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GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD PEOPLE
Luke 13:1-9 Dr. Chuck DeVane, Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas May 27, 2018 1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 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? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” 6 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. 7 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?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” — Luke 12:49-59, ESV While foreign to biblical and historic Christianity, the concept of karma has crept into the psyche of most professors of faith. Deep down inside, most people believe that most people get what most people deserve, be it good or bad. We get the good we earn, we suffer the bad for punishment, because what goes around comes around. The therapeutic, deistic God of modern Christendom, and the gods of other religions, serve to balance the scales in this life as well as the life to come. That’s karma. Those who subscribe to karma count themselves as deep spiritual individuals. Many popular books, movies, and television series have been built on the theme that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. But, karma cannot answer at least two real profound questions that hover over the world. Why do bad things happened to good people? And, why do good things happen to bad people? Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can give satisfying answers. Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? The text unfolds with the age old question of theodicy. If God is good (and He is), then why does He allow bad things to happen? Do bad people get what they deserve, or are other forces afoot? Our Lord does not dodge the question, but rather affirms the anti-karma position that bad things do indeed happen to good people. Case one involves the heartless heathen Pontius Pilate who ruled over Israel during Jesus’ public ministry. Religions other than Caesar worship, like Old Covenant Judaism and the fledgling New Covenant Christianity, were officially banned by Rome but generally tolerated. On at least one occasion, however, Pilate deployed one of his random acts of cruelty to assert his power over the people. He had some devout Galilean Jews who were observing an Old Testament ritual executed on the spot, their life’s blood ebbing out with the blood of their dead sacrifices. Case two, which must have occurred about the same time, concerned a construction accident on the outskirts of Jerusalem. A new tower being built near the pool of Siloam collapsed and eighteen innocent workers or bystanders were killed. This wasn’t Pilate’s fault. This wasn’t their own fault, as far as we know, for seeming accidents happen all the time that claim the lives of people, whether on a construction site, a laboratory, or a highway. The people who brought the news of these current events to Jesus were probably followers of the Pharisees. Pharisees believed in karma. You get what you deserve. So, the victims of Pilate’s treachery and the tower’s fall must have had it coming to them. Surely God was punishing them for their known sins, or perhaps for some skeletons in their closets. Right? Wrong, said Jesus. The people who lost their lives in those tragedies were no better or worse than any other human beings living in the world. They may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but they were not wrong for being there. Things happen in this free and fallen world. Bad things happen. Too often, bad things happen to good people. The people who leapt from the Twin Towers in Manhattan or otherwise perished on September 11, 2001 were no better or worse than you and me. The high school students killed in the recent rampages in Florida and Texas were no better or worse than you and me. The woman murdered by her jealous ex-husband and the teenager killed by the drunk driver and the baby aborted by her fearful mother were all good people, good in the sense that they were created in the image of God, with good attributes and opportunities given to them by God. Yet their lives were snuffed out by bad perpetrators, bad circumstances, or as some would say just plain bad luck. Bad things happen to good people. That’s not karma. But, how is it compatible with the Christian faith? Jesus’ double reply actually answers two questions. Why Do Good Things Happen to Bad People? Christianity turns karma on its head. It admits that bad things happen to good people, and the reasons why we will get to later. Right now, let’s turn our attention to Jesus’ allusion to another question: Can good things happen to bad people? Perhaps now would be a good time to give clarity to the definitions of good and bad. I have said before and I will state it again that all people are basically good, insomuch as all human beings have been made imago deo, in the image of God. Humans are born with certain qualities, capabilities, freedoms, and rights given to them by God. We are all good and have the potential to do good in this life and please other people. But are we good enough to please God? No, because we are all bad, too, if you believe in sin and affirm the sinfulness, the badness, of sin. Total depravity is taught in both Testaments and can be observed in every day life. Human beings are selfish; therefore, we sin against God and against other people to get what we want. The people we consider good are tainted by selfishness and sin, while the people we view as bad are consumed by it. Yet, to return to Jesus’ previous argument, we are all about the same before God, no better or no worse, so in one important way we are all bad. