Bible Reading
Luke 12:1-34 “In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, 'Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone 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. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.' Someone in the crowd said to him, 'Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.' But he said to him, 'Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?' And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.' And he told them a parable, saying, 'The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.' And he said to his disciples, 'Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
[49:33]James 4:13-15 “Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit'— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
[01:15:39]1 Timothy 6:17-19 “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”
[01:18:28]Observation questions
- In Luke 12:1–3, what is the connection between hypocrisy, hidden motives, and what will eventually be revealed? [58:37]
- In Luke 12:16–21, what does the farmer include in his plans, and whom does he leave out? What does he assume his stored possessions will provide? [01:14:17]
- What distinction does Jesus make between struggling with doubt or sin and hardened rejection of the Holy Spirit’s testimony about him? [01:04:27]
- In Luke 12:24–32, what do the ravens, lilies, and the Father’s willingness to give the kingdom reveal about his care for his disciples? [01:23:59]
Interpretation questions
- Why does Jesus place a warning about fearing God alongside reassurance about God’s care in Luke 12:4–7? How do these truths together help a believer resist the pressure to gain people’s approval? [01:01:47]
- The farmer’s harvest and planning were not themselves sinful. What separates responsible preparation from building a life around possessions, and how does James 4:13–15 help clarify that difference? [01:15:07]
- Why should recognizing sin and desiring Christ lead a person toward repentance rather than the conclusion that forgiveness is beyond reach? [01:06:00]
- In Luke 12:33–34, how can generosity help change what a person treasures, rather than simply reveal what that person already values? [01:27:28]
Application questions
- Think of a recent time when your service went unnoticed or unthanked. What did your response reveal about your motives, and what might help you continue serving with joy before God? [59:43]
- Whose approval has been carrying too much weight in your decisions? How might remembering that the Father knows and values you help you take one honest, faithful step in that relationship? [01:03:10]
- When you become aware of sin, do you tend to make excuses, withdraw in shame, or turn toward Christ? Without sharing more than you are comfortable sharing, what would responding to his invitation to forgiveness look like this week? [01:05:49]
- Is there something you keep postponing until life settles down—time with the Lord, attention to family, a meaningful relationship, or generosity? What small step could you take now without waiting for your circumstances to change? [01:17:12]
- What “what if” has been occupying your thoughts lately? What part of that concern calls for practical action, and what part is beyond your control and needs to be entrusted to the Father? [01:25:11]
- Looking at your time, attention, energy, and spending over the past week, what seems to have received the most value? Is there one possession or resource you could make available to meet someone’s need and help turn your heart toward God’s purposes? [01:28:23]
