How is everyone doing? Are we UNAFRAID yet?? It seems that there is more and more to be concerned about these days, isn’t there? I mean, there is nothing like a politically charged election in the middle of a global pandemic to set a person’s teeth on edge!!

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A horror movie could do no better than what we’ve got going on right now!

Before we dive into today’s reading, the question to be asking yourself as you read is this:

HOW DOES FEARING THE LORD REDUCE OTHER FEARS???

Luke 12:4-7 (Jesus speaking)

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those that kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

NIV

The book of Luke is written by Luke, a physician. He writes his letter to present an accurate account of the life of Christ and to present Him as the Savior. He was not Jewish, but instead a Gentile, so his writing is not swayed by any Jewish tradition: just facts based on observation.

Sounds like a doctor-way of thinking, doesn’t it?

In the chapter that precedes this passage, Jesus is teaching His disciples many things such as how to pray, about a house divided not being able to stand, about the Son of Man being a miraculous sign that will not be believed, about letting your Light within shine, about the importance of cleanliness on the inside instead of ritualistic cleansing that only affects the outside, and finally a warning about hypocrisy: why do we worry about the judgment of man more than the judgment of God?

Being hypocritical means to live a self-serving life.

It reduces faith to rigid rules.

It means that looking good is better than actually being good.

What makes it hypocritical is that a person vehemently protests that this is how they live. They blatantly deny that they are self-serving. They may instead claim that they are God-serving.

Non-Christians are constantly watching Christians for signs of hypocrisy. They watch for anything that contradicts what they perceive is written in the Bible to be true.

In all truth, they may read the Bible out of an effort to be more aware of what is written in it to watch for in order to condemn a believer.

In all truth, they may be more aware of what the Bible says than the Christian does because they are actually reading it more than a Christian is.

That is a sobering thought, is it not?

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As Christians, we should be as educated -or more so than- as those who oppose us. Can we say we are?

As Christians, our life should emulate the One our “name” reflects? Can we honestly say it does?

Does our life “look” like Christ if our “Christian-eze” begins and ends on a Sunday?

Does it even begin and end on a Sunday now that most churches are meeting virtually or do you find it is getting easier and easier to not tune in weekly for a Biblical lesson given by a person chosen and anointed to teach you?

Are we more concerned with what we look like on the outside than what God is trying to reveal, cleanse, purge, prune, or weed out on the inside?

Fear of opposition or ridicule can weaken our witness for Christ. Often we cling to comfort or peace, even at the cost of our walk with Christ.

NIV Life Application Study Bible Note

It is time to go reread our passage with that thought on your mind!

What stands out??

1. In a day where so many people are afraid of what or who can harm the body, it is interesting that Jesus very clears says to NOT BE AFRAID.

When Jesus is speaking, He is able to do so in a three-fold way:

• the Jews of that day were under severe oppression from the Romans. The threat of imprisonment, torture, or death was constantly on their threshold. Jesus knew they needed great encouragement to stand up UNAFRAID of those who could harm them physically.
• Jesus also knew that the persecution of Christians was going to get worse after His death. Everything He said to the disciples was for a reason: a lesson and a warning. He would want them to recall this teaching later when their very lives were being threatened because of their belief in Him.
• Jesus was speaking to US. He knew we would need this lesson, as well, because ALL those who believe in Him would need the reminder to NOT BE AFRAID during difficult times.

The Jews were facing literal, physical threat to their bodies from the Romans.

We, in 2020, are facing literal, physical threat to our bodies due to Covid-19 and the social implications from it.

There are those, in 2020, that fear they are at risk for physical harm from those that have different beliefs than they do.

Fear is a funny thing.

You do not have to agree with others that something is scary…it does not have to be scary to you…BUT IT STILL IS REALISTIC AND SCARY TO THEM.

Fear is SUBJECTIVE not OBJECTIVE.

Fear is PERSONAL.

Most of the time, fear is about ME and not about YOU.

So, Jesus says, in the light of real fear about physical harm being done to you, DO NOT BE AFRAID of them or what they can do.

What they can do is limited to this physical world.

I have no interest in suffering before I die anymore than the rest of you do, so we need to think on this one some more…why should we NOT be afraid of what someone or something can do to our physical forms? Even if it stops at the physical…it still HURTS…right?

I believe it is because Jesus is talking about something called PERSPECTIVE.