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (ref. Romans 3:23; Proverbs 20:9; etc.). What Jesus does here, so masterfully, is honestly address the first question and use it as an opportunity to offer an answer to the even more important second question. Forget that bad things that happen to good people for a moment. What good thing, what is the best thing, that can happen to a bad, sinful, person? The answer is salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone! How does such salvation come? Repentance! Jesus stresses, two times, the necessity of repentance. It is a central to Jesus’ teaching as it is absent from the modern gospel. Repentance is the good thing, the best thing, that happens to bad people. It turns them into truly good and godly people who can please God and bless other people. Repentance is a requirement of God, and one of His favorites. He demands it 73 times in Scripture, mostly in the New Testament, mostly in the Gospels. Repent is practically the first and last words of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible (ref. Matthew 4:17; Revelation3:19). Repentance is proof that God loves us, so much that He refuses to leave us in our sinful, lost condition. He demands change of mind and heart that makes us heavenly minded and much earthly good. Repentance is the other side of the coin of faith, without which no one can know, love, and be forgiven by God. So where can you get this currency of repentance and faith? Repentance is supplied by God. It is a work of grace, the unmerited gift of God, an infinitely good thing for inherently bad people. The ground of repentance is the cross, the finished work of Jesus Christ for sinners. The supply chain of repentance is the Holy Spirit, who regenerates the human heart and fills it with faith and repentance. The expression of repentance is any time, anywhere, when anybody calls upon the name of the Lord (ref. Acts11:18; 2 Timothy 2:25). God demands repentance, God supplies repentance, so that you can repent, right now if necessary. When supply meets demand, salvation occurs, and verifiable change takes place. Repentance is not negative and harsh. It is the most positive, life-changing event in a person’s life. It is much like a life changed by winning the lottery, only with positive and longer lasting riches. It is much like a life changed by getting married, the perfect husband to the perfect wife. It is much like a life saved by a heart transplant in a dying man, who will never die again. Repentance brings eternal salvation! And, repentance bears spiritual fruit, here and now. The parable Jesus gives after His pronouncement to repent illustrates this point perfectly. For every human being ever born, every person on this planet, is either taking up temporary space, or worshiping and working for eternal life. Some say the parable pertains to the nation of Israel in Jesus’ day, and a double entendre is possible. But I think it applies to every man every day, who is either bearing fruit in keeping with salvation; or, who is enjoying the patience of God for a short season during which time he must, in the words of Jesus, repent or perish. Two more questions are necessary. What Kind of Person Are You? Are you a good person or a bad person? By now you should realize you are both. You are good in the sense that God made you, God loves you, and God has engineered a plan for you at the cost of His own Son, Jesus Christ, whereby you can be absolved of all your sins and enjoy everlasting life. You are bad in the sense that you sin, and you will go on sinning until the day you die, or the day Christ returns. If you spurn God’s offer of forgiveness, you will pay your own debt with eternal punishment separated from God and God’s people forever. No one can get repentance unto life except by the sheer, sovereign grace of God. Yet Scripture also proves that anyone who desires to repent and believe will never be abandoned by God. The question is not whether you are good or bad, for you are both. The question is whether you are repentant or unrepentant, faithful or unfaithful, saved or lost. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ today! Yet, there is a lingering question, still. What Kind of God Do We Trust, Worship, and Serve? What kind of God would allow the suffering we alluded to when acknowledging bad things happen to good people? What kind of God would proffer His good grace to some bad people while passing over others? What kind of God is this God of the Bible, the God who presented Himself as Jesus Christ the Son, the God who wields His power through the Holy Spirit? God is mysteriously transcendent. In other words, there are some things about God we will never know, never have complete answers for, never fully understand. This is in keeping with His incommunicable attributes of sovereignty, supremacy, omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. God is God, and there is nothing about His nature or ours that requires Him to answer all of our questions, yet He is absolutely worthy of our absolute trust. God is consistently imminent. God is