Luke 12

Luke 12:1

Even as the Pharisees and lawyers, scribes and religious leaders tried to trip up Jesus, the common people flocked around Him. So it was at this point that He gave them two warnings about the perils of popularity… The first danger to watch out for when things seem to be going well in your life, your business, your family, or your ministry is hypocrisy. The word “hypocrisy” comes from the Greek word hupokrisis and refers to the actors in Greek theatre who wore masks to identify their characters. Jesus likens this mask-wearing mentality to leaven because, although it may seem insignificant initially, it becomes puffed-up eventually.

Luke 12:2

After identifying the danger of hypocrisy, Jesus goes on to speak of the irrationality of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is foolish because the truth eventually comes out. “Be sure your sin will find you out,” the Word declares (Num_32:23)not because God will track us down, but because our sin itself will. The same is true with righteousness. Jesus shone on the Mount of Transfiguration because He was light. Thus, the real miracle of the Transfiguration is not that Jesus was shining. The real miracle is that His humanity was able to conceal His divinity for so long. Indeed, that which is inside a man comes out eventually.

Luke 12:4

Continuing, Jesus speaks of the cause of hypocrisy, which is fear. Although we most often think of hypocrisy in terms of people who pretend to be Christians when they’re not, I think an even more subtle form of hypocrisy is seen in Christians who think they’d better “tone down” their witness for fear of being thought of as too spiritual. “Don’t worry about people,” Jesus says. “Instead, fear the One whose eye is on you constantly.” The realization that God is with you is the cure for hypocrisy.

Luke 12:8

The second element in the cure for hypocrisy is confession. When you begin a new job, move to a new neighborhood, or enroll in a new school, go on record from day one and let people know you’re a believer. Confess Jesus before men, and the Holy Spirit will be right there, telling you what you should say.

Luke 12:13

Although ministry can all too often become mired in an attempt to right perceived wrongs, Jesus wisely said, “This is not My area of concern,” for His purpose was not to make bad men good or good men better. His purpose was to make dead men live, to see people born again and brought into the kingdom.

Luke 12:15

In addition to hypocrisy, the second danger of which to beware in the day of prosperity is covetousness. “I have heard the confession of every conceivable sin among men,” one priest said, “except the sin of covetousness.” People feel bad about immorality, lying, swearingbut when was the last time they cried over the sin of covetousness? Yet in Romans 7, Paul says covetousness is the very sin that plagued him. What is covetousness? Simply wanting more of that which we already have enough. And Jesus said it is a sin of which we must be so careful. Possessions are dangerous because they can possess us. Did you get a new caror did it get you? You used to be free on Saturdays to toss a ball with your kids. But now you have to wax your car, tune it up, keep it running. Small men seek to get. Great men seek to be.

Luke 12:16

The tragedy of this parable lies not in what the rich man left behind, but in the judgment that awaited him, for he would enter heaven without any evidence of wise stewardship on earth.

Luke 12:21

God has given us all things not to possess, but to enjoy. The birds sing because they don’t have to pay taxes, work on their wardrobes, or paint their houses. They simply enjoy what God gives. Do we do the same?

Luke 12:25

Don’t worry about what you eat, drink, or wear. God knows you have need of these things. He’s not out to restrict you. His purpose is to liberate you now and eternally.

Luke 12:33

In the world’s stock market, the word is “Buy.” In God’s, it’s “Sell.” This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a home or a boat or a car. But if anything begins to possess you, leaving you less time and energy for the things of the Lord, sell it and invest in people, in heaven, in the kingdom.

Luke 12:35

This text encourages my heart because Jesus doesn’t say, “Blessed are those servants who, when the Lord comes, He shall find working, witnessing, praying, preaching, studying or serving.” No. Jesus says, “Blessed, or happy, is the one who the Lord finds simply watching"the one who realizes this life is not where it’s at, that life is empty apart from Him. If you are reeling from a relationship that is not working out, finances that are not coming in, or physical pain that is eating you up, blessed are you, for you are acutely aware of the emptiness of this worldand you look forward to heaven all the more. I am reminded of another time the Lord girded Himself when, a few weeks after this, as His disciples sat around the table in the Upper Room arguing who was the greatest, He washed their dirty, stinky feet (Joh_13:4-5). Why would the Lord have to make us sit down to eat? Because the tendency of our flesh is to pop up, run around, and say, “Okay, Lord, I want to serve You.” We are quick to jump up, but sometimes the Lord would have us sit down. The one watching for the Lord’s coming will be blessed because Jesus will gird Himself with a towel and will serve him, take care of him, bless him. It was to a cold, weary Peter that Jesus served a hot, hearty breakfast. Thus, even at a time of disobedience in his own lifeeven when Peter was fishing when he was supposed to be in Jerusalem waiting, he found in the hand of the Lord the very thing he had been searching for all night long (Joh_21:9).

