Tag Archives: Luke 12-13

Daily Bible Study

October 28, 2023 Bible Study — Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be Also

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.

Daily Bible Study

October 28, 2022 Bible Study — What Is Said In Secret Will Be Proclaimed From The Rooftop, And Small Actions Can Have Huge Consequences

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.

Daily Bible Study

October 28, 2021 Bible Study — Put Your Treasure Where You Want Your Heart To Be

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.

Daily Bible Study

October 28, 2020 Bible Study Seek the Kingdom of God, Even In the Small and Insignificant Things

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.

Daily Bible Study

October 28, 2018 Bible Study — Balancing the Need To Take a Stand For What Is Right With the Knowledge That We Can’t Be Sure That We Are Right

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 needed this passage today. Lately, I have been worrying about my long term finances. Jesus reminds us here not to do so. God takes care of the Lillies of the field, He will take care of us. Instead, I need to be focusing on how I can serve God. If we put our attention on using our resources and time to serve God, He will provide for our other needs. However, we need to serve God now not plan to do so at some future time. Our time to serve Him may run out at any moment. Let’s not waste the opportunities we have now because we think we will have a better opportunity later.

    One of the things which has always bothered me in disputes about Church issues are those who insist that we compromise our beliefs in order for the Church to be unified. While Church unity is important, so is faithfully preaching the Gospel. In today’s passage, Jesus reminds us that He did not come to bring unity. He came to bring division. He demands that we choose whether we will serve Him, or serve the world. There comes a time when we must be willing to take a stand for what we believe, even if it means we will suffer for it. However, that does not mean that we should admire people for taking a stand for what is wrong. We need to take a stand for what is right, but we need to always be aware that we may be wrong about what is right. That is one of the great paradoxes of our faith.

Daily Bible Study

October 28, 2017 Bible Study — Working For What Really Matters

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.

    Jesus’ teachings in today’s passage are all closely related to each other. I may not touch on all of them, but I believe the theme is there on those as well. The passage starts out by warning us to be more afraid of God, who destroy our very selves, than of men, who, no matter how powerful, can only destroy our bodies. Yet, from there He points out that we are valuable to God, who cares about the lives of mere sparrows (which can be bought in numbers for mere pennies).

I am going to step away from my main theme to say something about blasphemy. It is one thing to deny that some particular person is a person of God, even if that person is Jesus Himself. However, calling good evil, and evil good is another matter entirely. When you start to call that which is clearly evil a good thing you begin moving into territory from which there is no return. I struggle with writing this in a way does not leave room for misinterpretation, but I have seen those who once knew the truth deny it in such a way that it is clear they will never accept it again.

    Having spoken about how much God values each individual one of us, Jesus goes on to tell a parable about a man who chose to expand how much wealth he could store. Jesus uses that parable as a jumping off point to advise us not to worry about how much wealth we have, to not even worry about whether we have enough for our next meal, to pay for a roof over our heads, or clothes to wear. Instead of saving our wealth we should invest it in doing good for others. By doing so we will be saving up heavenly wealth where it cannot be lost or stolen. God will provide for our needs, so we need not worry about how they will be met.

    The parable about the fig tree Jesus tells a short time later fits right in with this theme. God is looking for us to bear the fruit of our faith. In many ways this is an explanation about how to deal with feelings of depression and uselessness. It is God’s desire for everyone to come to Him, but His patience has limits. Our time to serve God will run out eventually. We need to take advantage of the opportunities to do good which present themselves to us because they may be the last that we will have.

Daily Bible Study

October 28, 2016 Bible Study — Decide For Ourselves What Is Right

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

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

    Jesus teaches that we should not, that we need not, worry about material possessions because God knows our needs and will care for us. In fact, He tells us that we should expend our material possessions to help those in need and thus store up possessions in Heaven. From there He goes on to give two illustrations about being ready for His return. Then Peter asks Him if those illustrations were just for the disciples, or for everyone. Rather than answer outright, Jesus gives yet another illustration about a servant who has been placed over other servants to await their master’s return. The traditional interpretation of all three of these illustrations is that Jesus should find us doing as He instructed when He returns, and this is correct. However, I realized today that it is incomplete. Looking at how these illustrations come on the heels of Jesus telling us to store up wealth in Heaven, it occurred to me that Jesus was also telling us that we should be ready to help those in need when the opportunity presents itself to us.

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    Jesus’ third illustration, which He gave in response to Peter’s question, indicates that those, such as the disciples, who have been given authority over others will be held to a higher standard. Jesus’ third illustration on this subject teaches us that those who have been given more authority, more wealth, more knowledge, or more of something else will be held to a higher standard. Jesus even puts in a bit about those pastors, and other leaders, who abuse their position to benefit themselves at the expense of those over whom they have been given authority. If we know what God’s will for us and do not act accordingly, we will suffer much greater punishment than those who do not know His will.

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    Jesus goes on to tell His disciples that He did not come to bring unity. He says here that He came to bring division. This passage is directly aimed at those who argue that we should acquiesce on this or that point in the name of unity. My understanding of what Jesus means here is significantly influenced by the fact that immediately after saying this to the disciples Jesus turns to the crowds and asks them why they cannot decide for themselves what is right. We are to decide for ourselves what is right, not take the word of our pastor, or some other leader. Don’t take my word for what is right. Read the Bible, pray, listen to how others interpret it, and allow the Holy Spirit to move in your heart to understand what God wants you to do. But that is not going to lead to unity because some of us will see things one way and others will see it another, and some people will push for us to accept things which they know are wrong.