Growing His Kingdom

In this sermon series, we will learn what it takes to grow the Kingdom of God. First, we will see that prayer is essential—it connects us to God’s power and aligns us with His will. We will also recognize that opposition will come, but God is greater than any obstacle, and we must trust Him to overcome. Jesus calls us to be genuine in our faith, living as true reflections of His light rather than falling into hypocrisy. Boldness is required to follow Him, but that boldness comes from being fully satisfied in God, not in wealth or personal success. Finally, we will learn the importance of being spiritually prepared, living each day with a heart ready for Jesus’ return. Through this series, we will be encouraged to pray, trust, stand firm, live boldly, and remain ready as we join God in His work.

watch & listen to series messages

part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6 Sermon notes

Part 1, Luke 11:1-13

This morning, I believe God has brought us to this very crisis, in this very place, with this very text, where the disciples ask of Jesus, “teach us to pray.” This morning, Friends Church, there is nothing else we can do but even more so, prayer is not a last ditch effort, it is a very conscious first move that says Lord, not my will, but thy will be done. We have worked tirelessly and now, we invite you in as we cry out to the Lord and ask for His help in 3 key areas:

Pray for Protection from the Lord
It is a false hope to think that a policy protects us. It is the very real and living all sustaining God of the universe which upholds us with His mighty right hand. It always has been and always will be.
Pray Against the wiles of the enemy
God is on the move here at Friends Church, amen? I believe that this is an attack from the enemy of our souls, Satan himself, to try and thwart the work of God. In the name of Jesus we pray, standing firm in our faith, that shield of faith that would extinguish these fiery darts of the enemy. Bind the enemy Lord Jesus, and remove any foothold He may have.
Pray for the Unity within our church
There are many things that can cause division in church. Some healthy like the recent Methodist church split over real doctrinal issues. Some are selfish and futile causing distraction from the work of the Lord. We have our part to play in unity. First we pray, we rely upon the Spirit of God, we make peace and forgive, we trust, and this is how we walk in unity.

How often do you think about growing in this stage of your life? My dad used to jokingly say all the time, I wonder what I’m going to be when I grow up in his late 50’s and early 60’s. I remember my sisters telling me about growing pains when I was a kid and I never understood what they meant. My mom’s one liner for any pains, whether it was a broken leg or a headache was, “drink more water.”

I needed to heal, and if I wanted to grow past this, I needed to understand the requirements of growth. Such is the kingdom of God, not an appendectomy, rather, we need to understand the requirements of growth. From our text today, we have to see that Growing the Kingdom of God requires the power of prayer and the Spirit of God.

V1 Lord, teach us to pray

There was something about watching Jesus pray that made them want to learn how to pray as Jesus prayed. There was something magnetic about the prayer life of Jesus, and the way He prayed showed something of His relationship with God the Father. Even as the disciples, we need Jesus to teach us to pray. Prayer is so simple that the smallest child can pray, but it is so great that the mightiest man of God cannot be said to truly have mastered prayer.

It is on prayer that the promises wait for their fulfillment, the kingdom for its coming, the glory of God for its full revelation… Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. He did not speak much of what was needed to preach well, but much of praying well. To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to man. Not power with men, but power with God is the first thing. Most directly, their request was not to learn how to pray, but to pray. Our greatest difficulty is not with mastering a specific technique or approach in prayer (though that may be good and helpful); our greatest need is simply to pray and to pray more and more. As the Apostle Paul would later write in Ephesians 6:18: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Apparently John the Baptist had taught his disciples something of how to pray; the disciples wanted to learn more from their teacher Jesus.

V2-4

Jesus says to pray after this pattern: On a previous occasion Jesus taught this same basic prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). The fact that He repeated it here showed how important it is. The fact that He did not repeat it the exact same way as in Matthew shows that it was not to be used as a precise ritual or magic formula for prayer. When we try to impress God with our many words, we deny that God is a loving, yet holy Father. Instead, we should follow the counsel of Ecclesiastes 5:2: God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.

Let’s go through each portion together. We start with- Our Father in heaven: The model prayer shows us to come to God as a Father in heaven. It rightly recognizes whom we pray to, coming with a privileged title that demonstrates a privileged relationship. It was very unusual for the Jews of that day to call God “Father” because it was considered too intimate. There is no evidence of anyone before Jesus using this term to address God. It is true that God is the mighty sovereign of the universe, who created, governs, and will judge all things – but He is also to us a Father. He is our Father, but He is our Father in heaven. When we say “in heaven” we remember God’s holiness and glory. He is our Father, but our Father in heaven. To say that God is in heaven says:

He is a God of majesty and dominion: O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? (2 Chronicles 20:6)

He is a God of power and might: But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. (Psalm 115:3)

He sees everything: The Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. (Psalm 11:4) notice the words of Jesus This is a prayer focused on community; Jesus said, “Our Father” and not “My Father.” “The whole prayer is social. The singular pronoun is absent. Man enters the presence of the Father, and then prays as one of the great family. Hallowed means set apart. It is to say that there is no one like God, He is completely unique – not just a super person or a better person. Name means that God’s whole character, His whole person, is set apart. The model prayer shows us passion for God’s glory and agenda. His name, kingdom and will have the top priority. Everyone wants to guard their own name and reputation. But we must resist the tendency to protect and promote ourselves first and instead put God’s name, kingdom and will first. This shows that prayer isn’t a tool to get what we want from God. It is a way to get God’s will accomplished in us and all around us. Jesus wanted us to pray with the desire that the will of God would be done on earth as it is in heaven. In heaven there is no disobedience and there are no obstacles to God’s will; on earth there is disobedience and there are at least apparent obstacles to His will. The citizens of Jesus’ kingdom will want to see His will done as freely on earth as it is in heaven. A man can say, “Your will be done” in different ways and moods. He may say it with fatalism and resentment. “You will do your will and there is nothing I can do about it anyway. Your will wins, but I don’t like it.” Or, he may say it with a heart of perfect love and trust: “Do Your will, because I know it is the best. Change me where I don’t understand or accept Your will.” One might rightly wonder why God wants us to pray that His will would be done, as if He were not able to accomplish it Himself. God is more than able to do His will without our prayer or cooperation; yet He invites the participation of our prayers, our heart, and our actions in seeing His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In heaven God’s will is obeyed by all, spontaneously, with the deepest joy and in a perfect manner without a shadow of unfaithfulness. And the believer must pray that such a condition should also prevail on earth. Some see the Trinity in these requests. The Father is the source of all holiness; Jesus brings the kingdom of God to us; and the Holy Spirit accomplishes God’s will in us and among us. Some see the three greatest things in these three requests. To pray Our Father requires faith, because he who comes to God must believe that He is. To pray Your kingdom come requires hope, because we trust it is to come in fullness. To pray Your will be done requires love, because love is the incentive to obey all of God’s will.

Give us day by day our daily bread: The model prayer shows us to freely bring our needs to God. This will include needs for daily provision, forgiveness, and strength in the face of temptation. When Jesus spoke of bread, He meant real bread, as in the sense of daily provisions. Early theologians allegorized this, because they couldn’t imagine Jesus speaking about an everyday thing like bread in such a majestic prayer like this. So, they thought bread referred to communion, the Lord’s Supper. Some have thought it referred to Jesus Himself as the bread of life. Others have thought it speaks of the word of God as our daily bread. Calvin rightly said of such interpretations, which fail to see God’s interest in everyday things: “This is exceedingly absurd.” God does care about everyday things, and we should pray about them. Yet it is a prayer for daily bread, not a warehouse of bread. “The prayer is for our needs, not our greeds. It is for one day at a time, reflecting the precarious lifestyle of many first-century workers who were paid one day at a time and for whom a few day’s illness could spell tragedy.

And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us: Just as real as the need for daily bread is the need for daily forgiveness. We often feel the need for food more; but the need for forgiveness is real whether it is felt or not. As bread is the first need of the body, so forgiveness for the soul. Jesus represented sins with the idea of being indebted. The sinner owes a debt to God.“Sin is represented here under the notion of a debt, and as our sins are many, they are called here debts. God made man that he might live to his glory, and gave him a law to walk by; and if, when he does any thing that tends not to glorify God, he contracts a debt with Divine Justice. For we also forgive assumes that the forgiven one will show forgiveness to others.

And do not lead us into temptation:

Temptation literally means a test, not always a solicitation to do evil. God has promised to keep us from any testing that is greater than what we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). God, while he does not ‘tempt’ men to do evil (James 1:13), does allow his children to pass through periods of testing. If we truly pray, lead us not into temptation, it will be lived out in several ways. It will mean:

Never boast in your own strength.
Never desire trials.
Never go into temptation.
Never lead others into temptation.

V5-8

Jesus explains to pray with boldness and persistence. Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight: In the custom of that day, a whole family lived together in a one-room house. On one side of the house was a raised platform where they all slept; down on the ground were all their animals – a cow, perhaps some sheep and goats and so forth. There was no way the man could come to the door without disturbing the whole household. Yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs: It took a lot of boldness for the man in the story to so shamelessly ask his friend in the middle of the night; he really wanted and needed the bread. God often waits for our passionate persistence in prayer. It isn’t that God is reluctant and needs to be persuaded. Our persistence doesn’t change God; it changes us, developing in us a heart and passion for what God wants.

