We continue our study of the Gospel of Luke. Please open your Bibles to Chapter 12 of Luke…..
We note at the beginning of Luke 12 that Jesus spoke to thousands of people as well as giving intimate lessons to His Disciples. So far in Luke 12, we have noted 3 major application questions for our lives.
v1-12: How do we respond to an omniscient (all knowing) God?
v13-34: Why do we worry when it does not add anything to our lives?
V35-48: Are we really ready for the appearance of Jesus Christ?
If you’d like to review these messages, you can go on the Internet to sermoncentral.com or the church youtube account. I can also just give you printed copies of the sermons. By the way, when your on the Internet, pray for our presence there, our youtube account has had over 22000 views already.
Now, at the end of Luke 12, Jesus who is God shared more powerful truths as He walked the earth. Let us pray our commitment to God’s Word before we read our text…
Again, let us remember that Jesus spoke in Luke 12 before going to the cross to die. We of course are living after the cross and Jesus’ resurrection. What Jesus said in Luke 12 is happening today. Read along with me Luke 12:49-59….
What are the truths Jesus spoke about?
We read in Luke 19, Jesus came to earth to seek and save the lost. But we read this truth in Luke 12, v49: Jesus had come to earth to bring fire!
What was this fire?
We note a couple of things in our passage: this fire cannot happen until Jesus goes through His baptism (we’ll talk about this baptism later); and in v51 we note that this fire will cause division; and in v58-59 Jesus relates a story of judgment to this passage. What was this fire Jesus was anxious to bring to the world? The fire is the judgment of unbelief in Jesus Christ as God and Savior!
Jesus said that He wished the fire was already kindled; in other words, Jesus was eager to have God’s plan accomplished, to take care of man’s sin!
But again, as stated in v50, Jesus had to go through a baptism before God‘s plan of judgment can happen. What was that baptism?
Let us remember that in Luke Chapter 3, Jesus was water baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus is not talking about water baptism here in v50. If it is not water baptism, what is this baptism that Jesus had to undergo before God’s plan is accomplished? Again it is helpful for us to note the original Greek word for baptism here; it is simply baptizo which means to be immersed and to be cleansed. And so, when we see the English word baptism in our Bibles, it does not necessarily mean water baptism.
The verse which can help us here is Romans 6:4 which states, We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Before God’s plan of judgment happens, Jesus had to be baptized in death for man’s sins first! And why is this so? – because God is a loving God who does not desire anyone to perish but have eternal life. The baptism of Jesus Christ, which is His death, burial, and resurrection, is the only provision to escape God’s judgment. This judgment, this fire, was promised by Jesus! But anyone can escape this fire; this is the Good News of Jesus Christ!
But what did Jesus say will happen after His death, burial, and resurrection? We read in v51-53: Division, even among family members, will happen due to belief/unbelief in Jesus Christ.
After the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which happened 2000 years ago, there are 2 sides; any person on earth is either on Jesus side or not.
And what was Jesus saying in v54-56?
The truths about God’s judgment and the Good News of salvation have been clearly revealed! People think they are wise because they can interpret things through physical science, like predicting the weather or recently having pictures of Planet Mars, but yet they will not accept the simple truths from God. We read in 1 Corinthians 1:25, For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Do you trust man’s wisdom, even your own, or truly depend on God’s Word?
God has completely revealed the truths about Jesus Christ and every person today has to decide whether they believe in Him as Savior and Lord!
Let us close with this question: Is God too hard on people He created??
Jesus closes Luke 12 with a simple challenge to all people!
v57: “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?”
v57-59: states that it is simple common sense to believe in Jesus Christ!
The Creator God gave people a free will to choose how to live but all have chosen their own way by disobeying God. Because God is Holy and cannot associate Himself with disobeying people, God has to judge all people. But because God is a loving God, God allowed Himself as Jesus Christ to die for all the penalties of people’s disobedience.
Therefore, it is this simple, a person who does not accept the forgiveness of God by believing in Jesus Christ is still eternally doomed to be judged because all have disobeyed God.
In a moment we will worship with communion; it is a time to tell God and those around you that you believe in Jesus Christ as your only Savior and God; that you are on Jesus’ side.
For those who still don’t know which side you’re on, be warned! It will happen; God will take away everything from those who are not on Jesus’ side as they are eternally judged.
If you have never done so, you will have an opportunity to speak quietly to God honestly with your heart and pray this prayer on our screen……..
Dear God, I truly believe You created me. You have told me to believe in You and love You with all my being. I confess that I have disobeyed You in many ways and You my Creator has a right to judge me and take away everything from me. But now I believe You gave me a way to be forgiven of my disobedience by allowing Jesus Christ who is God to die for my sins. I truly believe Jesus Christ is God, became man who died, was buried, but rose from the dead for me! And because of my belief in Christ, I am no longer destined for eternal judgment but for eternal life in heaven! Amen.
……. then celebrate with Communion!
For those of us who have already made a commitment to Jesus Christ, Communion is a time to remember who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for you!
Let us all time a moment to quietly pray to God….