here, now, then, tomorrow, forever. God reveals Himself to all in creation, and to His people through word, Spirit, preaching, and most perfectly in the person and work of His Son, Jesus Christ. God is always loving, always working, and always working all things together for good for those He loves and who love Him (ref. Romans 8:28-30). God is in control, and His ultimate goal is salvation for His people. This is why bad things happen to good people, so that good things can happen to bad people. This is why God allows human freedom, even sinful choices. Tragedies are a part of life, they change lives on earth, and they lead to changed lives in Heaven. God could prevent every death, every disaster, every murderous dictator or criminal, every fatal construction or car accident. But, He does not. He allows for bad things to happen to good people so that, in the end, this complex fabric of God’s sovereignty and human freedom will weave a tapestry that presents a picture God’s people, on earth and in Heaven. If you have ever looked at a beautiful, artistically made tapestry or rug from the bottom, it is an absolute mess. When viewed from the top, however, it is a masterpiece. Such is the handiwork of God. This is why bad things happen to good people. This is why good things happen to bad people. Turns of events turn messes into masterpieces. This is why we must repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. Copyright © 2018 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
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JESUS THE TROUBLEMAKER
Luke 12:49-59 Dr. Chuck DeVane, Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas May 20, 2018 49 “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” 54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? 57 “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.” — Luke 12:49-59, ESV What would you think if you heard a political or religious leader say he wanted to throw fire bombs at people? What if his ongoing rhetoric served to sharply divide people into opposing camps? What if during his campaign he called people with whom He disagreed hypocrites, and referred to others as deadbeats who should be thrown into prison until all of their debts were paid? You might think these are the tweets of a current political leader. You might think it is some zealous politician or preacher from the extreme far right. You might be wrong. The sentiments stated above were actually uttered by none other than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ during the last phase of His earthly ministry. You see, The Prince of Peace could also be a bit of a troublemaker. Jesus is Trouble for Unitarians I admit to some romanticism when it comes to Unitarianism, which holds among its principal doctrines that all people will go to Heaven after they die. An offshoot of the Great Reformation, Unitarianism takes God and Scripture seriously but not literally. It has been the preferred religious tradition of great men and women including Sir Isaac Newton, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Susan B. Anthony, Florence Nightingale, plus eleven Nobel Prize winners and four American presidents, among others. What could well be their anthem has been performed in recent years by the wonderful Joan Baez who sings, “God in my little understanding don’t care what name I call, whether or not I believe doesn’t matter at all” (taken from “God is God,” written by the equally wonderful Steve Earle). While I admire certain aspects of their upbeat attitude and beautiful poetry, I am deeply troubled by their doctrine. Unitarians deny the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, the inspiration and authority of the Bible, and the concept of a just and holy God creating Hell or casting people into eternal punishment. Frankly, there is a part of me that would like to believe there is no Hell. But I cannot because of what the Bible teaches about God, the gospel, and the life to come. And believe me, it does matter what you believe. I believe that a person must believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ to be a believer, a Christian. Christians and non-Christians are divided from one another, now and ultimately for eternity, by the author and finisher of belief, the Lord Jesus Christ. The beginning of this particular text in Luke is one of many passages in Scripture that teach not all people go to Heaven. Christ ultimate ely divides all humanity on one side of the cross or the other. Those who accept His “baptism” (Christ’s vicarious suffering and death as an atonement for sin) are sincerely baptized into the Christian faith (ref. Romans 6:4), of which Unitarianism is not a firm branch. Those who ignore or deny the tri-unity of God, the Lordship of Christ, the regenerating power of the Spirit, and the necessity of repentance and faith to be saved forfeit Christ’s “baptism” and instead receive His “fire.” Ever since its invention, fire has been a blessing and a curse. With it you can warm your food or burn down your house. The figurative use in the Bible shoots out of both barrels, too. Fire can symbolize the presence of the Holy Spirit, or fire can exemplify the condemning judgment of God. When John the Baptist spoke of the arrival of Jesus Christ, he said, “He who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (ref. Luke 3:16). Those who are baptized with the Holy Spirit believe unto