can supply their most basic needs.

12:24 Jesus had already explained that God’s care for the sparrows shows that he cares for his people (12:6-7). Here Jesus explained God’s care for people’s basic needs by asking the disciples to look at the ravens. The birds don’t have elaborate farming systems by which to supply food for themselves; God feeds them. God makes sure that the birds, who do no worrying about their food supply, always have food to eat. The raven (or crow) was considered to be “unclean” (Leviticus 11:13-15), yet even unclean animals received God’s care. The conclusion, of course, is that God’s people are far more valuable to him than any birds. God’s children can know that their Father will care for their needs as well.

• LIFE APPLICATION – OVERCOMING WORRY
• Worry can be an important early warning device against foolish risk taking. It can also stunt your joy until you become a worry-impaired invalid. One of the world’s richest men, Howard Hughes, took worry to pathological extremes and died a prisoner in his own bed. He needed, above all, the freedom that Jesus offers. Jesus declared worry to be useless effort. Instead, Christians’ efforts to deal with their circumstances should be more productive.  Overcoming worry requires:
• simple trust in God, your heavenly Father. This trust is expressed by praying to him rather than worrying.
•  perspective on your problems. This can be gained by developing a strategy for addressing and correcting your problems.
•  a support team to help. Find some believers who will pray for you to find wisdom and strength to deal with your worries.

12:25-26 Worry accomplishes nothing; it is wasted effort. While worry cannot add a single moment to a person’s life, it can damage that person’s health, cause the object of worry to consume one’s thoughts, disrupt productivity, negatively affect the way the person treats others, and reduce the ability to trust in God.

12:27-28 Like the ravens who do not store up food for themselves in barns, neither do the lilies work to array themselves. If God feeds the birds and clothes the earth with beauty that surpasses the fine garments of King Solomon, then will God not also clothe his people?

Jesus was not condoning laziness while waiting for God to provide. He wanted his disciples to understand that they should place their lives in God’s hands, refusing to worry about basic needs. It shows little faith to worry over what God has promised to provide.

12:29-30 Eating and drinking are necessary for survival, but God’s people know that life is more than what they eat or drink, more than their clothing or possessions. If they worry about these things, they will find themselves motionless for God, accomplishing nothing for the Kingdom. God’s people are to be different. Believers have an eternal perspective that is focused on the Kingdom to come; they trust their Father to know their needs for their time on the earth.

12:31 Jesus told his disciples to make the Kingdom of God their primary concern. This means to submit to God’s sovereignty today, to work for the future coming of his Kingdom, to represent God here and now, and to seek his rule in our hearts and in the world. So many spend their time worrying about the basics of life, but Jesus says to think about the Kingdom first, and God will give you all you need from day to day. Christ’s promise is not that Kingdom seekers will get everything they desire, but that the necessities for faith and service will be in abundance. When God’s children have their priorities right, they can trust that God will always care for them. They may not become rich, but they will not lack what they need.

• LIFE APPLICATION-THY KINGDOM COME
• Seeking the kingdom of God means making Jesus the Lord and King of your life. He must control every area—your work, play, money, plans, relationships. Is the kingdom only one of your many concerns, or is it central to all you do? Are you holding back any areas of your life from God’s control? As Lord and Creator, he wants to help provide what you need as well as guide how you use what he provides.

12:32 The Kingdom is worth making a priority (12:31), for one day God the Father will give it to those who faithfully follow him. The Kingdom is a certain reality, so God’s people need not be afraid. Fear and worry will be constant companions to those who devote their lives to getting, achieving, and protecting what they have. No bank and no medical plan can protect a person from death or from present harm. Only those whose true treasure is in heaven (12:33-34) can be truly secure. Not only does God promise to give believers his Kingdom, but it is his great happiness to do so. God the Father (12:30) wants to share his Kingdom with them.

12:33-34 Because of their eternal perspective (12:29-30) and because of the future Kingdom they will possess, God’s people are free to give. They can hold their possessions lightly. In fact, they can sell them and give to those in need. In so doing, they will provide for themselves treasure that cannot disappear, for it rests in heaven. Jesus was not telling his followers to sell all their possessions, but rather to sell whatever they could to make giving to the poor possible. This “treasure” in heaven includes, but is not limited to, tithing money. Believers add to it as they bring others to Christ and act out their obedience to God. The “treasure” is the eternal value of whatever is accomplished on earth. Acts of obedience to God, stored in heaven, cannot be stolen nor will they decay. Nothing can affect or change them; they are eternal. Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be means that whatever occupies a person’s thoughts and consumes his or her time—that is the person’s “treasure.” The heart will be with the treasure.

