1 Peter 1:3-12

Angels are amazing and powerful creatures!  There are different types of angels with different ranks that serve God and the rest of his creation.  Angels are not separate from creation but are a part of it, and when God created them, He created so many that the only number given is “myriads of myriads” (Rev. 5:11).  They are individual persons who are intelligent beings like us, they experience different emotions like us, and they can make their own decisions like we are able to do.[1]

Angels are spiritual beings whose strength and power far supersedes our own.  There is great diversity among the angelic world for there are at least four different types of angels. It seems to me that there is an army of angels who make up the majority who serve a multitude of tasks.  Some of them seem to have been given the mission of guarding people (see Ps. 34:7; 91:11-12; Matt. 18:10; Acts 12:9-15).  Others are deployed to protect nations and people groups; on one such occasion the army of Israel was surrounded and outnumbered by the Syrian army.  The prophet Elisha remained calm while others were terrified.  The prophet told one terrified man who saw the intimidating enemy army around the city, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  What the prophet was able to see the young man was unable to see, so Elisha prayed that God would open his eyes and what the young man was able to see was, “horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”  God delivered the Israelite army that day(see 2 Kings 6:8-23).[2]  In Genesis 19, we learn of the two angels who entered the city of Sodom to rescue Lot and his family, and after they were confronted by the men in the city who wanted to rape them, the angels struck the men with blindness (see Gen. 19:11-29). 

Of the of the other angels described in the Bible, there also exists the cherubim, seraphim, and archangels.  The cherubim are mentioned over 90 times in the Bible and are described as having a body like that of a lion, wings like that of a bird, and a face like that of a human.  In Ezekiel we are given a bit more detail:

“And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies.” (Ezekiel 1:5–11)

Seraphim are another type of angel whose role seems to be to guard the throne of God in heaven; their name literally means, “fiery ones.”  Every time we see them in the Bible, they seem to circle the throne above God.   These angels have six wings, and they call out to one another day and night: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (see Isaiah 6:1-3). 

Then there is the archangel Michael who seems to be the only one of his kind.  This does not mean that there are no other archangels, but Michael is the only one we read about in our Bibles.  The archangel Michael appears to be the leader of God’s angelic army (see Rev. 12:7-9) and is very possibly the same archangel we read about in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17,

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command,

Revelation 1-22

There is no manuscript available for this sermon. If you would like to access this sermon, please view it on our website or facebook page, or listen to the audio available here or through our podcast streaming.

The post “Behold the Lion, the Lamb, and the King” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.

Hebrews 5:11-14

I would like to share some statistics with you that may or may not surprise you.  Did you know that in a survey conducted by Pew Research Center, 65% of adults in the United States identify as Christian, which is down compared to the 81% identified as Christian in 2001?  To break that number down for you, of the 65% who identified as Christian, 43% identified as Protestant while the majority identified as Catholic.  Here are some more statistics I found:

82% of Christians only read their Bibles on Sunday while in church.[1]25% of Christians in America attend church on any given Sunday, which is down 47% since 1990. Of the 25% of American Christians who attend church weekly, only 36% believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. 57% of American Christians believe that other religions can lead to eternal life.1 in 4 American Christians believe the Bible to be a book written by mere men and is not the word of God. Only 22% of American Christians believe the Bible is fully inspired by God through men who were divinely appointed by him.[2]

I have served in some pastoral capacity as an ordained minister for a period for 20 years.  Most of those 20 years have been in three churches.  I have heard from people who left churches, including the ones I have served, that the primary reason why they felt the need to find another church was because they were not being fed.  Of all the statements I have heard over the years, I think, “‘I was not’ or ‘am not’ being fed is at the top of the list.”  Here is what I hear when someone tells me that they left the church they were attending because they were not being fed:

“I do not like the way the pastor preaches.”“I was bored.”“I liked my old pastor better.”“I did not like what the pastor said.”“I did not like the way the pastor led.”“I did not like the pastor.”[3]

I also understand that in some churches, it is a legitimate complaint to say, “I am not getting spiritually fed.”  However, in the church where the Bible is being faithfully taught and preached, which only happens when God’s Word is exposed regularly, then to say that you are not being spiritually fed is not the fault of the pastor or that church.  God always uses his Word to shape his people through the transforming power of his Holy Spirit.  In a letter to a young pastor by the name of Timothy, the apostle Paul wrote: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).  He then charged Timothy with the following words: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:1–2).  The faithful preaching and teaching of the Bible is vitally important in the local church for the shaping of his people to look more like himself. 

