Luke 12: 1-21

In the history of the USA there came a time when the weight of England’s oppressive taxes and brutality toward the colonists became intolerable. Grumbling in local taverns and meeting halls gave way to a commitment to declare independence. For those men and women who took responsibility for the movement toward freedom everything changed. No longer could they afford to participate in idle gossip. The people with the power would deal very harshly with these rebels and thus they had to guard their thoughts and ideas and carefully chose when and where to speak and take action.

Jesus was at the center of a rebellion. Although he was leading a revolution against the forces of evil, against the oppression of sin and death, the powers to be, the Romans and religious leaders, constituted a very real threat to Jesus and his followers. Jesus cautioned his followers to be aware of the dangers and to be prepared for opposition to the mission of God’s Messiah.

Luke includes the appeal of one brother to settle a land dispute to illustrate Jesus’ point. The brother, as the rich fool in Jesus’ following parable, is typical of the prevailing attitude in Israel at that time. Ownership of the land was paramount to having a sense of security and a means to generate prosperity. In contrast to that attitude Jesus was proclaiming the coming Kingdom of God where the prevailing attitude is how to share the love & grace God is showering upon his people.

In every national election we are presented with platforms that have little resemblance to Kingdom values. In these times God is giving us an opportunity to reaffirm how desperately our world needs the movement Jesus launched. These are serious times and God needs serious people to respond to God’s call on their lives. May we affirm for ourselves the historic response of God’s people:

“We will serve the LORD our God. We will obey him alone.”

Joshua 24:24

What word or phrase in these verses

attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

20-Jan-12     Luke 12:22-40