V9-13

Pray with confidence. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you: We are told to keep on asking, seeking and knocking. “All three verbs are continuous: Jesus is not speaking of single activities, but of those that persist. These descriptions speak of an earnestness and intensity; all too often, our prayers are merely wishes cast up to heaven, and this is not real prayer. To pray is to align my will with God’s will. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Any human father loves to bless his children, and would never answer a simple request for something good with something evil. If that is case with us, how much more will God answer us, though sometimes it doesn’t seem so! How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! God especially loves to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. We never need to doubt God’s desire to pour out His Spirit. The problem is in our receiving, not in God’s desire to give.

Conclusion

As we come to the conclusion of our reflection on Luke 11:1-13, let us remember the profound simplicity and depth of prayer. Just as growing pains signal the physical maturing of our bodies, so too does the discipline of prayer mark our spiritual growth. Through prayer, we connect with our heavenly Father, aligning our hearts with His will and tapping into His boundless power and love.

Jesus’ model of prayer in these verses is not merely a ritualistic formula, but a dynamic blueprint for a thriving relationship with God. When we approach God as “Our Father,” we recognize the intimacy and privilege of our relationship with Him. We acknowledge His holiness and majesty, understanding that He sees all and holds all power.

Jesus further emphasizes the importance of boldness and persistence in prayer. Just as the friend at midnight persisted until his needs were met, we too are encouraged to approach God with confident persistence. Our persistence in prayer does not change God, but it transforms us, shaping our desires to align with His.

The promise that follows is profound: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” These words assure us that God hears and responds to our prayers. He is a loving Father who delights in giving good gifts to His children, especially the gift of the Holy Spirit.

As we pray, let us do so with the confidence that God is attentive to our needs and eager to bless us. Let us pray with the earnestness and intensity that reflects our genuine desire to see God’s will accomplished in our lives and in the world around us. May our prayers not be mere wishes cast up to heaven, but heartfelt conversations with our Father, aligning our will with His.

In closing, let us commit to growing in our prayer lives, trusting in the transformative power of prayer and the steadfast love of our heavenly Father. Through prayer, we become co-laborers with God, participating in the fulfillment of His kingdom purposes on earth, here at Friends Church, as it is in heaven.

Part 2, Luke 11:14-32

Growing the Kingdom of God is an impossible task with man. It is a work of God to grow the Kingdom of God. This is what causes people to marvel at the work of God. What is impossible with man is entirely possible with God because nothing is impossible for our God. We are in the kingdom business of growing the kingdom of God and it is God who has called us on mission with Him to do it and it is God who will give us the gifts, and it is God who will anoint us, and it is God who will get the glory. This is growing the kingdom of God. Let’s see how Jesus did it in Luke Chapter 11 verses 14 through 32.

V14-16 Jesus answers controversy about demons and signs.

Some accuse Jesus of being in partnership with Satan; others request a sign from Him. The Jews in Jesus’ day had their own exorcists, who sought to cast demons out of people. But they believed that they had to make the demon reveal his name, or they had no authority over the demon to cast it out. When the demon had gone out, the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled: This is why the multitudes marveled when Jesus cast out a demon that causes muteness. According to the Jewish thinking of that day, the demon was impossible to cast out because he made the man unable to speak, and unable to reveal the name of the demon. When people saw this great work, there were two reactions.

Some attributed the working of Jesus to Satan (Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons)
Some wanted to see more miracles before they would believe (testing Him, seeking a sign from heaven). Beelzebub is a difficult name to analyze. It may come from a similar sounding word that means, “Lord of the Flies.” It was a harsh accusation. They are saying this isn’t a work of God, and you aren’t the son of God or our Messiah, this is Satan at work.

The truth is, If they said these things about Jesus, they’ll say it about you too. Keep your eyes on the God who overcomes the impossible and commit yourself to the work He has called you to. The hardest part is when it comes from other christians, you know what I mean? When false accusations come from other Christians and even worse from christians in your own church. I thank God that slander and false accusations have no place in our church. And in love, as brothers and sisters, we can admonish one another and remind ourselves of why we are here.

V17-19 Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation

Jesus logically answered that if He were an agent of Satan, and worked against Satan, then civil war had come to Satan’s kingdom, and Satan’s kingdom would therefore not stand. The point was that Satan would not work against himself and His accusers had to answer how Satan benefited from the work Jesus had just done. Jesus then drops one of those Jesus backhand questions: And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? At the same time, Jesus observed that the Jewish leaders themselves also had exorcists. Did His accusers accuse them also of working for Satan? This whole scene is to show us how powerful Jesus is.

V20-23 Jesus continues by saying But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you

With this Jesus answered the charge that He was in partnership with the Devil. He said, “I’m not under Satan, instead, I’m proving that I am stronger than he is.” In the picture Jesus used, Satan is the strong man, who guards what belongs to him. Jesus’ ministry, both in the case of casting the demon out of the man who was mute and in the broader sense, did the work of defeating this strong man. But when a stronger than he comes: Jesus is the One who is stronger than he (Satan, the strong man of Luke 11:21). Jesus spoke about His work in overcoming Satan on several different stages:

He comes upon him: Jesus engaged Satan in battle, even on the ground of what seemed to belong to Satan (such as demon possessed people).

And overcomes him: Jesus simply defeated this strong man, showing to everyone that He is stronger than he. Jesus made it clear that He was the stronger man who was not captive under the strong man. His message was, “I’m not under Satan’s power. Instead, I’m proving that I am stronger than he is by casting him out of those he has possessed.”

He takes from him all his armor in which he trusted: Jesus not only defeated Satan on our behalf, He also disarmed him. As Colossians 2:15 says, having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [the cross].

And divides his spoils: Satan will never get to keep or enjoy the battle-spoil from his momentary victory. Jesus’ victory over the strong man is complete. Jesus looks at every life delivered from Satan’s domination and says, “I’m plundering the kingdom of Satan one life at a time.” There is nothing in our life that must stay under Satan’s domination. The One who binds the strong man and divides his spoils is our risen Lord. He is growing His kingdom.

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters: If Jesus is stronger than Satan, then each person is confronted by a decision and we are confronted with it this morning: with whom will I partner? Will we be with Jesus or will we be against Him? Will we work for Jesus or will we work against Him? Am I a part of the kingdom of God or am I against it? In the conflict against the powers of darkness there is no room for neutrality. In this sense, to be undecided is to be decided. There is no neutral ground; we are either with Jesus or against Him. There is no luxury of guarded neutrality. There is no luxury of waiting to make your decision. God has brought this information to you at this very moment in your life to choose this very day whom you will serve. If Satan is the strong man, and Jesus is stronger than Satan is, there are two strong forces at work, trying to win our allegiance. We will embrace one or the other, intentionally or unintentionally. Choose Jesus and His kingdom this morning. There is no greater choice in your life.

V24-26

Jesus tells more about the dynamics of demonic possession. He starts by saying, When an unclean spirit goes out of a man: This is the picture of a person delivered from a demon, but not yet filled with Jesus. It is a picture of a person who tries to be neutral. They say they are not for Satan, but they are also not for Jesus. Jesus shows us that this is impossible. I will return to my house from which I came: Apparently, demons regard vacant places as opportunities. For some reason they want to inhabit bodies. I shared with you before, a body is a weapon a demon can use in their attack against God. We are made in the image of God so they want to attack even the image of God in us. Jesus then says, The last state of that man is worse than the first: Jesus revealed the danger of delivering a person from demonic possession without filling their life with Jesus. They can end up worse than before. The heart of man has a vacuum-like nature to it. It has to be filled. If we empty our heart from evil without filling it with Jesus and His good, evil will rush in again to fill it – and sometimes worse evil than before. Therefore, in answering those who accused Him of working by the power of Satan, Jesus told them that He had not merely come to fight against evil, but to bring God’s good into our hearts. He did not come to merely empty the house, but to fill it with Himself. An impossible task! Only able to be done by a God who conquers the impossible. That’s my Jesus!

V27-28

Jesus then reveals the truly blessed in the kingdom of God. Blessed is the womb that bore You: This was a seemingly spontaneous cry from a certain woman in the crowd who wanted to honor Jesus and His family. The sense seems to be, “Jesus, You are so wonderful that Your mother must be a very blessed woman.” More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it: While not dishonoring His mother, Jesus pointed out the greater and more important connection between Himself and those who hear the word of God and keep it. This is a more blessed and important relationship to Jesus than even being the mother who bore Him. This does not demean Mary; but it does honor and bless the one who hears and keeps God’s word. This is the blessed place. His disciples are more blessed in hearing Christ than his mother in bearing him. This is the truth of the Kingdom of God, knowing Christ far exceeds and outways all else. Paul said it this way,

That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Philippians 3:10-12

If this is true of our relationship with God then we know that to grow His kingdom is not something I can do, it is something that only He can do.

V29-32

Jesus answers those who seek for a sign. This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign: Jesus said this to the thick crowd, rebuking their inclination to seek and value signs. Jesus just mentioned the blessedness of being one who heard and did God’s word; the contrast is the one who seeks a sign. According to William Barclay, about fifteen years after Jesus’ time on earth, a man named Theudas arose among the Jews and claimed to be the Messiah. He persuaded people to follow him with the promise that he would part the Jordan River in two.

