Luke 12:13-21
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me."
But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."
Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'
But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."
Some one in the crowd, walking with Jesus, called to HIM for a solution on comfort. What fun to be GOD. Time is just a cage God invented for us in this life. What did this question look like to the SON of God? Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow with Jesus.
We will go with Tomorrow. And what is the family inheritance to Jesus - HIS LIFE. And Who set Jesus to be our Judge - God the Father, Almighty. Jesus knows the answer rests for us as veiled in eternity. But yet greatly rests on the larger picture. Our destination is really Jesus as Judge. We are bodies wrapping souls.
Yesterday. Jesus knows - look back on this as a question - the inheritance is Israel as a nation. Isaiah readers thought Jesus was going to be a Davidic King ruling Israel over Rome. The Centurion with so much faith, Jesus was amazed, stood outside. The Samaritan Woman - Jesus decided to declare His Kingship to is outside. The Syrian woman with the humility saying please, just a scrap from Your table, her humility would be discarded. Jesus saw past borders and saw life was demanded beyond comfort. Foolish just to want comfort only.
Today. We are a society trying to decide to stay home with children, to sell lifelong houses for retirement - not to give them to children, looking at high inheritance taxes, property taxes, income taxes. Ever increasing costs for gasoline. Several years back, we spoke of how today we don't see cars on the sides of the roads. Today - we all routinely drive cars ten years old or older. This summer I've seen more cars on the sides of the road stalled in the summer swelter. Now tell me our kindnesses for a casserole dish and for gracious favor are not more bestowed on the return-the-favor-in-abundance-crowd.
I can tell you this from personal experience. Young men from college don't think the corporate world will provide them a comfortable living. Men in corporate jobs feel they are a cog. We need solutions not pointing to the new castle is a sky scrapper and we are the serfs filling the castle.
We need colleges to be affordable and we need colleges to teach us to paint cars. Give me a break, you think fifty dollars worth of bondo and enamel should cost thousands? We need more solutions in life about real jobs. Colleges who look at real jobs and teach real skills with not just a get a serf job.
Today. Would Jesus tell you be uncomfortable and suffer - this is pie in the sky? Jesus is not for quick solutions. Don't you believe Jesus is not interested in every aspect of your life. God is interested in all aspects of your life. God led the Children out of Israel for them to have LIFE. Abundant Life does not mean - some day my prince will come. Jesus fought in this world, for you, in this life. I extrapolate and say GOD was concerned for so many children to be born. God wants us to clearly be able to provide for our children - not pledging them to $100,000 for college to say - oh it's going to be okay, some how.
Proverbs 13:11
Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
Jesus is for work. Jesus understands life passes on by, but JESUS chose to walk this life with us.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
In the elbows-out-generation, Jesus expects us to financially plan our lives working to ensure we don't hoard blessings.
2 Corinthians 4:4
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
We have lived so long removed from piety and want, we have forgotten to think for ourselves. We accept platitudes of Scripture and don't look to see the depth of God and HIS concern for us in every aspect of our lives.
Be like the Centurion Jesus was so pleased with. Expect God to hear your prayers and answer. Monetary prayers. Even more the prayers making your life meaningful - learning talents to share, and not hoard, with others. Gifts of hand made items, items cooked and shared. There are plenty of unhappy, wealthy people not feeling like life has meaning. Get involved making life the adventure of abundance. I see very quiet streets - why do we stay home so much. Invite people to share meal. Make life more pleasing with deliberation.
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:14
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment