{"id":1282,"date":"2024-12-24T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-24T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reflectivebiblestudy.com\/gospeladventure\/?p=1282&2024"},"modified":"2024-12-24T05:02:17","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T12:02:17","slug":"the-counter-intuitive-challenge-luke-12-13-34","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reflectivebiblestudy.com\/gospeladventure\/the-counter-intuitive-challenge-luke-12-13-34\/","title":{"rendered":"The Counter-Intuitive Challenge: Luke 12:13-34"},"content":{"rendered":"
Focus Passage: Luke 12:13-34 (NASB)<\/div>

13<\/sup>\u00a0Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family<\/em> inheritance with me.” 14<\/sup>\u00a0But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?”<\/span> 15<\/sup>\u00a0Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even<\/em> when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”<\/span> 16<\/sup>\u00a0And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive.<\/span> 17<\/sup>\u00a0And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’<\/span> 18<\/sup>\u00a0Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.<\/span> 19<\/sup>\u00a0And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come;<\/em> take your ease, eat, drink and<\/em> be merry.”’<\/span> 20<\/sup>\u00a0But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very<\/em> night your soul is required of you; and now<\/em> who will own what you have prepared?’<\/span> 21<\/sup>\u00a0So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”<\/span> <\/p>

22<\/sup>\u00a0And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your<\/em> life, as to<\/em> what you will eat; nor for your body, as to<\/em> what you will put on.<\/span> 23<\/sup>\u00a0For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.<\/span> 24<\/sup>\u00a0Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet<\/em> God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!<\/span> 25<\/sup>\u00a0And which of you by worrying can add a single<\/em> *<\/span>Lit cubit<\/em> (approx 18 in.)<\/span>hour to his *<\/span>Or height<\/em><\/span>life’s span?<\/span> 26<\/sup>\u00a0If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?<\/span> 27<\/sup>\u00a0Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.<\/span> 28<\/sup>\u00a0But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive<\/em> today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe<\/em> you? You men of little faith!<\/span> 29<\/sup>\u00a0And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.<\/span> 30<\/sup>\u00a0For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.<\/span> 31<\/sup>\u00a0But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.<\/span> 32<\/sup>\u00a0Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.<\/span> <\/p>

33<\/sup>\u00a0“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.<\/span> 34<\/sup>\u00a0For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.<\/span><\/p>

Read Luke 12:13-34<\/a> in context and\/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!<\/p><\/div><\/div>\r\n

While teaching people about the topic of worry, Jesus makes a very counter-intuitive challenge to everyone present. While Jesus\u2019 message began by focusing on guarding against greed, He then shifted from greed to worry before making this challenge.<\/p>\r\n

This detail makes me wonder if greed and worry are connected. I have not ever thought about these two ideas being related, but what if greed and worry were linked together? What if greed was the hidden source behind the temptation to worry in our own lives?<\/em><\/p>\r\n

I believe these ideas are connected, because Jesus\u2019 challenge to everyone \u2013 both His followers as well as those who were simply listening to His message \u2013 is this: \u201cSell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.<\/strong>\u201d (v. 33)<\/p>\r\n

In this passage, Jesus basically challenges everyone to sell all their stuff and give it to charity. In the context of what Jesus is teaching, the word \u201ccharity\u201d would be giving it somewhere where the money is needed, and it cannot be repaid. This would not include giving your money to your stockbroker to invest for you, or giving it to your rich grandparents in hopes that they will gift it back to you in their will.<\/p>\r\n

Instead, Jesus shares a counter-cultural message that by scaling back and living on less, we can truly win in multiple areas of life. When we scale back, we win because we are pushing back against the temptation of greed; we win because we are more free to be led where God calls us; we win because we don\u2019t have as much stuff to worry about; and we win because we are investing in heaven.<\/p>\r\n

Not only do we win in this life, but our investments into heaven are powerful as well. Not only does God keep track of our gifts and add them to our heavenly savings account, when we give to charities that help spread the news about Jesus, we are indirectly helping to bring other people into a saving relationship with Jesus \u2013 which ultimately blesses heaven with more people who get to share eternity with God.<\/p>\r\n

Accepting Jesus\u2019 counter-cultural challenge is counter-intuitive because when we feel like we are losing by scaling back, we are winning in ways we cannot even begin to imagine, and ways we will only fully understand when history ends.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus<\/strong> \u201cReflective Bible Study\u201d package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here<\/a> and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!<\/em><\/p>

Subscribe<\/a> to this blog and never miss an insight.<\/em><\/p><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"While teaching people about the topic of worry, Jesus makes a very counter-intuitive challenge to everyone present. While Jesus\u2019 message began by focusing on guarding against greed, He then shifted from greed to worry before making this challenge. This detail makes me wonder if greed and worry are connected. 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