Luke 12:38

Why, in John 13, did Jesus wash feet and serve His disciples? Why, in John 21, did He cook fish and feed them? Why does Jesus bless those who are simply looking for His coming? Because those whom the Lord serves realize grace has nothing to do with who they are and everything to do with who He is. Those whom the Lord serves understand it’s no longer due to their greatness, but solely to His graciousness that they are blessed; that it’s not based upon anything they have or haven’t done, but completely upon what He did on the Cross when He died for their sins. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.2Ti_4:8 The crown of righteousness is given not to those who fight the good fight or run the race successfully. It’s given to those who love His appearing. It’s given to those who say, “Lord, I realize that this world is not really where it’s at. There’s got to be more. Therefore, I’m looking for Your coming.”

Luke 12:39

There are those who say that Jesus cannot come back this hour because the church hasn’t yet gone through the Tribulation as described in Revelation 6-19. But I challenge this because Jesus in this passage was telling His disciples to watch, to be constantly alert for the possibility of His coming at a time they didn’t expect it. If, on the other hand, the church were indeed to go through the Tribulation, we would know precisely the hour of His coming: exactly 1,260 days after the day Antichrist goes into the rebuilt Jewish temple and demands to be worshiped (Daniel 12; Revelation 12-13). Thus, His coming would not be “at an hour we think not.” I believe one of the keys to overcoming hypocrisy and covetousness is to live in constant anticipation that today could be the day Jesus comes back.

Luke 12:41

Jesus will talk to both: to the disciples in verses Luk_12:42-53, and then to the crowd in verses Luk_12:54 to Luk_12:59…

Luke 12:42

Blessed, happy is the one living in the expectation that the Son of Man might come even this hour.

Luke 12:44

Here, Jesus hints at the fact that those who are watching for His coming presently will, in the ages to come, hold positions of authority. In other words, what we do now affects what we’ll do in heaven. Maybe there are interests or desires God has placed on your heart that have yet to be worked out or realized. It is very likely that when you get to heaven, those will be the very areas that will come into fullness and fruition in your life.

Luke 12:45

The result of saying the Lord can’t come today will be a two-fold tendency: brutality and carnality. How would we treat one another if we truly believed Jesus would return in the next twenty-four hours? I only lash out at people or beat up on people if I forget Jesus could very well come today. An awareness of the Rapture is not escapism. Quite the opposite. Jesus said a realization of return leads one to living rightly and rewards eternally.

Luke 12:46

I don’t believe the evil servant here is doomed to hell. Rather, I believe the implication is that he simply loses out on what he could have enjoyed eternally had he lived his life looking for his Lord’s return.

Luke 12:49

I believe Jesus is speaking of the fire of Pentecost, perhaps as if to say, “I wish I had already gone through the process of the Cross.”

Luke 12:50

Speaking of the baptism of His crucifixion, Jesus reaffirms His commitment to go to the Cross, to finish the Work of our salvation, to save our souls.

Luke 12:51

In the context of this teaching, Jesus’ words serve as a warning that His coming will cause division. Perhaps there are some in your family who say, “Do you really believe Jesus is going to come again, that you’re going to be raptured up to heaven? You’re crazy!” Take heart, Jesus told us this would happen.

Luke 12:54

We can put a man on the moon, but we don’t know what in the world is going on. Scientists can tell us how to get to the stars, but not how to get to heaven. So, while our understanding is expanding technologically, we are left in the dark spiritually. Although the scientists of Jesus’ day weren’t able to send men to the moon, they did indeed study the skies. And in so doing, they became adept at predicting the weather, but inept at understanding the climate of their times. You see, they should have known their Messiah was among them, for Mic_5:2 declared He would be born in Bethlehemand hadn’t a so-called King been born in Bethlehem thirty-three years earlier, so intimidating to Herod that he ordered the annihilation of all boys two years of age and under? They should have known their Messiah was among them when people began to imply that the Rabbi from Galilee was conceived illegitimately, for didn’t Isaiah declare centuries earlier that when this One came the sign given would be that a virgin would conceive and bring forth a son (Isa_7:14)? They should have known their Messiah was among them, for the people of Israel had been enslaved in Egypt for four hundred years before a deliverer was raised up to lead them into the Land of Promise. And now, after four hundred years of silence following the Book of Malachi, hadn’t a herald in the form of a locust-eating Baptist come on the scene pointing to the One who would lead them not into the Promised Land, but all the way to heaven? No wonder that before He rode into the city to present Himself as King, Jesus looked down on Jerusalem and wept, “O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, if thou wouldest have known this is thy day"the day prophesied by Daniel. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks…Dan_9:25 (a) A heptad, or “week,” being seven years, sixty-nine heptads would be four hundred eighty-three years. It was on March 14, 445 B.C. that Artaxerxes gave the order to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. And exactly 173,880 days483 yearslater, on April 6, A.D. 32, Jesus rode into Jerusalem. No wonder He said, “You should have known this is your day.”

Luke 12:58

When you have a legal matter, you try to work it out without going to courtespecially if you know you’re the one in error. Therefore, wouldn’t it be logical to prepare for the Day of Judgment?

Luke 12:59

Just as it is impossible for one to work off his debt once he’s put in prison, those who are without Christ on the Day of Judgment will be cast into hell with no way to work their way out. Oh, to be watching and wise concerning the day of His appearing.