Luke 12
We should be careful lest we manifest the spirit of the Pharisee, hypocrisy. Do we say and do not? Would we exact from others that which we could not and do not do ourselves?
Everything shall be manifested and proclaimed on the housetops, all secret things. Be not afraid of persecution and those who kill you. That terminates your stay on the earth, but they can do no more. "Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him."
To man, sparrows are almost worthless, but not one of them is forgotten by God. You are worth more than many sparrows; God has numbered the hairs of your head.
One who confesses Christ before men, Christ will confess before the angels of God. But one who denies Christ before men shall be denied before the angels of God. A word spoken against the Son of man shall be forgiven him who repents, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall never be forgiven.
If brought before rulers, you are not to think about how to answer. The Spirit of God shall teach you what to say at that time. Here we have a principle of testimony for all who witness. The believer today has the Holy Spirit within, so when he speaks he does not need notes on the side of the page of his Bible to speak from. It should be out of the abundance of his heart that he speaks. "He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
Covetousness
A man wanted the Lord to make his brother divide the inheritance with him. Jesus said, "Man, who made Me a judge or a divider over you?" Both the brother who would not divide, and the brother who desired that his brother divide, were covetous. It is a lesson about covetousness, which is idolatry. "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."
The Fool
A rich man who prospered reasoned within himself, I need more room for my goods. I will remove my barns and build greater ones. He said to his soul, I have much. I will take it easy and enjoy it. But God said to him, 'Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" Thus it is for one who provides treasure for himself, but forgets his God and does not layup treasure in heaven.
The disciples were to take no thought for their life, either for food or raiment. They were to seek first the kingdom of God. The ravens leave us an example. They are unclean birds, but they do not sow, nor reap, nor have a storehouse, yet God feeds them. We are much better than ravens.
By thinking, can you manage to increase your height by eighteen inches? If you cannot do that, why do you worry about everything else? Why is it so hard for even the Christian to walk in dependence on God? There is nothing that God so appreciates from us as dependence on Him. Think of His delight in Christ who never took a step except in complete dependence.
The lilies do not work, but are more beautiful than Solomon in all of his glory. If the Lord clothes the lilies of the field which perish in a day, will He not rather clothe you who have so little faith?
Do not seek for food and drink, and do not doubt. These are the things that the nations (Gentiles) of the world seek, and your Father knows that you need them. "But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." Do not fear your Father finds pleasure in giving you the kingdom.
In view of His coming, sell (evaluate) the things that you have and make a purse which does not get old, a treasure in the heavens which nothing, neither thief nor moth, can spoil. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The Watching Servant
You should have your loins girded (the seat of strength and affection) and lights burning (on a candlestick, not hidden). This is the way that we should wait for the Lord, who will return from the wedding, and when He knocks, we will be ready to open the door to Him immediately. Also, we should be watching, because when He comes, He will take the place of a servant and sit us down at His table and serve us.
We are to be ready, lest our house (entire life and eternal blessing) be ruined. Watching is the character that shows who the believer is; he has one hope-the rapture.
The servant will be blessed when He comes, whether it be in the second or third watch. (There are three Jewish watches.) The third watch will be deliverance for Israel.
Peter asks if the Lord is speaking just to His disciples or to all men. The Lord answers, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over... all that he hath?" The Church had not been revealed at the time of the writing of the gospels, but there are principles all the way through that apply to both the Jew and the Church.
With each one, the one who waits, watches or works, there is a special reward. The one who waits opens the door; the one who watches will be able to sit down and be served by Jesus Himself; the one who works as a steward will be made ruler over all that He has. May all three rewards be ours in that day.
To the one who says, or whose manner of life says, "My Lord delayeth His coming," the Lord will come unexpectedly and give him his part with unbelievers. If one knew his Lord's will and did not prepare himself, neither did according to the Lord's will, he shall be beaten with many stripes. But the one who did not know, but did commit things worthy of stripes, shall have only a few stripes. For one who has been given much, in trust, of him shall be required much. It is all our Master's goods that He has placed in our hands, and they should be multiplied in view of His coming.
Do You Discern This Time?
The Judgment that is coming has already begun. But the Lord had the baptism of death to be baptized with, and His heart of love could not flow out freely until that baptism had taken place. He speaks of the cross which lay Just ahead.
He said that He did not come to give peace on the earth, "but rather division." In one house five would be divided, two against three. Seeing a cloud out of the west they would say there comes a shower, and they would be right. If the south wind blew they would predict heat, but how is it that ye do not discern this time? They did not discern the consequences of rejecting Him and the results of His death.
If Israel did not accept mercy at the hand of Jesus, they would be put into prison and not be released until they had paid the very last mite. The putting in prison occurred in the year 70 A.D. (Isa. 40:1,21Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:1‑2)) when Titus destroyed Jerusalem. Isaiah looks on to the time when they are set free.