So, whose fault is it that the American Church appears to be so spiritually anemic?  How did we arrive at the place where there is little difference between moral behavior of American Christians and secular Americans?  I think it has a lot to do with a discipleship crisis in the Church where Christians do little to none of it in many of our churches today as evidenced by an awareness of what the Great Commission actually is.[4]

There are three scripture passages that I think can help us address what it means to be “spiritually fed” this morning.  I want to use Hebrews 5:11-14 as our primary text, but I also want to spend a little time in 1 Peter 1:22 – 2:3 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (in that order). 

Spiritual Milk is Good for You

The author of Hebrews addresses a problem that was true of some of the Christians he was writing to, and that problem was spiritual immaturity.  The problem some in

Jeremiah 17:3-18

I have heard the phrase, “follow your heart” more times than I am able to count.  The concept of following your heart has been expressed in many different ways.  Another way you can say follow your heart is, “Follow your dreams.”  I think when some people encourage others that they can do whatever they set their mind to is just another way of saying, “Follow your heart.” 

Kidadl is a website platform developed for the purpose of providing a, “digital home of family edutainment, helping parents educate and entertain their kids with trusted, personalized, curated content designed for families the world over.”[1] On November 30, 2021 the Kidadl team published, “100 Best ‘Follow Your Heart’ Quotes to Achieve Your Dreams.”  The list is a collection of quotes from, “…known authors, plus inner voice quotes to help you on your path.”[2]  I thought I would share with you five of the quotes listed:

“Your heart and your instincts are far more reliable than your brain. When you follow your heart, you can be sure you won’t regret it later. Even if you calculate your every move, it’s not like life ever goes according to plan.” – Nithya Menen.

“Make sure that you always follow your heart and your gut, and let yourself be who you want to be, and who you know you are. And don’t let anyone steal your joy.” – Jonathan Groff.

“At the center of your being, you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” – Lao Tzu.

“Only do what your heart tells you.” – Princess Diana.

“Follow your heart a little more and listen to your head a little less.” – Fabiola Francisco.

What does it mean to “follow your heart?”  What it means is that your feelings are the compass of your life that will lead you to the right place in life.  Another quote listed by Gina Greenlee states something a little more balanced: “Follow your heart. Then root its longing with the facts.”  Zack W. Van’s quote is also listed on the website: “Follow your heart, but don’t lose your mind along the way.”  Alfred Adler said something better than the others: “Follow your heart but take your brain with you.”

The passage we are looking at this morning is from Jeremiah 17, which tells us that what the world suggests is your inner compass, the Word of God declares is broken.  According to Jeremiah 17, following your heart as your moral compass will not lead to the place of life and thriving but disappointment.  Jeremiah 17 also provides us the way to find the place of life and thriving. 

Our Inner Compass is Broken

The story of Israel is one of continual failure.  Their story is circular in that although their intention was to do good, they ended up behaving badly.  This is not only Israel’s story; it is ours as well. Jeremiah was written to warn the southern kingdom of Judah that their sins would eventually lead to discipline at the hands of Almighty God.  In fact, Jeremiah 17 begins with these stunning words: “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart.”  In other words, their sin is written on the tablet of their stony hearts.   The problem of Israel is a human problem, and he specifically describes the essence of the human problem in verse 9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick…”. 