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Jesus says, DO NOT BE AFRAID of them…instead you need to think about being afraid of this ~ the One who “deals” with you after you die.

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Well…that sure isn’t a topic people like to talk about much….death and what happens AFTER death.

Maybe we like to think about heaven as floating on clouds with little angels playing harps while we eat an unlimited amount of calorie-free but still full fat ice cream with all our friends and family joyfully around us as the ultimate paradise.

If that were the case, and everyone who ever walked this earth (the good, the bad, and the ugly) joined us there….then where is JUSTICE? where is the need for JESUS?

Jesus came to offer us a way to eternity with Him because JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED. We all need to be accountable to the condition of our heart –how clean is it- in comparison to how good we looked on the outside.

Jesus says, do not be afraid of them…instead be afraid of Him…

2. Fear the One who has the power to throw you into hell…

Wow. Again. This is a tough thing to read…to write…to talk about. But it is the PERSPECTIVE WE NEED IN OUR PRESENT SUFFERING.

Why do we worry so much about this life with having so little thought given to the afterlife?

The measure of the projected life span of a person is 80 years. This 80 years is being compared to ETERNITY. That looks like an inch on a timeline compared to infinity.

Everything we do in the here and now reflects into eternity…whether it is spent in glory or not. WE have a choice…but boy, do people NOT like being forced to make a decision.

I have to BELIEVE in Christ in order to receive the gifts of God???

Yes, you do. It is the way it is.

Why? Because of JUSTICE.

If all people were to receive the gifts promised by God without believing in Him, then how do you account for the reasoning behind the people YOU do not feel worthy and yet they still receive? Are you the judge who determines ownership of salvation? Do you really want that responsibilty?

If all get in…then all get in. Period.

Doesn’t sound fair, does it? Especially when you think about how there are really awful people out there….I bet those people think they are deserving of good things too, you know?

We should think about it more often….the length of eternity. Our end destination for that length of time. The One who makes the decision of where we go based on what is NOT seen by others- which is the condition of our hearts. Why believing in Jesus and an eternity with Him is worth the heart change by Him. How merciful and just God is. That Jesus paid the penalty for our sins so we would not have to in eternity.

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So, Jesus says, do not be afraid of them, be afraid of Him.

Proverbs 14:7

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.

ESV

3. Remember the sparrows…

The perspective offered by Jesus is expanded when He describes the character of God.

He reminds us of the wonder of creation by mentioning the sparrows. He reminds us that God is intimately involved with all aspects of what He created: He knows the number of hairs on your head.

Look at the order in creation and notice the lack of chaos. Think of the seasons and the magnificent changing of them quarterly. Think of the power of the weather and the obvious restraint showed in it. Think of the vastness of the universe and our small planet held in perfect proportion to the sun to maintain our rotation and gravity.

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IF HE CARES SO MUCH ABOUT ALL THAT….THE SPARROWS….THINK HOW MUCH HE CARES FOR AND REMEMBERS YOU.

DO NOT BE AFRAID for you are worth more than the sparrows.

You may feel threatened. You may feel your very life is in danger.

Perhaps you have an illness that is untreatable.

Perhaps you are in an abusive relationship and feel there is nowhere out.

Perhaps you are held captive by an addiction that is ruining every aspect of your life.

Perhaps you are a person that is rejected, oppressed, or even hated because you are different on the outside than the “average majority” seems to be.

Perhaps you have been socially “cancelled” for your beliefs.

DO NOT BE AFRAID of them….of those that could harm you…of those that do harm you.

Instead, think about this:

2 Corinthians 4:17

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

NIV

I realize that personal harm, physical or emotional threats, or illness do not seem neither light nor momentary...but in an eternal perspective…they are.

The Apostle Paul, who wrote Corinthians, was beaten, imprisoned, and ultimately killed for his refusal to conform to society’s rules of acceptance. He refused to stop speaking of the glory and wonder of salvation in Jesus Christ.

I doubt his troubles felt light when he was whipped.

I doubt his troubles seemed momentary as he waited for his execution.

Yet, he maintained FOCUS on what was to come…an eternity with Christ.

Jesus said DO NOT BE AFRAID, keep your focus on the One WHO CARES FOR YOU MORE THAN HE DOES EVEN THE SMALLEST THING IN CREATION.

Fear the Lord and accept the fountain of life….

Fear the Lord and turn away from the snares of death.

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