Day 20 Thursday March 11, 2010 Consider the Lillies

Day 20 Thursday March 11, 2010

TODAY’S INTRO
Much of today’s text was the basis for my sermon last Sunday. I’ll look at another aspect of it today.

TODAY’S TEXT- Luke 12:1-32
12Meanwhile, when the crowd gathered in thousands, so that they trampled on one another, he began to speak first to his disciples, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. 2Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 3Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops.
Exhortation to Fearless Confession
4 ‘I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. 5But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority* to cast into hell.* Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. 7But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
8 ‘And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; 9but whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. 10And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how* you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; 12for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say.’
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ 14But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ 15And 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.’ 16Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” 18Then 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. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” 20But 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?” 21So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’
Do Not Worry
22 He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?* 26If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;* yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. 30For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31Instead, strive for his* kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

TODAY’S STATUS UPDATES
Many people find this one of the most comforting images in all of scripture. In a world of unrest where many live in with constant worry and anxiety, today’s passage reminds us that God know and yearns to provide. He yearns to care for us and for all people with the necessities of life. Note that Jesus’ passion is not to provide us with all the latest gadgets and gizmos and fancy things. He yearns to see all cared for in tangible ways as well as emotional and spiritual ways.
For those who are blessed with much, today reminds us of our call to share from the abundance (that God has given to us). As we share, the promise remains for us that God will continue to provide. As we share, God often fills us with a sense of joy that can’t be matched. As we look to share and bless the world around us, we are “striving for the kingdom”.
Sharing is a practice, a discipline. It’s also a profound statement of trust that God will continue to provide.
The gadgets, gizmos, and all the latest stuff are a magnetic force for our attention. Let God’s ways of sharing be an even more powerful force. From my perspective, only one of those forces truly builds up the world around us into “true community”.

Have a great day. Halfway through Luke now!

If you have a chance, send me a note on how things are going for you as you walk through Luke- ie. Lessons you are seeing, your experience, new insights, etc.