He tried, he failed, and the Romans dealt severely with him. But he knew what kind of sign the people wanted to see. Jesus told us that hearing and keeping the word are more important than signs. Ironically, Jesus had given many remarkable signs, just not the kind they wanted to see. They wanted to see signs leading to military resistance and the political independence of the Jesus people from the occupying Romans. Jesus condemned their seeking after a sign, especially when countless signs had already happened before their eyes.

It is easy to overestimate the power of miraculous signs to change the heart of doubters and skeptics. So easy that Jesus would say these words: No sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet: Jesus told us that Jonah became a sign, and Jesus would be a similar sign to His generation. Jonah gave his life to appease the wrath of God coming upon others. But death did not hold him; after three days and nights of imprisonment, he was alive and free (Jonah 1-2). This is the sign that Jesus promised.

Jesus is that sign, both to His present generation and to ours. Jesus Himself is the sign; we are to believe in Him, not a sign. This is impossible yet again and could only be a work of God. If you’re waiting for a sign from Jesus, look to the cross! The cross is the ultimate sign of Jesus to His people. I will die for you and for everyone, come to me He says! This next portion is why we need to know our bibles. Jesus is getting Old Testament out here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them: The queen of the South came to Solomon in 1 Kings 10. When she saw the great works that God did for and through Solomon, she praised the God of Israel. She didn’t say, “Show me more and maybe I’ll believe.” The queen of the South came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. She sought after God’s word with a tenacity that shames us. The people who asked Jesus for a sign saw His work right there in their own neighborhood, and didn’t believe.

The point is clear: the queen of the South and the men of Nineveh were both Gentiles, but they had a more open heart to the things of God than the religious people of Jesus’ day, who would not believe and receive the work of God right before their eyes. The irony is biting: the Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba accepted the messengers of God. But Jesus’ audience rejected God Himself.

A greater than Solomon is here: Solomon was the son of David, and one of the great messianic titles of Jesus is “Son of David.” Jesus was a much greater Son of David than Solomon was. We again are impressed by the greatness of Jesus’ self-claim. To stand in front of these religious leaders and claim to be greater than Israel’s richest and wisest king was audacious. Yet the seeming audacity of Jesus was well justified. Indeed a greater than Jonah is here: Jesus repeatedly brought the focus back upon Himself. He was and is greater than all previous prophets; He should become the focus of faith and trust from His people. His greater light brought a greater accountability to His hearers. It is a work of God to Grow the kingdom of God. Thank you Jesus that you let us be a part of that work!

Conclusion

In Luke 11:14-32, Jesus shows us that growing God’s Kingdom isn’t something we can do on our own—it’s God’s work. What seems impossible for us is completely possible for Him. Jesus’ miracles, like casting out demons, remind us that only God can make such amazing things happen.

As we work to grow God’s Kingdom, let’s remember that God is the one who calls us, gives us what we need, anoints us, and deserves all the glory. Our job is to trust in His power and follow His lead, knowing He can overcome any challenge.

When people doubted Jesus and demanded more signs, He pointed them to the ultimate sign: His death and resurrection. This shows that faith is about trusting God’s word and His works, not just looking for miracles.

So, let’s commit ourselves to this mission with confidence in God’s power. Let’s stay focused on His Word and be faithful in our part, knowing that with God, we can achieve great things. May His Kingdom grow through us, and may He be glorified in all we do.

Part 3, Luke 11:33-54

Growing the kingdom of God takes genuine and authentic citizens of the kingdom.

V33-36

Jesus warns about inner darkness. He starts by saying no one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket but on a stand: Just as a lamp should be displayed out in the open so that all can benefit from its light, so the word and work of God should be displayed. Yet when Jesus displayed His word and works, the religious people of His day would not accept them.

This section has application to both what went before it (Jesus answers those who thought His miracles were the work of Satan and those who wanted to see more) and what comes after it (Jesus deals with hypocrisy). Some saw His brightness, some did not, and others thought the light wasn’t bright enough and demanded to see more. “Our Lord’s constant answer was, to go shining on. He was meant to be observed; even as a lamp is intended to be seen. The call to us this morning is we do the same.

As one famous theologian once said, Shine on you crazy diamond. The lamp of the body is the eye: Even as a bad eye will make a person blind, so bad hearts will make one spiritually blind. One must be spiritually blind to attribute Jesus’ miracles to Satan and to ignore the work of Jesus right before the eyes or to live as a hypocrite. When one lives in darkness, there are two possible reasons why. There may be no light source, or the darkness may be within – the inability to perceive light. When Jesus warned, take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness, He warned against the darkness within.

We see by life and character, by all that we have made ourselves, by every secret sin that we have cherished, by every battle we have fought and won. If you do not see Jesus, it is not because he has hidden himself in darkness, but because your eyes are blinded. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright: When the light of God’s word shines; when the word and work of Jesus is understood, then one does not walk in the darkness of spiritual blindness. It takes a genuine and authentic relationship with Jesus to grow the kingdom of God.

V37-41

Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees for their concern for only external matters. So He went in and sat down to eat: Though Jesus experienced increasing conflict and opposition from the religious leaders, He didn’t hate them in return. Jesus accepted this invitation to eat with a certain Pharisee. Isn’t that true of the words and work of God in growing the kingdom?

He’s called us to be peace makers. Part of a genuine and authentic relationship with Jesus is learning His way of peace. What I’ve learned about peace is it doesn’t just happen. You have to actually make it. You have to love, you have to listen, you have got to put the work in to make peace, it doesn’t just happen. What have we learned in our Growing the kingdom series so far? So we are empowered by the Spirit, we tap into the power of prayer, we remind ourselves that we can’t do this impossible task on our own, we need God to do His work, and then we live out the words and works of Jesus by taking heed to His commands in an authentic and genuine relationship with him and actually do it!

We make peace the same way He is representing it here. Show up and do the hard work. Based on the words Jesus said in this Pharisee’s home, it is possible that the Pharisee regretted his invitation to Jesus afterwards. Let’s see how it unfolds. The pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner.: Jesus was not unhygienic when He had not first washed before dinner. The truth is, He did not follow the extremely technical and rigid requirements of ceremonial washing practiced by many pious Jews. This the Pharisees deemed as great a sin as fornication or to have sex outside of marriage.

A really strict Jew would wash their hands not only before the meal, but also between each course through the meal. The rabbis were deadly serious about this, saying that bread eaten with unwashed hands was no better than eating feces. A rabbi who once failed to do this was considered excommunicated. Another rabbi was imprisoned by the Romans and used his ration of water for ceremonial cleansing instead of drinking, nearly dying of thirst – but being regarded as a great hero.

The point is this: If these religious leaders were as concerned about cleansing their hearts as they were about their hands, they would be more genuine and authentic godly men. We often want to look to a ceremony or a ritual to cleanse us, instead of the sacrificial work of God on our behalf. Jesus gave everything to cleanse you at the cross. I don’t care how many Sundays you make it into church, how much time you invest serving, how much money you give, none of that matters for the cleansing of your soul like believing in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins.

Today we choose to grow the kingdom of God by believing in His ways and His words in an authentic and genuine relationship with Him through His finished work on the cross, amen? Come to Jesus this morning. Jesus then drops this bomb on them: Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness: These Pharisees were careful to maintain the appearance of righteousness, but not the inner reality of it. They were foolish ones because they could be outwardly clean while actually being dirty on the inside.

Practical Application: Going hand in hand with what Jesus said about light and darkness, he points to what darkness looks like inside. It looks so fake. It’s the biggest reason, in my opinion, that people don’t like Christians or church. It’s not that we are being persecuted for our faith, it’s that we don’t live out our faith in a real way following the words and ways of Jesus in authenticity. Fake christianity looks like pharisees.

There is nothing that sets Jesus off more in this world than the fake form of godliness which in Jesus’ eyes is godlessness. Worship on Sunday, no membership by Monday, leave the township by Tuesday, Hardship by wednesday, dictatorship by thursday, fellowship gone by Friday, barely Survivorship by Saturday, Hey but don’t worry, Championship on that next Sunday! Are we so quick to forget? Let me remind you, beloved Christian Who you are, What you do, and what you’ve been called to! You are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, your citizenship is in heaven from which we eagerly await our savior, He calls you into stewardship, Gives the Holy Spirit as a scholarship to build you up through discipleship, desires companionship, says follow my leadership through every hardship, gives you partnership in the gospel with no censorship, and His desire? Relationship. Made perfect by the God of heaven, the flagship Himself. Signed, sealed, delivered. Look around you at His penmanship. Ok, that’s all the ships I can give this morning.

V42-44

But woe to you… Woe to you… Woe to you: Jesus spoke harshly here, yet this was not the language of personal irritation but of divine warning and condemnation. He seems to speak in the tone and rhythm of the Old Testament prophets. Jesus is now speaking in their studied language. This would bring them back to think about Habakkuk 2:6-19 and Isaiah 5:8-23. It’s almost as if Jesus is pleading with them to hear truly what He is saying. It’s not a rebuke just for the sake of a rebuke. It’s a rebuke that calls for repentance. Turn away from all of this and turn back to God is what He’s saying.

For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God: Their tithing was meticulous and noteworthy; but hypocritical because it served to soothe the guilt of their neglect of the justice and love of God. It is both possible and common to be distracted with relatively trivial matters while a lost world perishes. The Pharisees were so careful in their outward obedience that they would literally tithe from their herb gardens, counting out seeds and leaves, and giving a tenth of each to God.

