Warning Against Hypocrisy
Meanwhile, thousands and thousands of people had come together, so many that they were stepping on each other in the crowd. Jesus turned first to his followers and began teaching them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees," he said, "which is their fake religious behavior. Nothing that is covered up will stay hidden forever—everything will eventually be brought out into the open. Nothing that is secret will remain secret—it will all be revealed. Whatever you have said in darkness will be heard in broad daylight, and whatever you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the rooftops for everyone to hear."
Whom to Fear
Jesus looked at his friends and said, "Listen to me carefully. Don't be afraid of people who can kill your body, because after they do that, there's nothing more they can harm. But let me tell you who you really should fear. Fear the One who has the power to kill you and then throw your soul into hell. Yes, that's who you should fear. "Think about this: you can buy five little sparrows for just two small coins, can't you? Those birds are almost worthless in the marketplace. But God doesn't forget even one of those tiny sparrows. He knows and cares about every single one. And you—God knows you so completely that he has counted every hair on your head. Every single one. "So don't be afraid. You are worth so much more to God than many sparrows."
Confessing Christ Before Men
Jesus said to them, "I'm telling you the truth: if someone openly declares their faith in me in front of other people, then I, the Son of Man, will openly declare my faith in that person when I stand before God's angels. But if someone refuses to acknowledge me in front of others, then that person will be refused acknowledgment when they stand before God's angels. Everyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven for those words. But anyone who speaks evil things against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. When you are dragged before the synagogue leaders, government officials, and those in power, don't spend time worrying about how you'll defend yourself or what words you'll use to answer them. When that moment comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you exactly what you need to say."
The Parable of the Rich Fool
Someone in the crowd spoke up and said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to share our father's inheritance with me." But Jesus answered him, "Friend, who made me a judge to settle disputes between you and your brother?" Then Jesus turned to address everyone there. "Be careful," he warned them. "Guard yourselves against all kinds of greed, because a person's life isn't measured by how much stuff they own." Then Jesus told them this story: "There was a wealthy man whose farmland produced an enormous harvest. He stood looking at all his crops and wondered to himself, 'What am I going to do? I don't have enough room to store all of this.' "Then he came up with a plan. 'I know what I'll do,' he said to himself. 'I'll tear down my storage barns and build much bigger ones. Then I'll have plenty of space to store all my grain and everything else I own. After that, I can relax and tell myself: You've got enough good things stored up to last for many years. Now you can take life easy—eat well, drink well, and enjoy yourself!' "But that very night, God spoke to him: 'You fool! Tonight you're going to die. So tell me—who's going to get all these things you've piled up?'" Jesus concluded, "This is exactly what happens to anyone who spends their life accumulating wealth for themselves but never becomes rich in the things that matter to God."
Do Not Worry
Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "This is why I tell you: stop worrying about your life—what you're going to eat, or about your body—what you're going to wear. Life means more than just food, and your body is worth more than clothing. Look at the ravens flying around. They don't plant seeds or harvest crops. They don't have storage rooms or barns where they keep food. But God feeds them anyway. And you are worth so much more than birds! Can any of you add even one hour to your life by worrying about it? If you can't do something as small as that, then why do you worry about everything else? Think about how wildflowers grow. They don't work hard or make their own clothes. But I'm telling you, even King Solomon wearing his most magnificent robes was never dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. Now, if God dresses up the grass in the fields so wonderfully—grass that's here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow—how much more will he take care of clothing you! You have such little faith. Don't spend your time worrying about what you'll eat or what you'll drink. Don't be anxious about these things. People everywhere who don't know God chase after all this stuff, but your Father already knows you need these things. Instead, make God's kingdom your top priority, and he will give you everything else you need. Don't be afraid, my little flock. Your Father is delighted to give you his kingdom. Sell what you own and give the money to people who are poor. Get yourselves money bags that will never wear out—treasure stored up in heaven that will last forever, where no thief can steal it and no moth can eat holes in it. Because wherever you put your treasure, that's where your heart will be too."
Watchfulness
Keep yourselves ready for action and keep your lights burning bright. Be like servants who are waiting for their master to come home from a wedding celebration, so that when he arrives and knocks on the door, they can immediately open it for him. How fortunate are those servants whose master finds them awake and watching when he returns! I tell you the truth: he will put on an apron, seat them at his table, and serve them dinner himself. Even if he comes home in the middle of the night or just before dawn and finds them still alert and ready, those servants will be truly blessed. But think about this: if a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was planning to break in, he would stay awake and not allow his house to be robbed. In the same way, you must stay ready, because the Son of Man will arrive at a time when you least expect him.
The Faithful and Wise Manager
Peter spoke up and asked, "Lord, are you telling this story just for us, or for everyone listening?" Jesus answered him by asking a question in return: "Who is the faithful and wise manager that a master would put in charge of his household servants, trusting him to give them their food at the right times? How blessed is that servant when his master comes home and finds him doing exactly what he was supposed to do. I tell you the truth—the master will put that faithful servant in charge of everything he owns. "But what if that same servant thinks to himself, 'My master is going to be gone for a very long time,' and then starts beating the other servants, both men and women? What if he begins eating and drinking too much and getting drunk? That servant's master will return on a day when he doesn't expect it and at a time he never saw coming. The master will punish him severely and give him the same fate as those who are unfaithful. "The servant who knows what his master wants but doesn't prepare himself or do what he was told will receive a harsh beating. But the servant who doesn't know his master's wishes and does wrong things will receive a lighter beating. Everyone who has been given much will have much expected of them in return. And anyone who has been trusted with much will have even more demanded of them."
Not Peace But Division
"I have come to set a fire burning across the earth, and oh, how I long for it to be already blazing! But I must first go through a baptism of suffering, and I am deeply troubled until it is finished! Do you think I came to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you—I came to bring division instead. From this time forward, families of five will be split apart, with three standing against two and two against three. They will be divided—father opposing son and son opposing father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Interpreting the Times
Jesus turned to the crowds and said, "When you see clouds forming in the west, you immediately say, 'Rain is coming,' and sure enough, it rains. When you feel the wind blowing from the south, you say, 'It's going to be a hot day,' and it is. You pretenders! You're so good at reading the signs in the sky and predicting the weather. So why can't you understand what's happening right now in these times we're living in? And why don't you figure out for yourselves what's right? "Listen carefully: if someone has a complaint against you and you're both heading to court, do everything you can to settle things with that person while you're still on the way to see the judge. If you don't, that person will drag you before the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the court officer, and the officer will throw you in jail. I'm telling you the truth—you won't get out of that prison until you've paid back every last cent you owe."