Luke 12

“When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose Him fiercely and to cross-examine Him about many things; they were lying in wait for Him to trap Him in something He said.  In these circumstances, a crowd of many thousands came together, so that they were trampling on one another.  He began to say to His disciples first: ‘Be on guard against the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known.  Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and whatever you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.’”  Luke 11:53-54, 12:1-3 (HCSB)

Many of you know I have four children.  It is hard to keep kids in line these days.  Growing up, I thought my parents had eyes in the back of our heads, cameras everywhere, and spies all over town.  I was always in trouble!  Eventually, I gave up my sneaky ways.  I don’t know how they did it, but I began to believe the myth that my parents had ESP!

God doesn’t need ESP…He has Omniscience, Omnipresence, Omnipotence, and an unchanging character.  If you are willfully sinning against the Lord, don’t take His silence as a signal that He doesn’t know, care or have the power to rebuke you.

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”  2 Peter 3:9 (NASB)

Things were starting to heat up in the days prior to Jesus’ crucifixion.  In the Galilean countryside, it was more difficult for Jesus’ disciples to be taken aside and personally tempted by the politically savvy Pharisees.  In the close quarters of jam-packed Jerusalem, during the days leading up to Passover, Jesus knew his crew was about to be bombarded.

While all 12 disciples were undoubtedly tempted, we know at least two of Jesus’ close followers caved into the pressure: Peter and Judas Iscariot.  Jesus’ predictions were spot-on.  At least, these are the two offenders whom the Lord immortalized in Scripture.

In the moments before sunrise, Peter denied he knew Jesus three times.  Then, the rooster crowed a second time, signaling the dawn of a new day.  What was hidden was uncovered, and what was said in darkness was heard in the light.

In Luke 22, we learn how Judas was taken aside by the chief priests and paid a sum of money to betray Jesus.  What was whispered in private rooms was declared on the housetops.

There is no secret sin.  The Lord knows everything, and we will have to stand before Him, giving account for our lives.  If you are consciously sinning against the Lord, repent!  Seek forgiveness, denying Satan the pleasure of compounding temptation with overwhelming (possibly life-threatening) guilt.