A STUDY OF THE BOOK
OF LUKE
Focus on the Kingdom
of God
In the midst of a crowd of people v 1, Jesus gave his disciples five kingdom perspectives to consider. Many of these were given by Jesus on other occasions. Clearly, Jesus repeated many of His teachings, probably so the disciples would remember them.
FOCUS ON GOD’S KINGDOM BY
KNOWING WHO TO FEAR
In the vicinity of Jerusalem, the crowds grew to thousands, and the Pharisees began to make secret plans to eliminate Jesus. Knowing this, Jesus began to teach His disciples not to fear people like the Pharisees who could only kill the body.
Verse 1: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is to pretend. In the case of the Pharisees it was pretending
something is the word of God when it is not. The point is there is nothing covered up that
will not be revealed v 2. The word of God will
ultimately not be covered up v 3. But neither will your actions. Hypocrisy is
not just inconsistency—saying one thing and doing something else but also
creating a standard by adding to or taking away from the word of God. Then acting
like the new standard is the word of God and judging yourself and others by
that new standard. The Pharisees added Rabbinic Judaism. Today that is often
done by adding prophesies, visions, sacred tradition, circumstantial leading, and
personal messages from God denying the sufficiency of the Bible.
Verse 4-5: Fear God the One who, after He has killed, has authority
to cast into hell. God knows about each sparrow and each of the hairs
of your head v 6-7, a
declaration of omniscience. He knows your need and cares for you. However, God
takes His omniscience into our judgment as well so fear Him and nothing else
and if you are fearing something else you are not
fearing God. The apostles did not seek persecution but they did not fear their
persecutors, they feared disobeying God.
Verse 10: He who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.
In v 8-9 angels seem instrumental in
carrying out judgment because Jesus says if we confess Him or deny Him, He will
do the same for us before the angels. The Holy Spirit empowered and filled
Jesus (Luke 3:22; 4:1). The Pharisees were rejecting Jesus, therefore
blaspheming the Holy Spirit. In v 10
the idea is if you spoke against the Son of Man and he was not connected with
the Holy Spirit and He was just a man, saying stuff he
believes like the rest of us do, then you would not be condemned for
disagreeing with Him. But if Jesus is
empowered by, filled with, and one with the Holy Spirit, then disagreement is
unforgivable.
Verse 12: The Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.
The context is
not preaching a sermon but being brought to trial because of your faith v 11. The principle is not to worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense. Don’t
think you have to use a teleprompter or memorize a speech. Pray for God to give
the right words to say and know the Word for content.
NB: We are motivated by fear. As a believer, don’t forget that the way you live your life has eternal ramifications. You cannot erase what you do. Your body leaves a record of your life. So fear God.
FOCUS ON GOD’S KINGDOM BY UNDERSTANDING
THE PROBLEM WITH POSSESSIONS
When one asked Jesus to tell his brother to divide the family inheritance with him v 13 Jesus responded with a lecture on the problem with possessions. The point being, possessions get our focus off of death, off of heaven, and off of the kingdom of God.
Verse 15: Be on your guard against every form of
greed. Jesus
answers a man who interrupted Jesus to ask Him to tell his brother to divide
the inheritance with him. The point is be on your guard
against seeking greater wealth in this world. Jesus answers with a parable
of a man who decided to build a bigger barn v 16-18. Jesus warned against
the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God v 21. The point is to seek wealth toward
God not yourself. The attitude Jesus warns us against is in verses 19-20. Don’t be self centered
and self absorbed and use possessions to display this.
Verse 23: Life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Jesus said to not worry about food,
clothing, and length of life. Then He illustrated it with ravens and lilies v 24, 27-28. The point is not that they don’t work
but that they don’t worry. The word means to worry or be anxious or be concerned v 29. In English the
difference between worry and concern is just one of degree. Theologically, we
need to discern the difference: Concern is
being responsible, Worry is doubting the sovereignty of God.
Verse 34: Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. So Jesus says sell your possessions
and give to charity v 33. We cannot
literally do that without violating many other biblical directives. We do have other
responsibility, like providing for our
family. Or if you own a business and sell it and give to the poor, your
employees who need their jobs to support their families would be out of work.
