Please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke chapter 12…..
Last week we talked about Jesus’ warnings at the end of Luke 11. The beginning of Luke 12 continues with the warning but Jesus explains why we are to do the right things.
Let us pray our commitment to God’s Word before reading our text…..
Read along with me now, Luke 12:1-12……
We can note from v1 that many people were seeking Jesus; but Jesus spoke personally to disciples.
Isn’t this just like today? Today people will flock to someone who is new and exciting, looking for something (because of course, there is so much missing in their lives) but most of these seeking people sadly ignore God and Jesus Christ. Only a few are true disciples of Jesus Christ, sadly even in so called “Christian” churches today, many will flock there but really are not true disciples.
Jesus knows people’s hearts; therefore Jesus will “speak” to those who are truly willing to listen. Jesus spoke to His disciples.
A disciple is a student, a follower, and an imitator, committed to a master teacher.
Are we true disciples of Jesus Christ? Are we actual students, follower, and imitators of Jesus Christ?
What did Jesus tell his disciples in v1-12? These words are for all disciples! Let us all listen very carefully.
v1-3: God knows our thoughts and our hearts!
We cannot hide anything from God! God knows everything! God knows what we did, said, and thought last week, last night, this morning. Jesus knows where our hearts and thoughts are right now!! – ponder about this for a moment….
How should we respond to this truth? Jesus tells us how we are to respond to an all-knowing God in v4-12.
What is Jesus basically saying in v4-7?
v4-7: There is life on earth and an afterlife!
God knows every living creature on earth and He knows every detail of people, down to every cell. If this is true and it is, we don’t have to worry about those early Christians persecuted to death by being burned or fed to the lions! God knows every cell of His Believers and even if our cells die or be completely separated from one another, one day, Jesus will put all our cells together and perfect us for heaven!
God will take care of Christ’s Disciples! Therefore,
Christ’s Disciples must always live with God in mind; a God who knows all and has power over all!
How else should Christ’s disciples respond to an all-knowing, all powerful, all-loving God?
v8-10: Publicly acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and God.
And what does v11-12 tell us?
a. Do not be surprised of opposition!
There will be people, organizations, companies who will not like you as a disciple of Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, they will go against you! Do not be surprised but be prepared! Always remember that your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ have already won all the battle for us (if God is for us, who can be against us!). And God has filled each one of us Christians with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when confronted,
b. Yield to God the Holy Spirit within. How do we know we are yielding? – We must not have unconfessed sins and the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22) will be evident!
As I was praying the other day, thinking about this message and our study of Creation in Genesis 1, joyful and incredible truths came to mind:
- God is god and there is no one and nothing above Him!
- God created everything we see in the universe and even beyond.
- In spite of knowing who I am, a sinner, God desires to have me with Him!
- God desires for me to be like Him!
- As a Believer of Jesus Christ, I will be “like God” forever and ever!
Do you believe these truths?
How will you live your life in response to these truths?