To be clear, the reference of the heart in the Bible is a metaphor for the seat of human emotions.  The heart is the inner self, it is the place of feeling as it is also the place that worship flows from.  If you think that this is only an Old Testament problem, you must understand that Jesus said something even more descriptive of the human heart than Jeremiah did.  Here is what Jesus said of the heart: “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a pe

1 Timothy 6:3-10, 17-19

In a study published by GoBankingRates on what Americans worry about most in life, it revealed that one in four Americans said money was the thing they thought about most daily; another one in four Americans spent most of their time thinking about work.  The study revealed that this was pretty consistent across the age groups with the exception of young adults (18-24yrs) and seniors (65+).  Young adults worried about their love life slightly more than they did about money; seniors worried significantly more about health than they did about money.  Every age group feared the need of always having to live paycheck to paycheck and never being able to retire. 

We all agree that we need money to function on some level.  The principle of saving and investing is something we see and read about in the Bible (see Gen. 41 and Prov. 24:27 as an example).  Hard work is not something that is frowned upon in the Scriptures but encouraged (Prov. 10:4-5; 21:5; Col. 3:23-24).  The statement that money is the root of all evil is a misquote of 1 Timothy 6:10, which states: “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils.”

The Gift is not the Giver

One of our favorite restaurants is about three miles from where we used to live in Colorado; the name of the restaurant is 5280 Burger Bar.  It is a special treat when we are able to eat at this restaurant, because it is not cheap and especially because we now live 86 miles away.  Everything from their gourmet burgers, their fresh cut French fries, and even their ketchup is absolutely delicious!  Ask any one of the members of my family what is the best burger place they have eaten at, and they will tell you: “5280 Burger Bar in Westminster, Colorado.” 

What would you think of our 11-year-old son Seth, if he decided that he genuinely loved and valued the burgers of 5280 more than his mother or father?  What if he decided that his life was not complete unless he had a steady diet of 5280 burgers?  What if he genuinely believed and acted as though there was no equal to the love he had for 5280?  At best, you might think that Seth could not possibly be serious.  Or even worse, you might conclude that our child had completely lost his mind.  Why?  Because to confuse the good gift of a burger that his mother and father purchased for him as being better than the one who purchased it makes absolutely no sense.  It makes no sense because the reason why Seth has a warm bed to sleep in, three meals a day, snacks he can choose from throughout the day, and clean clothes to wear every new day is because his mother and father provides those things for him.  To think that a gourmet burger and some really good French fries will do what only his mother and father can do for him is foolish.

The danger lurking in each of our hearts is that we can make good things into ultimate things.  We humans tend to do this with just about every good thing available to us. We do this with relationships, we do this with our children, we do this with work, and we certainly can do this with money.  This is what the Bible calls idolatry.  When we think of idols, we may think of some statue or image, but most idols, as Tim Keller wrote about in his book, Counterfeit Gods, are good things that we make ultimate things.  We make a good thing into an ultimate thing when we believe and act as though it can ultimately satisfy the deepest longings of our soul. 

Money is not inherently evil.  In fact, there are many examples in the Bible of wealthy people who really loved God more than their wealth.  In the New Testament, there is a little letter written to a wealthy man by the name of Philemon who used his home and resources to bless the Church.  In this sermon series, we looked at Job who was one of the most righteous men of his day who was also extremely wealthy.  Then, we have the example of Abraham who was also very wealthy.  The one thing he did not have for most of his life was an heir w

Luke 13:1-9

Is it true that bad things happen to good people?  Are you a good person?  According to a recent poll in America,

3 in 4 Americans believe they are fundamentally a good person.4 in 5 believe humanity is inherently good. 46% believe they are better than everyone else they know.62% agree that anyone can become a better person.43% believe they’re doing all they can to improve.70% of evangelicals agree that people are basically good.

Nearly half of all Americans believe that they are better than everyone else.  How does one decide what it is that makes a person good?  When people were asked what makes a person good, here were some of their responses:

Julia said that a good person cares out of a moral responsibility, for no other reason, because they can. David believes that a good person keeps an open mind about the opinion of others.Doso thinks that a good person keeps his/her bad side on a leash.Alisha thinks that being loyal and faithful, and 100% available when needed is what makes a person good.According to Anubhav, living your life in a way where you “never ever hurt people or animals” makes you a good person. Rafael is convinced that a good person is the type who: set boundaries, is always nice, always contributes, never gloats, and is non-responsive to haters.

