Are You Ready? Series

Are You Ready?

Series: Encountering Jesus (through the Gospel of Luke)

Brad Bailey – September 15, 2019

Series #37

Text – Luke 12:32-48

Intro

We are continuing in our extended encounter with Jesus through the Gospel of Luke. Luke refers to one of the Gospel accounts… formed by firsthand testimony… which becomes a living testimony.

We come to the point at which we hear Jesus confront the very core of what matters.

What is your life rooted in? As we heard in the past couple weeks… he warned them…

• Don’t be hypocrites… which really means…don’t be actors…because when we are just performing to a world of actors…we will always be defined by this world…not by God.

• Then he warned us of greed…and having our lives defined by material possessions…because he said, “we do not consist of merely the accumulation of things.”

Now he continues to speak of being rooted in God…staying rooted in God… in what is coming…in what will last.

The text is long…but I think you’ll agree… what Jesus is saying to us is best heard in the whole of his words. (Will begin with the final words read last week as they lead into this text)

Luke 12:32-48?"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33  Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35  "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36  like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37  It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38  It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39  But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40  You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

41  Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?" 42  The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43  It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44  I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45  But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46  The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47  "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48  But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

These words from Jesus are strong… we hear the heart of warning.

He has turned toward Jerusalem… and what is coming is so much more than anyone is prepared for… than anyone is ready for.

He knows that many have been astounded by him… deemed at one level to be a new religious leader… but on another level… so much more…by his power and authority…he appears to have come from God… but they do not understand the full nature of what he is bringing to bear.

His warning comes in relationship to something amazing that is at hand… as he begins…

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

Jesus again refers to the “kingdom of God.”

Contrary to what is commonly said about Jesus…he is not simply a source of moral teaching… or inner peace.

He comes bearing the beginning of a complete change in the powers that be.