LUKE 12
Fear Not!
Welcome to the Gospel of Luke! This series is a ten-week exploration of Jesus’ teaching in Luke 12. A helpful starting point for understanding it comes from earlier in the gospel, in Luke 4. As Jesus begins his ministry, he proclaims these words from Isaiah 61:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
Because he has anointed me
To proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovering of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
Here in Luke 12, Jesus is teaching us so that we, in our spiritual poverty, would know where true treasure is. He is teaching us so that we, in our spiritual captivity, can be liberated for lives of bold and joyful witness. He is teaching us so that we, in our spiritual blindness, would learn to see the world rightly and, as a consequence, would live wisely for the kingdom of God. In Christ, we learn that God loves us, favours us, and longs to release us from our captivity. Jesus puts it this way in Luke 12:32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” We hope you will be blessed as you learn from Jesus in Luke 12!
The Broad Structure of Luke
The book of Luke is difficult to structure tidily. Almost inevitably, the structure overlooks significant details, and there’s no substitute for simply reading the book yourself. With that said, here is an outline which tracks with the big movements of the story:
Prologue and Birth of Jesus (1:1-2:52)
Preparation for Ministry (3:1-4:13)
Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee (4:14-9:50)
The Road to Jerusalem (9:51-19:48)
Conflict in Jerusalem (20:1-21:38)
The Passion (22:1-23:56)
Jesus Exalted: His Resurrection and Ascension (24:1-53)
How Does Luke 12 Fit Into The Book?
A few connections to Jesus’ broader ministry were noted above, but it will also be helpful to situate the chapter within the context of the larger story Luke is telling. At the end of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee (chs.4-9), we read “When the days drew near for him [Jesus] to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (9:51), the place where his ministry to “seek and save the lost” will culminate in his death and resurrection, demonstrating once for all that he is God’s anointed deliverer. In light of that, he is both preparing his disciples to follow him in his ministry after he has left the earth, and warning everyone present that the judgement of God is coming.
In Luke 11, as the religious elite cast doubt on his ministry, and also on the power which is at work in his words and deeds, Jesus offers a scathing critique. In response to their growing opposition to his kingdom he begins to teach his followers in Luke 12 how to resist this perspective, and how to see things rightly and live for God’s kingdom, even in the face of tremendous difficulty. The key, or the purpose to the whole block of teaching, comes at its conclusion, in Luke 13:1-9, where Jesus warns that, like a useless fruit tree, anyone who does not repent and bear fruit will be cut down. Repentance is the key to the kingdom, and this is a message that everyone needs to hear.
Stern and uncompromising as this might seem, it is important to remember that this is the just and loving response of a perfect and holy God, a God who delights to give us his kingdom and who sends his Spirit as we learn how to live between Jesus’ first and second coming. As we struggle in this in-between time, living in the fear of the Lord, serving as faithful stewards of the message and mission he has entrusted to us, Jesus wants us to be prepared, so that we can partake of every good blessing that God longs to give us. Fear not!