The Bryce Crawford Podcast - Luke Series Chapter 12 (EP 66)

Episode Date: December 12, 2024

In this episode Bryce breaks down Luke Chapter 12.

What's going on, guys. Welcome back to another episode of the Bryce Crawford podcast. I'm Bryce. And today we're on Luke 12, day 12 of the Luke Christmas, December challenge. Every day we're reading a chapter of Luke. By the time you get to Christmas Eve, he would have read the whole gospel of Luke. Guys, it's powerful. We are halfway through. I pray that the series has blessed you guys already. I already see you guys. You guys are asking me do more series. Do more series. Do more series. Maybe in the future. We'll do one. It's going to be awesome. It's going to be powerful. Guys, before we get into it, January 19th, we got our first ever live podcast show. Los Angeles at 6 p.m. Go get your tickets, guys. Jesus in the street.org slash tickets. It's going to be a powerful night. I want every single one of you guys there. It's going to be our first ever live podcast show ever and more to come in the future in Jesus name. But right now, I don't know if we're going to do more, but this is the first one that's going to be in L.A. would love for you guys to be there. January 19, 6 p.m. Go to Jesus in the street.org slash tickets and get your tickets now. Let's go into Luke chapter 12 and see what Jesus is saying. Jesus is actually about to beware.

of the leaven of the Pharisees is what it's called. What does this mean? Levin is going to correlate to the hypocrisy that the Pharisees have. In the meantime, when so many thousands of people had gathered together and they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, 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 hall. stops. Listen, hypocrisy is like Levin because it spreads, it swells, and it sours the flavor of things, right? Imagine the amount of people that have decided not to follow Christ because of a hypocrite.

It has soured the flavor of Christ. Or maybe it has swollen or spread, right? Hypocrisy spreads. It calls other people to be hypocrites. It swells. It causes corruption just like Levin does in bread. So I think it's powerful for us to recognize. And then he says, therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light. What happens with hypocrisy is it causes people to operate in the dark. But he says at the end of the day, no matter if it's an on earth or heaven, at the end of the day, all of things will come to light before God, who is the ultimate righteous judge. And he says, have no fear.

I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body saying, don't be afraid of persecution. And after that, have nothing more than they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear. He says, this is who you should fear. Fear him whom after he is killed has the authority to cast into hell. He's talking about his own martyrdom. He's talking about himself being martyred for the sins of the world. He's saying, you know, be afraid of me. You know, you can kill humans, but I'm God in the flesh. I'm going to raise from the dead and judge the earth for the sins of the world. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies and not one of them is forgotten before God?

Why, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Fear not, you are more value than the many sparrows. He says, get right with me. You're so valuable. You're extremely valuable. I know the amount of hairs on your head. You are worth more. He says, are not five sparrows sold for two pieces? This is you're worth more than you can ever imagine. I acknowledge Christ before men.

Now, Jesus is about to talk about acknowledging him before men. This is talking about faithfulness versus faithlessness here. All right. We're going to see what this looks like. And I tell you everyone who acknowledges me before men, the son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God. The faithful people will acknowledge God. God before men. But the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God and

everyone who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven. Now Jesus is about to hint at the unforgivable sin here. But the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. What is the unforgivable sin? What is the only sin in the Bible that says cannot be forgiven? It is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. What is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? What does it mean to blasphemy the Holy Spirit. It means to have an ongoing heart rejection towards the nudging of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit may be tugging on you, may be nudging your heart to give your life to Christ. And in this lifetime, if you reject the working of the Holy Spirit in your heart, you were denying the work that the Holy Spirit is trying to do, then when you stand before God on Judgment Day,

there's nothing else you can do. You've blasphemed him. You've said no to him. And because God gives his free will and allows us to choose him whether in this lifetime or not, he grants that wish and it breaks his heart. But if we deny Christ on this earth, if we deny the working of the Holy Spirit on our heart, then we've blasphemed the Holy Spirit. So often people, people that say, Bryce, I'm so afraid I blaspheme the Holy Spirit, have I done it? If you're worried that you blaspheme the Holy Spirit, you did not. Those that blaspheme the Holy Spirit don't care about God. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what to say.

