LUKE LESSON 33

     We will begin this lesson in Luke 12:22  "And he said unto his
disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life,
what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on."
Luke 12:23 "The life is more than meat, and the body [is more] than
raiment."

     Jesus is reminding them here that they are not to be concerned
about food and clothing. The children of Isreal (nearly five million
strong) were fed Manna from heaven on their forty year journey,.  and
their shoes and cloths did not wear out. God miraculously provided for
them in the wilderness, and He will provide for us, as well.  Psalms
37:25 "I have been young, and [now] am old; yet have I not seen the
righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

     Luke 12:24 "Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap;
which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much
more are ye better than the fowls?"

     We see here, that all of nature is provided for by Almighty God.
These animals last from year to year without any storehouses or barns.
Man is made in the image of God and is of a higher order than the
animals and birds. If God takes care of the ravens of a lesson order,
He will surely care for man from a higher order.

     Luke 12:25 "And which of you with taking thought can add to his
stature one cubit?"

     You can take all the exercise you want to and even stretching
machines; but no way can man add to his height and especially a cubit
(18 inches). A man or woman can put on high heels and appear to be
taller, but it is just appearance; they are no taller than before.

     Luke 12:26 "If ye then be not able to do that thing which is
least, why take ye thought for the rest?"

     Worrying will get you exactly nowhere. but in the hospital. You
can worry all you want to, and it will not change one thing. worry is
akin to fear and is the opposite of faith. Fear is displeasing to God.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

     Luke 12:27 "Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not,
they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these."

     God's landscape is more beautiful than any painting you have ever
seen. There is nothing more beautiful than a field of lilies in bloom.
Solomon's finery was made by man. Man does not have the ability to
make things as beautiful as God. Take a look at the western sky in the
evening and see the beautiful sunset. No two sunsets are alike, but
they are overwhelming in their beauty. Flowers can be planted out in
the old cow pasture and forgotten; and in the spring, the most
beautiful flowers will bloom. They really haven't done any work at
all. The beauty of a flower is unsurpassed for beauty. God clothes the
flowers and feeds them as well. You can easily see how foolish it is
to worry and fret.

     Luke 12:28 "If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in
the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more [will he
clothe] you, O ye of little faith?"

     Jesus is just showing here the loving care of God toward the
flowers which bloom and fade away. Some of this could have been like
hay or rice or some edible grass, as well. They, at any rate, are for
a short while and man is made for eternity. Mankind is the only thing
on this earth made in the image of God, as I said, made for eternity.
Even in creation, God created all the rest for the purpose of man. He
then climaxed His creation with man. God is so concerned with mankind
that He created the earth and everything on it for the use of man. Now
you must see how He would feed and clothe His most valued creation.

     Luke 12:29 "And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall
drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind." Luke 12:30 "For all these
things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth
that ye have need of these things."

     The world and the people are constantly trying to acquire big
homes, fine cars, beautiful clothing, and jewelry and are forgetting
about the things of the Spirit. Jesus is saying in this, be separated
from the worldly. He is saying don't you remember how God brought the
children of Isreal (nearly 3 million strong) out of Egypt and across
the wilderness? Their clothes didn't wear out, and God fed them with
Manna. If you belong to God, it is not necessary to worry about these
unimportant things. He is also saying, don't you realize I fed the
multitude (over 5,000 men) with just a few fishes and bread (one
little boy's meal). We are to be concerned about our relationship to
God and all our needs will be added unto us, as we see in verse 31.

     Luke 12:31 "But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these
things shall be added unto you."  Luke 12:32 "Fear not, little flock;
for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

     Jesus calls them His flock. He is the great Shepherd, and we are
His flock. The Shepherd takes care of the needs of His flock. Psalms
23 tells it all, Psalms 23:1 "{A Psalm of David.} The LORD [is] my
shepherd; I shall not want." Psalms 23:2 "He maketh me to lie down in
green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." Psalms 23:3
"He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for
his name's sake." Psalms 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Psalms 23:5 "Thou preparest a
table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my
head with oil; my cup runneth over." Psalms 23:6 "Surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the
house of the LORD for ever."  You see, The great shepherd (Jesus)
takes care of all His sheep's needs like food, clothing, and a place
to lay our head.
     Luke 12:33 "Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves
bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not,
where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth." Luke 12:34 "For
where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

     These people Jesus was speaking to were undoubtedly putting too
much emphases on riches of the world. Jesus is not promising them a
bed of roses if they follow Him. They must forsake the world and the
lusts of the flesh, if they are to be His followers. Jesus wanted
their heart just like He wants our heart. If He has our heart, He has
our pocket book, too. Treasures that we lay up in heaven cannot be
stolen.

     Luke 12:35 "Let your loins be girded about, and [your] lights
burning;"  Luke 12:36 "And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for
their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh
and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately."

     This statement "loins girded" indicates they are disciplined and
ready to work. Their "lights burning" indicates that they don't go to
sleep on the job, but are awaiting the return of the Lord. It appears
to me here that Jesus explains that the disciples and we believers are
to be good servants of the Lord, ever eager to serve Him, night or
day. We should not get weary in waiting and let our lamp go out. While
Jesus is gone away, we must keep His Light shining bright, doing the
work that He would do if He were here.

     Luke 12:37 "Blessed [are] those servants, whom the lord when he
cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird
himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and
serve them."  Luke 12:38 "And if he shall come in the second watch, or
come in the third watch, and find [them] so, blessed are those
servants."

     This jumps over to the time when Jesus will be coming to get the
Christians to take them to heaven with Him. When the Lord comes back,
we are to be waiting: expecting Him at any moment, even if it appears
He has delayed His coming. Jesus is coming for those who are looking
for Him. Blessed are the servants (Christians) who are found working
and waiting for Jesus. We sing a song called "We'll Work Till Jesus
Comes". That is just what we are to do.













                     Luke 33 Questions

1.  Take no thought for your ________ , what ye shall ______ , neither
    for the_________.
2.  Life is more ________, and the body more than ________.
3.  How did God miraculously feed the 3 million Israelites?
4.  In Psalms 37:35, we see that who is never forsaken?
5.  By taking thought you cannot add what to yourself?
6.  Why should we not worry?
7.  Without ___________ it is impossible to please God?
8.  What is the difference between Solomon's beauty and the beauty of
    the flowers?
9.  What example does Jesus give to show that He will clothe us?
10. God created everything on this earth for whom?
11. In verse 29, we are told not to take concern over what?
12. People of the world seek after what things?
13. What is the important thing to seek?
14. It is the Father's good pleasure to give you what?
15. In the 23rd Psalm, who is the Shepherd?
16. What does the Shepherd do for the sheep?
17. In verse 33, what does Jesus tell His followers to do?
18. Where does Jesus tell us to store our riches?
19. Where your treasure is, is where your ________ is.
20. What were these people Jesus was talking to putting too much
    emphasis on?
21. What are the followers of Jesus asked to do?
22. Where is the only place treasures are not stolen?
23. What part of us does Jesus want?
24. What does it mean to have the loins girt?
25. What does it mean to keep the light burning?
26. What should we be always eager to do?
27. Blessed are the servants whom Jesus finds doing what?
28. What time is spoken of in verse 37 and 38?