•  LIFE APPLICATION- MONEY TRAP
• Money seen as an end in itself quickly traps people and cuts them off from both God and the needy. The key to using money wisely is to see how much can be used for God’s purposes, not how much can be accumulated. Does God’s love touch your wallet? Does your money free you to help others? If so, you are storing up lasting treasures in heaven. If your financial goals and possessions hinder you from giving generously, loving others, or serving God, sell what you must to bring your life into perspective. Where do you put your time, money, and energy? What do you think about most? How should you change the way you use your resources in order to reflect kingdom values more accurately?

Jesus Warns about Preparing for His Coming / 12:35-48

The teaching about the end times in Luke does not entail a detailed description of what will occur, but it portrays a secure conviction that the Son of Man will return in judgment. This knowledge should motivate Christians to be faithful servants or stewards, to do what God has commanded them to do, and to use their talents and resources effectively.

12:35-38 Because of the certainty of the Kingdom coming and because it would be coming in the future, waiting for it requires both faith and vigilance. God’s people must be dressed for service and well prepared. Faithful servants would stay awake while waiting for their master’s return from the wedding feast. They are dressed so that they can do service for him should he require it. No matter how late the master may come, the servants are prepared to open the door immediately upon his arrival. In the same way, God’s people must be awaiting his arrival so they too can welcome him the moment he arrives. Servants who are ready and waiting for the master’s arrival will be rewarded. The master will be so pleased upon his arrival that he will serve them. Such a reversal of roles likely will not happen in the world, but in God’s Kingdom such a welcome will await those who were ready.

12:39-40 This story describes the need for constant vigilance as believers await the Kingdom. A homeowner does not know when a burglar is coming to break into the house; if the homeowner did, he would be ready and would not permit it to happen. Likewise, God’s people must be ready all the time. Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man and left no doubt that he would be the one who will come when least expected (1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 16:15). God’s people should be ready and waiting.

Christ’s return at an unexpected time is not a trick by which God hopes to catch his people off guard. In fact, God is delaying his return so that more people will have the opportunity to follow him (see 2 Peter 3:9). Before Christ’s return, believers have time to live out their beliefs and to reflect Jesus’ love as they relate to others. Christians have time to bring more people with them into the Kingdom.

•  LIFE APPLICATION  READY AND WAITING
• To be ready for Christ’s coming means living in two worlds: one, the world of time and space where God’s people care for God’s creation; the other, a world made new at Jesus’ coming for which the preparation includes prayer, worship, and Bible study. How can we be ready for Christ’s return? People who are ready are not hypocritical, but sincere (12:1); not fearful, but ready to witness (12:4-9); not worried, but trusting (12:25-26); not greedy, but generous (12:33-34); not lazy, but diligent (12:37). May your life be more like Christ’s so that when he comes, you will be ready to greet him joyfully.

12:41-42 Peter wondered to whom Jesus was addressing the previous parable about being prepared for the Kingdom’s arrival. Perhaps Peter was wondering about the disciples’ responsibilities. They still did not understand what this Kingdom would be like. Peter wondered what their roles would be in comparison with the crowds in general.

Jesus answered Peter’s question with another question that focused the disciples’ attention on what it meant to be put in charge, and what their roles should be as leaders. They should be like a faithful, sensible servant, left in charge by the master. In this story, there is one faithful servant (12:42-44) and three unfaithful ones (12:45-48).

12:43-44 The master is Jesus, who would leave his servants in his household (the earth) to serve while he would be gone. All the servants must work, although some are given more responsibility and thus more accountability (12:48). Those servants who have done a good job when the master returns will have a reward and be given more responsibility.

•  LIFE APPLICATION- HEAVENLY REWARDS
• Jesus promises a reward for those who have been faithful to the Master. While people sometimes experience immediate and material rewards for their obedience to God, this is not always the case. If so, they would be tempted to boast about their achievements and do good only for what they get. Jesus said that if they look for rewards now, they will lose them later (see Mark 8:36). Christians’ heavenly rewards will be the most accurate reflection of what they have done on earth, and the rewards will be far greater than anyone can imagine. So serve God faithfully in the responsibilities he has given you.

12:45-46 However, with the master gone, a slave might think to himself that he can do as he likes, taking advantage of his position of authority. The master would return unannounced, catch him in the act, and banish him for being irresponsible to his task in the master’s absence. The words with the unfaithful probably pictures the end-time judgment, wherein the faithful enter God’s Kingdom and the unfaithful are sent away (Matthew 25:31-46).

•  LIFE APPLICATION – RESPONSIBLE
• Jesus has told his followers how to live until he comes: they must watch for him, work diligently, and obey his commands. The more resources, talents, and understanding a person has, the more that person is responsible to use them effectively. God will not hold people responsible for gifts he has not given them, but all believers have enough gifts and duties to keep them busy until Jesus comes.