Legalism of this sort assumes that people will only know we follow God if we do all these things associated with rules and regulations. Instead, Jesus said that the real mark of a believer is the love they have for others in God’s family. It was as if a soldier did great in marching drills and put all their emphasis there, but wasn’t any good in battle. This would not be a good soldier. Being good at all the outward things of Christianity doesn’t mean you are necessarily a good Christian.

These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone: Jesus did not say that their tithing was wrong. Instead, What was wrong was what they did not do – leaving the others undone. We are to be people that give and give generously from a heart of giving, not obligation. Don’t ever let anything get in the way of the prompting of the Holy Spirit in your life to do good works like giving, justice, and love. In direct opposition to this, Jesus says You love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces: The best seats in the synagogues were the seats up front facing the congregation. This is where the leaders and prominent people sat. These people thought it was no good to walk right with God if others didn’t know they walked right with God.

The best seats and honored greetings in the marketplaces were wonderful to religious leaders who wanted to be celebrities, who thought that being spiritual was a great way to become famous. Jesus severely rebuked this attitude and proclaimed a woe to any who held it. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: Literally, the word “hypocrites” refers to an actor, someone playing a part. Jesus exposed the corruption that was covered by the spiritual image of the scribes and Pharisees.

For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them: These religious leaders loved giving the impression that they were ever so spiritual, but they actually defiled everyone they came in contact with. Walking over a grave ceremonially defiled a Jewish person, even if they didn’t know it was there. According to Numbers 19:16, everyone who touched a grave was ceremonially unclean for seven days. For this reason, the Jews sought to mark graves clearly, usually using whitewash, so everyone would know where they were and would avoid them.

V45-46

Jesus rebukes the lawyers for their oppressive religious system. Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also: The lawyer would have done better to keep quiet, but since he drew attention to himself, Jesus addressed him also. One of the lawyers meant the man was an expert in the interpretation and application of the Law of Moses.

For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers: Because of the way that they interpreted the law, these experts in the Mosaic law laid heavy burdens on people – yet with elaborate evasions and loopholes. For example, they taught that on the Sabbath, a man could not carry something in his right hand or in his left hand, across his chest or on his shoulder.

But you could carry something with the back of your hand, with your foot, with your elbow, or in your ear, your hair, or in the hem of your shirt, or in your shoe or sandal. It is possible to wrongly use the Scriptures as a tool of control and oppression, all while evading one’s true responsibility before God. this isn’t real and genuine relationship, it’s a burden. To do so puts one under this same woe and condemnation of Jesus.

V47-51

For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them: They professed to venerate dead prophets but they rejected living prophets. In doing so they showed that they really were the children of those who murdered the prophets in the days of old you approve of the deeds of your fathers. We express the same thought when we think that we would have trusted Jesus more than His disciples did, or been more faithful to Him. I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute: Jesus prophesied that these leaders would complete the rejection of the prophets their fathers began by persecuting His disciples, whom He would send to them. That the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation: This was a remarkable condemnation from Jesus, saying that those who rejected Him and His apostles and prophets would face a greater and unique accountability.

No amount of argument can rob these words of their terrible import. They stand upon the page for evermore speaking to us of ‘the wrath of the Lamb. From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah: Jesus here spoke of all the righteous martyrs of the Old Testament. Abel was clearly the first, and in the way that the Hebrew Bible was arranged, Zechariah was the last. 2 Chronicles is the last book of the Hebrew Bible, and Zechariah’s story is found in 2 Chronicles 24. Abel’s blood cried out (Genesis 4:10), and Zechariah asked that his blood be remembered (2 Chronicles 24:22).

V52

Tells us their most terrible crime- Keeping others from God. For you have taken away the key of knowledge: Their legalistic approach had taken away understanding and knowledge. By giving the people a list of rules by which they could supposedly save themselves, they didn’t help them at all. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered: It is bad for someone to not enter into heaven themselves; but it is far worse to hinder another person from entering in. This is to tell us as Christians that the way in which we represent Jesus can actually hinder others from coming to know God.

This is the depth of why your relationship with Jesus matters. It Matters for your own sake, but it matters deeply to those who would see you and want to get to know Jesus also. The way you portray Christ in your life, in your marriage, in your singleness, in your family, all of it; it matters deeply to the kingdom of God.

V53-54

The scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and provoke him to speak about many things, to catch him in something he might say: They did not receive Jesus’ correction. They preferred to stay in their own sinful thinking and habits rather than to repent and learn from Jesus’ rebuke. Their reaction was strong and violent in words if not action. The religious leaders responded the way many do when they are faced with the correction and the truth of God. Instead of humbly receiving the correction, they responded with outraged accusations.

Proverbs tells us what those who refuse correction do.

First, they hate those who correct them (Proverbs 9:8, Proverbs 15:12).

Second, they do not listen to the one correcting them (Proverbs 13:1).

Third, they despise their own soul (Proverbs 15:32).

Proverbs also tells us the character of those who refuse correction. Those who do NOT receive correction:

They are stupid (Proverbs 12:1)

They are foolish (Proverbs 15:5).

Conclusion

I shared with you how I truly believe that the genuine and authentic Christian is the practical impact of growing the kingdom of God. My whole life I’ve dealt with this question of being fake and believe it or not, this is one of the greatest questions that is asked of this current generation. I get asked about it a lot because I almost always have a smile on my face. There are many things in my life that would want to steal my joy and remove the smile from my face. And you know what? Sometimes I let it. I hate those days! Because I know what Jesus has done in my life to put this smile on my face. I know the truth of the gospel, I know that my smile isn’t a “fake it til you make it” smile, it’s a “God I believe that what you’ve done in my life trumps all the things that I’ve caused or people have caused to me” smile.

It’s a what they intended for evil you intended for good smile. It’s a I’m more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus smile. It’s a shield of faith that would extinguish the fiery darts of the enemy smile. If you’re with me this morning, I hope we leave here today saying, “God I don’t need to fake it til I make it.” I can have joy in the Lord through my smile, through the lack of my smile, through all of it because Jesus our relationship is genuine and authentic.”

Today, my friends, we get to grow the kingdom of God through our genuine and authentic relationship with Him. This is how we love God, and love people, until the whole valley knows. Let’s worship together.

Part 4, Luke 12:1-15

I have a bit of an experiment to do in church today, are you ready? Close your eyes with me, no peeking. This first test is going to be fun- think about one of your greatest heroes in your life. And think about what made them so great. Picture them for a second. Ok, now, this one is going to be very difficult, and I know that, but bear with me a moment. Think about the time in your life that you were most fearful. Picture that moment, that day or season, that thing or person.

Go ahead and give that to the Lord this morning because we don’t need to think about it any longer. Last one, Can you think back to the moment you got saved? If you’re here or online with us this morning and you know Jesus to be your Lord and savior, Let’s take a moment this morning: think back to the very moment you realized you were a part of the kingdom of God. Let that joy overcome you for a second. Your hero, your fear, and the joy of your salvation. There is a single thread I’d like to point out between all three of these things: Boldness. Your hero was bold. It takes boldness to overcome fear. And it takes great boldness to step into the kingdom of God. To grow the Kingdom of God requires great boldness.

V1-3 When so many thousands of people had gathered

As Jesus continued in the general direction towards Jerusalem, vast multitudes came to hear Him. The crowds were so large that some were injured. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy: Jesus spoke this primarily to His disciples (He began to say to His disciples), warning them against the great danger of hypocrisy, likening it to leaven. Hypocrisy is like leaven in the sense that it only takes a little bit of it to affect a great mass. A little bit of hypocrisy can be like a little bit of arsenic. In light of their tremendous popularity, it was especially important for the disciples to remember this. The temptation to hypocrisy is often strongest to those who enjoy some measure of outward success. Such is hypocrisy, which also, as leaven, is: 1. spreading; 2. swelling; 3. souring the meal. Some think that the only way to avoid being a hypocrite is to never aspire to a higher standard. But this is dangerous both for ourselves and for society. We should aspire to a high standard, yet be honest about our difficulty in fulfilling that standard. Jesus is the standard. I’m not a hypocrite for trying to be like Him and failing.

I’m just a human. Notice what He says next, For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known: The art of being a hypocrite depends on concealment, but one day all will be revealed. We can only be hypocrites before men, but never before God. He sees through the actor’s mask. The very antithesis of Hypocrisy is authenticity. To truly be authentic takes great boldness. Boldness in our faith, boldness in our beliefs, boldness before God and man.

V4-5 I say to you, My friends

It’s difficult to know if Jesus said this to His disciples (as in Luke 12:1-3) or to the multitude. Given the context, I believe that Jesus spoke to His disciples, but in the plain hearing of the crowd. The connection to His previous words may be that hypocrites will always despise the faithful, so the followers of Jesus must be ready to face persecution. It requires great boldness to grow the kingdom of God and to face persecution. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body: When Jesus spoke to these disciples of His about martyrdom and persecution, He knew that all of them – except John – would die martyr’s deaths for Him.