salvation. Those who do not will be immersed into the fiery judgement of God. That’s got to be trouble. Jesus is Trouble for Hypocrites If you say you believe, however, you are not out of the fire, yet. It matters how you believe, too, either sincerely or hypocritically. Jesus apparently has trouble with hypocrites. As best we can determine, the Christ’s words here occurred during His grand finale, the final trip to Jerusalem for His “baptism” on the cross. Jesus had recently tongue-lashed the Pharisees, those self-proclaimed Bible scholars and holy men, who in reality were neither sharp nor saved. Their followers were in trouble, according to Jesus, because they trusted in a hypocritical, phony faith like the Pharisees. Christianity is a commitment to reverse God, accept Christ, study the Bible, and apply its salient truths to your life. You read it, albeit some parts are like trying to divine the weather, and you do it. Speaking of the weather, in Jesus’ location it is pretty easy to read the breeze. If it came out of the Mediterranean Sea to the west, precipitation was probably going to blow in. If it came from the desert south, arid and hot temperatures were sure to follow. It was so simple even the Pharisees could serve as weathermen. But could they read the word of God, see the Son of God, and correctly interpret? They said, “yes,” but Jesus the troublemaker called them “hypocrites.” The written word plainly lays out God’s plan of salvation. The living Word, Jesus Christ, perfectly carried out the plan by keeping the law and sacrificially laying down His life for sinners. Those who cloth themselves in the righteousness of Christ are saved. Those who dress in self-righteousness and hypocrisy of the Pharisees are in big trouble, from you know who, Jesus the troublemaker. Jesus is Trouble for Deadbeats Finally, Jesus is trouble for deadbeats. This harsh word is my choice, not Jesus’, but it summarizes well this third group of people who find trouble with and get trouble from Jesus. A deadbeat is a person who will not pay his bills. You are not a deadbeat if you cannot pay. You are a deadbeat if you will not pay, or make an honest effort to do so, or otherwise humble yourself and ask for assistance. The person described in Jesus’ parting words apparently had the money, or most of it, but withheld it. His accuser, to whom he owed the debt, had the right to have him arrested, then off to debtors prison he would go. Jesus did not use the word deadbeat or dummy, but He implied both. It is as if the Lord said, “Don’t be dumb you deadbeat, you’ve got the money or the means to get it, so go give it to the guy before he gets to the judge.” I used to be a deadbeat, spiritually speaking. I had a debt I could not pay. Not to any man or business or bank; but, to God. I sinned against Him, ever since the day I was born. When I shook off my Unitarian mindset and took off my hypocrite’s mask, I realized the seriousness of my debt, my own inability to pay, and the desperate need of some other means to make things right with God. That means was grace. And grace came to me through the means of prayers, the preaching of the gospel, the observance of the sacraments, and the irresistible wooing of the Holy Spirit. I saw Christ on His cross, and riches pouring down from His suffering and death. It was grace sufficient to forgive me of all of my sins and grant me eternal life. I did not ignore it, I did not reject it, I begged for grace and mercy and received it — a salvation I did not earn for the debt I could not pay. Now, I have trouble no more, at least not with God. Most people would not vote for a savior that divides families, calls people names, and advocates throwing debtors into prisons. We would consider him a troublemaker. Amen! Christ has divided me into a group, the elect, from which I can never be removed. Christ has come to live in me, and the life I now live is neither perfect nor hypocritical. Christ has paid my debt in full by taking my judgment upon Himself, so that I am now forgiven and free before the God of all the universe. Jesus the troublemaker? Only for those who ignore or reject Him. To those who believe in and follow Him, He is anything but a troublemaker. He is a peacemaker, He is a reconciler, He is a pardoner, He is the Savior, He is Lord. Copyright © 2018 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. NOW AND THEN
Luke 12:35-48 Dr. Chuck DeVane, Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas May 13, 2018 35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” 41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. — Luke 12:35-48, ESV Every now and then, during His first advent on earth, our Lord Jesus Christ would take some time to talk about His second coming. The information He provides is never intended to make us so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good. Quite the contrary, the prophetic words of Christ are intended to motivate us in the now, in the present, to be better servants of the King and the kingdom of God. This is enough for now, but we want to know about then, too. What exactly will happen when Jesus returns to earth for all to see as the Bible promises? According to Jesus, there will be three types of people on earth who will be divided into two camps. One group will get indescribable blessings, while the other one will receive varying degrees of dreadful punishment. Now If