Luke 12:13-15

Luke chapter 12 reading verses 13 to 15 for our text and study this morning. In one of the company, he said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? and he said unto them, take heed, and beware of covetousness, for man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. God blessed to us, his sacred and holy word this morning, in an old monastery near Beedenhausen, Germany, Two large deer were battling with one another over who was going to be the head of the herd. And they happened to lock their enormous horns together and could not get them separated. They had hit with such force against one another that they locked horns and those massive horns could not be separated, which soon led to both of them dying. Their battle. to inherit the herd ultimately cause their demise. A doctor Kerr, who when he first heard that story, said he wished that he would be able to take those horns into every home and every school and show them. May we add to every church as well to that. Now our Lord has been in a instructing his disciples about his kingdom, but he’s done so in the hearing of a vast multitude of people as chapter 12 opens. They were assembled near the home of the Pharisee who had Jesus over for dinner. And Jesus leaving the house began to teach his disciples in particular, but with this crowd around him. And he’s been talking about their conduct, especially before recently civil magistrates and religious courts, and how they should rest and trust in God. He would provide a supernatural response to the challenges against them, that the Holy Spirit would guide them in what to say so they could expect this extraordinary, gifting. At this point, Christ is interrupted. A man from the crowd shouts out seeking help with an inheritance. Jesus rebukes the man for his covetousness. And he gives a general warning here to all his people, all to all those really listening to him, beware of covetousness. Ultimately, you’re going to end up like those two male deer that locked horns with one another. It’ll bring about your demise. A covetous spirit always leads to your ultimate demise. And it keeps you from doing what God would have you do. So keep this firmly fixed. in your mind. So you find here in verse 13 a dispute that’s brought to Jesus about an inheritance. We read here in verse 13, and one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me. Now this dispute was a civil matter about the division of the family inheritance. It would scene, an appeal was made to Christ, desiring him to intervene between the two brothers, and settle this matter of the family estate. Master, speak to my brother, and use your authority as God’s spokesman, which he will respect, and tell him to divide the inheritance between us. Now it appears from Deuteronomy 2117 that the Jewish custom sanctioned by God’s law was that a man’s inheritance was to be divided among his children, but that the firstborn would receive a double portion of the inheritance. And this seems to be what the man is a man is. objecting to. For instance, we read here in Deuteron 2117 of the law of the firstborn son, but he shall acknowledge the son of the hated wife of his two wives, for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath, for he is the beginning of his strength, the right of the firstborn is his. So it’s written in God’s law. about this firstborn son and him receiving a double portion. That seems to be the custom and what God says is right. This man, whoever evidently is the younger son, is disappointed with such a division. He’s not happy with it. And he wishes Christ to alter the law so that he would receive an equal portion along with his brother. That seems to be the gist of his argument here as he comes before Christ. The man wishes Christ to act with the authority of a civil judge and command equal division of the property. Thus this man wanted more than what was his due, which revealed a covetous spirit. Now let me make a couple of observations here. You should realize how ungodly family quarrels over an inheritance can be. It often happens when the head of a family dies or near relative dies, that no sooner is the body laid in the ground and there’s a royal battle over the inheritance. It is unbecoming for the Christian to grieve. readily grasp for vain, earthly possessions, and be just like the man of the world. That is not the way to Christians should act. Unlike this man, you should try to settle in a dispute you have privately and not making a public matter. As a believer, you need to avoid a selfish, greedy. spirit and behave in a godly manner and that may mean that you yield to the opinion of others and avoid a major dispute over earthly possessions my mother-in-law bless her heart she seems a very poor behavior when it came to inheritances and there are times she got cheated in these inheritances and she would say something, well, if they can live with it, I can live without it. You can live behaving like that and have that greedy attitude. I can live without it. I don’t need it. Really, that’s probably a good way of looking at things. I remind you how heated things got between Jacob and Esau over the inheritance and how Jacob stole it, stole the birthright, remember? He actually bought it for a bowl of pottage, but, you know, he did steal it by going into his father and dressing up like his brother. Esau is so angry he wants to kill Jacob. And Jacob has to flee, go to his uncle Labens far, far off. That shows you, you know, what kind of spirit and attitude people can have. when it comes to inheritance. So you should realize how ungodly family quarrels over an inheritance could be. Don’t get caught up in all that as a Christian. Secondly, I suggest this. When you leave property behind at your death, leave a will to avoid family disputes. I think this is a wise course of action, and it shows you’re doing things decently and in order and you can prevent a lot of heated disputes, especially if you’re specific about how you want the inheritance to divide it up. Now we may not have a lot to divide up, but sometimes people will fight over even the smallest things. I wanted that, China said. I wanted that coffee. The more orderly and complete, the better for your family in the long run. Prevent them from getting into a fight. So in dividing your state, consult your conscience, consult the word of God, and perhaps a wise friend, and prepare for that day. Be fair. Remember those who have been of service to you. Think about also advancing the kingdom of God when you get to that point. And perhaps your money will do some good for you. the cause of Christ. But in all cases, ultimately, you