Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Luke 12:32-40

Context

This passage takes a number of turns that may, at first, seem disconnected from one another. Our text is part of a larger teaching discourse of Jesus in Luke’s gospel that has been causing tension with the religious leaders. This tension continues to increase as the chapter continues on with Jesus telling the parable of the prudent servant (12:41-48) and then that He himself has come to cause not peace, but division (12:49-53). The public nature of Jesus’ challenge to the religious authorities of the day should not be forgotten when engaging with this passage.

Luke, of course, is traditionally understood to be written by a Gentile for a primarily Gentile audience. It is also considered the Gospel that focuses most on those who are…

1. How does hope, grounded in God’s Kingdom, confront worry, fear and anxiety?

2. In our passage, “treasure in heaven” is directly connected to eternity and spiritual hope. What is the ultimate Christian hope? How does hope impact our lives in the present?

3. While our society is primarily focused on the individual, Jesus calls us…