He also knew of His own coming suffering. Given the recent display of opposition to Jesus (Luke 11:53-54), it is reasonable to think that the disciples felt the increasing stress and anxiety leading up to the crucifixion. They needed to gain the same peace Jesus had, and put fear into perspective. But He says, After that they have no more that they can do: All persecutors can do is kill, and God has ultimate power over the life and death of the believer. Therefore, we shouldn’t fear our persecutors, but have a healthy respect of God that makes us more concerned with obeying Him than any man. A man has but one life to lose, and one soul to save; and it is madness to sacrifice the salvation of the soul to the preservation of life. To this very point Jesus says, But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell: The word translated hell is Gehenna. It is derived from the words Valley of Hinnom, which was located on the south and west sides of Jerusalem.

In the Old Testament it was a place of child-sacrifice to Molech (2 Chronicles 28:3, Jeremiah 7:30-31, 19:1-6, 32:35). The reforming King Josiah stopped child sacrifice in the Valley of Hinnom (2 Kings 23:10) and it became a garbage dump, a stench with continually smoldering fires. In the days of Jesus it became associated with eternal, fiery punishment – what is called the lake of fire in other passages (Revelation 19:20, 20:10-15). Yes, I say to you, fear Him! There are literally millions of examples of people standing strong for Jesus through persecution – of those who honored God more than honoring man. Be bold in the Lord!

V6-7

I love the comfort Jesus gives in this, He says, Not one of them is forgotten before God Luke 12:6b If God remembers the sparrows, He will not forget you – so don’t lose heart. There are few things worse than the sense of being forgotten; Jesus assured every believer that their life was precious and remembered before God. The very hairs of your head are all numbered: It has been said that a redhead has about 90,000 hairs; a dark-haired person has about 120,000 hairs, and a blonde has about 145,000. If you’re like my dear friend, Fred Blackman, everyone knows how many hairs are on your head.

But the Lord knew even when there was hair up there my beloved Fred! See God knows exactly how many hairs you have; if He knows that about you, He also knows all the important things. You are of more value than many sparrows: Those who are persecuted are tempted to give in to the feeling that they are worthless and no one cares for them. Yet a loving God in heaven values each one. Isn’t that a word for all of us this morning? What a privilege it is to be bold for the Lord, absolutely. But How encouraging it is to know that He values you and He is bold for you when you can’t be. Thank you Jesus for being bold for me when I can’t be.

V8-10 Whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God Luke 12:8a

Jesus comforted the faithful, explaining that the suffering Christian will be given the reward of allegiance and honor before the throne of God (the idea being that the angels of God surround His throne). This is the reward of great boldness. Jesus, the Son, confesses your name in heaven and you my friend walk in eternity with Him in heaven. We cannot forget the hope of heaven; our home. He who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God Luke 12:8b Even as there was an honorable reward for the faithful, there is a terrible penalty for the faithless. They would be denied and disgraced before the throne of God.

Jesus did not say, denies Me in their heart or denies me in their mind; He said, denies Me before men. There is a real and important place for a public declaration of allegiance to Jesus. There is a place for boldness. For many, this is the most difficult thing of all – and is usually difficult because of a fear of man, the exact thing Jesus warned against in His previous words (Luke 12:4-7). The test to either confess or deny Jesus before men may come in many ways; but be sure, it will always come. It is helpful to be determined in heart and mind before the test comes. Jesus clearly called His listeners to a choice. As before in Luke 11:23 the choice is to either be with Jesus or against Him. Here the choice is to confess Jesus or deny Him. Will you be bold for the Lord today and confess Jesus before man?

Jesus then mentions this speak a word against son of man or Holy Spirit. Let’s deal with this together. Speaks a word against the Son of Man: This probably refers to a moment of weakness (especially in public testimony), which could be forgiven.

In contrast, he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit is in a settled rejection of God’s truth, which will not be forgiven. Jesus said this when it seemed He was more popular than ever (Luke 12:1). Yet Jesus knew that being regarded as popular wasn’t the same as truly being confessed and trusted. Even as He called His hearers to make a choice, He warned against making the wrong choice. You see, The Holy Spirit’s main ministry is to testify of Jesus (He will testify of Me, John 15:26). When that testimony of Jesus is fully and finally rejected, one has truly blasphemed the Holy Spirit and essentially called Him a liar in respect to His testimony about Jesus. Those who reject Jesus in a settled sense are guilty of this sin.

And Jesus says, It will not be forgiven: The eternal consequences of this sin force us to regard it seriously. How can one know if they have in fact blasphemed the Holy Spirit? The fact that one desires Jesus at all shows that they are not guilty of this sin. Yet continued rejection of Jesus makes us more hardened against Him and puts us on the path of a full and final rejection of Him. Some people – as a joke or a dare – intentionally say words they suppose to commit the sin of blasphemy against the Spirit. They think it a light thing to joke with eternity. Yet true blasphemy against the Spirit is more than a formula of words; it is a settled disposition of life that rejects the testimony of the Holy Spirit regarding Jesus.

Even if someone has intentionally said such things, they can still repent and prevent a settled rejection of Jesus. The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven – not because it is a sin too big for God to forgive, but because it is an attitude of the heart that cares nothing for God’s forgiveness. It never has forgiveness because it never wants forgiveness God’s way. It may want forgiveness on its own terms, but never God’s way. The way to not blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to receive Jesus Christ, and to put one’s loving trust upon Him today. It means to stop rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing us to Jesus. Be bold!

V11-12 Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities

Jesus also warned them that men would persecute them in the civic arena (magistrates) and religious arena (synagogues). They could expect opposition from both city hall and the halls of religion. Jesus spoke these words to men who would face this exact challenge. Thousands upon thousands since them have faced this challenge and received God’s sustaining grace in it. Do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say: Jesus’ disciples could have perfect trust in God in such moments of great testing, knowing that the Holy Spirit would speak through them even if they were unprepared.

It was not the humiliation which early Christians dreaded, not even the cruel pain and the agony. But many of them feared that their own unskillfulness in words and defense might injure rather than commend the truth. Have you ever felt that way? It is the promise of God that when a man is on trial for his faith, the words will come to him. Be bold and trust God’s promises today. The word answer in Luke 12:11 is the ancient Greek word apologeomai – “apology.” It means to make a defense or give an adequate answer. We get the modern term apologetics from just this word and idea.

For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say: This gave them confidence that the Holy Spirit would speak to and through them at the necessary moment, even if they were not prepared with a statement. I’ve heard bible teachers and pastors try and use this as a way to justify why they aren’t educating themselves or preparing for studies. This isn’t a justification of poor preparation in teaching and preaching God’s Word. What it is, is a promise of strength and guidance for the persecuted that have an opportunity to testify of Jesus. It’s a promise from God that if you are bold for Him, He will meet you in it and help you.

V13-15

Speaks of our attitudes in regard to material possessions: Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me: Jesus had just taught on our great value to God and on the importance of standing for Him. In the midst of this teaching, a man interrupted Jesus to ask that He take his side in a financial dispute. According to the law of the day, the elder brother received two-thirds of the inheritance and the younger brother received one-third. This man did not ask Jesus to listen to both sides and make a righteous judgment; he asked Jesus to take sides with him against his brother (“Tell my brother to divide the inheritance”).

Obviously, Jesus’ previous words about the need for full commitment and God’s care for us didn’t penetrate this man’s heart. He felt he needed to fight for what was his. Jesus tells him, Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you? It wasn’t that Jesus was unconcerned about justice; but He was all too aware that this man’s covetousness would do him more harm than not having his share of the inheritance. We may fight and fight for what is ours by right; and in the end, having it may do us worse than if we had let it go and let God take care of the situation.

Jesus did not feel it was His responsibility to judge every matter and solve every problem. There were some disputes that He refused to become entangled in. Here is where the deceptive nature of the heart is such a challenge. We often mask our covetousness by claiming we are on a righteous crusade. Don’t let boldness for the kingdom of God become entangled with boldness for self. These are two very polarizing approaches to boldness. Jesus would say it this way: “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15 Jesus used the man’s request to speak to him and the crowd about covetousness.

Perhaps the man’s passionate request for justice really had a low motive; perhaps he was more animated by covetousness than by justice. Actually beware scarcely does justice to the force of phylassesthe, which is rather ‘guard yourselves.’” (Morris) The idea is that we all are under attack from covetousness, and we must protect ourselves from it. Great possessions are generally accompanied with pride, idleness, and luxury; and these are the greatest enemies to salvation. To divide property between covetous men is to prepare for future strife.

To make men free from covetousness, is to make peace. One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses: This is the overall principle that Jesus will develop in the following teaching on material things. When we live with the attitude that our life does consist in what we possess, we live in covetousness, and covetousness is idolatry (Colossians 3:5).

Conclusion

As we wrap up, let’s reflect on the essence of today’s experiment. We thought about our heroes, faced our fears, and rejoiced in the moment of our salvation. Each of these experiences is woven together by a common thread: boldness.

Our heroes demonstrated boldness in their actions, overcoming their challenges and inspiring us. It takes boldness to confront our fears and to entrust them to God. And it requires tremendous boldness to accept and live out our salvation, stepping confidently into the kingdom of God.

Jesus’s teachings in Luke remind us of the importance of this boldness. He warns us about the dangers of hypocrisy and encourages us to stand firm in our faith, even in the face of persecution. Just as the disciples faced their challenges with boldness, we too must be bold in our faith, confident in God’s care for us.

