Luke 12, 13, 14

Luke 12, 13, 14

Overview:  Mostly teaching by Jesus either directly or by way of parables.  Jesus offering instruction on the kingdom of God.

Some interesting interactions with Pharisees.  "At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, 'Get away from here for Herod wants to kill you.'"(13:31)  Worth noting that there are some Pharisees who seem to be concerned for Jesus well being.  The Pharisees often come across as opponents of Jesus, sometime almost to the point of caricature; this helps with some sense of balance.  Jesus eats at the home of Pharisees and, again, here they seem to have his best interest at heart.
Jesus offers a number of ways to approach thinking on the kingdom of God throughout this reading.  Luke 12 in particular offers strong distinctions between the things that are important in the world and the things that are important in the kingdom of God.  Too often, Jesus teaches, we are consumed with worry over things that are not worth the time, effort or stress.  God has a plan and has our best interest in mind, but something within us either does not trust this or just cannot help worrying.  "'And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life.'"(12:25)  The question is as relevant for us today as it was when Jesus first said it.