By what standard ought we to use to judge if a person is good nor not?  Every culture has its own standard, and it seems that such standards share some things in common but are mostly subjective.  In Jesus’ day, people had the same type of questions we do today, just in different dress.  It is the age-old question that people have been asking since long ago: “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

Who is the Good Person?

There were some who were listening to Jesus’ teaching from the previous chapter on what it may cost a person to follow him and obey God.  It is in light of what Jesus said that the question was raised about some Galilean Jews who were murdered while worshiping God.  We do not know much about the atrocity referred to, but it was an order from Pontius Pilate that was most likely carried out on Passover in the temple while Galilean pilgrims offered their Passover sacrifice.  Pilate’s soldiers slaughtered these Galilean men as they were offering their sacrifice to God, which resulted in the mixing of their blood with the blood of the lambs they offered in worship to God.  The way these men died was thought by those who asked the question to be the result of sins committed by the Galilean pilgrims.  The thought was that such a horrible thing would never happen if the Galilean men were innocent. 

There is a principle in Scripture of “Sowing and Reaping.”  We see it throughout the Bible where a person’s sin against God and his commandments results in some form of discipline or retribution from him.  The apostle Paul taught on this principle in his letter to the Galatians:

Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:6–10)

However, the atrocity suffered by the Galilean pilgrims did not mean that it happened because they did something wrong, or were guilty of some sort of hidden sin.  The horrible nature in which these men died was not an indicator of some type of horrible sin they were guilty of.  The principle of sowing and reaping is not applicable in every circumstance of a person’s life.  Therefore, Jesus answered: “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffere

Job 42:1-6

I have read that the philosopher Aristotle believed that there were two certainties in life: first, the universe is always changing, so that what is today is never the same tomorrow.  Secondly, that everything that happens to you today is turning you into the person you are becoming.  Although Aristotle was a pagan who did not know the God of the Bible we read today, he was able to see that there was purpose and meaning in life.  Bill Gates believes that a rigid view that there is purpose behind everything that happens is potentially hurtful and not always true.  In a blog post he wrote titled, “Not Everything Happens for a Reason”, Gates admits: “On one hand, it’s nihilistic to think that every outcome is simply random. I have to believe that the world is better when we act morally, and that people who do good things deserve a somewhat better fate on average than those who don’t.”[1]

Some call what Bill Gates described in his blog as “Karma.”  Karma is the belief that every action of the individual influences the future of that individual.  According to Karma, good deeds lead to good karma and a possible better afterlife, while bad deeds or poor character contributes to bad karma and a possible bad afterlife; it is a type of spiritual philosophy of cause and effect that finds its roots in Hinduism.  In an American poll that was published on October 19, 2021, 31% of its respondents stated that they believe very strongly in the concept of karma, 34% stated that they believe in karma somewhat strongly, while only 10% of Americans stated that they don’t believe in karma at all. 

Others respond to the circumstances of life by attributing both the good and the bad that one may experience, to luck.  Luck is the positive, negative, or improbable thing or circumstance that happens at any time due to random chance.  Some understand luck to be some mysterious force or power attributed to a person, object, type of behavior, or symbol.  Luck is a concept that is also a strongly held belief by Americans.   

The Life of Job

For starters, before we learn any of the “bad” things that happened to Job, we are told in the very first verse, “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.”  The second thing that we learn about Job is that he seemed to be a happily married man, the father of seven sons and three daughters, and was very wealthy.  It also seems that Job deeply loved his children because we are told that he rose early every morning to offer burnt offerings for each of his children just in case they sinned against God the day before (this was the system God had set up for his people to atone for their sins before Jesus’ death on the cross).  

