Class Outline:

Sunday July 25,2021

The Lord’s parable of the faithful steward (LUK 12:42-48) also applies to the doctrine of the judgment seat of Christ.

 

The passage is long for reading aloud, but it is worth hearing it all in the right context.

 

LUK 12:1

Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

 

JOH 5:44

"How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?

 

In hypocrisy one hopes to be judged well by men who can’t see the heart. He forgets God sees all, and that His judgment is coming.

 

Christ warns His disciples not to fall into this trap. While the judgment of Christ is seemingly far away, and the judgment of people is here and now, it is easy to fall into hypocrisy and revel in the opinion of men and postpone the opinion of God.

 

LUK 12:2-3

"But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 3 "Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops [hypocrisy is a waste of time].

 

MAT 6:1

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”

 

Jesus knows the heart of man.

 

Don’t try to impress man, and also don’t fear his violence.

 

LUK 12:4-12

"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do [He reassures us by calling us friend]. 5 "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell [the only true Judge]; yes, I tell you, fear Him! 6 "Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear [anything on earth]; you are of more value than many sparrows. 8 "And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men [Satan will try to make you afraid to do so], the Son of Man shall confess him also before the angels of God [commendation from Christ]; 9 but he who denies Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God [commendation withheld]. 10 "And everyone who will speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him [accusation that He does works by the power of Satan]. 11 "And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not become anxious about how or what you should speak in your defense, or what you should say [no fear of them]; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. "

 

Then some misguided person shows us that we often misunderstand God’s word the first time around. This man thinks that the judgment of God will decide earthly civil matters. History shows us a lot of injustice in human courts of law. God does not enter them, but rather tells us to patiently wait for Him to intervene in His own way. Jesus told us to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and that His kingdom is not of this world.

 

LUK 12:13

And someone in the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." 14 But He said to him, "Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbiter over you?"

 

“arbiter” only appears here. It means “divider.” A very close cousin of this word is used in HEB 4:12 where the word of God divides soul and spirit. In this context is clearly refers to the dividing of gifts between men.

 

He doesn’t say He is not judge. He asks who has appointed Him, but the inference is the same as it is in English. He is not a judge over the man, meaning in the matter of an earthly civil court. He is certainly a judge over the man in things that eternally matter (JOH 5:22-23; 9:39; MAT 25:31-32; ACT 10:42; 17:31; REV 20:11-15).

 

JOH 5:22-23

“For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

 

So then, Jesus leads into the issue that this man’s misinterpretation brings.

 

Reward from God is not the same as the world system’s concept of blessing. Desire spiritual blessings alone. Material is up to God.

 

Men lust for material things, thinking these are the greatest rewards in life. Christ, our loving leader, steers us clear of this error.

 

LUK 12:15-21

And He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."  16 And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a certain rich man was very productive. 17 "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' 18 "And he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' 21 "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

 

One very clear lesson that we should know is that we are taking no earthly treasure with us. Egyptians, and some other cultures, would pack their graves with earthly possessions, but they would only be fodder for grave robbers.

 

Perhaps our earthly treasures will be counted by Christ. This is thrown out by the phrase “not rich toward God.”

 

Earthly treasures will not be counted at the judgment seat of Christ. Remember how temporary they are compared to eternity.

 

Jesus has us then conclude that we should never worry about earthly materials.

 

LUK 12:22-34

And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. 23 "For life is more than food, and the body than clothing [we must discover that life]. 24 [Again He comforts and encourages] "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! 25 "And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span [you do not know when]? 26 "If then you cannot do even a very little thing [God can], why are you anxious about other matters? 27 "Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these [God makes beautiful]. 28 "But if God so arrays the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O men of little faith! [there is the issue] 29 "And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying. 30 "For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. 31 "But seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you [Not necessarily a  cause and effect clause. God supplies all, so seek His kingdom]. 32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom [grace! You don’t earn it. It is a gift]. 33 "Sell your possessions and give to charity [be exceedingly gracious with material]; make yourselves purses which do not wear out [seeking first His kingdom], an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys. 34 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 

The giving command is also not specifically a cause and effect, i.e. you give and you will get. People could just give away like an investment with a guaranteed return. Still, Jesus knows that He has to command us to give, because He knows our hearts. It is not until we do it that we will see that it is freedom and joy to be released from the world’s and the flesh’s obsession with materials.