Luke 12:21-25

Luke 12:21 (KJB)
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

The same fate awaits all those who live only for the things of this world. When the amassing of material goods or striving for some social position is an all consuming passion, then we can expect nothing more than what the rich fool received. This principle can be applied not only to an individual but to churches also. Any church which does not teach the true Gospel but teaches a worldly, get rich gospel, will face the same fate. Its members who are diverted from the true Gospel and the consequences of a Christless eternity, will be surprised on Judgment Day. No one knows the day of their death and to plan only to live a few years on earth makes no sense. How many times people plan a day and go to work and then do not make it home alive. There is a tract out which states “You may tie your shoes in the morning but the undertaker may untie them at night.” As Christians we seek to be rich toward God by spreading the Word, giving to missions, helping others, etc. In other words, the same effort we put into living for this world, is the effort we should put toward God. The first and foremost is to make sure that we are saved.

Luke 12:22 (KJB)
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

“Therefore” is a preposition linking the previous verse to this one. Since it is impossible for a person to live for this world and the Lord, Jesus now assures His hearers that they should not concern themselves about the necessities of life. The word for “thought” in the Greek text carries with it the idea of “be anxious.” Jesus is telling his hearers that they should not be anxious or be worried about food or clothing. He is trying to get His hearers to focus on something more important than this world. Life is more important than fancy meals and the body has more importance than the clothes that cover it. In other words, He is saying that the people need to seek the Kingdom of God because fancy clothes on a corpse does no good and the same with fancy meals.

Luke 12:23 (KJB)
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

Food alone does not guarantee life and fancy clothing does not guarantee happiness. Neither of these should be the focus of a person’s life. They are something that we need to live in this life but not to be the focus of our life. We must look beyond the physical to the spiritual. (1 Cor 7:31 KJV) And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

Luke 12:24 (KJB)
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

Jesus now offers an example from the animal world. He points out the fact that the birds of the air, do not sow seeds and then wait a few months for harvest. Once the harvest comes, the birds do not gather it into barns which must be built. The birds fly around and look for food and will find it without any thought of sowing, reaping, or storing. God the Father feeds them or in other words, He already has their food prepared and waiting for them. Then Jesus makes the comparison that people are more important to the Father than birds of the air. When an animal dies, it ceases to exist but if a person dies, they continue to live on in their soul existence, either in hell or in Heaven in their glorified bodies. Jesus is assuring them that God knows what they need and will supply those needs and therefore if God is handling the food and water, we need not be anxious about finding them. If that anxiety is missing from our life, then we can have peace and can serve the Lord without worry.

Luke 12:25 (KJB)
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

Does being anxious have any advantage? The answer is no. Jesus asks the question that if you live in anxiety, can it add one cubit to your height. The cubit was about 18 inches (46 cm) and no one could add even one inch to their height from being anxious. In fact, a person who lives in high anxiety will normally find themselves, not in good health, but continually sick until their body finally gives up and they die from it.

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