As we leave here today, let us carry this boldness with us. Let it guide us in our actions, our decisions, and our faith. Remember, to grow the kingdom of God, we must be bold. So, go forth with courage, knowing that God is with you every step of the way. Be bold!

Part 5, Luke 12:16-34

Well it’s great to be with you this morning and if you remember from last week Pastor Aaron taught that in order to grow the Kingdom of God you need to be bold. And this morning I believe that part of that boldness has got to come from being satisfied in the Kingdom of God. Like part of boldness is saying I want to be a part of this, I am choosing to be a part of this, and I am content in being a part of this. And so today, our main point that we are going to be looking at is that,

To grow the Kingdom of God, you need to be satisfied in the Kingdom God.

Jesus begins our text today by sharing a parable that is a response toward the conversation he was having with the man in the crowd about dividing his inheritance up with his brother that we see in verses 13-15.

In verses 16-21, Jesus presents them with a story in hopes to convey his point even further that he mentions in verse 15 which is, one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. Our main character is a rich fool and there is something important to note here: he was experiencing financial success. It says in verse 16 that the rich man produced plentifully. In fact, he was so successful that he needed an expansion plan. That is what we see in verse 17. I’d say that that is a pretty good problem to have, right? So what does he do? Well he does just that. He expands. He tears down and rebuilds so he can create more room for his grain and goods.

And from my personal interpretation of this, I see nothing wrong with this. I really don’t. I see a man who has worked hard in his trade, his hard work paid off, and he is seeing his labor come to fruition. That is what I see here. It’s a logical solution to a practical problem. But I don’t think that Jesus sees it that way. And we will get to that in a moment, But let’s take a look at verse 19,

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” Luke 12:19

The Greek word for soul, which is “psyche” refers to the inner self, encompassing the mind, emotions, and life of a person. It can also refer to the very breath of life itself. And this man is having a conversation with his soul. In other words, he is having a conversation with himself in his mind. Okay we do this all the time. *Like: getting out of bed, what to do for lunch.* That is what is happening here – he is having an introspective conversation with himself.

The conversation he is having in his mind is what God has the problem with, because what we are seeing here is a heart issue take place. Verse 19 highlights a false sense of security and one of self-satisfaction. He believes he has secured his future by gaining wealth and by being able to control the rest of his life on his terms. But you see, his priority out of life, to relax, eat, drink, and be merry, is misplaced. And today, in our culture, we have a term for this. Anyone know what it’s called? It’s the American Dream. Control your destiny, build your future, live a happy life, retire, and die with a fortune. But this is what God says to that,

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’” Luke 12:20

Here, the true temporality of life is brought to the forefront. The man was a fool not because he was rich, not because of his accumulated wealth, okay you have to hear that. He was a fool because he had no concern for what mattered in eternity. You see the only preparation the rich fool made was to prepare for the rest of his life on earth. But he did nothing to prepare his soul for eternity. You see, to be satisfied in the Kingdom of God, means to,

Seek the riches of God.

The rich fool never saw beyond himself, He never saw beyond this world. That was his failure. And church let me tell you, this is the danger. Believing that what we see with our eyes, touch with our hands, and hear with our ears is all there is! The richness of God is far beyond any human comprehension. It’s more than anything we can see and know in this physical world. You know why, it’s backwards. And this rich fool is the prime example of what can happen if you focus your attention on the riches of this world. Check this out on the screen,

“He was aggressively self-centered… His whole attitude was the very reverse of Christianity. Instead of denying himself, he aggressively affirmed himself; instead of finding his happiness in giving he tried to conserve it by keeping.”

Where the world tells you gain, the Kingdom of God tells you to give. Where the world tells you to trust yourself, do what makes you happy, the Kingdom of God tells you to trust in Jesus, and do what satisfies your Father in Heaven.

1 Timothy 6:9 says this,

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

Most of us fear poverty. We fear living paycheck to paycheck. But what we should fear is wealth. Because what wealth can lead toward is complacency, self-sufficiency, it can lead to greed. Or the temptation to trust in your own ability rather than trusting in the one who created you. Now is wealthiness a sin? No, absolutely not. But the way you steward what you have, are you more focused on satisfying yourself, or being satisfied in God? And this is not a message about giving, okay, so don’t get it twisted. This is about you as an individual, this is about what will satisfy the deep need of your soul. Because I can promise you right now, it will not be in your finances, it will not be if people know your name, it will not be if you’re the best at something. But yeah, let’s be real, money will make you happy. Like if we can just be honest that’s the truth, it will and it does make you happy. Do you know how amazing it would be if I could buy a home with a home theater in the basement, an inground pool in the backyard, and an indoor basketball court, that can turn into some pickleball courts too all overlooking some beautiful majestic mountain. Do you know how happy that would make me? But the question is, would that bring me eternal joy? Would it satisfy my soul? And I can tell you right now, no. No it would not. Now it’s not wrong to have those things, but we can’t put “things” over and in place of the Kingdom of God that will bring us true satisfaction.

It is so so evident, guys, that Jesus is much more concerned with things which are spiritual, then about things that are physical.

And as we see in verses 22-23, something similar is found. You see, the parable dealt with the greed of a man’s heart, and this next passage teaches how to deal with worry or an anxious heart. The difference is that with greed you can never get enough. But with worry you’re afraid to never have enough. Regardless, neither have their eyes on Jesus.

And when Jesus says not to worry in verse 22, it’s a loving command that he gives. You get that? For one, Jesus says not to worry out of love, but I think we can often forget or maybe not even realize it at all, that Jesus commands us not to worry here. Why? Because he knows that by worrying we are causing more destruction to our lives rather than good. And what can cause worry? Well here Jesus is focusing on speaking to the human desire to focus on physical needs. He says life is more than food, and the body is more clothing. Within this he is talking about the whole of a person. The Greek word for life here is the same that is used for soul in the parable, “psyche”. So Jesus is talking about the whole person here. So maybe we need to ask this question, what is your life worth? What’s your soul worth? Because to Jesus, it’s more than what’s physical, your worth is found in what is eternal. He’s calling us to be satisfied in what’s eternal, not what’s temporary. His Kingdom.

And in verses 24-28 – he gives several examples why we need not worry in this life. And as we talk about the why’s here I think we have to accept the very real fact that worry will come, okay. Anxiousness will arise. Because life will happen, things that will rock your world and shake the foundation that you stand on. But there is an answer. There is something in our grasp we have to combat it. The Word of God. And in order for us to be satisfied in the Kingdom of God, we,

Saturate ourselves in the Word of God.

He shares of the ravens and how God feeds them. Sharing with us that if God cares enough to take care of the birds in the sky, he most definitely would take care of us. Why do we know that? Because God values us much more than he values the birds in the sky! Church God loves you, cares for you, and God sees you! He has not abandoned you! And instead of believing the lies of the world that because of your circumstances God has forgotten you, you need to start trusting the truth of God’s Word. I mean do you know how much damage stress can cause? What good does that do for you? What values does that add to your life? It does nothing for you to stress about the things that are temporary.

And Jesus uses another example of the lilies of the field. Showing us that God takes care of them and clothes them, and that even Solomon clothed in all his glory, all of his splendor, being the greatest King of Israel, was not clothed like one of these! I believe this points us to stop worrying about what you have because God is the one who can and will provide you what you need. So don’t worry about it. Trust God. Trust his Word.

Then, Jesus speaks to having little faith for not trusting God, and this is what Charles Spurgeon says about this,

“‘Little faith’ is not a little fault; for it greatly wrongs the Lord, and sadly grieves the fretful mind. To think the Lord who clothes the lilies will leave his own children naked is shameful. O little faith, learn better manners!”

That’s pretty harsh, but it is true. And I think it is important that we remember God isn’t on your timeline, and he will give you what you need, not always what you want. But here’s the truth of it, when we seek after the riches of God, and we saturate ourselves in the Word of God, what we want and what we need will begin to align. Because when we are in his Word we will start to see that the desires we once had will no longer matter because we will begin to desire after the things of God.

Now in verses 29-31, we see God’s desire for your life is to be satisfied in His Kingdom not the treasures of this world. Sound familiar? Kinda like the whole point of today, right? But Jesus shows us the 50,000 foot view here. He says,

“And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.” Luke 12:29-30

And this is what I love about Jesus, he knows what you need, but he also knows what is most important here. He is saying that every nation of the world seeks after what is physical, but he says nope, in my Kingdom, we search for something greater. And by being satisfied in His Kingdom, we are promised heavenly pleasure, rest in his divine provision, and fellowship with Him in His Kingdom. This is our soul’s desire. This is what we are called to chase after. Guys this isn’t future tense, we have access to this now. This is the greatness we need to be seeking after. This is what he has given us.

So have faith that God knows your needs and will take care of it. And that he knows your greatest need which is him. And, saturate yourself in the Word of God.

Now this doesn’t mean we won’t worry, and it is so important to know that we shouldn’t feel guilty when we are worried or anxious. Anxiety is the fear of something that isn’t actually there or doesn’t actually exist. So if you’re someone who deals with anxiety, and you have a mental struggle with it, what I don’t want you to hear is to just pray it away or if you have more faith then your anxiety will go away. I am saying when the anxiety does come, when the worry comes, because it will, you have a way to combat it. It’s the Word of God that desires to shape your worldview, help transform the way you think, and give you a greater trust in God’s provision for your life, because God calls you to be satisfied in His Kingdom. That’s the focus, that’s the concern. Will you choose to be satisfied with him? Satisfied doesn’t mean happy, it doesn’t mean to always have a smile on your face.

