12:1-34
‘Do not fear…’(4): ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’(Romans 8:31). Acknowledge Christ or deny Him (8-9): Let your choice be clear – ‘Christ means everything to me’(Philippians 1:21). Do you want to confess Christ? – Here’s a great promise for you: ‘the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say’(12). In our generation, there is a ‘gold rush’. Many are preoccupied with ‘having a lot of material possessions’(15). What does God say about this? – ‘Fool!’(20). We hear it said, ‘He’s too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good’. You can be ‘too earthly-minded to be any heavenly good’! It is better to be ‘spiritually minded’than ‘carnally minded’(Romans 8:6). ‘Seek His Kingdom… it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom’(31-32).
12:35-59
‘Be ready’for Christ’s Return(40): Wait on the Lord (36; Isaiah 40:31). Stay ‘awake’(37), ‘your loins girded with truth’(35; Ephesians 6:14) – be real; be true to the Word of God. Keep ‘your lamps burning’(35). Our ‘lamp’is Christ, ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’(Revelation 21:23; John 1:29). Be faithful(41-48): There can be no fruitfulness without faithfulness. God’s blessing is given to those who are faithful (42-43). With the promise of blessing, there is also the warning of judgment. Knowing the will of God and not doing it leads to judgment (47). Going Christ’s way will not be easy(49-53): We must avoid the way of the ‘hypocrites’who have no real knowledge of God (54-56), the legalists who know nothing of the Spirit of grace (57-59). Keep close to Christ: He will keep you – faithful and ready.
16:1-31
How do we use our money? This is an important question for all who want to live a practical Christian life. The worldly person is quick to see ways of making a profit. For the Christian, there is a higher priority. Beyond personal profit, there is eternal profit. Look for opportunities to support the work of the Gospel. By our giving, we help the Church to be Christ’s prophet in today’s world. ‘Make friends’: Win others for Christ so that, together with them, we may be welcomed to our eternal home (9). Jesus said, ‘You cannot serve God and money’. The ‘lovers of money’did not like His teaching (13-14)! Don’t let money squeeze Christ out of your life. Life without Christ leads to eternity without Christ (19-31).
18:1-43
Here, we learn some important lessons about faith. (a) Our faith is precious. We must not lose it! The question is asked, ‘When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on earth?’(8). ‘Don’t lose heart’(1). (b) We are to have a humble faith (14). Pray, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner’(13). ‘Receive the Kingdom of God like a child’(17). (c) We are to have a committed faith (22), always remembering that salvation comes from the Lord and not from ourselves (26-27). Our commitment can never be a way of earning God’s salvation. He always gives us so much more than we could ever give to Him (29-30). (d) We are to have a Christ-centred faith, centred on His death and resurrection (31-33). (e) Our faith is to be full of worship. Our eyes opened by Christ and to Him, we are to glorify God and give praise to Him (43).
