Jesus Dispenses Some Serious Warnings, Followed By a Lot of Encouragement

Warnings and Encouragements From Jesus Himself

(Luke chapter 12, verses 1–12)

Last week as we closed out our in-depth analysis of Luke chapter 11, we finished a chapter in which Jesus used an invitation from a member of the Sanhedrin — the Jewish ruling council at Jerusalem — to come and dine with him as a podium for his contempt for the Jewish religious establishment of that time. Jesus told them off — every last one of them — after being rebuked for not washing properly before sitting down to eat. ‘Don’t you dare tell me’, Jesus was saying to them in summary, ‘about my poor manners when you yourselves are filled with such virulent hypocrisy!’ And so today, as we move on to Luke chapter 12, we find that a large crowd has gathered within as well as outside the palatial home where this fancy luncheon was being served, presumably because of the commotion being caused by Jesus’ critical speech to his hosts. So let’s begin right there at verse 1 of chapter 12.

“Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began first by speaking to his disciples, saying, ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or…