Luke 12:54-56 54And he also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘A rainstorm is coming.’ And so it happens. 55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be hot,’ and it happens. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to test this present time?
Jesus turns his focus to the crowds who were listening in to the more specific instructions he gave to the disciples. Just like when Jesus addressed the disciples and the crowds listened in, now the disciples can listen as the crowds are addressed. The disciples need to heed the warning Jesus gives to the crowd. The people had heard what Jesus had been teaching. He had proclaimed the coming kingdom and the need to repent and believe, just like John the Baptist. Yet, their hearts had remained hardened in unbelief. The people were following the way of the Pharisees, whose teaching had infiltrated people’s thinking like leaven in bread (verses 1-3). Jesus makes it clear through an illustration that the evidence of God’s kingdom was right in front of them.
People of all times and locations learn the signs of the weather. Jesus describes two major weather patterns for the land of Israel. When the wind comes from the Mediterranean Ocean, it will bring moisture, clouds, and rain. When the wind comes from the south and the desert region, it will be hot and dry. The wind can tell a lot of things to people.
The point is clear about the weather, but what about the wind of the Spirit? The crowd had enough evidence to know God was working in their midst, but they refused to believe. Jesus calls them hypocrites like the Pharisees in verse 1. A hypocrite knows the truth but tries to up on a false face and live a different way. The Holy Spirit has convicted the person, but he or she refused to repent and change.
The Spirit witnesses to Jesus through prevenient grace, drawing people towards the light of Jesus. But people would rather live in the darkness of their own desires and agendas. They find more comfort in being in control than releasing themselves to the life of faith and trust in Jesus. The people listening to Jesus at this point had all the evidence they needed to believe and follow him. But they found more comfort in their old ways because they had become enslaved to sin and blinded to their need to repent. Sin and self can do this to people. Much of the world today has enough evidence to heed the kingdom call, but sadly, many live in hypocrisy and self-fulfillment rather than experience the peace and joy that comes in following Jesus.
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