This study of Luke chapter 12 was given by pastor Barry Forder on 23rd April 2023.
As we continue our journey through Luke’s gospel Jesus now begins to show clearly the two different ways we can choose to live. We can either live for ourselves, serving the god of materialism and the perceived need to continually strive to have more to have the latest thing, to have financial stability and success… or we can choose to live our lives trusting in God and His word, living our lives based solely on the promises He has given, allowing Him to direct our paths, to provide for us through whatever means He engineers.
Oswald Chambers put’s it succinctly:
“If God so clothe the grass of the field…shall He not much more clothe you?”
A simple statement of Jesus is always a puzzle to us if we are not simple. How are we going to be simple with the simplicity of Jesus? By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, obeying Him as He brings the word of God, and life will become amazingly simple.
“Consider,” says Jesus, “how much more your Father Who clothes the grass of the field will clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him.”
Every time we have gone back in spiritual communion it has been because we have impertinently known better than Jesus Christ.
We have allowed the cares of the world to come in, and have forgotten the “much more”of our Heavenly Father.
“Behold the fowls of the air” — their main aim is to obey the principle of life that is in them and God looks after them. Jesus says that if you are rightly related to Him and obey His Spirit that is in you, God will look after your “feathers.”
“Consider the lilies of the field” — they grow where they are put. Many of us refuse to grow where we are put, consequently we take root nowhere. Jesus says that if we obey the life God has given us, He will look after all the other things.
Has Jesus Christ told us a lie? If we are not experiencing the “much more,” it is because we are not obeying the life God has given us, we are taken up with confusing considerations.
How much time have we taken up worrying God with questions when we should have been absolutely free to concentrate on His work
“Take no thought for your life.” “Be careful about one thing only,” says our Lord — “your relationship to Me.” Common sense shouts loud and says — “That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, I must consider what I am going to eat and drink.” Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing the thought that this statement is made by One Who does not understand our particular circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things so as to make them the one concern of our life. Whenever there is competition, be sure that you put your relationship to God first. – Oswald Chambers (My Utmost For His Highest)
May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.
The PowerPoint slides used in this teaching are available for free download.