you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, if you believe that the Messiah has come and lived, died, rose again, and ascended into Heaven, and if you believe He is coming back again with reward and punishment, then there are a few things you should do, right now. Pinch yourself. Make sure you are awake. “Blessed are those … awake,” Jesus said. Social activists in our day are capitalizing on this metaphor to make a difference now in the arenas of racial and gender equality. Such things are indeed important, but Jesus paints a word picture here with spiritual colors. Awake and awakening are words in scripture and history that speak of the special work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The kingdom of God, now, consists only of those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit. They have been convicted of sin and convinced that Jesus is Lord and Savior. They have been granted repentance and faith and have expressed such toward God. Christ is King, now, and the kingdom of God exists wherever and in whomever Jesus is Lord. Make sure, right now, you are one of the ones “awake” and not just sleep walking in the kingdom of God. You will know, now, looking at your clothes, or the lack thereof. Jesus said, “Stay dressed,” and in the original language is reads more like “keep your skirt on” (or even more literally, your girdle). This is a commandment for Christian guys and gals to always wear your work cloths, or at least have them ready to put on at a moment’s notice, like a fireman. There is always work to be done in the kingdom of God, and true Christians reveal themselves by clothing themselves in Christian armor and doing the work. The “master of the house” is the Head of the church, and real servants of the Lord always have their armor on, whether inside or outside of the sacred buildings. In vocation and recreation they are always working and resting in the Lord, and you can identify them the moment you see them by what they are wearing and the fruit they are bearing. Awakening comes and fruit flows out of those who “keep your lamps burning,” now and always. Light is a key spiritual symbol, too, representing the word of God to a believer and the presence of God within a believer. Those in whom the Holy Spirit resides have spiritual hunger, a hunger that can only be satisfied with the word of God, the Bible. We have it, now, we read it, now, and we obey it, now and always. There is plenty of action to take, now, as believers in Jesus Christ, but all of our present actions should flow out of a persistent attitude. We should engage in worship and do our work with the mindset that God is watching, now, and Christ could return at any moment. For He is and He can. There is one more thing about the servants of the Lord, the true Christians, in the now. We are “blessed” and we live in a state of blessing, right now. The word Jesus chose to use here is the same work which kicks off the eight “beatitudes” at the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel’s “Sermon on the Mount.” It speaks of a peace greater than prosperity and a joy deeper than happiness. Christians have it, and know it, now. And we will have it and know it in even greater ways, then, when Jesus Christ returns. Then These words about now and then are not just an edifying message for saved people, but an evangelistic message for lost people, inside and outside of the membership of the church. Hearken back to my introduction, when I told you there are three types of people in the world which will be divided in the end into two. They are true Christians, false Christians or hypocrites, and other non-Christians who possess and profess no faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. An uneven but eternal fate awaits us all. The “marriage supper of the Lamb” is a metaphor the Bible uses to describe the second coming of Christ and the reunion all believers of all time will enjoy with Jesus Christ, then, when He comes again. The image is used by Christ in this parable, describing a time in the future when believers’ blessings become exponential, when the most exquisite fellowship will be shared by God with all those whose sins have been atoned for by “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” What a day that will be, then, when Jesus Christ comes again. All “awake” servants will be “blessed,” but those who served on difficult watches seem to be doubly blessed. This could be one of those passages in the Bible that indicate a varying degree of reward among the saved. But we cannot go too far with such suggestions, for Heaven will be glorious for all who are there, then, and all rewards and crowns will ultimately be laid to rest at Jesus’ feet. But while there may or may not be different degrees of rewards in Heaven, there will definitely be different levels of punishment in Hell. For then, when Christ comes again, He will not only bring the “marriage supper of the Lamb,” but also the “wrath of the Lamb” to earth. Hell for hypocrites will be like being “cut … in pieces” or a “severe beating.” There will be the pastors and preachers who used the high office in the church to extort money, sex, and other things from their followers. There will be the many souls who walked an aisle, prayed a prayer, then could not be found in the pews during the public worship Almighty God. There will be the millions of professing Christians who cannot genuinely