SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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Jesus was not the prophet of the status quo. He offended the religious establishment. He turned upside down the normal religious symbols of His day. Jesus spoke words of hope and glory, but demanded change. Either change or judgment. And it grieved Him that for many of His people their end would be judgment—by their own choice.

"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

Jesus’ mission not only includes an offer of love, grace and forgiveness, but it is also a mission of judgment. John the Baptist referred to this dimension of the Messiah’s mission when he said, "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

One of Jesus’ roles was to be the Prophet to the people of Israel. He warned them and called them into an accountability to their God-given mission. In so doing Jesus was continually calling them into repentance—to change their mind and ways and turn back to God and His mission for them.

I just read about this passage: “Curiously enough, the "fire" of judgment has much to do with Jesus' "baptism" on the cross. Sin is judged and punished upon Jesus as He hangs on the cross, "He bears our sins and carries our iniquity." But those who will not put their faith in Jesus the Crucified One, will face a severe sentence at the hands of Jesus the Judge. The Judge would willingly take the place of the judged, but many will not, can not believe Him.”

This mission of judgment-fire will necessarily divide some households. You are blessed when your whole household become followers of Jesus. This is a hard statement from Jesus. But I have come to the understanding that all who want to be with God in heaven may do so. And, conversely, those who don’t want God won’t have to go there and be with Him.

Jesus turns to a parable of the weather: He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?
The weather in Israel is pretty predictable and we’ve noticed that all of the guides and residents of the Middle East have a clear sense and sensitivity to the weather. What Jesus is saying is that they are so smart about the changes in the weather, but are really dumb when it comes to understanding the changes in spiritual things.

Then Jesus shares the parable of the defendant who is responsible for a great debt: "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."

It is far better to judge what is right yourselves rather than be dragged off to the judge. Because if you are taken to a judge, you will surely be put in debtor’s prison and you will not come out until your family and friends pay off the last penny. If you negotiate what you owe with your adversary, then you are much better off. In other words, the smart thing to do is to appeal to your adversary for mercy.

Jesus’ point seems to be: “If you know the judgment will surely go against you, you're a fool not to try to settle the case out of court. In other words, if you know that you are subject to God's judgment, then you need to plead for mercy now while there is still time to receive mercy. Jesus is God's offer of mercy. We're fools if we don't reach out to Him (Jesus) and receive mercy and forgiveness through Him.

So far in this section there seem to be four principal lessons emerging:
FIRST—Judgment is delayed, but is most certainly coming.
SECOND—Prior to the coming judgment disciples of Jesus will face division within their own homes.
THIRD—We must stay alert to the signs of the times and be ready for the coming judgment.
FOURTH—All of us must have a sense and sensitivity of the coming judgment and therefore must plead for mercy before it is too late. And before our personal case is dragged into court.

Now, don’t get all twitter-pated about this judgment. There is no way you can handle it or prepare for it. The only way through it is to negotiate a settlement with Jesus, pleading mercy from Him. Here’s how it works. Jesus pays everything. You pay nothing. He gets you in the deal. You get Him. There is no better deal on earth.

BE READY

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OK, now you know not to worry about things that don’t matter, you know that God is capable of providing for your needs, you know that you are most valuable to God, you know that the only way to satisfy your heart is to seek His Kingdom and become a channel for God’s blessings to flow to the poor. But knowing it isn’t doing it. Now, Jesus is saying that what is most necessary is to BE READY.

"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants 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. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 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. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

Jesus concludes with a call to focus on what is really important. It is so very important that you be vigilant with respect to your relationship with your Master, Jesus, the King. If indeed this is a love relationship, then it’s vital to act like it by being ready for Jesus to show up, even unexpectedly.

When the master arrives, the servants are to be ready. His coming or showing up is their most important priority. You are to be looking forward with great anticipation for Jesus and to stay awake or be watchful. You may be servants, but when the Master shows up He will serve you. This is how Jesus turns the world upside down. He upends the world system by making the poor rich and the rich poor.

Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?" 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? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 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.

"The servant who knows the master's will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 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.

So the conclusion is be dressed and ready for service. Keep your lamps burning. Be watching for him.
 Even if he is delayed, don't fall asleep. Be a faithful and wise manager.
 Feed the servants under your care.
 God has given you much.
 Be worthy of that sacred trust He has in you. Two words: BE READY.

STOP YOUR WORRY

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If you’re going to be “rich toward God”, then you must learn to trust God for your material needs: Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

Don’t worry about your life, because there is more to life than food and clothes. First, Jesus says, “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

Then Jesus moves from birds to flowers: "Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!”

Don’t you see, it’s so empty and foolish to be concerned or worried about these things, because you are so much more valuable than birds and wild flowers. “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.”

Jesus here gives us an insight as to how worrying is set in motion. It is when you set your heart on something that you want or think you need.

There are two reasons Jesus gives for such worry. First—“For the pagan world runs after all such things.” Worry and seeking stuff is what the pagans do. Why? Because they are not walking under the King and His kingdom. Second—“and your Father knows that you need them.” God already is aware of what you need. He is the most faithful one you can count on in your relationship. He knows what you need and is not shocked with the situation you find yourself in, so trust Him with it.

Probably one of the most common hazards you and I face is greed. The only way to escape the peril of greed is to pursue God’s Kingdom. NOTE how Jesus puts it: “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.” All of the “stuff” we need will be taken care of, if we seek His kingdom and learn to trust Him with every part of our existence.

