22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12: 22-34 ESV
Luke 12: 22-34 Anxiety
And He said to his disciples - Jesus always seems to have sidebars with His disciples as He teaches them and the crowds. They are being prepared for the ministry, and they have gone on some missions already, but the end of His time with them is quickly approaching. When He turns to them it's almost as if to say, "pay attention, this will be on the test."
Do not be anxious about your life - They left their fishing nets and boats, a tax booth, and everything they had previously used for their survival. These men weren't blind to the growing hostility of the apostate teachers and rulers either. Peter had a wife and mother in law under his care, as did other disciples, so certainly the questions arise in one's mind, "how will I take care of myself and my family now?"
…26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27“Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?” 28Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.… Matthew 19: 26-28
…32“Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” John 16: 32-33
For life is more than food and the body more than clothing - You can have all this world's goods, plenty of food, high walls built around your house for protection, a different outfit for every day of the year and every type of weather. You can have an immense bank account to shield you from life's many contingencies, but Jesus says there is more, and you need less of these things than you want, yet so much more of the thing you lack. We have made food and clothing the greatest concern, and yet when it is met we still don't realize that we are deficient in righteousness.
…3The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple.… Matthew 4: 3-5
13Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. 14Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.… Hebrews 12: 13-15
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek. 17For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “ The righteous will live by faith.” 18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.… Romans 1: 16-18
…16But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”… Romans 10: 16-18
They have neither storehouse or barn - In the previous section we discussed a man who had barns but decided he needed to build new ones because though he was already wealthy he wanted to store even more. It's not bad to save, not bad to read the times and put away a bit towards rainy days, but tomorrow isn't guaranteed to us. I know people that would like to be preppers, but I always ask them, "what happens if they kick you off this land you have been prepping? Whose going to eat all your cans of beans and weaners?" If you put all your stock and hope in your stores then you will be mentally and emotionally obliterated if something happens to it. Jesus is saying, look, I made the ravens a certain way, to follow a certain pattern, and they do what they were called to do, go where they are sent, but they don't plant fields and build barns, yet they are provided for.
How much more value are you than the birds - God made man in His image, and He has delighted in putting man over the Creation. Even in his falleness, man has been provided for like no other, and those who come to God by way of repentance through Christ Jesus, have been provided with a Savior, a way to be restored.
…10But no one asks, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives us songs in the night, 11who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’ 12There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.… Job 35: 10-12
…3When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place— 4what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? 5You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor.… Psalm 8: 3-5
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his life - Worry does not have the power to bring a good change. It can bring depression, it can add upon the stresses that are already there, but being anxious won't alleviate them. Turning to alcohol or entertainment, sleeping the days a way, may help one ignore the stresses and momentarily pause the anxiety, but these will eventually create new stresses as well. Like Jesus told them, "in the world you will have tribulation". He also warned them that even their families would turn on them, that they would be outcast, hated by all men for Christ's sake.
And which of you by worrying (merimnao) can add a single hour (pechus) to his life's span (helika) - Jesus continues His argument about the foolishness and futility of worry. Clearly the logical answer to this question is absolutely no one can add an hour to their life by worrying! Worrying is useless!
MacArthur comments that our "heavenly Father will sustain the lives of those who obey His Word until the end of their God-determined time. On the other hand sin may shorten that time from what it might have been (cf. 1 Cor. 11:29–30; 1 John 5:16)." (See Luke Commentary) - Precept Austin
Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these - Solomon was the wealthiest of Israel's kings, and his kingdom was fractured after his reign. The northern and southern kingdom remained split afterwards and the north went into Assyrian captivity, and later Judah, the South, was taken by Babylon. This marked the beginning of the time of the gentiles, and Israel has never gained back all of the land nor her sovereignty over all since. There is interestingly now a small nation in Canaan, Israel, with a revived Hebrew language. Many Jews have migrated back to the area due to holocausts throughout history, and in 1948 she declared herself a new state. God has set aside a remnant, even during the worst times in Israel's history, and the Scriptures have foretold their coming back into the land even though it seemed impossible. One might look at Solomon's time, but those are God's times and His gifts, His wisdom which Solomon asked for. Solomon was decked out as a king, but all of that was put on, and yet the lily pops up from the ground already in royal splendor, dressed by the hand of God.
