|
Luke 12: 22: And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23: The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24: Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
25: And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
26: If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
27: Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28: If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29: And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30: For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31: But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32: Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33: Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
35: Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
The context of the following verses which tell us not to worry about our lives, about what we will eat or what we will wear, all flow from the issue of covetousnous. It is in this context that we must understand what Jesus is teaching us. Jesus is addressing mans insatiable appetite for prosperity and abundance to the point of covetousness ruling him. It is about people who give their whole lives to the pursuit of money and goods, just like the man who tore down his old barns and built new bigger ones. Only that God thwarted his ambition and brought it to an end by bringing his life to an abrupt end. This shows us that God opposes the greedy and in time brings them to the grave, shattering and smashing all their ambitions and plans. It is also to this pursuit of wealth that Jesus teaches us what it means to be rich toward God and exhorts us to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth can destroy. This world is subject to corruption and everything is temporary and withers and grows old and eventually comes to nothing. The point in all these things is that Jesus is teaching, is that to inherit the hope of the Kingdom of God, is what counts and what will never come to an end, spoil or perish. Also that while we are here it is ok not to be like so many men of this world, who have given themselves over wholeheartedly to seek after wealth. Jesus is saying if you are Gods child, then God will look after you. You need to know that you're not alone but that you are been looked after and cared for. For if God looks after the animals and they don't lack anything how much more will God look after His own children? But we need to express our trust in God, that God will look after us. The way we can avoid being anxious is by having confidence in God to look after us. Anxiety is a major problem for people who have no confidence, that God is looking after them. It is good if God does make you rich, but if he doesn't we must be content with having food, clothes and food. Also it doesn't mean we shouldn't work. God has made us so that we will work. Gods provision never means that God abandons the means whereby He supplies all that we need. But if we set our hearts to attain to the Kingdom of God and make that our priority then God will make sure everything else will fall into place. God would challenge us with the question, on whom do you rely? in whom is your confidence? in whom do you trust? We need to have a vision of God on the throne ruling all things, not just some things. So we by setting our hope on the promised Kingdom can be content with what we have, because we know we are people waiting to inherit extremely abundant riches. The people of God in Jesus Christ are multi millionaires in waiting. However if riches do come our way we must not set our heart on them, but rather set our heart on inheriting the Kingdom of God when Jesus returns. So if our heart is set on money that is where our treasure is, but if our desire is set on God in Jesus who is our true treasure, and the treasure most adored and sought after,before anything else. Then indeed that is where our hearts will be!! 34: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35: Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36: And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37: Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38: And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39: And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40: Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. 41: Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? 42: And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 43: Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44: Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 45: But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46: The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47: And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48: But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Leading on from the teaching about covetousness and arriving at the point where we are to be rich toward God. If indeed our heart is set on this treasure of the Kingdom of God and hoping to attain to immortality and honour. If this indeed the case we will reckon ourselves slaves and servants of our Master. We will be looking for Him to return. The next part of Jesus teaching is that we must expect his imminent return, not his soon return. We must expect him every minute and every hour of every day. These are the people of God in Jesus ever looking for His appearing. The point about Christ coming as a thief in the night is that he comes at a least expected time. If we knew when we would be ready to prevent any break in. However the people of the Kingdom are to be always ready, always doing the masters will, always looking after the masters affairs before our wills. This is the mark of one who is waiting for the Kingdom of God. We are warned not to become slothful by saying in our hearts, Jesus is taking a long time in coming, and so become lax as to His will and so start sinning. It is exactly this apathy we must avoid, for this is when Jesus is more likely to return . Woe and terrible sorrow will be to us, for because our hearts were not set on the treasure of Jesus and the Kingdom of God, we will not receive that treasure but rather be given the inheritance and portion of the unbelievers.This is known in the church as the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Gods elect will persevere to the end and be saved and all those who fall away prove themselves not to be the elect of God. All warnings are written to all who are in the visible body of Christ. The church is made up of wheat and tares. But in the midst of the visible church is the invisible church. The invisible church are Gods elect who persevere and always have the things of God first in their lives. They trust in Jesus, come what may, through many trials and tribulations and at last receive what God has promised to His faithful servants. |
