Luke 12: What leads to Corruption

Luke chapter twelve states that Jesus’ reputation had reached so far that He drew a crowd of thousands; the number was so great that they were trampling each other. The Lord chooses this time to tell His disciples what He expects of them, opening with a warning concerning the current religious leaders:

“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.” (Luke 12:1-3 ESV)

Leaven is yeast. When put into flour and liquid, it spreads through the entire mass, causing it to rise with air pockets in the dough so that it is fluffy. Metaphorically speaking, leaven is sin. When we tolerate sin in our lives, it will spread and multiply in our lives.

What sin is the Lord accusing the Pharisees of? Generally speaking, it is hypocrisy: putting on an outward show of goodness while having corruption hidden in their lives. Is this not present in many of the religious leaders of today? How many have had affairs, embezzled money, or committed other sins that have been revealed? These are the Pharisees of today! Just like bread with yeast, they were puffing themselves up with pride: looking good and bigger than they were, because they were empty inside.

But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. (Matthew 18:16 ESV)

According to God’s ways, it takes two or more witnesses to establish something as a fact. Four gospels give testimony about the Pharisees, providing ample witness to establish not only the life of Jesus, but the corruption of the religious leaders of the time. The prophetic words of Jesus have been fulfilled. What was spoken to the disciples privately is now made public for all the world to see!

After this initial accusation, Jesus begins warning His disciples about behaviors that will lead them into hidden sins, leading to the corruption of the Pharisees. There are three main behaviors He points out:

1. Fear

2. Desire for wealth

3. Lack of readiness

What kind of fear leads us away from God? How do we know if we desire wealth? What should we be ready for? The examples Jesus gives His disciples help us answer these questions and apply God’s ways to our lives.

1. Fear

The first avenue that leads to hidden sin is fear of people.

“I tell you, My friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear Him Who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into Hell... (Luke 12:4-5 ESV)

…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV)

Fear doesn’t come from God, but from Satan. Fear of what people think and what they will do leads us away from God, even when we have good intentions. Jesus encourages His disciples that God cares for birds, a pair of which can be sold for the smallest amount. We are worth so much more to God that He keeps track of the number of hairs on our head, which changes constantly: the average person loses 50 to 100 hairs daily!

In the next few scriptures, Jesus gives a couple of examples of what fear may cause us to do:

• Denying or even being ashamed of Jesus

This will keep God’s angels from helping us.

• Blaspheming the Holy Spirit: the only unforgivable sin.

You must know that it is the Holy Spirit for you to be guilty of blasphemy.

• Fearing what to do in the future.

This allows Satan to corrupt your future.

Looking at these, you may say, “I’m good, I’ve never done any of those.” Hmm… ask yourself:

• When there was something going on that you knew Jesus wouldn’t be happy about, did you stand apart from that activity?

  • Or did you join in because you didn’t want to be “different?”

This is the fear of people.

• Do others even know you are a Christian?

  • Or are you just like them and never even mention God?

This is being ashamed of Jesus.

It isn’t easy to be seen as “different.” We may be mocked or rejected because of it, but it is what our Lord requires of us. Let me give you a practical example. I was visiting Taiwan and Japan with my husband. He thought it would be fun to visit some ornate, decorative shrines and temples. “As Christians, we can’t do that.” I insisted.

“Aw, come on, it is just looking at decorations and architecture!” He insisted.

I refused to give ground, “The Bible says to 'be holy as God is holy.’ The word holy means to be set apart from. We are to have nothing to do with other gods. This includes patronizing their places of worship.”

It wasn’t easy to stand my ground and do what I knew was right, but it was necessary. If you are afraid to bring up the name of your Lord, then this applies to you. If you are unwilling to abstain from activities you know are wrong, then this applies to you!

2. Desiring Wealth

The discussion about wealth begins with a man asking Jesus to tell his brother to divide their inheritance between them. Receiving an inheritance seems like a good thing, and it can be, but the way the Lord responds shows us that there can be a danger in it:

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.” (Luke 12:15 ESV)

Covetousness is the Greek word pleonexia (pleh-on-ex-ee'-ah) means greedy desire to have more wealth for material gain. This man was among thousands who were seeking the most powerful prophet Israel had seen in hundreds of years, and he was focusing on how much inheritance he would get!

