(Luke 12) Jesus Prepares Us for the Cross

"...How distressed I am till it is accomplished!" (Luke 12:50)

Introduction

What a wonderful, fantastic Saviour we have in the Lord Jesus Christ! He came into this world for the only purpose of providing salvation to all from sin, from death, and from Satan's power and from hell. Now that He is knowingly facing the cross Himself, He is constantly preparing His disciples to face the future themselves.

He alone knows what the future holds for all of us, and whether you realize it or not, He is preparing you - if you are following Him.

Jesus prepares His disciples for the future (the cross) (Luke 12:1-34)

• Beware of hypocrisy.
• Beware of covering up anything, because God sees and knows everything. "...there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known." (Matthew 10:26) (Also Mark 4:22, Luke 8:17, 1 Corinthians 4:5)
• Don't fear persecutors. (verse 4)
• Fear God. (verse 5)
• Boldly confess Christ before men. (verse 8)
• Trust the Holy Spirit to teach you how to answer authorities. (verses 11-12)
• Beware of covetousness (verses 13-21) because you will lose your soul over it. "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)
  "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Luke 16:13) (As Judas Iscariot did!)
• Do not worry: because you are of much value to God.

2 Jesus Assures His Disciples of His Father's Love and Care

"Do not fear therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows." (verse 7)

"Of how much more value are you than the birds?" (verse 24)

"How much more will He clothe you?" (verse 28)

"Your Father knows that you need these things." (verse 30) (food, clothing etc.)

The point is: that even the birds which no one really cares about are fed by God (verse 24) and that God even clothes the grass (verse 28): then we who are far more valuable to God - will be provided for by God!

Our part is therefore:

• To relax and trust Him to supply our needs, and
• To put serving God first in our own lives.

3 Jesus tells His disciples to prepare for His coming (verses 35-48)

The time of His coming is unknown

He gave the illustration of the wedding:

• We need to be waiting expectantly.
• We need to be watching eagerly.
• We need to be ready by serving.

He gave the illustration of the wise steward:

• We do give an account of our service to the Lord.
• If we are not faithfully serving the Master, we will face judgment for it! (verse 47)
• Those who know the Master's will and do not do it are held responsible for their own disobedience. (verses 47,48)

Conclusion

At this point in time, Jesus was facing a baptism, "And how distressed I am," He said, "till it is accomplished!" (Luke 12:50)

What was this baptism?

The baptism of the cross. "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4)

"But Jesus answered and said, 'You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?..." (Matthew 20:22)

(Also Colossians 2:12)

When our Lord gave His life on the cross, to atone for all the sins of all the human race He cried out, "It is finished." (John 19:30)

In the weeks and days leading up to the crucifixion, Jesus was faithfully preparing His disciples, because as His followers they too would face the hostility of the hypocrites and of some of the ungodly. These same words of preparation to them are always relevant to today's world and to today's Christian disciples.

"And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." (Matthew 10:38)

"...If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23)

There is a cross for every Christian - but it is not a cross imposed by Christ. It involves publicly identifying yourself as a Christian. It is the cross of opposition. This cross is necessary so that the gospel can grow and progress throughout the world.

But greater than the opposition, Christian disciples today have our Master's promise: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)