JASON MARTIN / General Adult
Luke 12:16–21
Read Luke 12:16-21;
We live in a world where people pretend that everything is subjective. A world where there is no ultimate Truth - but instead my truth and your truth. I think that’s why I enjoy working with numbers. 2 + 2 = 4 no matter what our opinion is. And this truth exists regardless of mankind. Even before we were created, 2 plus 2 still equaled 4. Before the first numeral was ever written down, there existed One God.
I’d like to suggest that the Creator of the universe is also into math and numbers...
We see Him working through -
1. Acts 2:47 “47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
2. Matthew 6:33 “33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
3. 1 Corinthians 3:6 “6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
a. He is the One who adds what matters -
i. people,
ii. provision,
iii. growth
But He doesn’t only add - He also subtracts....
1. Mark 4:25 “25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.””
2. Job 1:21 “21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.””
3. John 15:2 “2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
But sometimes God multiplies, and even tells us to...
1. Genesis 1:28 “28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.””
2. Exodus 1:12 “12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.”
3. Acts 6:7 “7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.”
4. 2 Corinthians 9:10 “10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.”
But because sin cannot exist in His Presence - He also divides
1. Genesis 1:4 “4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.”
2. Matthew 25:32 “32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”
3. Luke 12:51 “51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”
Notice that the division is always light from darkness - good from evil. He is forcing people to choose sides....follow Him or something else. He DOES NOT call for division within His Body. Scripture makes clear that He want unity within the Church - and for it to be separated (divided) from the world and it’s influences.
God is not random - He is precise.
He adds what we cannot produce
He subtracts what we refuse to surrender
He multiplies what we place in His hands
He divides what must be separated
Imagine a couple sitting at their table late at night....
bills spread out.....
calendar full.....
plans written down.....
They’re doing the math - on their life.....
They say;
‘if we can just work a little more....’ (addition)
‘if we cut this out of our budget.....’ (subtraction)
‘if we invest over here and grow this......’ (multiplication)
‘if we separate ourselves from the wrong people...’ (division)
and on paper - it works.....
the numbers add up......
But their marriage is falling apart.....
their kids never see them....
their souls are dry....
they have no rest......
WHY?
Because God’s not in the equation.....
In Luke 12:16-21, Jesus tells us about a man who did all the math right....
He said - I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones.....
I’ll store up more....
I’ll finally rest.....
Perfect strategy
perfect plan
perfect math......
and God says “you fool”.....
“this night your soul is required of you.....”
We can get all the numbers right
and still get our lives wrong.
We can build it, grow it, organize it, and optimize it......
and still hear God say -
“I was never in it”
The God of the universe is not impressed by our calculations....
He’s after our surrender.
Because when He’s actually in it -
He can do more with our division than we can with our own multiplication......
He can do more with our subtraction than we can with our own additions......
But without Him?.....
even our best math equals zero....
I hope you’re encouraged by this today,
until next time - God bless.
Exported from Logos Bible Study, 8:48 AM June 26, 2026.