Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20091007.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Luke: Jesus, The Son Of Man For All Mankind
Part XLVIII: Christ's Identity As God's Savior By His Teaching On Seeking God's Kingdom
(Luke 12:35-48)
  1. Introduction
    1. If the believer is to overcome the temptation to covet by "seeking God's kingdom" so that God will supply what material provisions he needs, the Christian may wonder what "seeking God's kingdom" means!
    2. In explaining how we are to "seek God's kingdom," Jesus revealed Himself to be God's Savior as follows:
  2. Christ's Identity As God's Savior By His Teaching On Seeking God's Kingdom, Luke 12:35-48.
    1. The Luke 12:35-48 discussion is "closely linked" to Jesus' Luke 12:22-34 remarks, for His call to be "heavenly-minded" (Lk. 12:33-34) versus "worldly-minded" like the Gentiles (Lk. 12:30) is done by being accountable to God as Luke 12:35-40 teaches, Norval Geldenhuys, The Gospel of Luke, 1979, p. 362-363.
    2. Thus, Luke 12:35-40 records a parable by Christ that calls His followers to "seek God's kingdom" as noted in Luke 12:31 through sensing their great accountability to follow Christ's leading in their lives!
    3. Following this admonition, Peter asked if Jesus had given it for the disciples or for the whole crowd, Luke 12:41. Jesus' response in Luke 12:42-48 makes the call to sense one's accountability to follow the Lord applicable ESPECIALLY to LEADERS! It reveals what is meant by "seeking God's kingdom" as a leader of God's people, whether one is a parent, a husband, a church leader or a pastor, etc. (as follows):
      1. A believer in oversight of God's flock has been assigned the role comparable to that of a steward in Jesus' day, one whom God as the estate Owner has assigned oversight over other of his Master's servants to give those servants their food rations at the appropriate time, Luke 12:42. In other words, a believer in oversight is responsible to disciple subordinates "in God's kingdom" by teaching God's Word, the "food" in such a context, unto those other servants of the Lord, cf. 2 Timothy 4:1-2.
      2. Now, the Luke 12:42 KJV term "faithful" means he is to be consistently reliable in giving the Word, a truth explained in 2 Timothy 4:2 NIV as a ministry that is "prepared in season and out of season."
      3. The term "wise" (Luke 12:42 KJV) comes from the Greek word, phronimos that elsewhere in Luke's writings appears only in Luke 16:8 in a context of one who throws himself into a situation he faces with clever, resolute action even if it seems to be a humanly hopeless one that is full of emergencies!
      4. Thus, to "seek God's kingdom" in Christian oversight means that a parent, a husband, a church leader or pastor, etc. is to be prepared at all times to teach God's Word, regardless if times are good or bad!
      5. Performing this way will be rewarded by God's elevating the believer to higher oversight, Lk. 12:43-44.
      6. However, if a Christian overseer refuses to sense his accountability to Christ as is taught in Luke 12:35-40, and so legalistically abuses subordinate believers (Luke 12:45a) or lives for the accumulation of material goods and pleasures (Luke 12:45b), God will severely discipline him, Luke 12:46.
      7. This discipline will be given to the degree that the overseer understands his calling, Luke 12:47-48.
      8. [In the immediate context, Jesus spoke of Israel's leaders, many of whom were lost (John 8:44), so His reference to assigning sinful leaders the same portion as unbelievers (Luke 12:46b) has direct bearing to them. However, the principle of severe discipline for legalistic or worldly oversight of God's people applies throughout history, calling US TODAY in oversight to gracious, holy, faithful ministry!]
Lesson: (1) Christ's focus on performing God's will and discipling others for God's kingdom and letting God then provide for life's material provisions reveals that as to His PRIORITIES, Jesus certainly was from God, another evidence that He was God's true Savior. (2) To overcome covetousness in seeking God's kingdom and having Him supply our material needs, we must sense our accountability to Christ and follow Him. (3) For leaders of God's flock, this means we must always unconditionally, graciously feed God's people His Word versus oppressing them and living for this life and its worldly lusts!

Application: (1) May we trust in Christ as God's true Savior of the world. (2) May we seek God's kingdom and let Him supply all of our material needs. In particular, (a) as believers in general, may we sense our accountability to God and follow His leading in our lives. (b) As leaders of God's people, may we graciously, faithfully feed His flock versus selfishly oppressing them and living for this life!