Fear God, Not Religious People
Luke 12Meanwhile, a crowd of many thousands had gathered together, so that they were trampling on one other. Jesus began to tell his disciples first, “Y’all beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing covered up that won’t be uncover, nor hidden that won’t be made known. Therefore, whatever y’all have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and whatever y’all have whispered in an ear in secret rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
“I tell y’all, my friends, y’all shouldn’t be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will warn y’all whom y’all should fear. Y’all are to fear ʜɪᴍ who after killing, has authority to throw into hell. Yes, I tell y’all, fear ʜɪᴍ.
“Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. But the very hairs of y’all’s head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; y’all are worth more than many sparrows.
Listen to the Spirit
“I tell y’all, everyone who acknowledges me before humans, the Son of Humanity will also acknowledges before the angels of God. But he who denies me in the presence of humans will be denied in the presence of the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Humanity will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When y’all are brought before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, y’all mustn’t worry about how y’all will make a defense or what y’all will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach y’all at that moment what y’all should say.”
Treasure the Right Things
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
But Jesus replied, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator between y’all?” Then he said to them, “Y’all must beware and be on guard against all kinds of greed, for a person’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of possessions.”
Then he told them this parable, “The ground of a certain rich man was very productive. He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have room to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘Here is what I will do—I will tear down my barns, build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods there. I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have lots of goods stored up for many years. Take it easy, eat, drink, and be merry.”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you. But who will get the things that you prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be for those who store up treasure for themselves, but are not rich toward God.”
Worry is for the Birds
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell y’all, don’t be worry about y’all’s life, as to what y’all will eat, or about your* body, as what y’all will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Y’all consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, and they have no warehouse or barn—yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable are y’all than birds! But can any of y’all add one moment to your life by worrying? If then y’all can’t do even this little thing, why do y’all worry about the rest? Y’all consider how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work or spin. Yet I tell y’all, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. But if this is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and thrown into the oven tomorrow, how much more will he clothe y’all—y’all of little faith?
“And don’t seek after what y’all will eat or what y’all will drink—y’all don’t worry about that. For the ethnic groups of the world seek after all these things, but y’all’s Father knows that y’all need them. But as for y’all, seek ʜɪꜱ empire, and all these things will be given to y’all.
“Don’t be afraid, little flock, for y’all’s Father delights to give y’all the empire. Y’all must sell your possessions and give to the poor. Y’all must make purses for yourselves that won’t wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where y’all’s treasure is, there will y’all’s will heart be also.
Be Ever Ready
“Y’all should be dressed for service and keep your* lamps burning. Y’all are to be like humans watching for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open the door for him. Blessed are those servants whose master finds alert when he comes. Truly I tell y’all that he will dress himself to serve, have them recline at the table, and will come and serve them. If he comes in the second or third watch and finds them ready, blessed are those servants. But y’all must understand this: if the owner of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore y’all must also be ready, for the Son of Humanity is coming at an hour when y’all won’t expect him.”
Then Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?”
The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master finds at work when he returns. Truly I tell y’all that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed in returning,’ and begins to beat the other male and female servants, and to eat and drink and to get drunk, then the master of that servant will come on a day when he isn’t expecting him and in an hour that he doesn’t know. And the master will cut him in into pieces and assign him a place with the unfaithful. The servant who knew the master’s will and didn’t get ready or do what the master asked will receive a severe beating, but the one who didn’t know and did things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. To whomever much is given, much will be required; and from the one who was entrusted with much, even more will be asked.
Not Peace but Division
“I have come to cast fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished! Do y’all think that I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell y’all, but rather division. For from now on, a household of five will be divided, three against two, and two against three. They will be divided, father against son, and son against father, mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Interpreting the Signs of the Time
Jesus said to the crowds, “When y’all see a cloud rising from the west, immediately y’all say, ‘A storm is coming,’ and so it does. And when a south wind blows, y’all say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! Y’all know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that y’all don’t know how to interpret the present time?
“Why don’t y’all judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to appear before the magistrate, make an effort to be reconciled on the way, so that he won’t drag you to the judge, and the judge hands you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you never get out of there until you have paid every last penny.”