Friends,

He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops (Luke 12:1-3).

Jesus warned His disciples about the teaching of the Pharisees, because it was hypocritical. They did not practice what they preached. They held a double-standard, whereby they demanded an obedience for others that they did not require of themselves. He called them whitewashed tombs, all clean on the outside but within full of dead men's bones and all corruption. 

Jesus prophesied that the hidden nature of their hypocrisy would be exposed. God would reveal the hidden motivations of their hearts. He would make plain their secret boasts, evil plots and wicked schemes. 

Therefore, Jesus taught His disciples, as of first importance, to maintain integrity and sincerity in all that they spoke and did. Then, if they were exposed, they would be found blameless and righteous. If their speech was revealed, it would be shown to be innocent and pure. 

Friends, let us take Jesus' instructions to His disciples to heart. Rather than participating in the hypocritical maneuverings of the world around us, let us instead choose integrity and sincerity in all that we say and do. Rather than fearing men, who can harm only our earthly bodies, let us fear God, who has authority over both our bodies and our eternal souls (cf. Luke 12:4-5). 

Some people feed on what they can get away with, or on how effectively they can manipulate others, or on having the political skill of believably saying one thing and doing the exact opposite. Let us not be like this, knowing that we have a Judge, who knows our hearts. Instead, let us speak and do and live as those, whose hope is entirely in the Lord. 

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man whostores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:20-21).

These verses close Jesus' parable of the rich fool. It was prompted by someone demanding that Jesus arbitrate the division of an inheritance between siblings. Jesus declared that even when someone has many possessions, their life is not shaped by their possessions. Their days are ordered by God, and God can suddenly nip the bud of their lives just before they bloom, so that they do not enjoy all the things for which they toiled. Solomon calls this a great evil under the sun:

I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil (Ecclesiastes 6:1-2).

Again, Solomon writes about the futility of hoarding wealth in this life, since neither their children are blessed nor can they take anything with them in death:

I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit. Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands (Ecclesiastes 5:13-15).

Now, Solomon notes that when God gives wealth and allows them to enjoy them, this is truly a gift from God:

Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions,and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God (Ecclesiastes 5:19).

Since this blessing comes as a gift and not as a guarantee, I presume that it should not be expected. While it is a blessing, it is still temporary. Sometimes it may even be a hindrance to viewing life with a proper perspective, namely, the consideration of eternal treasures over earthly ones. 

Friends, let us not be like this rich fool, whose only consideration was storing up treasures for himself and not what will endure into eternity. Jesus taught,

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 5:19-21).

Now, some may ask, 'Does this mean that I should not save money, invest, get insurance, or do all those things that perserve my wellbeing and that of my family in this life?' 

I think it is telling that the Bible never says how much is too much. It only gives the principle that everyone should be rich toward God. We certainly have examples of both the rich and faithful (e.g. Abraham, Job), as well as the poor and faithful (John the Baptist, Jesus). The prophet Agur reminds us that faithfulness to God should not be about riches or poverty:

Two things I ask of you, Lord;
    do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
    give me neither poverty nor riches,
    but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
    and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
    and so dishonor the name of my God (Proverbs 30:7-9).

If I might draw out a teaching from these words. I believe Agur was not teaching a lifestyle of moderation, as some Buddhists also teach. No, quite the contrary, he was teaching a lifestyle of radical devotion to God, such that neither riches nor poverty should get in the way of knowing and honoring God. It is consistent with what Jesus also taught in the Sermon on the Mount:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).

Jesus was not teaching His followers to neglect the necessities of this life but not to make them the priority of their lives. Likewise, friends, let us not make the accumulation of possessions for ourselves the focus of our lives. 

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. 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. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Luke 12:32-34).

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? (Luke 12:41-42).

Today, I want to throw out a question without a certain answer. We are all familiar with the passage in Matthew 6, where Jesus teaches against anxiety over food, water, and clothing and encourages His followers to instead seek God's kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). We have applied these verses to ourselves and to one another in broad strokes that bring little discomfort to our present way of life. However, in this parallel in Luke, we find some harder and more specific instructions. For example, Jesus says, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor."

Now, while I have heard many sermons from Matthew 6, I have never heard a message from its parallel in Luke 12. It appears that in Luke Jesus says that the disciples can demonstrate that they are indeed seeking first God's kingdom and righteousness by selling their possessions and giving it to the poor. Rather than simply saying they trust God to provide for their basic necessities (Luke 12:31), this would actually be showing their trust.

If this is an instruction that applies to every believer, we may be found coming woefully short of obedience. However, in Luke 12:41 Peter asks Jesus, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?" While Peter may have just had the immediately-preceding parable in view, he may have also had in mind the entire section that begins with verse 22, where we read, "Then Jesus said to his disciples..." We understand that before this He was speaking to the crowds (Luke 12:13). And before this, we are told explicitly that Jesus spoke to the disciples apart from the crowd of thousands gathered: 

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 (Luke 12:1).

Now, as I wrote earlier, I am only asking the question here. Could it be that the instruction to sell their possessions and give to the poor was only meant for Jesus' close disciples and not for everyone? Could it be that some signs and instructions that Jesus gave and taught were meant only for His immediate disciples and not universally for believers for all time?

One of the hermeneutic challenges in interpreting Scripture is to discern the scope of application. Just as I have argued that the Mosaic Covenant was a temporary covenant limited to the people of Israel, there are some things that are temporary and limited in scope. In making such determinations a careful study of the context is required. Doing a literary analysis may reveal plots and subplots within a narrative that can help in discerning protagonists and antagonists to whom instruction is given, truth is withheld, signs are shown, or signs are withheld. Understanding theology, that is, God's program throughout biblical history, can also aid in discernment. 