12:47-48 Those who fail to do their duty can expect punishment. More responsibility, and thus more severe punishment, however, will come to those who knew their duty but refused to do it. Those who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Each person is responsible to seek out God’s will and to obey; however, God will demand more from those who have been given many gifts and entrusted with much responsibility for the Kingdom. Clearly, leadership in God’s Kingdom—no matter how small or large one’s responsibilities in comparison to others—is taken very seriously by God. Those placed in positions where they will guide, influence, and care for others have been given much, and therefore much more is required for their moral, spiritual, and ethical lives. They must show themselves to be examples and must stay close to the Lord so he can guide them. Their responsibilities involve the eternal destinies of others—a job description that should cause them to be ever vigilant and watchful of God’s will.

 Jesus Warns about Coming Division / 12:49-53

These verses introduce a section in which Jesus calls the Jews to accept him before their time runs out (12:54–13:8). It is a quick summary of Jesus’ earthly mission. Jesus came to earth to bring division, not peace. That is because Jesus confronts everyone with a choice. Will you side with him? There is no middle ground (11:23).

12:49-50 Fire stands for God’s judgment and the coming of the Holy Spirit (see 3:16-17 for more on Jesus’ baptism being one of Spirit and fire). Judgment is coming, and Jesus is the one to bring it. Jesus’ arrival has caused upset and division among people across the centuries. No one can sit on the fence about Jesus; decisions have to be made to believe or not to believe, inevitably dividing even families (see 12:51-53). Jesus wished that his task were already completed, meaning that he desired that God’s purpose for the earth already be fulfilled. Judgment would come through Jesus and after that he would reign. But Jesus waits for God’s timing.

Here Jesus anticipated the outworking of God’s plan through a terrible baptism, which here refers to his coming suffering at the cross. Despite Jesus’ distress, he knows that through it the work of salvation can begin in people’s hearts.

12:51-53 Jesus promises peace, but it is not the kind of peace the world gives or tries to give (John 14:27). Peace on earth, universal peace, will not come until Jesus’ second coming when evil is destroyed and he reigns forever. Instead, Jesus’ first coming and the time now as believers await his return is a time of strife and division between God’s forces and Satan’s forces. There is no middle ground with Jesus. Because he demands a response, family groups may be torn apart when some choose to follow him and others refuse to do so. Loyalties must be declared and commitments made, sometimes to the point of severing relationships with those who reject Jesus or who try to substitute him with someone else.

• LIFE APPLICATION- FAMILY LOYALTY
• In many parts of the world, becoming a Christian means severing all ties with family. Sometimes, these families have conspired with the government in the person’s death sentence. In more tolerant countries, families may deeply resent converts, shunning them and disinheriting them.

In all circumstances, Jesus is Lord. Every other relationship comes after that. Are you willing to risk your family’s disapproval in order to follow the Lord?

Jesus Warns about the Future Crisis / 12:54-59

“Hypocrites!” With this harsh word, Jesus tried to startle his listeners to the urgency of their plight, which was terrible. But Jesus, God’s only Son, was offering them a way out—the free gift of salvation to all who believe in him. In effect, Jesus was saying, “Wake up! Destruction is around the corner. Come to me for salvation.”

12:54-56 Jesus turned back to the crowd and spoke to them. For most of recorded history, the world’s principal occupation has been farming. Farmers depend directly on the weather for their livelihood. They need just the right amounts of sun and rain to make a living. Such people were skilled at interpreting natural signs. The people knew that clouds forming in the west over the Mediterranean Sea would bring rain. Wind blowing in from the desert to the south would bring hot weather. People interpreted these signs and then prepared themselves accordingly.

But these same people were ignoring the signs of the coming Kingdom. Thus Jesus said, “You hypocrites!” Jesus was announcing an earthshaking event that would be much more important than the year’s crops—the coming of God’s Kingdom. Like a rainstorm or a sunny day, there were signs that the Kingdom would soon arrive. While people could successfully discern the signs of the weather by watching the sky and predicting fair weather or storms, they were intentionally ignoring the signs of the times.

12:57-59 With the signs of the Kingdom around them and as Jesus stood among them, he asked his listeners, “Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right?” Why weren’t they taking advantage of this opportunity to make peace with God? They ought to do so, for waiting could be disastrous, just as the man on his way to court would be wise to settle the matter beforehand. In Jesus’ day, a person who couldn’t pay a debt would be thrown in jail. How much better to attempt to settle the matter on the way to court (under Roman law, the plaintiff went with the defendant to court) than to wait for the judge’s verdict to be handed down.

God’s judgment is irreversible. Each person must decide what to do about Jesus. That decision should be made now.

 Until tomorrow, Darrell

Sources:  Life Application Bible Commentary,  Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary, New American Commentary, Teacher’s Commentary

For more information about The Ridge Fellowship or Darrell Koop see www.ridgefellowship.com