are accountable to God for how you behave. So let us not behave like worldlings when it comes to inheritance. So you find a dispute here brought to Christ about inheritance. Now you find the Lord refused to interfere in this civil matter in verse 14. And he said unto him, man, who? made me a judge or a divider over you? Christ would not assume judicial civil authority. Christ was indeed the king of kings, the Lord of Lords. He was the king of kings, the Lord of Lords. He was the king by which prince has reigned. He is the Lord who is the Lord who is the righteous judge, as the Scripture tells us. He certainly could have settled this dispute, with perfect ease and unerring justice. But he would not do anything that would give the rulers and judges any reason to think he was usurping their authority or their office. He had no express appointment to act as a civil judge. Indeed, he did not come into the world to judge. came in to bring salvation, he told us. When he comes the second time, he will act as the judge of all men. So he does not interfere in this case. He stays out of it. The words that Christ uses here, which are interesting, when he uses the word who made, verse 14, who made me a judge or a divider over you, he seems to be echoing the case or the story of Moses all the way back in the book of Genesis. You remember that Moses, of course, was being raised in Pharaoh’s household as the son of his daughter when the Israelites were still enslaved to them. And when Moses came of age, he recognized he was recognized as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter but he threw his lot in with the people of God his israelite friends so he beheld two men who were Hebrews who were fighting one with another and he interposed himself trying to stop the fight and he said to the one that did the wrong wherefore smitest thou by fellow israelite why are you hitting him what did that man say to him who made thee a prince and a judge over us you have no such authority and that seems to be what Jesus is echoing here he’s so in tune with scripture that it seems like he pulls this right from this story it says i’m not here to be a civil judge or authority at this point so these two cases even though they aren’t exactly alike I think there’s some similarity between them our Lord seems to be saying that if he had judicially determined the dispute some would object with the same objection they made to Moses if I should do this you would taunt me as you did Moses who made you a ruler and divider among us so Christ does not assume any of civil authority in this matter. Now if this man had come seeking a heavenly inheritance, Jesus would have helped. There is an inheritance that’s incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not a way that’s reserved in heaven for God’s people. So Christ taught lay up your treasure in heaven, heaven, as we’ve studied. The last, this man is, only interested in an earthly inheritance. So Jesus Christ doesn’t help him. Now think about this a minute. Here Christ is talking about the kingdom of God. He’s talking about spiritual matters, and right in the middle of this, he gets interrupted about earthly possessions. I could imagine Jesus was not too happy about that because he saw what was behind it. How can you be thinking about earthly things when we’re talking about heavenly things. And yet I’m afraid there’s a lot of people who sit under the gospel who’s thinking about earthly things and not thinking about spiritual things. A heavenly inheritance comes through faith in Christ as your Lord and Savior in whom we have obtained an inheritance, Ephesians 111-11 says. This man could have had an everlasting inheritance. But sadly, his heart was fixed on something else. This is a common problem that we have in our society. That men do not seek the things that are above in your pursuit for what is trivial. Beware that you don’t lose out on what is eternal. So if this man had come seeking a heavenly inheritance, Jesus would have helped, let me make a couple of observations here. The first is this. The kingdom of God does not interfere with civil authority. They coincide right alongside one of them. The church isn’t interested in taking out of the world’s hands, the government’s hands, power. As Jesus told Pilate, if my kingdom involved this world, my servants would fight, that I should not be delivered under you. But my kingdom isn’t of this world. It’s a spiritual king. So there’s no clash here between Christ’s army, which is the spiritual army, and the physical armies of the Roman Empire. The kingdom of God is spiritual. It does not seek to gain earthly power or authority. It coincides right. right alongside civil authorities, the people of God are both to fear God and honor the king to both. There’s only one time when there may be conflict between the two, and that’s when the government interferes with church authority. The government should stay out of the church. Church should stay out of the government as far as control. When the government says you can’t meet for church, they are usurping their authority in doing what they are not permitted to do. You follow Christ’s teaching. You render under Caesar to the things that are Caesar’s and under God the things that are God’s. And so the kingdom of God doesn’t interfere with civil authority. We see also here that ministers of the gospel should not entangle themselves in the affairs of this life. No man that warth entanglet himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier, 2 Timothy 2.4. Jesus came to preach the gospel of the kingdom. He’s not going to get entangled in civil matters here. He stays out of it. ministers have to focus their attention on the study of the word of God and the preaching of its truths. There is a danger when we become distracted by earthly cares to the neglect of our calling. I knew a pastor who started a home brewing business and made specialty beer which he began to sell. And before long, the business consumed all his energy and strength and he quit the ministry and worked in the beer industry. He got distracted. He let the world, and the things of the world entangle him, pulled him away from what he should have been doing. As the apostle said, it’s not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables, even to take care of the widows of the church. church. There are other men who could take care of that. So other men of others take care of that matter. There’s somebody, if you got a problem against your brother, take it to the civil authorities, Jesus says. His focus is on preaching. He’s not going to get entangled in these things. So you