Luke 12, a visual study from The Lampstand Project.
Do not be anxious.
Fear God not men. The rich fool. Do not be anxious about life. Seek the kingdom first. Be dressed and ready. The faithful servant. Not peace but division. Read the time.
Three movements. Fear, wealth and anxiety, readiness and urgency.
Luke 12 is the great teaching chapter on anxiety and readiness. It begins with a warning about hypocrisy and the courage to acknowledge Christ, moves through the parable of the rich fool, then to the famous anxiety passage — consider the ravens, consider the lilies — and into the watchmen parables. It ends urgently: you know how to read the weather; why can you not read this time?
A chapter in 3 movements.
Tap any numbered marker to read its part
“Fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”
Fear God, not men. Every hair numbered. Acknowledge the Son.
An enormous crowd gathers. Jesus speaks first to the disciples: beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the light. Do not fear those who kill the body and after that have nothing more they can do. Fear him who has authority to cast into hell.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not. You are of more value than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But the one who denies me will be denied. The Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”
“One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
The rich fool. Consider the ravens. Seek the kingdom.
Someone asks him to settle an inheritance dispute. Jesus refuses to adjudicate and says: beware of all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. He tells of the rich man whose land produces plentifully. He reasons with himself: I will build larger barns. I will say to my soul: relax, eat, drink, be merry. God says: fool! This night your soul is required of you. So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.
He says to the disciples: do not be anxious about your life or about your body. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, yet God feeds them. How much more are you than the birds? Consider the lilies. Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. O you of little faith — how much more will he clothe you. Seek his kingdom and these things will be added to you. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
“You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Dressed and ready. The faithful servant. Read the time.
Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake. Peter asks: are you telling this parable for us or for all? Jesus answers with the parable of the faithful and wise manager whom the master appoints over his household. But if that servant says: my master is delayed — and begins to eat and drink and beat the other servants — the master will come on a day he does not know.
You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky. When you see a cloud rising in the west you say rain is coming, and you are right. When the south wind blows you say it will be scorching, and it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Jesus came to cast fire on the earth. He has a baptism to be baptized with, and how he is under pressure until it is accomplished.
“Now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
The anxiety command comes directly after the parable of the rich fool, who tore down his barns to build bigger ones and died that night. The problem with the rich fool is not that he had much but that he thought his life consisted in his possessions. The ravens are fed. The lilies are clothed. The Father knows what you need. Seek the kingdom. The rest will be added.
The chapter of readiness.
An enormous crowd gathers. Jesus addresses the disciples: beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Everything covered will be uncovered. Do not fear those who kill the body. Fear him who has authority to cast into hell. Five sparrows sold for two pennies, and not one is forgotten before God. The hairs of your head are all numbered. Whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels.
Someone in the crowd: tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. Jesus refuses and tells the parable of the rich fool. Then: do not be anxious. Consider the ravens — God feeds them. Consider the lilies — God clothes them. How much more will he clothe you? Seek the kingdom and these things will be added. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Stay dressed, keep your lamps burning. The faithful servant is found serving when the master returns.
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”Luke 12:32 ESV
All scripture quoted from the English Standard Version (ESV). A study from The Lampstand Project.