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SEEK THE KINGDOM.
LUKE 12:22-34
From the sins of greed and selfishness Jesus turns to that of worry, which in a way is connected with the other two. Greed can never get enough, worry is afraid it may not have enough. Wealth can represent a danger to those who do not have it as well as to those who do. Jesus emphasizes the importance of trust in God and detachment from things.
Verses 22-23
AND HE SAID UNTO HIS DISCIPLES, THEREFORE I SAY UNTO YOU, TAKE NO THOUGHT FOR YOUR LIFE, WHAT YE SHALL EAT; NEITHER FOR THE BODY, WHAT YE SHALL PUT ON.
THE LIFE IS MORE THAN MEAT, AND THE BODY IS MORE THAN RAIMENT.
(Then Jesus said to the disciple; "This is why I tell you: Do not be worried about the food you need to stay alive, or about the clothes you need for your body. For life is much more important than food, and body much more important than clothes.)
The previous words were addressed to the crowd, these to Jesus’ disciple. What he now says arises from his previous words, as therefore I tell you shows, but this is not teaching for the masses, it is to his own that Jesus says, do not be anxious about your life. The believer may take reasonable forethought for his needs, but he is not to worry about food or clothing. Life is bigger than such thing.
Verse 24
CONSIDER THE RAVENS; FOR THEY NEITHER SOW NOR REAP; WHICH NEITHER HAVE STOREHOUSE NOR BARN; AND GOD FEEDETH THEM; HOW MUCH MORE ARE YE BETTER THAN THE FOWLS.
(Look at the crows; they don’t plant seeds or gather a harvest; they don’t have storage rooms or barns; God feeds them. You are worth so much more than birds.)
Jesus reinforces this with an appeal to the crows, mentioned here only in the New Testament (they are the object of God’s care in Ps. 147:9). Birds do not engage in agricultural activities, but they do not lack for all that. God feeds them. There is possibly significance in the fact that ravens were unclean. (Lv. 11:15). God makes provision even for these unclean birds. And Jesus goes on to remind his hearers that they are of more value than birds.
Verse 25
AND WHICH OF YOU WITH TAKING THOUGHT CAN ADD TO HIS
STATURE ONE CUBIT.
(Which one of you can live a few more years by worrying about it.)
In any case people are limited, a cubit is a measure of length. But measures of length were occasionally applied to time. So the expression might means add a short period to his life. many people worry about lengthening their life. the rich fool could not add one moment to his span of life when God’s summons came. They hold also that this fits better with the reference to a small think in the next verse. Though an increase in the span of life seems a large matter to us, it may well be the point that it is small to God. Plants do not worry, but they make great increases in height. Certainty is impossible but the way the terms are generally used favours the second view.
Verse 26
IF YE THEN BE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT THING WHICH IS LEAST, WHY TAKE YE THOUGHT FOR THE REST?
(If you can’t manage even such a small thing, why worry about the other things.?)
If people cannot do such a tiny little thing, then why should they be anxious about other things? God who takes care of our growth will take care of all our needs.
Verses 27-28
CONSIDER THE LILIES HOW THEY GROW; THEY TOIL NOT, THEY SPIN NOT; AND YET I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT SOLOMON IN ALL HIS GLORY WAS NOT ARRAYED LIKE ONE OF THESE.
IF THEN GOD SO CLOTHE THE GRASS, WHICH IS TO DAY IN THE FIELD, AND TOMORROW IS CAST INTO THE OVEN; HOW MUCH MORE WILL HE CLOTHE YOU, O YE OF LITTLE FAITH.
(look how the wild flowers grow; they don’t work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you ;that not even Solomon, as rich as he was, had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. It is God who clothes the wild grass–grass that is her today, gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you? How little is your faith.)
Jesus has appealed to the birds; now He turns to plant life. Jesus would ge referring in a general way to flowers. These do not manufacture cloth as people do, but God clothes them with a beauty that even Solomon’s gorgeous robes could not match. Yet the flowers, now spoken of as grass, are very temporary. They live today and are burnt tomorrow. If God does all this for the flowers that disappear so quickly, how much more will he clothe his people? O men of little faith shows that some of the disciple had shown anxiety. It is needless.
Verses 29-30
AND SEEK NOT YE WHAT YE SHALL EAT, OR WHAT YE SHALL DRINK, NEITHER BE YE OF DOUBTFUL MIND.
FOR ALL THESE THINGS DO THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD SEEK AFTER; AND YOUR FATHER KNOWETH THAT YE HAVE NEED OF THESE THINGS.
(So don’t be all upset, always looking for what you will eat and drink. For the heathen of this world are always looking for all these things. Your father knows that you need these things.)
Jesus commands his followers not to worry. Worry is a great inhibitor of action; to live in worry is to miss what life is all about. The disciple are not to seek food and drink. This does not, of course, exclude legitimate effort, but it does prohibit concentration on these items. Phillips states you must not set your heart on wheat you eat or drink. The disciple are not to be of anxious mind. Worry about food and clothing may befit the nations of the world, but it is not proper to God’s people. Your Father knows that you need them; and he who knows the need will supply it.
Verse 31
BUT RATHER SEEK YE THE KINGDOM OF GOD; AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.
(Put his kingdom first n your life, and he will provide you with these things you need.)
From the negative Jesus turns to the positive and instructs the disciple show to live. They are to seek his kingdom, which points to a concentration on all that the kingdom involves. Disciple have pledged themselves to the Master. They must accordingly spend their time in doing his work and seeking his kingdom. This means to try to produce in their own lives conduct appropriate to those who have accepted the rule of God. It will also mean trying to bring others into a like way of living, for it is in this way that the kingdom grows. Jesus adds the information that when his followers concentrate on the kingdom, these things shall be your as well. When people truly honour God, God honours their faith. his servants may not grow wealthy as the world understands riches, but they will not lack.
Verse 32
FEAR NOT, LITTLE FLOCK, FOR IT IS YOUR FATHER’S GOOD PLEASURE TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM.
(Do not be afraid, little flock. For your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.)
This speaks of the small number of true disciples, but also of the care they may expect from their Shepherd. Jesus goes on to speak of the Father’s gifts to his people. These are not wrung from him as though he were unwilling to give: it is his good pleasure to give. His gift is the kingdom, that very kingdom they have just been told to seek.
Verses 33-34
SELL THAT YE HAVE, AND GIVE ALMS; PROVIDE YOURSELVES BAGS WHICH WAX NOT OLD, AN TREASURE IN THE HEAVENS THAT FAILETH NOT, WHERE NO THIEF APPROACHETH, NEITHER MOTH CORRUPTETH.
FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO.
(Sell all your belongings and give the money to the poor. Provide for yourselves purses that don’t wear out, and save your riches in heaven, where they will never decrease, for no thief can get to them, no moth can destroy them. For your heart will always to where your riches are.)
Jesus reverts to the comparison of earthly and heavenly riches. He counsels his followers to concentrate on the real riches, heavenly treasure. This can involve selling earthly possessions and giving the proceeds away. We should not understand the words as though they meant that all Jesus’ followers must sell all their possessions. Jesus and the apostles themselves had money which they used to buy food and to give alms..(John 13:29). It seems clear that Jesus is not excluding private ownership. But he is emphasizing that believers must not be dominated by their possessions. Trust in riches prevents trust in God. When this take place, possessions become a fat al barrier to life. Real riches are a treasure...that does not fail, found in purses that do not grow old. Such riches are secure from robbery and from moths. The heart and the treasure go together. Anyone’s heart, the Concentration of his energies and interest, is always with his treasure, the things he values most.