find the Lord refused to interfere in this civil matter. The third thing we see here is you’re given a necessary warning by Christ in verse 15. and he said under them, here he didn’t just say it to the man, but he says it to his disciples and to the vast multitude, take heed and beware of covetousness for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. Here is a caution. Beware of covetousness. The word rendered covetousness. here signifies the desire of always having more. You’re never really content with what you have. More than what you own, more than what is due unto you. Covetousness involves your heart being chiefly set on the things of this life, and it makes those earthly objects. your chief desire. You must keep your heart with all diligence let the covetous spirit come along and rule and govern you. Covenousness is a sin. You must constantly guard against. It is what we might call a root sin. It leads to all kinds of other sins. It’s a dominant sin in society. I read Jeremiah writing this. God gives us the message here about his own society. Everyone from the least, even to the greatest, is given to covetousness. Jeremiah 8.10. Think about that. All society. Everybody is covetous. Now the reason he gives for this is this. Your life does not consist of the abundance of things that you possess. Your happiness. in comfort, do not depend on having a great deal of earthly possessions. Many have had great abundance are disenchanted and are fretful. King Ahab, despite all the royal treasury he had, the precious gems, the gold, the land, the land grants or deeds, isn’t happy. And why isn’t he happy? Because he covets his neighbor’s vineyard. And when he can’t get it, he mobs like a little child in his bed with his face to the wall. Think about that. Covenous. Covenous. He didn’t have enough. I have to have that vineyard. Prince Haman has accumulated a large amount of wealth due to his position. He can’t be happy. As long as Mordecai and the Jews live and he can’t plunder their possessions. Know your true interest. The very end, an object of your being, the purpose for which God made you was not to amass wealth and possessions. These earthly things can never satisfy your soul or make you happy. Wealth is an illusion. If you think it’s going to bring you happiness, it is an illusion. It will not bring you happiness. Why were you made in the first place? You were made to glorify God. You were made to keep his commandments, to honor him as you live your life. to enjoy him hereafter in heaven. So your contentment, your joy, and your happiness are really wrapped up in fellowship with God. And you can’t be in fellowship with God if you’re pursuing a covetous spirit and chasing after earthly things. This man in our text thoughts were not on Christ’s teaching and on pursuing a better relationship with God,, but on earthly things, which ultimately would not benefit his soul and wouldn’t make him happy. How many gospel heroes are just like this? Man, you can gain the whole world, my friend, but you can lose your soul on doing it. Let me make this observation. Two observations, really. First is this. You are more prone to covetousness than any other sin. It is, as I said, the root sin. Now, why do I say that? Let me ask you something. Why does a man steal? Why do you take your neighbor’s possession? The first thing you do is you coveted. Then you steal them. Why isn’t a man commit adultery? Why is it that he has relations with another man’s wife? First, he covets his wife. and then he commits the adulterate. Why does a man break the Sabbath day? Because he covets the time for himself that is due under God. Think about that. What caused Adam and Eve the fall? Covetousness. They wanted to be like God. They wanted to have his knowledge and authority and be like God. They coveted that. Wars and corals and divisions and endings and evings and disputings and hatreds of all sorts could be traced back to this root cause of covetousness. Isn’t it true that often an enemy country invades another country? To obtain what they possess, may their oil fields, maybe there are sea ports, maybe there are mineral rich and deposits there. Maybe there are gold mines or wealth or something. They want it. You’re more prone to covetousness than any other sense or beware of it. Notice something else here. Let Christ’s warning sink down into your heart. You need to learn what Paul learned. He told us in full of you. Philippians 411, I have learned that whatever state I am in to be content. I’ll think about that in a minute. It didn’t matter whether he was exalted or whether he was abased. He said, I’ve learned to be content and just live with what God has provided. We should pray for more confidence in God’s providence that he will direct affairs for our good and benefit and whatever he gives us will will accept. God has wisely determined the circumstances of your life and is lauded to you certain possessions. we should be content. If you have little, it’s because God did not deem it wise to give you much. If you find things taken away from you, be sure that God has a wise end in taking them away. and he’s still working for your good. Except the hand God has dealt you in this life with good grace and be content with what you have as Hebrews 13-5 says. Well, let me close this morning by saying this. Those two large male deer that locked horns there in Germany so badly that they couldn’t be separated, it ended up killing themselves. It was their death toll to do their death toll. Don’t be like them. Don’t be so greedy. So seeking after earthly things that it brings about the demise of your soul, which it will do in this case. Beware of covetousness. It’s the most dangerous sin. It’s an insidious sin. It’s easily fallen into. Learn to be content as a Christian. I have learned. It’s not something he automatically had, but he learned it. And as Christians, we have to learn the same thing. Be content in life. I think as you get older, you realize that, you know, you’ve tried a million different things, and none of them brought happiness to you. You know, oh, I just have to have this. or I just have to this. Eventually you get to the point where it’s like, well, you don’t really need it. And I don’t need this, or I really don’t. don’t have to have this. And you can live a lot of it. It’s not that big a deal. Hopefully, we learn that earlier in life and don’t pursue things to that end all the time. As I’d say, we can’t have nice things in life, and we can’t have new things. But we have to guard our spirit that had become not an obsession with us. So may these words of Christ be a benefit to our soul this morning.