From the start of his ministry, Jesus’ message challenged his day’s religious and political leadership structures. He taught that faith and trust must flow from the inside out, and gave a wide-ranging set of warnings against a "mismatch between… hearts and lives." Live authentic lives devoted to God, he told his followers.
- In Luke 12, tension between the status quo and God’s kingdom was building. Jesus did two main things: 1) warned his disciples about enemies, and 2) reminded them that God knows and cares about every part of our lives. He challenged his followers, then and now, to avoid a casual, half-hearted faith. How wholehearted is your faith? What does it look like in your life today to follow Jesus whole-heartedly and passionately?
- In verse 34, Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." True security and satisfaction, he taught, came from seeking God first, not from externals like food, clothing or material possessions. How does Jesus’ teaching challenge the ways you think and act about how much security and satisfaction "stuff" can bring you?