Within a day, Job lost just about everything he held dear in his life.  There was no warning sign, Job didn’t do anything bad nor did any in his family do anything to cause Job’s loss.  Everything also happened in such a way, that it would have appeared to have little to do with chance.  Here is what we are told happened in a single day to Job:

Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and

2 Corinthians 11:21b-33; 12:8-10

Are you familiar with the poem: “Footsteps in the Sand”?  There is no real consensus as to who authored the poem nor is there any consensus regarding the date it was written.  Based on the little evidence that is available, it is possible that it was written as early as the 1800’s, but it didn’t receive much attention until after it was formally published in 1978.  It has been used across denominational lines, been included on countless memorial service programs and recited in funerals around the world.  Most notably, a variant of “Footprints” was cited by the late President Reagan on February 5th at the 1981 National Prayer Breakfast.  If you are unfamiliar with the poem, permit me to share it with you:

One night a man had a dream.He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord.Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand:one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord.When the last scene of his life flashed before him,he looked back at the footprints in the sand.He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints.He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.“Lord, You said that once I decided to follow you,You’d walk with me all the way.But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life,there is only one set of footprints.I don’t understand why, when I needed you most, you would leave me.”The Lord replied,“My son, My precious child, I love you and I wouldnever leave you. During your times of trial andsuffering, when you see only one set of footprints,it was then that I Carried You.”

In the darkest and hardest times, does the Lord carry his people through such experiences, and if he does, what does it mean that he carries us through the seasons of suffering and trials in our lives?

Is it true that God will not give you more than you can handle?  There are two passages that Christians have used to support such a view.  One verse is from the Old Testament and the other is from the New Testament.  The New Testament verse is from 1 Corinthians 10:13, which is about the temptation we often experience to sin against God: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).  The point Paul was making in this verse is that the Christian will never find himself in a situation where he or she will have no other option but to sin. 

The Old Testament passage is found in Deuteronomy 1:30-31 in which Moses reminded the Hebrew people of the faithfulness of God.  Here is what Moses wrote: “The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place” (Deuteronomy 1:30–31).  Think for a moment how God led his people.  He led them by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, he often strengthened his people when faced by their enemies so that they could defeat them, he fed them mana for food and brought forth water from a rock, but while doing all those things and more, he never exempted them from the difficulty and suffering experienced in the wilderness.  This seems to be a theme in the Bible regarding the people God loves… especially when we consider the apostle Paul’s life.

Paul Endured Much Suffering (11:16 – 12:6)

One of the things Paul felt that it was necessary to do for the Corinthians church was to defend his role as an apostle of Jesus Christ.  There were people inserting themselves into the Corinthian Church like a virus to undermine the gospel wo

Romans 5:6-11

I read a story this week about a Caelie Wilkes who wouldn’t let anyone care for her “succulent” plant.  Succulent plants require a lot of water.  This presents a unique need which only a handful of other plants also represent.  So, what does this have to do with Caelie Wilkes’ succulent plant? 

Caelie Wilkes was so determined to maintain what she believed to be a perfect plant that she would not let anyone else water the plant because she even had a plan for the way she watered it.  Wilkes said of her plant, “I was so proud of this plant. It was full, beautiful coloring, just an overall perfect plant … I had a watering plan for it, if someone else tried to water my succulent I would get so defensive because I just wanted to keep good care of it. I absolutely loved my succulent.” 

Eventually, Wilkes decided that it was time to transplant her plant into a larger vase so that it could continue to grow.  When she tried to remove her beautiful succulent plant from its vase, she was shocked to discover that the reason why it looked so perfect was because it was plastic.  Wilkes said of her discovery: “I put so much love into this plant! I washed its leaves. Tried my hardest to keep it looking it’s best, and it is completely plastic! How did I not know this? I pull it from the container it’s sitting on … Styrofoam with sand glued to the top!”

Some of you may have assumptions about what is in the Bible, thinking that they are actually found in the Bible, but all you have is something plastic and not real.  It looks real, but it has no life.  One such assumption is the belief that God helps those who help themselves.  One poll shows that 53% of Americans believe that that statement is true and about 81% believe that it came from the Bible.  I know from my own experience that I have heard Christians say this phrase numerous times.  But the question is whether or not it is actually true. 

God Helps the Helpless

In Romans 5:6-11, we are told that when it came to our need to be forgiven of our sins and to be reconciled to the God we have sinned against, God pursued us while we were weak (v. 6).  The Greek word used in verse 6 for “weak” is asthenēs which can also be translated powerless; the point is that Paul is describing a person whose condition is helpless.  This my friend, is the story of the Bible.  