Because another way we do this is to,

Surrender to the will of God.

And in verses 32-34, we see God’s will is to give us the Kingdom of God. And to experience life in the Kingdom right now. And it was His pleasure to give it to his little flock. And I love that he said it this way, because his little flock, referring to the disciples, was not just little in numbers, but little in reputation, popularity, age, stature, education and knowledge, but it was God’s chosen flock, and this is who He chose to give the Kingdom of God to.

Wow. That is powerful and really encouraging. But I promise you it’s just as convicting as it is encouraging. Because God’s will is not only to give you the Kingdom of God, it’s also his will for you to give up the things of this world. So we’re given the Kingdom of God, and we are called to give up the kingdom of this world. And then, thirdly, we are called to give back to others what God has given to us. Now let me slow down here and flesh this out a bit because guys, what God is calling us to is a tall task. Now it may sound simple at the surface but we need to go a little deeper here, if we want to understand what it means to surrender.

God gives us His Kingdom,
So we first need to look at, what is the Kingdom of God? Well, if you remember from our previous series, Proclaiming the Kingdom, Pastor Aaron shared the question, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And he went on to share, “The Biblical understanding of eternal life doesn’t necessarily refer to the duration of life, because every person is immortal, either in heaven or hell. It doesn’t refer to a life that begins only when we die. Eternal life is a particular quality of life; a life that comes from God, and a life we can have right now.”

So when God says he is giving you the Kingdom of God, this is what it focuses on, eternal life. And it’s with Jesus, where God reigns, and that life starts right now in this moment. Not confusing at all right? We all perfectly understand the Kingdom, right? Yes! (While shaking head no). So the Kingdom of God is right here and it’s right now. Because just as eternal life isn’t a set duration of time, God’s Kingdom is not confined to a place or location (it’s not just this church, and it’s not the United States), but it’s more about where God rules and reigns. Because of this, we can also say that the Kingdom of God is in the hearts of those who let God reign over their lives. So when it’s God’s pleasure to give us the Kingdom, this is what he means:

It’s His pleasure to indwell us, and for us to dwell with Him in His presence. That is to say here and now, where He reigns, and where His will for our life is at the center.
God calls us to give up the kingdoms of this world.
Now we can go in a lot of different directions here, but ideally what I want to look at is how the kingdom of this world is in stark contrast to the Kingdom of God. Here’s why: It is everywhere God doesn’t dwell. But again, we have to get our focus off of a physical place because this is a spiritual matter. And the kingdoms of this world exist only by God’s permission. They still belong under his authority, but they don’t acknowledge him as their king. They give honor to other rulers and other gods. And God allows this to take place because he gives us a choice to choose his Kingdom or to not choose his Kingdom. And to live within the kingdoms of the world means to live outside of the will of God. And so we need to fix our eyes on Jesus, remove the things in our lives that keep us in the darkness, so that we can live, freely with him, and to be satisfied in living in His Kingdom.
God calls us to give back to others what we’ve been given.

In other words, to live satisfied in His Kingdom, we must live generous lives. The command to give what we have is the true test of discipleship. Take a look at the screen for this quote,

“Readiness to respond to the call of renunciation is a sign of genuine conversion, a sign of undivided loyalty to Jesus, a sign of unwavering faith in Him.”

And I believe if we are truly following Jesus and seeking the heart of God, this will be the natural outcome. That if we deny ourselves and our desires, and give generously of our time, talents, and treasures, it is one of the greatest testaments to others that we follow Jesus. And so the proof that you are satisfied in the Kingdom of God is that you not only listen to what Jesus commands of you to do but you actually do it.

Can I be honest with you guys? This is really hard for me to preach on. Can I tell you why? Because this whole week, I faced personal conviction with every point in this passage. I don’t always do a great job at seeking the riches of God, I struggle with freely giving my time, talents, and treasures to the Lord. I don’t always saturate myself in his Word and let the truths of God shape my life. And I am prone to lack surrender of his will for my life, and let the things that make me anxious be the driving force of my decision making.

And I remember sitting at my computer on Thursday in my office writing these words as the keyboard became wet with my own tears, because no matter how hard I try in this life and no matter what I do, the only thing that would ever truly satisfy me is one the most cliché, yet most truth-bomb statements ever: let go, and let God.

And if I am really honest, the hardest thing for me is that I don’t always know how to do that. To let go and let God. Like how can I not let the opinions of others dictate what I say and do? How do I not let the insecurities in my own heart control the way I live? How do I trust God to provide what I need? How do I give up the control of my life and of my future to God? Like how do I do it? Why? Why would I do it? What would it benefit? And the thing I have been struggling with most this week is that I don’t know! I mean Paul says in Corinthians that the Crucifiction of Jesus is utter foolishness to the non-believing Jew and lacks complete wisdom to the non-believing Greek. So why would I give up control of my life to a God I can’t even see? If you are someone who is thought that before, can I just let you know that you’re not alone.

But you see, that’s where I am wrong. Because I can see him. I can see him in His Word. I can see a grace in the tiny breath of a child. I can find his provision when I look at the birds in the sky. I can feel his love in the hug from my mom and my dad. And then I take a breath, and I stop, and I reflect, and I realize the only reason I am standing here before you today is because I have trusted a God who has never failed me or let me down. Because I do believe, and I trust. I trust in his perfection, I trust in his power, I trust in resurrection. And I trust in his promised Kingdom that I get to be a apart by God’s grace. And I could live off a penny or a million bucks, and it doesn’t matter because the only thing that will bring me peace is my Lord and King Jesus. And I could go through this life hated by everyone, and I would consider it glory because of the one who saved me, my Savior Jesus Christ.

You see, what I have realized from this week, God has the ability to take your deepest insecurities, the places you feel most weak and vulnerable, and he takes them and in that state, in true pursuit of him, he reveals himself to do a mighty work in your life. And it’s hard and it sucks, because you have to not only accept that you’re broken, but you have to believe and have faith that a Perfect God would choose to step down from glory and walk beside you in your broken state and pull you out of it. And then and only then, will you be satisfied in the Kingdom of God. When you learn that you can’t control everything that comes your way. When you learn that accepting your brokenness, means that you’re one step closer to freedom with Jesus. So live in this way today, that you would seek the riches of God, saturate in the Word of God, surrender to His will, and let him lead you. This is the freedom you have been looking for. This is the freedom I have found. It can be found in none other than Jesus.

Part 6, Luke 12:35-59

Welcome to Friends Church where we are on mission with God to love God, love people, until this whole valley knows. We are officially halfway through the book of Luke! Thank you, Jesus. We are also at the end of our “growing the kingdom of God” series. We will be running for the next 6 weeks a chapter a week so please make sure to take some time to read the chapter before we gather on Sunday as we won’t have time to read it in its entirety here on a Sunday morning. Today we are looking at our final piece to growing the kingdom of God which is: To grow the kingdom of God, you must be prepared. We are going to unpack this a little bit.

JEREMY: **Let me stop you right there** Now the reason why I am up here with you today, Aaron, is because you and I were talking about this passage this week, and I have been struggling to comprehend it myself. I mean, he is talking about keeping lamps burning, a wedding banquet, knocking on doors, masters and servants… I mean did the disciples even know what Jesus was talking about here? And honestly, should this even matter to me in 2024? Like if I can’t comprehend this, then how would I apply it to my life?

V35-40

To be prepared we have to understand our attitude in regard to Jesus’ return. Jesus said, Be like men who are waiting for their master. Last week Jeremy shared with us about the greed and the anxiety portion and If the followers of Jesus are to be satisfied in the kingdom of God and are not to be greedy or worried, they are to put their focus on the return of Jesus. This is something worth putting our lives into. These words of the Saviour are closely linked up with the previous warnings not to be worldly minded but heavenly minded. So to grow the kingdom of God, we must be prepared. To be prepared in the kingdom of God, is to focus on the return of Jesus. How? Jesus says, Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning. The idea behind this phrase is well expressed in the NIV: Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning. We are also reminded of this verse that Your word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path. Psalm 119:105. One may have an inner willingness to serve God (dressed for action) but not have the illumination needed to serve Him well (the light of God’s word burning brightly). He adds that the ready servants will be served by their Master and blessed; there is rich reward in living a life ready and expectant for Jesus to return. Those servants who are alert to their master’s return will be blessed. So blessed are they, in fact, that the lord will reverse the roles and serve them. You also must be ready, for the son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. The bible talks about that day coming like a thief in the night. A thief never announces his coming; he comes at a time when you would not expect him. The way to be on guard against a thief is to live in constant readiness, and the way to be ready for Jesus’ return is to live in constant readiness. That is to say, that the way in which we grow the kingdom of God, is being prepared. For us, we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in preparedness.

JEREMY: Okay, so Peter is about to ask if this parable is for the disciples or for everyone, and I guess I am kind of stuck now because it seems like Jesus’ response to his question is more confusing than the original parable… what do you think about?

AARON: Yes, I hear you. Remember a parable has one true meaning. It’s not like the rest of our bible where we are gleaning all that we can from this story and making allegories or analogies; it is a single story, with a single meaning. A heavenly concept, in an earthly story. With that in mind, let’s dive into Peter’s question and Jesus’ response and break it down a bit.