Jesus gives another insight into eliminating your worry and seeking His kingdom. He says, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.” Jesus is saying the same thing He mentioned in the previous paragraph. He wants us to serve as channels of blessings for others. And as long as we operate in His kingdom, He will bless us as the channels of His blessings.

Then Jesus says something that is curious: “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.”

If you’re neglecting to give to the poor and needy, then you will have an earthly purse that will wear out. However if you are a giver, you will have a heavenly purse that will never wear out.

So, if you worry about things that you cannot control and don’t practice trusting God, then you will not be rich toward God and you will not be thriving—only surviving at best. Jesus gives the formula for practicing being rich toward God.
1. Don’t worry about things that don’t matter.
2. God is more than capable of providing for your needs and continually demonstrates it through how He feeds the birds and clothes the wild flowers.
3. You are the most valuable of God’s creation.
4. Seek after His Kingdom.
5. Sell your possessions and give to the poor.

Then Jesus ends this section with the following: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If your focus is on the kingdom, your heart will be the heart of God and you will know the fullness of a satisfied heart. If your focus is smothered with worries about how you’re going to eat and clothe yourself, your heart will be worn out by struggling to hang on to a lesser treasure. You choose. Keep on seeking His Kingdom or drown yourself in your worries. It is ultimately your choice.

PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL

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In Luke 12:13-21 we come to the story of the rich fool.
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;” NOW THAT’S RELEVANT FOR TODAY.

JESUS GOES ON TO SAY: “life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."
The word for “life” Jesus uses is the word that speaks of quality of life. So, He is saying that your quality of life doesn’t consist in all of your stuff.

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
NOTE in those days everyone was in relationship to one another—family lived together and villages worked together in times of abundance and in times of loss. Yet this man “thinks to himself”. You see, he consulted no one on his decision—no one, not even God.

"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.
Instead of sharing it with those in his family and village who are in need, he makes the decision to “store” his surplus in bigger barns.

And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
The purpose for his decision is so that he can take life easy, eat, drink and be merry. This is called retirement in most cases. However, Jesus has us all on a mission. It’s our real purpose for being here. We are only satisfied if we fulfill our God-given purpose and that purpose is not hoarding stuff for ourselves, but to be self-giving. This has nothing to do with making money and increasing your possessions. There is nothing wrong with that. It has everything to do with how you use what you have. Since all you have belongs to God Who enabled and empowered you to gather it, He wants you to use it compassionately.

NOTE what happens to this man: "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
That very night of his boasting and his self-centered decision God “demanded” not only his stuff, but his life! The word used here means to “take it back” or “repossess” all you have and all that you are—your very life.

Jesus ends His story with a strong summary application:
"This is how it will be with those who store up things for themselves but are not rich toward God."

RICH TOWARD GOD. It seems by Jesus’ words that a person who is rich toward God does not live for himself—gathering and holding on to more and more stuff for himself. Rather one who is rich toward God takes thought of how to share his stuff and use it for the kingdom. Well, where are you in this story?

Think it over.

WARNINGS AND ENCOURAGEMENTS

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Speaking of hypocrisy, Jesus turns His attention to the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, warning His disciples of this problem within themselves.
Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Jesus makes it clear that He wants His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and He defines it as hypocrisy. Jesus is saying first to pay attention to the primary sin of the Pharisees. Second, He speaks of this sin as a leavening agent. The nature of yeast or leaven is that it quietly influences everything it touches—usually the dough. In a sense Jesus is saying to be careful that the attitude and mindset of the Pharisees can be so easily caught. Thirdly, Jesus is saying that the disciples need to be careful not to embrace or be caught up in the outward show of a Pharisee. These warnings could be summarized in Isaiah’s description of hypocrites: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

It’s interesting to me that Jesus feels the need to give this warning to His disciples precisely when the crowds began to grow. With the larger crowds following along, it was much easier to go the way of the Pharisees—to please the crowd or to appear as the righteous.


So what is the antidote to this kind of hypocrisy? The primary antidote for this kind of hypocrisy is to be vulnerable about your struggle with being honest. In other words, the antidote is full disclosure. This is exactly what Jesus gives as His antidote. He says, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.”

Then, after giving this serious warning, He also gives them three words of encouragement.
FIRST—DON’T BE AFRAID: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

SECOND—PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BEFORE THE ANGELS:
"I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever publicly disowns me will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

THIRD—THE SPIRIT OF GOD WILL TEACH YOU WHAT YOU NEED JUST IN TIME: "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

This section summarizes what it means to walk with Jesus.
1. There is a great danger in being contaminated by the religious leadership.
2. You must choose to counteract that contamination with a full confession of who you are.
3. Jesus will envelope you with His protection and His Spirit.

What is evident to me is that the only sure way to walk with Jesus without this contamination is to stick close. It’s constantly asking the question What Would Jesus Do? (WWJD?). Or, a new way to view it is to discipline yourself to continually bring THE JESUS FACTOR into your life. Once THE JESUS FACTOR is introduced, you know what to do and say. THE JESUS FACTOR. Maybe THE JESUS FACTOR is the ultimate answer to WWJD?. When THE JESUS FACTOR is brought into your personal life, your marriage and family, your business life, your neighborhood and in your friendships, you know everything is going to be OK. Try using THE JESUS FACTOR and you’ll see the difference it makes in you.