…10But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.… James 1: 10-12
Kings 10:4-9 When the queen of Sheba perceived all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. 6 Then she said to the king, "It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. 7 "Nevertheless I did not believe the reports, until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. You exceed in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard. 8 "How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. 9 "Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel; because the LORD loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness." (Notice what the recognition of Solomon's glory prompted in the Queen of Sheba? Was it envy? Clearly not. In fact it prompted in her an anthem of praise to the glorious God!) - Precept Austin
How much more will He clothe you - From flora to fauna we cannot find anything more central to the apple of God's eye. Men need to take their eyes off of themselves and look toward the Kingdom, for it may even be assessed in measures here now. Certainly if one does not find it now it will be too late.
20When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. 21Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” 22Then He said to the disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.… Luke 17: 20-22
Spurgeon - "Clothes must not be made much of; for in our finest array, flowers far excel us. We must not be anxious about how we shall be clad; for the field lilies, not under the gardener’s care, are as glorious as the most pompous of monarchs; and yet they enjoy life free from labor and thought. Lovely lilies, how ye rebuke our foolish nervousness! The array of lilies comes without fret: why do we kill ourselves with care about that which God gives to plants which cannot care? My Lord, I would grow to thy praise as the lily cloth, and be content to be what thou couldst make me, and wear what thou couldst give me." (Commentary)
7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, 8do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness, 9where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works.… Hebrews 3: 7-9
And your Father knows that you need them - The nations plot and go to war with each other over resources and the anxieties tied to them. God knows what we need, so we need to trust Him and seek the Kingdom, and all those things will be added to us. We also need help others, and this is so much easier when we are not anxious, the anxious never relieve the anxious, they just feed on one another. The fact that men cannot see others as more valuable than their land or goods is contrary to God's placement of man as being made in His image.
Fear not little flock - He gives all these as imperatives, strong commands, "don't be anxious, don't be fearful", and why, because even though the world is going to hand you tribulation, it is the Father's good pleasure to hand you the kingdom. The anxiety, the plotting, the fighting, that all stays with the nations, but He is calling His disciples to something greater, and they have to leave those things behind.
…35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.” 37“Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.”… John 18: 35-37
Sell your possessions and give to the needy - We have to be willing to part with everything for the sake of the truth, like Lawson says though, we "are trading dirt for diamonds." Jesus posed this same command to the rich young ruler, but we are told that he had great wealth so he walked away sad. God may put us over much resources, but that is not for our indulgence and excess. The early church was about to suffer great affliction, and those who had much were to help those who had nothing. In some areas they lost their jobs because of the guilds, which we still have today and it is much like our unions now, but if you wanted to work you had to go through the guild and had to worship their god. Christians that wouldn't do this were outcast, and people from churches in less tyrannical places would often help them out or take them in. We are not to view the misfortune of others as a sign of their spiritual deficiency, nor their monetary success as a sign of their spiritual prowess. Many of the saints suffered and were even martyred. I need to ask myself, are my comforts worth more than my brother's relief?
1Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia. 2 In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,… 2 Corinthians 8: 1-3
Sell (poleo) your possessions and give to charity - First do not misinterpret this as a command to sell everything you own, because clearly in the Bible it is assumed that believers have possessions. One issue of course is just make sure those possessions don't "possess" you, specifically your heart! To be kingdom citizens we must be willing to give it all up! That does not mean we actually do give it up, but it is about our heart attitude. Jesus says a similar thing in Lk 14:33 "So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions." Giving up our possessions does not earn or merit salvation but it does demonstrate our heart is His, that we are humble in heart, that we are poor in spirit, etc. These are those saved by grace through faith in the King of the Kingdom and Lord of the Universe. - Precept Austin
Spurgeon - That is to say, do not merely give a little, which you can readily spare; but sometimes even pinch yourselves to relieve the poor. (Luke 12 - Exposition)
…44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need. 46With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,… Acts 2: 44-46
There will your heart be also - Everything in this passage comes down to this, the location of your heart. If you are tied to earthly things, going around blabbering about people who are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good, well, your heart is here with all the cares and anxieties of this life. If your heart is set upon the Kingdom of God, trusting His every word, well then He knows the things you need here as well, but He calls you on to something greater. I pray for this world because I see my fellow humans here, and I want them to be set free as well, but my citizenship and great hope are not here with kingdoms and rule of men.
…9Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.… Psalm 51: 9-11
…15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. 17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,… Hebrews 11: 15-17