Instead the goal is to make yourselves money belts which do not
wear out, [which is] an unfailing
treasure in heaven, where no thief
comes near nor moth destroys v 33. Put all wealth in heavenly values not
earthly.
NB: Avoid possessions. The more possessions we have, the harder it is to focus on the kingdom of God. Jesus focused our attention on possessions not riches. It is possible to have wealth without possessions and (especially in our world of debt) to have possessions without wealth
FOCUS ON GOD’S KINGDOM BY
ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE TO BE READY
Jesus challenged to be ready, alert, waiting for His Second Coming. Peter asked if the challenge applied to the disciples or to everyone v 41. Christ’s indicated it’s true for everyone and even more true for them.
Verse 40: Be ready, the
Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect. This is true of both the rapture and
the 2nd coming. The difference is the rapture has no preceding
signs. Jesus illustrates this with: (1)
being dressed in readiness, keeping your lamps lit v 35, being like a slave waiting for his masters
return
from the wedding feast v 36-38, and (2) being ready to stop a thief v 39. The point is to live
as if Christ would return today. This keeps us focused on eternal realities.
Verse 42: The faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge. Jesus contrasts the good slave with one who begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk v 45. Notice the bad slave who mistreats people, is a glutton and a drunk. He is judged v 46. The picture is one of departure much like Judas who was amongst Jesus followers but failed to follow him. Verses 47 and 48 seem to teach different degrees of punishment in the lake of fire. There are two principles here: (1) The more knowledge you have the more you are accountable for. (2) The more you have, like the luxury we live in today vs. ancient times, the more we are accountable for in heaven.
NB: The best way to prepare for eternity is to be ready for it. John Stott did this each morning when he placed feet on floor and prayer Father may I please you. Son may I follow you. HS may I know power.
FOCUS ON GOD’S KINGDOM BY
BRINGING DIVISION NOT PEACE
Jesus went on to reveal His
mission of division, not peace, as an inevitable result of teaching truth in the
midst of a sinful world.
Verse 51: Do you suppose that I came to grant peace
on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division. Jesus goal was not world peace, or
national peace or even family peace. Jesus illustrates this division with family members being
against one another v 52-53. It
sounds like Jesus understands that His second coming follows His death and he
wished it were here v 49-50. That of
course means He wished the crucifixion were already over, but it also tells us
He believed He would judge the earth at His second coming and He was eager to
get on with that judgment.
NB: Christlike leaders set people against
each other not as a goal but as a result
of teaching the
kingdom of God in a perverse world. Jesus said He would even divide households. If we follow Him, we should expect the same.
FOCUS ON GOD’S KINGDOM BY ANALYZING THE TIMES
Jesus taught the general wisdom that if you see a problem coming, do something about it before it gets
there. That’s especially true of the times and what is happening with respect to His Coming.
Verse 56: Why do you not analyze this present time? Jesus said they could predict the
weather v 54-55, but could not
analyze the times in which they lived. The
point is they should have known biblical prophesy so they could recognize the
times. We can only do this if we know Bible prophecy.
Verse 57: Why do you not even on your own
initiative judge what is right? Jesus illustrated this by warning against going to court
v 57-59. The point is we should be
able to judge that is discern what is right not expect a judge, being part of
this corrupt world, to make that judgment. If at all possible, stay out of
court. When you listen to the people who
say you should not be judging, meaning you should be tolerant of sin, you
are just giving up to the moral judgments of this world and worldly people.
NB: Christlike leadership sees the evil times coming, knows God will judge the world, and persuades
people to go to God for mercy. Jesus’ parable tells us to settle up on the way to court. In other words, go to God for mercy before He comes to judge. Jesus never tells us to change the world. He said He would judge it not change it. The point of the passage is to avoid judgment not to improve your life.
So What?
Jesus’ heavenly perspective comes through loud and clear in
these five kingdom perspectives. The only
value Jesus sees in anything earthly was to use it to invest in that which is
heavenly. Jesus here eliminated once and for all any idea of: heaven on earth, prosperity gospel, health/wealth
gospel, God helps those who help themselves, world peace, or any other worldly
goal.