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God and called to manage the Garden by the Creator Himself.  God concluded each day of Creation by declaring His creative acts “good,” but only after the creation of man and woman in His image did He ever say that what he created was “very good.”

There was harmony in creation like a marriage made in Heaven, but all of that ended in Genesis 3 when Adam bit into the forbidden fruit.  Adam and Eve rebelled against God, which brought disunity into what was once a creation unified within itself. The only creature created in the image of the Creator rebelled and declared his intention to usurp the authority of God and oppose him.  This is why Paul uses the word, “enemy” to describe the state of every person before faith in Jesus as the one who died for the forgiveness of sins (Romans 5:10).  

After Adam and Eve ate of the fruit, their innocence was stripped away. They sewed fig leaves together to cover their newfound shame over their newly realized nakedness and hid from God. Since that fateful day in the garden, our world has been characterized by shame and hiding. Adam’s sin resulted in a curse upon all creation.  Adam and Eve hid from the presence of God in the Garden; God did not wait until Adam and Eve were ready or willing to help themselves.  In fact, they tried to help themselves by sowing fig leaves to cover their nakedness and shame but came up short in remedying their problem.  God sought them, found them, provided what only he could give them, and then promised them the same Savior Paul mentions in Romans 5. 

It is in Genesis 3:15-16 that God prom

Luke 12:22-34

Last year at this time I thought that there was a good chance that the pandemic would be behind us.  Maybe we are entering an endemic?  Who knows what things will be like next Christmas.  Just about everything on TV and what I find on social media reminds me of some of my favorite demotivational posters.  I would like to share four of them with you:

What Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 12:32 is his encouragement that the experience of suffering, the fight against our own sin, and the perseverance through the uncertainties of life is worth it.  What is the context of Jesus’ encouragement to his disciples?  In Luke 12:1-3, Jesus warned how the hypocrisy of the Pharisees religious posturing would eventually be exposed.  In verses 4-12, Jesus encouraged his disciples that death in this life is not the worst thing a person can experience and that what matters is not what people can do to you, but what God thinks of you.  In verses 13-21, Jesus told a parable to show the folly of seeking bigger bank accounts in this life without considering the reality that eternity is forever.  Then in verses 22-31, reminded his disciples that the God who loves them not only is aware of their circumstances but cares deeply for them and has their good at the center of his will. 

Think especially about what Jesus said to his disciples in verses 22-31.  Could there be any other passage that is more relevant than this for the days that we find ourselves in?  Jesus said, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.  For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing” (vv. 22-23).  If God is able to take care of the rest of creation, don’t you think that he will take care of the pinnacle of his creation, that is the one creature that exclusively bears his image on the earth?  Jesus warns us just before he encourages us: “Do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.  For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them” (vv. 29-30).  In other words, do not lose sleep over the things you have no control over, but instead… look to the One who does have control over the circumstances of your life.  One commentator said of these verses, “Our worries reveal the object of our worship…”[1]

At the heart of what Jesus says in these verses is who it is we worship and who it is we ultimately trust.  These verses do not exempt us from the responsibility of hard work but they do call us to trust the one who has numbered our days and gifted us another day.  Peter Chrysologus, a bishop in the Church in the 400’s, said of Jesus’ words in Luke 12, “The flock is little in the eyes of the world, but great in the eyes of God.”[2]  The Church is little in the eyes of the world, but greatly loved by the God who created all things! 

God in his generosity has given us himself, he has given us his Son, he has given us his Spirit, and he has given us to engage his mission in the world.  “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  In what way has God given us the kingdom? 

God Gives the Kingdom of Heaven

When we die, we immediately are judged and are either cast into a hell that Jesus describes as a place of utter darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (see Matt. 13:50; 2 Cor. 5:8) or welcomed into heaven.  There is no such thing as purgatory or an in-between time where you can get out of the punishment of hell on good conduct.  Your faith and trust in Jesus, or the lack of, will result in the rest of your experience in an eternity on the other side of your short life.  The Bible states quite clearly what happens right after we die: “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27).  While in prison and unsure if he would be executed by the Roman Empire for his faith, the apostle Paul wrote in a letter