Luke 12:49-52
No one can pretend Luke 12:49-52 isn’t a difficult Gospel lesson. If you follow Jesus through the Gospels, sooner or later in each we come to a moment when the same Jesus who comforts little children and speaks of searching for lost lambs also preaches and prophesies about danger, suffering, persecution, and sorrow. In Luke 12, such prophecies and warnings abound – from the reminder that what we have “whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs” (12:3), to the parable of the rich fool whose life is demanded of him on the very night be builds bigger barns (12:20), to the story of the unfaithful servants which cautions us that “from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (12:48), to the final accusation that no one knows how to interpret the present time (12:56) or what to do about it (12:57). And, of course, there is today’s passage, in which Jesus states He brings not peace but division, even among our own households and families. Yet, interestingly, these warnings alternate with reassurances. Even the hairs of our head are numbered (12:7); the Holy Spirit will teach us what to say in times of persecution (12:12); we should not worry about what to eat or what to wear (12:22); it is the “Father has been pleased” to give us the kingdom (12:32); our Master will return (12:38). How do we reconcile these two messages? How can the same Christ who comforts be the one who brings division? I think the key is Jesus’s statement in Luke 12:29-34, especially 12:31 and 12:34, which I’ve italicized here: And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. If we do not put the kingdom first, then we run the risk of being hypocrites who do things behind closed doors we would not want spoken of openly; of being rich fools who think our own wealth can save us; of being so negligent in stewarding what has been given to us that we miss the signs of where God is at work. To be sure, the treasures of this world can be used to advance the Kingdom. But only if we know who is in charge as we use them, and only if we trust Him. And choosing whether or not to trust Jesus and value other people, as the warnings in this passage make clear, has eternal stakes. In his famous sermon “The Weight of Glory,” C. S. Lewis once wrote: There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. We must be alert for our Master’s return. We must treat others as beloved children of God. We must place our treasure, and our trust, in Him. Our hearts will follow. Comments are closed.
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