Today, I am reading and commenting on  Luke 12-13.

I want to focus on Jesus’ teachings in today’s passage about being ready for when He returns.  Actually, as I think about it, I believe that it starts with Jesus’ reaction to the man who asked Him to tell his brother to share his inheritance with him.  Jesus used that question to teach us not to become focused on accumulating wealth, not even under the justification of preparing for our future needs.  We have no idea when our end will come, or when He will return.  So, if we spend our effort accumulating wealth against future need, we may leave this life unprepared for the next.  We should not worry about our needs in this world.  Instead, we should focus on doing what it takes to be prepared to enter God’s kingdom.  He knows our needs, and if we focus on doing His will, He will meet our needs.  Jesus goes on from that to tell His disciples that they need to be sure to be ready for His return at all times, even in the middle of the night.  When His disciples asked Him if that message was just for them, or if it was for everyone, Jesus told them that those who know the Master’s will and are not prepared, or do not do that will, will be punished severely.  While those who do not know and do something deserving of punishment will receive a lighter punishment. When you have an opportunity to do God’s will, do it.  Don’t put it off, because it may be your last such opportunity.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Luke 12-13.

Jesus warns us against worrying about material possessions.  Yesterday, I touched on one of the themes which Jesus comes back to again and again:  that we should love those who abuse us.  Today, we have another one of His recurring themes: do not worry.  In particular, He tells us not to worry about what we will eat, or drink, or wear, because God knows that we need these things.  Instead, we should seek God’s kingdom, we should seek to do God’s will.  We should expend our resources on things which have value before God.  Jesus tells us that we will value more highly those things upon which we spend our resources.  If we spend our efforts and money to acquire material things, we will value those things.  On the other hand, if we spend our efforts and money on others, we will value others.  While it is true that we will spend our efforts and money on those things which we value, we often miss what Jesus is telling us here.  If you wish to value that which God values, spend your money on it.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Luke 12-13.

Today’s passage is the second time that Luke reports that Jesus said there is nothing hidden that will not be made known.  The previous time, Jesus warned us that we should be careful how we listen.  This time, He warns that everything we say in secret will be declared openly for all to hear.  Jesus follows that up by telling us not to fear anything because God keeps track of each and every sparrow and He values us much more than He values sparrows.  It is also in this context that Luke reports that Jesus told us not to worry about what to say in response to those who attack us for our faith: God will provide us with the words to speak.  Jesus then expands on His teaching us not to fear or worry, by pointing out that God will provide for our needs.  Instead of worrying about what we should eat, or drink, or wear, we should seek that which pleases God, that which brings us closer to God’s kingdom.  Rather than investing for our old age, let us invest in our eternity.

When I read passages such as the first part of today’s, I fear that I have squandered opportunities to do God’s will, that my efforts are too small.  However, the second half addresses those concerns.  First, there is the parable Jesus tells of the fig tree here.  The owner has become frustrated that the tree has failed to bear fruit and orders the caretaker to cut it down.  But the caretaker tells him to give it one more year, one more chance.  He, the caretaker, will give the tree special care to cause it to bear fruit.  In many ways I feel like God is giving me one last chance to bear the fruit which He expects of me.  Yet, I feel like even so what I am doing is too small.  And there the final things I want to write about come in.  Jesus told a parable about how large a mustard plant grows from a tiny seed, and how a small amount of yeast transforms a large amount of dough.  Both of these remind us that while the things we do may be small, even miniscule, they may have large consequences.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Luke 12-13.

Today a phrase caught my attention which I do not believe I have ever noticed before, or heard anyone comment on.  At the beginning of chapter 12, Luke tells us that a crowd gathered to hear Jesus, “so that they were trampling one another.”  Jesus then starts His message by telling His disciples to be on guard against hypocrisy.  Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but it appears interesting that Jesus preached on avoiding hypocrisy in front of a crowd which was trampling on others in order to listen to a man who preached about the importance of loving our neighbor.

Jesus segues from warning us about hypocrisy, with the help of one of His audience, into telling us not to worry about the future.  He tells us that we should not worry about our lives or about our bodies, God will care for us.  We should not fear those who can, at most, kill us, because God, who can cast us into hell, cares for us.  If we seek God’s kingdom, He will provide for our needs.  Jesus makes a statement at the end of teaching against worry which we often under emphasize. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  So, if we want to truly be heavenly, we will invest our resources in those things which have value there.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Luke 12-13

I have spent significant effort trying to figure out how to word my thoughts on this passage.  Jesus talks about not fearing those who can kill our bodies but not effect our souls.  He then goes on to tell us not to worry about anything and to put more effort into pleasing God than in accumulating material possessions.  If our first priority is to seek the Kingdom of God, God will meet all of our other needs.   Jesus even gives us a contrast to work with.  Determining how to meet their material needs dominates the thoughts of unbelievers throughout the world.  Determining how to fulfill God’s will should dominate the thoughts of believers.  If we place our trust in God, we will be freed up from spending time and resources on securing our material future so that we can spend our time and resources pleasing God.  Luke goes on to write about an incident which brings Jesus’ point into focus.  When the synagogue leader berated the woman whom Jesus healed on the Sabbath for being healed on the Sabbath, Jesus berated him for being unwilling to see someone released from suffering because it was the Sabbath. His point here being that we should seek to aid those in need whenever the opportunity presents itself.  Then Luke presents two related teachings from Jesus: one about the mustard seed, and one about yeast.  In seeking to bring in the Kingdom of God we should do even the things which seem small and insignificant because small and insignificant things often have results much greater than we would expect.