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Luke 12-13

Luke
12:1-34  -  ‘Do not fear...’ (4): ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31). Acknowledge Christ or deny Him (8-9): Let your choice be clear - ‘Christ means everything to me’ (Philippians 1:21). Do you want to confess Christ? - Here’s a great promise for you: ‘the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say’ (12). In our generation, there is a ‘gold rush’. Many are preoccupied with ‘having a lot of material possessions’ (15). What does God say about this? - ‘Fool!’ (20). We hear it said, ‘He’s too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good’. You can be ‘too earthly-minded to be any heavenly good’! It is better to be ‘spiritually minded’ than ‘carnally minded’ (Romans 8:6). ‘Seek His Kingdom... it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom’ (31-32).
12:35-59  -  ‘Be ready’ for Christ’s Return (40): Wait on the Lord (36; Isaiah 40:31). Stay ‘awake’ (37), ‘your loins girded with truth’ (35; Ephesians 6:14) - be real; be true to the Word of God. Keep ‘your lamps burning’ (35). Our ‘lamp’ is Christ, ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (Revelation 21:23; John 1:29). Be faithful (41-48): There can be no fruitfulness without faithfulness. God’s blessing is given to those who are faithful (42-43). With the promise of blessing, there is also the warning of judgment. Knowing the will of God and not doing it leads to judgment (47). Going Christ's way will not be easy (49-53): We must avoid the way of the ‘hypocrites’ who have no real knowledge of God (54-56), the legalists who know nothing of the Spirit of grace (57-59). Keep close to Christ: He will keep you - faithful and ready.
13:1-35  -  Jesus stresses the need for both repentance (1-5) and the fruits of repentance (6-9). God’s Word, planted in our hearts at conversion, is to bear fruit. This requires continual repentance and faith (Colossians 2:6; Galatians 3:1-5). Don’t put it off till tomorrow! Today is ‘the day of salvation’. Don’t ‘neglect’ God’s ‘great salvation’ (15-16;  2 Corinthians 6:2; Hebrews 2:3). Let there be spiritual growth, affecting the whole of your life (18-21). Jesus was ‘journeying toward Jerusalem’ - to ‘finish His course’ at the Cross (22, 32-33). He came from the Lord (35). Through Him, we come to the Lord (24; John 10:9). There is no salvation in ourselves (25-27). Apart from Him, there is ‘no peace’ (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11). Jesus loves you (34). Make ‘sure’ that your trust is in Him. He will never fail you  (2 Peter 1:10-11).
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