Parole of the rich fool. Someone in the crowd said to him, teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. He's coming to Jesus with a financial issue. All right. And Jesus' response isn't one where he doesn't care about justice. But the reason this man is talking about a financial dispute, he's like, hey, tell my brother to give me some of his inheritance. He's not saying it for a justice aspect. He's saying it because he's coveting something that he doesn't have. And Jesus is using this is a teaching moment both for in this man's life and in the crowd's life about covenness. He says, man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you? He said, take care and be on your guard against all covetedness for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

And then you told him a parable saying the land of a rich man produced plentiful, meaning this man was successful, he was rich, and he thought to himself, what shall I do for I have nowhere to store my crops? He said, I'll do this. I'll tear down my barns and build larger ones and there I will store all my grain and goods and I will say to my soul, soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years, relax, eat, drink, and be married. So he's like a lot of people in today's day and age, they do this thing where they say, you know what? I'm going to, you know, live a happy life. I'm working at this life and this is everything in their treasures here on earth. But God said in full, this night your soul is required of you. The things you have prepared, those will they be?

So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God. This man, because he didn't give his life to God, he owed his life, his livelihood, and his wealth to God. But above all else, he owed his soul. And we could see that the passionate request for justice on the lawyer's part, on this man's part, as for inheritance, was actually, it actually had a low motive for justice and an increased motive for covenants. And he's like, look, guys, like don't keep your eyes on the earth here. Like your real treasure is with me. And we're going to find out where he says where your treasure is where your heart is also. It's like whatever you treasure is where your faith and trust is.

A lot of people have put their faith and trust in this earth and it will pass away. And he said it as disciples, therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat nor about your body and what you will put on anxiety and anxiousness has plagued this generation. And many people read this passage and they say, man, God is hating on me when he says, don't be anxious, don't be anxious. No. when Jesus Christ is saying, do not be anxious about anything, he's not mad or scolding you or shaming you if you get anxious. He's actually encouraging you saying you don't have to be anxious. He says, look at the ravens. They don't work for their food. Yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the ravens? And then he says, look at the lilies of the field how they grow. They don't toil or spin. And even Solomon in all of his glory was not a raid like one of these. But the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven.

How much more will he clothe you? Oh, you of little faith. God has in store for you so much more. And he says in verse 25, and which of you being anxious can add a single hour into his lifespan? He's saying, you don't have to be anxious. You don't have to worry God takes care of his children. Verse 29, and do not seek what you are to eat and what 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. He's like, man, focus on the kingdom of God. God takes care of his children. Now, Jesus Christ is not saying, look, hide in a rock, hide under a rock and never go get food, never do these things. He's like, no, but so many people worry about these little things that at the end of the day when they pass away, it's not going to matter. Seek the kingdom of God first. God will take care of you.

God will give you wisdom in your practical life and in your spiritual life. 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 money bags and 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 now jesus is about to give a warning about his return here okay and he says 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 saying as christians we look forward to the return of jesus christ so that they may be opened to the door to him at one 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 the table, and he will come to serve them. He's hinting at the marriage feast of the land.

That once the judgment of the earth is passed, we will all feast with Christ. So when Christ has the last supper, that is the last time that he will take communion before he is with all believers at the marriage supper of the lamb. He's hinting in this saying when he comes and returns, he's going to get those who have put their faith and trust in him. And after the judgment of the earth, we're going to sit down, recline at the table, and feast with God and rejoice in all of perfection of heaven. If he comes in the second watch or in the third watch and finds him awake, blessed are those servants. Be awake, be awake, be watch. Jesus is giving a warning to those of you who say, man, you know what? I'm young. I've got all

my life to give to Christ. So you know what? For now, I'm going to live for myself. Maybe I'll go drink and get drunk. Maybe I'll go do all these things. Jesus is actually giving a warning to you guys. saying be awake, be on watch. You're not promised tomorrow. Those of you who say, I've got a long life ahead of me, so I'm going to live like I can now. And then when I give older, I'll give my life to Jesus Christ. You're abusing the grace of God and you are not promised tomorrow. He's saying, be awake. When we submit ourselves to the commandments and lordship of Christ, we are preparing ourselves for the return. Say, you know what? You could come tomorrow, next month, years from now, or maybe after I've passed, you won't return until I'm dead. But you know what? I'm going to live my life. life in full submission to your lordship and waiting on the return of you because i don't know when you're coming and there's so many friends that i have and so many people that i know that say you know what i'm going to get older i'll get my life to jesus then but christ could come back tomorrow and he's going to judge those and judge the people that are that it doesn't matter what situation you're in what circumstance you're in it doesn't matter what sin cycle you're in if he comes tomorrow he's judged you're in he's judged