confess faith in Christ and faithfulness to Christ. Theirs will be the severest of the punishment. What about those other “unfaithful” people who will face Jesus, then, at His second coming? Let me share part of a parable I learned from my old professor, Haddon Robinson. Two men robbed a bank, one wore a mask and the other did not. Both were caught and pled guilty to their crimes before a judge. The one who did not wear the mask appealed for leniency. After all, he wasn’t a hypocrite (a word which means to literally wear a mask), he said. What do you think happened to the two men? I do not link lenient is a word that will be used in Hell. Even though Jesus declares that unfaithful people who made no pretense of being Christian will “receive a light beating,” it is a beating, still. Nobody wants this, then, so we all better do something about it, now. Now and Then Now, God sees us, all of us. He looks upon the world with love, through eyes of grace and mercy, extending a command to all to repent and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. With eyes more invasive than any Santa Claus, and He knows if we are being obedient, disobedient, or disdainful to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the word of God. God sees whether we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ or rolling in the rags of sin. Now, God sees us, all of us. Then, we will see God. “Every eye will see Him.” Jesus Christ, in whom “all the fulness of deity dwells in bodily form,” will return to earth. He will not come to save, but to settle all scores. He will reward and He will condemn. The three groups will be separated into two, then one enjoys Heaven and the other endures Hell. In the last words of the Bible, the Apostle John gave the testimony of a man who was then ready to see Jesus, face to face. “Amen, come Lord Jesus!” Can you say this, now? Are you ready, now? Because it does and it will matter, now and then. Copyright © 2018 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. MONEY TALKS
Luke 12:13-34 Dr. Chuck DeVane, Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas May 6, 2018 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 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.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 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. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” 22 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. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 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! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 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. 28 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! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 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. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. — Luke 12:13-34, ESV Ministry and money go hand in hand, even with Christ and Christianity. When Jesus exercised His public ministry, He needed money to provide food, shelter, and clothing for Him and His ministry team. People, particularly godly women, gave it (ref. Luke 8:3). When our Lord preached in prose or parables, He sometimes picked money for the topic. In this episode, however, Jesus first seeks to avoid the subject. Then, He decides to use the financial opportunity to impart spiritual advice. Money talks, as they say, and tells us whether we value most the things of this world or the kingdom of God. Money Questions Jesus had many things to say on this last leg of His life’s ministry. He had recently spoke of the importance of a true confession of faith, of ignoring the legalism of the Pharisees, and of radiating the light of God’s love and truth. Then an unnamed man approached the Lord with a money problem. Among the things that sustain life and ministry, money is certainly one of them. But in Christ’s kingdom it is the least concern. When you try to make money the priority, be prepared for the silence, or perhaps a mild rebuke, from the Lord. Here is a man standing before the promised Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He could have asked for salvation for his soul, healing for himself or a loved one, the answer for some profound question. What did he ask for? Money. He tried to use his encounter with Jesus to leverage money from his brother. Jesus declined to comment. TV preachers and Word of Faith ministries live in this realm, using Jesus to make money. Jesus, I assure you, is not involved. I’ve also known a number of professing Christians in more orthodox churches who live not by the motto of “for the glory of God and the good of others,” but rather “get all you can, can all you get, and sit on the can.” Covetousness and miserliness are two ways money talks, and both say bad things about the one who owns it. Money Talks While Jesus refused to arbitrate this man’s money problem, He did capitalize on the occasion to preach a parable about possessions. The man now focused on money is the parabolic rich man who builds bigger barns. The figurative message is clear and money talks to tell the tale. Money talks by the way it is made. How did the man in the parable make his money? He was a fruitful farmer. “The land of the rich man produced plentifully” (ref. vs. 16), the story begins. He who made the land rich made the man rich, and you know of Whom I am speaking. But the rich