V41-48

LORD, are you telling this parable for us or for all? Luke 12:41

Jesus answered Peter, saying that He spoke to everyone, that all should be like a faithful and wise steward (manager). In a sense, Jesus said “I speak this parable to all who will live their life in readiness, even as a faithful and wise steward.” All who are servants of Jesus must be ready for His return. But if that servant says in his heart, “My master is delaying his coming”: A poor steward lives without the expectation of his master’s return, and it shows in several areas of life.

He mistreats the Master’s other servants (begins to beat the male and female servants). No longer authentic, genuine, and bold.

He is excessively given to the pleasures of this world (to eat and drink). No longer satisfied with the kingdom of God.

He is given to intoxication (and be drunk).

JEREMY: Okay, I hear you Aaron; but how do we do this? I mean how do we prepare well? It’s easy for us to say we need to prepare for God to come back, that we need to be ready, but looking at it practically, how do we do this? I think he is showing us what not to do here. Should we focus on right now, or when he comes back again?

AARON: The most definitive answer I can give? Yes. We have to focus on both. Because it all matters. The end doesn’t justify the means in the kingdom of God. The means matter, and the end matters to God. Therefore it must matter to us. Jesus here clearly connected the readiness for His return to a life, a current life, of love, spiritual focus, and self-control. Likewise, the heart that says, “My master is delaying his coming” is connected to this kind of low and fruitless life we just talked about. Some get weary of waiting for His return, or cynical about the return of Jesus because it hasn’t happened yet. This is exactly the attitude Jesus warned against here. If, in the perception of some, Jesus is delaying his coming, it is to rescue more people from the judgment to come upon the world in the very last days. This is why it is such a monumental point for us as Friends Church. Being prepared is not just for you, it actually grows the kingdom of God. How? People see the way you live your life more than anything else in your testimony. It is the gateway to relationship. Relationship is the currency we have as a church. If we sow into relationship, we reap relationship. Relationship is the platform to share the gospel. If we don’t lead our lives with a hope of heaven and a hope of the return of our King, it shows in all aspects of our lives. This is again why it matters so deeply that we are prepared. The master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him: Ready or not, one day the master will come. When He comes, He will reward the ready. He will punish those who were not ready and denied His coming, And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few: When the master comes, He will let the punishment match the offense. Those who knew how to be ready and yet were not will be punished worse than those who did not know and were not ready. We need not be worried about this one. Why? Because this is our charge this morning: Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal those things in your mind and heart that are keeping you from being prepared. These may be certain habits, sins, or thought patterns that lead you away from what you know is good and right and true. The apostle Paul would say it this way, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9 Be prepared this morning. Repent, turn from what you are doing and turn back to God and watch how the God of peace will be with you.

V49-53 Jesus brings fire and division.

JEREMY: Okay okay, hang on, can I stop you right there, cause I’ve been waiting to ask you about this. What does he mean by fire and division here? Is he going to light the world on fire or something? And I thought Jesus was coming to bring peace, not division. And I don’t want to throw you off topic either, but Jesus is speaking about being baptized here, and I thought Jesus was already baptized by John the Baptist? Help me out here, what’s he saying?

AARON: Yes, we are dealing with even more symbolic language and He’s bringing everything to a head. Let’s look at Jesus’ exact words:

I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! We can look at this fire in a few possible ways.

It’s possible that the fire Jesus spoke of was judgment to come upon the Jewish people in the following decades. “In Jewish thought fire is almost always the symbol of judgment. So, then, Jesus regarded the coming of his kingdom as a time of judgment. It ‘s also entirely possible that the fire Jesus spoke of is the power of the Holy Spirit that could only come after He had accomplished His work on the cross. The fire Jesus spoke of is also the spread of the good news and the coming expansion of the work of His kingdom across the globe, which could not happen until He had accomplished His work on the cross. Bottom line? Fire is judgment and the world is to be judged through His ministry on earth, sin is to be fully judged at the cross, and the gospel spreads like wildfire through his people. Are you with me? The fact that Jesus spoke of His suffering as a baptism is meaningful. Apart from the bible, there aren’t many documents in ancient Greek that use this word. Do you know which document we have that is the most clear image of baptism? It’s a pickle recipe! But think of how that fits in our faith. You have a cucumber that is immersed in the water and then fully transformed. Think of Jesus, He wasn’t sprinkled with suffering; He was immersed in agony. In the same way, we are to be baptized into Jesus Christ and baptized with the Holy Spirit, immersed and overflowing. Jesus even says, How distressed I am till it is accomplished! Jesus was distressed until His work on the cross was accomplished because He knew all the good that would come of it. Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2). And then yes he talks about division. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother: This may be the price one must pay for being a faithful steward. When you follow Jesus faithfully, there may very well be division for His sake. But why? Paul the apostle mentioned a healthy division in 1 Corinthians 11. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. It seems that the way Jesus is talking about division here is in the same sense. The genuine and authentic Christian is living a life of preparedness that naturally separates us from everyone and everything else in this world. Be the pickle!

JEREMY: Now, I am just wondering here… how do verses 54-59 have anything to do with the rest of this passage? It seems like Jesus takes a jump here without letting us know why. Can you help unpack this, and help us understand why it fits?

V54-56

Yeah great question. It totally fits because it is the conclusion of being prepared. There is an urgency to discern the times. Jesus rebuked the people of His day because they did not discern this time. They should have understood more about the prophecies regarding the first coming of Jesus and appreciate the obvious signs confirming Jesus as the promised Messiah. And they didn’t. Jesus’ listeners knew that when clouds formed in the west over the Mediterranean Sea, rain was on the way. They knew that when the warm wind blew south from the Arabian desert, a heat wave was coming. He’s using that imagery to describe their discernment. Jesus spoke this to the multitudes, not only to His disciples. Jesus wanted everyone to discern this time and be ready for His return. In our present times there are many reasons to believe that Jesus is coming soon, adding to our sense of urgency as we hope to discern this time. But the matter is clear for us as believers, we live a life prepared for Jesus’ return and you cannot do this without discerning the times. Discernment is a gift from God. As a church we believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as the bible describes them, and we want to walk in those gifts as God continues to richly and freely give these gifts to His people. Discernment is one of those many gifts. I’d like to offer you a holistic and biblical approach to discernment and every other gift for that matter. God gives us filters for how we “test the spirits” or know that this is really Him and not bad leftovers that are making you think funny.

Prayer -You absolutely must seek the Lord in prayer.
Bible -God’s word has to be a major factor in your discernment.
Church Leadership -God has placed authority in your life for a reason.
Multitude of Counselors -Gather those who care deeply about you and you offer accountability (proximity and permission) over your life.

V57-59

Knowing the times, Jesus says get right with God now. Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? Jesus asked His listeners to think through it for themselves. Anyone who can judge what is right can see the importance and good of getting right with God before we come before Him as Judge. In the illustration Jesus used, it made sense to settle before appearing before the judge. By analogy, we can say that in light of the work of Jesus at the cross, God offers a settlement out of court (before judgment) with God, by putting our trusting love in who Jesus is and what He did for us on the cross. You shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite: Jesus reminded them (and us) of the great penalty of not settling with God before the Day of Judgment. All of this presses upon us the urgency to get right with God now, and to live in readiness and anticipation of the return of Jesus. Be prepared!

JEREMY: Okay, the last question I have for you, and I think it brings us back to one of the questions I asked earlier about how this is relevant : I think it’s a valid question because I think a lot of people are asking this, will Jesus come back in our lifetime?

AARON: Wouldn’t that be amazing? I wish I knew with certainty. The bible has a parallel chapter in Matthew’s gospel chapter 24 where Jesus tells us that, “no one knows the day or the hour,” and he concludes in verse 44 by saying, “therefore you must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” I’d like to draw your attention to the relevance of your own question: it is not will Jesus come back in our lifetime, it is When Jesus comes back, because He is coming back, will we be prepared? Psalm 90 shares unique insight into this idea: “Teach us to number our days.” Psalm 90:12 a powerful way of living. A prepared way of living that says, Jesus, Since you are coming back, I’m going to live this life like you are coming back THIS week! I want to be ready! I have a hope and a treasure in heaven! That’s the way I choose to live!

more series messages

Early Growth and Challenges

February 16, 2025

The Birth of the Church

January 26, 2025

The Church’s Mission

January 12, 2025

Growing His Kingdom

watch & listen to series messages

part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Sermon notes

V1 Lord, teach us to pray

V2-4

V5-8

V9-13

Conclusion

V14-16 Jesus answers controversy about demons and signs.

V17-19 Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation

V20-23 Jesus continues by saying But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you

V24-26

V27-28

V29-32

Conclusion

V33-36

V37-41

V42-44

V45-46

V47-51

V52

V53-54

Conclusion

V1-3 When so many thousands of people had gathered

V4-5 I say to you, My friends

V6-7

V8-10 Whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God Luke 12:8a

V11-12 Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities

V13-15

Conclusion

V35-40

V41-48

V49-53 Jesus brings fire and division.

V54-56

V57-59

more series messages

Early Growth and Challenges

The Birth of the Church

The Church’s Mission

Love God. Love People. Until the whole valley knows.

connect

quick links

Get In Touch

Love God. Love People.
Until the whole valley knows.