Luke 12:13-21; Luke 12:35-59; Luke 13:1-17; Luke 13:22-35; Luke 14; Matthew 18:10-35; Luke 15-17

So much of the Law of Moses dealt with property and inheritance and the godly use of those blessings, it is easy to see the reason they came to Him. Jesus was a teacher who amazed both the learned and unlearned with the inherent authority of His teaching, so He certainly would be able to handle a property dispute between brothers. Instead, Jesus rebuked them.

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”‘ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

Luke 12:13-21

Jesus forces us to completely rethink our concepts about life, property, wealth and each other. Notice His unfailing consistency, however, in forcing the new thinking to always be in light of eternity. The Hebrew brothers should have understood already that all things came from God to bless them so that they could be a blessing to God and people. These men had confined their thinking to the physical possession of physical things – laying up treasures for themselves on earth. Jesus calls all people to change their thinking and modify their actions to be rich toward God, not themselves. In other words, to “repent” … a change of mind.

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Luke 13:1-5

Do you see the change of thinking from the physical to the spiritual and from the temporal to the eternal? Instead of coveting the possessions of others, the brothers should be concerned with their eternal destiny. Instead of sorrow solely on physical suffering and misfortune, all people should be concerned with the eternal “suffering and misfortune” of an everlasting hell. From an eternal standpoint, how you die your physical death does not matter. All that matters is before you die were you rich toward self or rich toward God?

And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'”

Luke 13:6-9

The repentance Jesus encourages and teaches is a change of mind toward fruitfulness. The Hebrews were “planted” in Palestine with the intention of their gratitude toward Yahweh producing lives that glorified Him and drew the Gentiles to Him. When they insisted upon being rich unto themselves, they became physically and spiritually poor. So, too, the church is “planted” in our culture and country (wherever that may be) with Yahweh’s expectation of fruitfulness. Only a radical way of viewing our self, our stuff and our Savior will free us to truly be a blessing to the world as God intended.

And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider 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! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12:22-34

The “American Way” offers so much potential for the Christian. But, make no mistake, this teaching of Jesus runs contrary to our American way of thinking. We store up, build up, save up and live it up and if anything is available after taking care of self we give it to God or give it to others. We need to repent as surely as the Hebrew brothers asking Jesus to arbitrate their property dispute.

The American Way is to accumulate “these things” SO THAT I can give to help others. It is quite reasonable from a rational, human perspective. Jesus says change your thinking – repent – to be rich toward God first, and then “these things” will be added to you.

The “American Way” is wonderful in so many respects, but it can never get one soul to heaven. By its very nature it is worldly and temporal. Jesus’ Way, on the other hand, can utilize the best parts of our lives and redirect our doing by redirecting our thinking. So for those under Roman rule, Mosaic Law or the U.S. Constitution, His teaching is the same. You will perish unless you change your thinking – repent!

Now, go and read the other parables and teachings from Jesus during this time in His ministry. The way is narrow and difficult – so, change your way of thinking to an eternal perspective. Pride is detrimental to your life – so, change your way of thinking to an eternal perspective. Your family, your things, and your distractions cannot save your souls but they can cost you your soul – so, change your way of thinking to an eternal perspective. When the people of God cease to be salty (i.e., fruitful) they are not useful to God – so, change your way of thinking to an eternal perspective. God loves you dearly and will do whatever is necessary to “find” and save you – so, change your way of thinking to an eternal perspective. And, when the wayward come back home we must resist the temptation to see them through a brother’s eyes – so, change your way of thinking to an eternal Father’s perspective.

When you think on it, Jesus’ way is quite reasonable from a rational, eternal perspective.

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!