man makes no mention, gives no thanks, makes no offering to God. If you do not see your means of making money as a gift and stewardship from God, then your money talks, and it says bad things about you from the beginning. Money talks by the way it is spent. This man took the blessings of God and spent them all on himself. That’s what the world, especially the western world, does wholesale. Like other character indicators, the statistics for charitable giving of professing Christians is little or no greater than the non-Christians in this world. Money talks by the way it is stored. Though the Bible says little or nothing about savings and retirement, I would not declare it sinful in our society to save a little money and plan for retirement. But how much do you store? This man seemed to store it all, with no gifts to church or charity, no thought for the needy around him, no concern for anything or anybody but himself. His money talked, too much. Money talks. You show me a person’s good book (their Bible, if they have one) and checkbook, and I can paint you a picture of that person’s heart. So can Jesus, only much better. And He does so with His next choicely chosen words. Ministry, not Money, is the Goal Turning now to money talk for true believers, Jesus tells us not to worry about money. God knows we need it, for necessities and niceties. God does not begrudge a little savings, not in the manner of the bigger barn builder, but enough for a rainy day or a reasonable retirement. God does not even mind when we splurge a little, for Christ Himself wore an expensive, seamless garment and had choice perfume poured out over Him, twice. But your goal in life must not be to make money. It must be to engage in and support ministry, the ministry of the kingdom of God. Everything about you and around you has been ordained by God as your ministry and mission field. Your vocation is a ministry, and your job location a mission field. Your retirement is a ministry, and your relatives, friends, and neighbors a mission field. Your whole world is a ministry location and a mission field. Don’t worry about money, Jesus said, concentrate on making a difference in the lives of other people, a difference for Christ and kingdom. Your family and circle of friends is a ministry field. Let them know that you work hard, and honest, for the money. Then, be generous. Pick up the check. Be a gift giver. Let your money talk, and let it tell them that you love them, and you want them to know God loves them even more. Your church is the visible expression of the kingdom of God on earth. In the Old Testament, the people of God were required by law to give a tithe. In the New Testament, the people of God are encouraged to give by grace. Don’t be a disgrace to grace. If today’s professing Christians gave a tithe, church budgets would increase up to five-fold. It we gave by grace, we would flood the world with missionaries instead of bidding them to take an early retirement. Let’s allow our money talk to the whole world, and not just money, but the way we spend our time, talents, and other treasures for the kingdom of God. Your life, shorter than you know and sweeter than you deserve, is a gift from God to give back to Him in ministry for the kingdom of God. Ministry, not Money, offers the Reward To seriously engage in ministry will no doubt cost you money. Most of the better vocational pastors I know could have made a lot more money in a so-called secular job. The Christians who contribute the most to church and charity do so at the expense of their own bank accounts. Jesus said in the beginning of His ministry that it is impossible to serve both God and money, and a love for one will lead to a lack of the other in your life. At the end of this long discussion about money and the things it buys, the Lord speaks of ministry and the rewards it gives. The latter is infinitely greater than the other, in all of our past, present, and future endeavors. When did God give you and kingdom? In the past, back on the day you were born again and became a follower of Jesus Christ. On that day you also became a joint heir with Christ. All that He owns is yours, and He owns it all. But, how much did He use when He was on earth? God’s is a kingdom of present things, spiritual things, not health and wealth, but grace and mercy and peace and love. Expend your material resources to bring spiritual resources into your life and the lives of others, gaining spiritual treasure along the way. In the future, you will cash in, sort of. For you cannot put a price on eternal life. But eternal life is only for those who have given their earthly lives to Jesus Christ, lock, stock, and barrel. Money talks. What does it say about your life, your priorities, your heart? Is your real treasure material or spiritual? Let Jesus have the last word: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (ref. vs. 34). Copyright © 2018 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. |
AuthorDr. Charles F. "Chuck" DeVane, Jr., is the Pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His weekly sermon article, "The Gospel Truth," has been published in newspapers in Arkansas and Georgia. Dr. DeVane is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and has served in the pastorate for over 20 years. Contact Pastor Chuck at PastorChuck@lakehamiltonbaptistchurch.org
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