Today, I want to encourage an approach rather than give an answer. Preachers and teachers, as well as every believer, are accountable before God to correctly handle the Word of truth. Making applications from instructions just because an instruction is found in the Bible is not a discerning way. Doing so may be both reckless and dangerous. And I have found preachers, teachers, and especially self-proclaimed apostles and prophets, doing this all the time.  

Therefore, I encourage careful study, always complemented by a regular reading and memorization of Scripture that will provide an increasing depth and breadth of context for correct interpretation and application.

I also encourage a humble and teachable spirit, willing to engage, search, and discover biblical truth together with like-minded brothers and sisters.

But the person that shuts the Bible or looks only narrowly (i.e. neglecting context) at the Scriptures or refuses to have an open mind in discussing biblical truth, such a person is blinded by pride and a danger to the community of faith. Such persons may be in view when Jesus said,

Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves (Luke 17:1-3).

Jesus talks about faithful Stewardship to the disciples - being prepared always.

(Luke 12:35-40, 48)

"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."

"...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."

The story of the master and servants is of course the story of our Lord and us (professed Christians). This story is about the importance of daily faithfulness in serving God. Often we can get sidetracked in a life filled with commitments and put aside the things of God (reading our bible, praying and loving and reaching out to others), we tell ourselves we will get back to it soon as things settle down. Jesus reminds us that we never know when He will return, or in an earlier passage Jesus reminds us that we don’t know when our time is up (Luke 12:20) "

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?"

While I struggle with serving God faithfully and managing life's demands, I have experience many times that when we put God first everything else falls into place. Jesus talks about life's worries in (Matt 6:33) "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well".

Lastly, Jesus reminds us that those who have been blessed with much (which would include most of us on this distribution) - even more will be expected.

Friends, consider Luke 13:1-5:

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

The two scenarios presented here sound aweful, particularly in Jewish ears. These would be among the Jew's worst ways to die. And many Jews considered such outcomes as indicative of terrible sin in the life of the person that suffered such a fate.

Yet, remarkably, Jesus says, "unless you repent you will likewise perish." Jesus, as is often the case, defies conventional wisdom and does not answer in the way expected. The people, who are living, expected Jesus to confirm their suspicions that the people, who died, died because they were more sinful than the ones living. Instead, Jesus says that the living are just as sinful and they should expect the same. A further implication is that the living are living not because they are more righteous but because God has extended grace to them. As we read in 2 Peter 3:9,

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

The words "all should come to repentance" here does not mean that everyone will repent and be saved; however, it does mean that everyone that God has elected to salvation will eventually repent and be saved. This is what we understand from Romans 9:22-23,

What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,

In order to magnify God's power and wrath, He suspended judgment on some, allowing their wickedness to persist in order to show His justice and patience in wrath, and to contrast the judgment of the "vessels of wrath" with the grace He extends to the "vessels of mercy."

These verses are interesting because of what they say regarding human responsibility and divine sovereignty. In the expression "vessels of wrath prepared for destruction" the word "prepared" is Perfect, Middle (or passive), Participle, Accusative, Neuter, Plural. This grammatical analysis may not mean much to you, but it is significant. It not ony connects the verb to the proper subject, namely, "vessels of wrath," but the middle tense" also tells us that it can be properly understood as "prepared themselves." In other words, God did not make these people wicked, but they made themselves wicked.

On the other hand, in the expression "prepared beforehand for glory," the word translated "prepared" is a different Greek word, which is grammatically parsed as an Aorist, Indicative, Active, 3rd Person, Singular verb. Note, because it is singular, we can see that "vessels of mercy" is not the subject. In fact, as a 3rd Person Singular verb, the only subject this verb can have is God. Therefore, while the vessels of wrath prepared themselves for destruction, God prepared the vessels of mercy for glory.

In this latter expression we find an additional word in the Greek, namely, the word "beforehand." So God prepared the vessels of mercy for glory beforehand. Why would Paul find it necessary to include this word here? Its inclusion demonstrates Paul's argument in Romans 9, that God chose these "vessels of mercy" even before they were born (cf. Romans 9:10-13; 14-18). The individuals chosen had no part in the choosing. It was not because they were more righteous. It was not because they had more faith. It was completely based on God's grace, even the free and unmoved, sovereign will of God. This understanding is confirmed in the Book of Revelation, which speaks of those whose names are written in the Book of Life "from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 17:8; cf. Revelation 13:8). Paul also writes in Ephesians 1:4, "He [God] chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world."

One final note on the grammar of this latter word translated "prepared." It is in the Aorist tense. The normal understanding of this tense is of something that happened "once for always." Therefore, it further supports the understanding that God's choosing of some for salvation is not a process but a completed fact.

Now, what does this have to do with Luke 13:1-5? We should understand Jesus' words "unless you repent you will all likewise perish" in this way. The general fate of everyone, because all are sinful and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:9-18, 23), is destruction. Therefore, no one can say that in themselves they are better than anyone else. But then how do we explain that some live a long life and others a short one, some have horrible deaths and others have peaceful ones? Jesus does not answer this question, except to suggest that the living are only alive because of the grace of God, since they too are deserving of death. And the only hope for them is "to repent." This is a genuine call to repentance. But we must understand that only those whom God has chosen can repent and will repent. God has to overcome our stubborn, self-exalting, and ultimately self-condemning free-will by His sovereign grace in order for us to repent and embrace the salvation of God that is offered in Christ Jesus our Lord. He accomplishes this through the inner working of the Holy Spirit, by whom we experience a new birth, whereby we can believe and receive eternal life (John 3:5; John 1:12-13).

Friends, do not think highly of yourselves, but let us be like Jesus, humbling ourselves, and even esteeming others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4). If we boast, let us boast only in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31), who has given us faith and salvation and our eternal, unshakeable hope to be with Him in heaven forever.