We discussed yesterday that it’s important to consider the context of scripture. Who is speaking? To whom is it being said? What has preceded it and what follows? This brings richer meaning to the words and keeps us from twisting the truth to suit our desires.
In Luke 12:1-7 Jesus and Hid disciples are being swamped by people wanting to see this spectacle of miracles, and perhaps a King who will lead them to overcome their oppressors. Perhaps, in the exhilaration of the moment his disciples were considering the greatness of the earthly possibilities, and Jesus brings God’s view point to the forefront. We’re going to continue, and hopefully reveal the context of the Teacher’s lessons.
V8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
11 “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Jesus knows that very soon, anyone caught proclaiming Jesus as King, prophet or Messiah will be persecuted. In fact before His death the Pharisees had threatened to put out of the synagogue anyone who claimed Jesus was the Messiah (John 9:22). As in the first 7 verses of Luke 12, Jesus is comparing the temporal with the eternal. There are rewards for both proclaiming and denying the King of Kings. Those who turn against the enlightening power of the Spirit will not receive the atonement provided by the blood of Jesus. He goes on to tell His disciples that they need not worry about this temporal persecution, for even the words they should say will be provided for them.
V 13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Jesus made this man’s concern of immediate gratification the object lesson to his disciples (learners) that priorities of this life’s pursuits are worthwhile as long as this life goes on. But how long is that?
Psalm 39:5
Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.
But to be “rich toward God” is to deny your self-interest, to put the glory of God above your “best interests.” It is to pick up your cross, which is freedom from being a slave to sin; as I mix with faith, the truth that “I have been crucified with Christ” I am set free from bondage to my own desires.
Galatians 6
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
To be rich toward God is to follow the One by whom we are “hidden.”
Colossians 3
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
The truth in this context means we cannot evaluate the circumstances of our own lives unless we are seeing them through His eternal viewpoint. In that context it all becomes clear, and tragedy can become beautiful, and victory just one pleasant moment in time.
In Luke 12:1-7 Jesus and Hid disciples are being swamped by people wanting to see this spectacle of miracles, and perhaps a King who will lead them to overcome their oppressors. Perhaps, in the exhilaration of the moment his disciples were considering the greatness of the earthly possibilities, and Jesus brings God’s view point to the forefront. We’re going to continue, and hopefully reveal the context of the Teacher’s lessons.
V8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
11 “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Jesus knows that very soon, anyone caught proclaiming Jesus as King, prophet or Messiah will be persecuted. In fact before His death the Pharisees had threatened to put out of the synagogue anyone who claimed Jesus was the Messiah (John 9:22). As in the first 7 verses of Luke 12, Jesus is comparing the temporal with the eternal. There are rewards for both proclaiming and denying the King of Kings. Those who turn against the enlightening power of the Spirit will not receive the atonement provided by the blood of Jesus. He goes on to tell His disciples that they need not worry about this temporal persecution, for even the words they should say will be provided for them.
V 13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Jesus made this man’s concern of immediate gratification the object lesson to his disciples (learners) that priorities of this life’s pursuits are worthwhile as long as this life goes on. But how long is that?
Psalm 39:5
Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.
But to be “rich toward God” is to deny your self-interest, to put the glory of God above your “best interests.” It is to pick up your cross, which is freedom from being a slave to sin; as I mix with faith, the truth that “I have been crucified with Christ” I am set free from bondage to my own desires.
Galatians 6
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
To be rich toward God is to follow the One by whom we are “hidden.”
Colossians 3
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
The truth in this context means we cannot evaluate the circumstances of our own lives unless we are seeing them through His eternal viewpoint. In that context it all becomes clear, and tragedy can become beautiful, and victory just one pleasant moment in time.
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