If there is a situation dealing with money in your life, don’t let it be a stumbling block for you. If I am dealing with a situation where I feel wronged by another person, I follow a few simple steps:

1. Say a prayer and release the situation to the Lord.

   1. This should include quoting scriptures about the Lord being your defender, provider, and able to bring justice to the situation.

2. Pronounce your forgiveness of those involved.

3. Confess and repent from any sins connected to the situation.

4. Plead the blood over the sins.

5. Ask the Lord to sever soul ties.

By placing the matter in the Lord’s hands, you are releasing it to Him. Only one of you can be involved with a situation. Do you want to be in charge, or do you want Jesus to be? The Lord will provide for all your needs, but not if you are holding onto unforgiveness for what you didn’t get from someone. You know you have truly forgiven someone when you no longer have hard feelings toward the people involved and don’t really think about the situation anymore.

Often, it is the desire for money, to have more things, that is causing the resentment. The desire for money leads to a plethora of sins:

For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs. (1 Timothy 6:10 AMPC)

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:24 ESV)

The Greek word mammon is translated as money. That Greek word is often used in the Christian world, but how many Christians really consider what the Lord is saying about it? When our focus is on money, we become devoted to receiving more of it. It takes our focus off God and puts it on the world around us. The Lord gives some examples of what “loving money” looks like.

The first example comes through the relation of a parable. A rich man has an abundance of crops, so he tears down his barn and builds a bigger one so that he can “eat, drink, and be merry.” The very next day, God calls him a fool and takes his life. Jesus says this:

“So it is with the one who continues to lay up and hoard possessions for himself and is not rich [in his relation] to God [this is how he fares]. (Luke 12:21 AMPC)

The sin the rich man committed was basing his happiness on what he had in this life. This is very shortsighted. Our focus should be on our relationship with God. If we do not have a “rich” relationship with Him, then if we make it to Heaven, we will not have “wealth” there, which lasts for all eternity. Jesus follows up this parable with some practical instructions:

And [Jesus] said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious and troubled [with cares] about your life, as to what you will [have to] eat; or about your body, as to what you will [have to] wear. For life is more than food, and the body [more] than clothes… (Luke 12:22-23 AMPC)

And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek His Kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” (Luke 12:29-31 ESV)

Being anxious, troubled, and worried are mild forms of fear. When our concerns are about our material needs, we are not trusting in God to supply them! The world will tell you it is normal to be concerned about your basic needs, but this is not what God expects of us. Our focus must be on the Kingdom of Heaven, first and foremost; only then will God take care of our needs. God’s provision for us, when we do His will, is stated in the “Our Father” prayer when Jesus taught His disciples how to pray:

…Our Father which are in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in Heaven, so in Earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. (Luke 11:2-3 AKJV)

First, we must honor God and even honor His name. We must look for His Kingdom, His way of doing things, to come to the world. This means doing our part to help His Kingdom to come: serving Him on this Earth. When we do that, then we are entitled to receive our daily needs from Him because we are His servants! What is the result of putting working for God’s Kingdom first in our lives?

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 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. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:32-34 ESV)

Some religious organizations have taken this scripture to the extreme by devoting their lives to God and removing all worldly possessions except the most basic of necessities. I don’t believe this is what the Lord intended. The entire chapter is centered around two pitfalls: fearing people and desiring wealth, including an abundance of possessions.

3. Lack of Readiness

When we apply the principles in these scriptures to our lives, there should be a shift in our focus. It is no longer about “storing up” material possessions, treasuring them, so that we can be “happy.” If we have one car, we need that car. If we have three nice cars, well, perhaps you don’t need all three. If you have multiple homes, perhaps you don’t need all of them and can sell some and support God’s kingdom with the proceeds. The Lord continues giving instructions to show why we should do this:

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 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. 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. If He comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! (Luke 12:35-38 ESV)

These instructions are not literal; they are metaphorical. We are not expected to always be dressed and have the lights on, but we should be equipped in the spiritual armor of God and ready to act when God tells us to. The lamp burning means God’s light is revealing His will and what He wants us to do.

When we are focused on our comfort and enjoyment here on this Earth, it tends toward complacency. When “fun” is our top priority, and we are not focused on God’s will first and foremost, we are not ready and waiting for Jesus to return. We are not prepared to open the door so He can move into our lives with strength and power.

