Reading the Bible Everyday – Luke 12

Joy: You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #56.  Today we’ll read the 12th chapter of Luke together: Jesus wants us to watch out for religious hypocrisy; He explains some rewards and punishments; and what we should be doing to prepare for the Lord’s return.   

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

Since 1987, I have referred to Luke 12:48 as my life verse.  Technically, the middle part.  Now, I’m not an advocate for using Scripture in bits and pieces, but let me tell you a quick story, and hopefully you’ll excuse me this one time.  As I’ve shared with you before, I struggle with bitterness and envy.  Sometimes now.  A lot back then!  How someone who has always been so blessed could whine so much is beyond me.  “How come I have to…?; Why does she get to…?;  Why am I the only one…?”  And I had been nursing some of these for a long time, including the fact that my little sister was always thin and I always struggled with my weight.  Anyway, I was sitting in church one Sunday morning when my pastor quoted that verse and I was suddenly on high alert.  In my mind, all I could see was his face and I swear it was illuminated.  I scrambled to write the verse down because I knew it was important for me.  “To whom much is given, much will be expected.”  And I had been given so much, I literally had no choice but to be grateful.  And when gratitude fills every nook and cranny, there is little room for bitterness, envy, or hatred of any kind.  I hope you linger on that verse too and reflect on what it might mean for you.

Luke Chapter 12:   1 In these circumstances, a crowd of many thousands came together, so that they were trampling on one another. He began to say to His disciples first: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. 4 “And I say to you, My friends, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. 5 But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw [people] into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! 6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. 7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! 8 “And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God, 9 but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 Whenever they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how you should defend yourselves or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said.” 13 Someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 “Friend,” He said to him, “who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 Then He told them a parable: “A rich man’s land was very productive. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. 19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” ‘ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared-whose will they be?’ 21 “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” 22 Then He said to His disciples: “Therefore I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds? 25 Can any of you add a cubit to his height by worrying? 26 If then you’re not able to do even a little thing, why worry about the rest? 27 “Consider how the wildflowers grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! 28 If that’s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will He do for you-you of little faith? 29 Don’t keep striving for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious. 30 For the Gentile world eagerly seeks all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you. 32 Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 35 “Be ready for service and have your lamps lit. 36 You must be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks, they can open [the door] for him at once. 37 Those slaves the master will find alert when he comes will be blessed. I assure you: He will get ready, have them recline at the table, then come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the middle of the night, or even near dawn, and finds them alert, those slaves are blessed. 39 But know this: if the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” 41 “Lord,” Peter asked, “are You telling this parable to us or to everyone?” 42 The Lord said: “Who then is the faithful and sensible manager his master will put in charge of his household servants to give them their allotted food at the proper time? 43 That slave whose master finds him working when he comes will be rewarded. 44 I tell you the truth: he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and starts to beat the male and female slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 that slave’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47 And that slave who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten. 48 But the one who did not know and did things deserving of blows will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more. 49 “I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already set ablaze! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how it consumes Me until it is finished! 51 Do you think that I came here to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52 From now on, five in one household will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. ” 54 He also said to the crowds: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, right away you say, ‘A storm is coming,’ and so it does. 55 And when the south wind is blowing, you say, ‘It’s going to be a scorcher!’ and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don’t you know how to interpret this time? 57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your adversary to the ruler, make an effort to settle with him on the way. Then he won’t drag you before the judge, the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last cent.”

There are several passages in this chapter that should give us pause.  The first one is this:  “Do you think that I came here to bring peace on earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division.”  Boy, that’s the truth, isn’t it?  We see the division unfold every day on our TV screens and Twitter.  it’s hard to tell somebody about Jesus when we’re competing with that.  And this one:  “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Yep, one download into Quicken or a browse thru our checkbook register is enough see what we value.  And how about the rampant anxiety today?  “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you.”  That reminds me of how my heart breaks for Millennials.  I’ve come to understand that they worry about literally everything.  Maybe we should dub this day, Give Luke 4 to a Millennial Day.  I know I shouldn’t tease, but I do believe it would help.  Let’s pray.  Lord, thank You that You have given us everything we need.  Is it possible that what we think is imperative shouldn’t necessarily be granted but examined?  Help us discern between wants and needs, to be continually full of gratitude, and please, that our checkbooks registers should be proof that we value furthering the Kingdom of God.  In Your Name we pray, Amen.

 Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!