you where you stand. It's what Christ says. 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. That's what he's saying. He's saying, look, if we all knew what day Jesus Christ was coming back, then we would live how we wanted to up until that time. But he's like, look, Christ isn't asking us to live the way we want to and then when it's time to give his life to him. He's like, no, give your life to me now. So let's submit to my lordship. The best life we live is the Christian life. The best life one human being can live is one that is submitted to Jesus Christ. And he says, you also must be ready for the son of man is coming in an hour you do not expect. We don't know. Any prophet that tells you a month and a time

that Jesus is coming back, don't listen to them because scripture tells us that even Christ doesn't know. Christ doesn't know when he's going to return. Peter said, Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all? And the Lord said, who then is this faithful and wise manager, whom his master will over his household to give them their portion of the food of the proper time. Blessed is that servant who his master will find doing so when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set over him all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, my master's 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 that day when he does not expect him in an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. Exactly what I just explained. Exactly what I just explained. People that say, you know what? I'm going to give my life to Jesus later because I got a lot of life to live. He's like, no, don't do that. And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not get ready or act according to this will receive a severe being. 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 them more. You guys don't understand. Every time you go to church, every time you hear a Christian TikTok, every time you read your Bible, every time you hear a preach, every episode that you've listened to and learn more about Jesus Christ, the more knowledge you've gained about Christ, more than it is required of you. Do you know the weight of the fear of the Lord that gives me? Knowing that the more I learn about Jesus Christ, the more that is required of me in faithfulness and its mission to him. So there are some of you guys that are listening to this, watching this,

or that watch Christian TikToks or that we'll listen to sermons that go to church every Sunday and you're not submitted to Jesus Christ, but you're in far more danger for a worse judgment than the person who has barely learned anything about Christ because you know knowledge about Jesus Christ and have done nothing with it. Not peace but division. I came to cast fire onto the earth. And with that, it were already be kindled.

That fire is interpreted in many different ways. The fire of the Holy Spirit, judgment, one of, one of purification, a purification fire. Whenever you purify gold, you put it through the fire. I have a baptism to be baptized with. We are baptizing the suffering. Christ didn't suffer just a little bit. He was in full agony. complete agony.

We are baptized into that. And how great is my distress until it is accomplished? Do you think that I have come to give you peace on this earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. Jesus Christ is about to explain to us that following him can cause division amongst people that want to live for themselves versus people that want to live for Christ. He says, 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-in-law against her daughter-in-law, a daughter-in-law against mother-in-law saying, look, there's going to be division against people who don't want to live for me and people who do try to live for me. He also said to the crowds, when you see a cloud rising in the west, you say it once, a shower's coming, and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing,

you say there will be scorching heat, and it happens, you hypocrites. You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? He's saying, look, you guys know how to see the weather, but there have been prophets for hundreds of years that have prophesied at the time that we're in now and the Messiah that is standing before you

and how can you know the weather that is to come and interpret that weather and you're looking at the Messiah right now and you don't realize that the prophets of old have been talking about the person that's in front of you right now. And he closes out Luke chapter 12 with this. And why do you not judge for yourselves

what is right? As you go with your accuser before the magistrate making 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 a prison, I tell you,

you will never get out until you have paid every last penny. The beautiful thing about Jesus Christ is our sin separates us from him, and we're in extreme debt to Christ.

And the only way to pay for a debt this large for an imperfect human being is to have a perfect sacrifice. And Jesus Christ is perfect, took on flesh, lived a life exactly like us, experienced every emotion,

every temptation that we've been through, and he lived a perfect life and he died on the cross a death that you and I deserve paying for this saying look if you put your faith in trust in me I'll wipe your slate clean but if you don't put your faith in trust in me you're going to be held accountable for every action and every wicked word that you've spoken guys I pray that Luke 12 has blessed you guys I love you guys I pray that's bless you guys go get your tickets January 19th to the live podcast show here in los angeles jesus in the street dot org slash tickets love you guys see you guys tomorrow for luke chapter 13