The Lord declares that there is a blessing for those who put Him and His kingdom first. First, we will be “dressed for service.” This means we will be equipped and empowered to work for God. Then, after we have listened to the Lord to become ready, Jesus will come to us and bring us what we need, this is how He serves us! Food is usually related to wisdom concerning God’s ways since the Word is compared to bread. It is the Lord who reveals God’s ways, His wisdom to us through the Word of God.

Peter asks if the parable is for everyone or just the disciples. In His typical way, instead of answering the question, Jesus continues the parable.

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? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 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, 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. (Luke 12:42-46 ESV)

The rest of the parable makes it clear that not all who claim to serve the Lord will remain faithful. Some of God’s servants “beat” others and become “drunk.” Because this is a parable, these are metaphors. To “beat” someone means to abuse others, perhaps with harsh treatment or by charging for that which belongs to God, since this chapter is about focusing on money instead of God.

To “get drunk” means to listen to a spirit other than the Holy Spirit. Another characteristic of drunkenness is feeling superior to those around you. Both of these attitudes will cause a servant of God to be labeled as an “unbeliever,” no matter what they have done in the past. Romans chapter 12 warns us against this behavior as well:

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:3 ESV)

The opposite of being drunk is being sober. We must always consider that each one of us started out much farther down the hill. Except for the grace of God, we would not be where we are today! The completion of this parable states one of my favorite points from Jesus:

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. 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 12:47-48 ESV)

As stated in Luke 11, God is a good Father and knows what gifts to give His children. Once God gives us something, we become responsible for that gift or knowledge. If we do not ask according to what we know or receive our punishment will be incrementally greater. we refer to this as “backlash.”

A popular comic book hero is famous for saying, “With great power comes great responsibility,” which is basically the same thing. Of course, it leaves out the downside, which is that those who receive much and betray God will receive greater punishment.

Luke closes out this chapter with a few more cryptic statements from Jesus:

“I came to cast fire on the Earth, and would that it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49 ESV)

In this case, fire means harsh correction from God. Jesus was sent so that all people could know God, not only Israel. Only after His death and resurrection could correction come upon the whole Earth. This is what Jesus was anxious to have completed, so that all men could know God and receive corrections from Him, for God corrects those whom He loves.

For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 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.” (Luke 12:52-53 ESV)

This is one of the few statements directed at Israel, but it also applies to today. Israelites were close-knit and unified in their faith in God. Jesus is hinting at the fact that not all in a family unit would accept Him as the Messiah, creating division within family units. This will happen again before Jesus returns. After the rise of the AntiChrist is described, it says this:

And it was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:7-8 AKJV)

The New Testament encourages us not to marry unbelievers for a good reason. When the AntiChrist arises, he will deceive the world, all those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. There will be great division within families comprised of Christians and unbelievers! Could you imagine if your husband, wife, daughter, or son thought that you were crazy for not accepting the AntiChrist? That would truly be a house divided.

In the final paragraphs of this chapter, Luke records Jesus addressing the crowd. He rebukes them! It circles back to not being ready because of a wrong focus.

“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?” (Luke 12:56 ESV)

Why did Jesus criticize them for not knowing what time it was? Though thousands were there seeking Jesus because of the miracles He was doing, they didn’t recognize that it was time for the Messiah to arise. A church in Revelation is accused of the same thing. They are asleep, having no perfect work, being Christians in name only. Because of this, Jesus’ second coming will be a surprise to them!

Jesus also warns those gathered to make peace with each other. We can relate this to the parable of the servants “beating” each other and getting drunk. If someone is accusing you of acting badly, make every effort to bring peace to the situation, lest God, who is the Judge, get involved, bringing stiff penalties for any wrongdoing!

Overall, Luke 12 is a guide on how the Pharisees went wrong. Four pitfalls lead to behaviors all Christians should avoid:

1. Fearing what others think of us.

2. Focusing on material gains and storing up great wealth prevents us from being ready to do God’s will.

3. Treating other Christians badly.

4. Listening to other spirits and thinking more of ourselves than we ought to.

All of these behaviors are sins in the eyes of God and should be avoided if we want to be called good servants of God!