[in]security
Luke 12:1‑34
What’s the possession you’d find it hardest to live without?
In the last few chapters of Luke’s historical account, Jesus has been teaching lots and performing
powerful, miraculous works. Yet, while many were impressed by him, there was growing controversy.
Particularly, there was controversy among the Pharisees — a group of Jewish religious leaders. They,
having spiritual and political ambitions, promoted strict adherence to the laws of the Jewish Scriptures in
comparison to the moral corruption they saw in surrounding Roman culture. As Jesus taught with a different
understanding of God’s will, and particularly because he claimed to have divine authority, they saw him
as a threat. At the end of chapter 11, Luke writes that “the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began
to oppose [Jesus] fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might
say.”
1
Why do we find hypocrisy so unattractive, and why does Jesus say it is so foolish in v.1-3?
2
If Jesus’ disciples were afraid of those (such as the Pharisees) who posed a real threat to them, how
does Jesus reassure his disciples?
3
How does having an eternal, God-centred perspective change how you would go about life, according to
Jesus’ teaching here?
v.10 can be confusing and alarming, so what does it mean? In the previous chapter (11:14-26) Luke records some
people claiming that Jesus was driving out demons — spiritual evil forces — by himself being
demonic. Instead,
Jesus’ claim is that he is working by the power of the Holy Spirit. Blaspheming against the Holy Spirit
is to see Jesus, whom God is supremely working through, and say that He is evil. John 3:16 says plainly that
“whoever believes in [Jesus] shall not perish but have eternal life.” Anyone is invited to believe
in Jesus, even if they’ve initially spoken against Jesus. But to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit is
to, instead of believing in Jesus, resolutely reject God at work through Jesus. Next, someone in the crowd
would like Jesus’ help.
4
When the man in the crowd asks Jesus to adjudicate in his favour in a dispute over inheritance, why do you
think Jesus responds as he does in v.14-15?
5
In Jesus’ story, how does the vivid dramatization of the rich man’s death in v.20 reveal the
foolishness of his thoughts and actions up to that point?
6
What impact does the story have on you?
7
In v.22-34, what reasons does Jesus give to not worry about financial security? What impression does he convey
of God’s character?
8
How could having an eternal, God-centred perspective change how you live, according to Jesus’ teaching
here?
In a famous graduation speech, novelist and essayist David Foster Wallace said this:
... here’s something else that’s weird but true: in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there
is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only
choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or
spiritual-type thing to worship... is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you
worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough,
never feel you have enough. It’s the truth. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will
always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before the finally grieve
you... Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others
to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a
fraud, always on the verge of being found out. But the insidious thing about these forms of worship is not
that they’re evil or sinful, it’s that they’re unconscious. They are default settings.
David Foster Wallace — This Is Water
This is originally from Wallace’s 2005 commencement speech at Kenyon College, Ohio. It’s since
been published as a book, ‘This Is
Water’, or is available to listen to on YouTube.
Does what David Foster Wallace said ring true to you? How might we “worship” money or other things
today? What might Jesus say is the solution to the problem?
The reality of life, particularly in the last few years, has brought our insecurities to the foreground. Our
happiness, our health, our future plans, and even the futures of whole countries, have all shown up to be less
reliable than we might hope — or pretend.
If you feel the insecurity and vulnerability of life, ask a Christian friend what their source of hope and
peace is. And you should pray! The Bible promises that when we pray to God and trust in Him, He will give us
peace that transcends understanding (Philippians 4:7). This doesn’t mean that life will be free of
difficulties, but that we can genuinely trust God in the midst of any difficulties.
The next study will start at Luke 15:1, so you could continue reading through Luke’s account ahead of
that.
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