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by Sandy Shaw
We are reading and hopefully studying these words of Jesus Christ in Luke Chapter 12 verses 22 to 34 - where Jesus is speaking to disciples - at a time when crowds are surrounding Him.
These words of Jesus are for disciples, and if you are a disciple then these words are for you, and we so need to hear Jesus in these present days.
Jesus is speaking to disciples about dangers and hazards and pitfalls along the way. They are like warning signposts on the motorway - or it is as if Jesus is coning off certain sections - coning off certain paths - closing down a few lanes.
Jesus knows that there are roads, which are a hindrance to us - they can hamper us - they are dangerous.
If we travel on some of these roads we could come a cropper. There could be sad and tragic consequences.
We do not need to travel down the road called hypocrisy - we do not need to wear a mask - we do not need to kid people on - we don't have to impress people. That is a tremendous freedom - not to have to go down that road. We may not realise it now, just how many people are working so hard at trying to impress others.
We don't need to travel down the road of fear. That too is a very busy road. People can even be afraid that they are not impressing others.
We looked at greed - being so concerned about selfishly accumulating riches and wealth - without having a single thought for others. We read of the poor rich man - who invested in the wrong place assuming that he had many more years to live. How very wrong he was. He did not even have 24 hours left on this earth, and then he would have to leave everything.
Jesus Christ releases us from hypocrisy (acting a role or playing games) - fear - being selfishly greedy. These are big important areas to be set free from - we do not have to travel down these roads.
Then Jesus says - "Do not worry about your life - what you will eat - or about your body and how you will clothe it." These words are being spoken to disciples - they are for us. Jesus is saying to us - Follow Me and I will help you avoid all worry.
Wealth can be as much a problem to those who have a lot of money as well as those who do not have much. Those who have plenty and those who have very little, tend to worry.
Jesus is saying "Don't worry - rather trust." Now, this is not always easy but it is the way Jesus Christ would have His followers live.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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