Fear Not, Little Flock

Introduction

As a college student, I spent some time in China on missions, sharing the gospel with college students. On the way back through Beijing, our team had a day to do a few touristy things. We went to the Great Wall of China, a jade factory, and the pearl market, and Olympic plaza. However, we also went to a harrowing place - Tiananmen Square.

Share Tiananmen Square history. Student protestors in the late eighties were massacred by the Chinese government.

We drove past Tiananmen square and drove a short distance past it into a subdivision of beautiful houses and some shops. We got out of the car, and we walked up to a particular shop.

As we walked inside, beautiful Chinese artwork hung all over the walls. The owner of the shop ushered is inside - he knew we were coming. He closed the door, and he opened up his attic.

We climbed into his attic, where hundreds if not thousands of pieces of Christian artwork hung. I selected two pieces. Koi - fishers of men. Sparrows - Matthew passage that syncs with this one.

It was hard for me to wrap my mind around the beautiful Christian artwork in his attic just a short distance from Tianenman Square.

How do we reconcile such artwork that represents such joy and solace while knowing that it was painted so close to a place of heartbreak.

How do we reconcile someone as beautiful as Jesus. His love for us. His care for us. The solace that he provides to us…with that absolute brokenness of the world around us.

You can find beauty, joy, peace, and live even in the worst of life circumstances.

Read Luke 12:22-34.

Explanation

I have spend much of the last two weeks in hospitals, in funeral homes, and on phone calls with people who are having some of the worse weeks of their lives. I have spent more time in hospitals lately than I have since I have been at VBC. I don’t think it a mistake, that as I have planned out sermons over a year in advance, that the Lord has this Word for us this morning.

Luke 12:22 “And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.

Anxiety

Greek word, “merimnao”. It general means to care for something, but more specifically, it means to be intent on something or to strive after something. One ancient Greek usage of the word refers to a hound after a scent. To search for something until it is found.

In the case of anxiety, it is the continual pursuit of losing something.

We grow worried that we are going to lose something. Whether that is a family member to cancer, our job, our health, or our child’s well-being.

We need to stop and talk about anxiety for a minute. I cannot address all of it, but I hope to preach extensively on anxiety one day due to how prevalent it is in our culture. I want to say three things:

I have heard pastors or spiritual leaders say, “If you are anxious, you just aren’t praying enough or hard enough.” I think that is really wrong and harmful.

My two minute starting point on anxiety:

We must treat anxiety holistically.

It is vitally important that you find rest in the Lord through prayer, reading of God’s word, and meditation upon Him. He is the ultimate solve for what troubles you.

However, sometimes our lifestyles can cause an increase in anxiety so we must address the way we live - the food we eat, exercise, being outside, and spending time in community.

And sometimes, we need extra help. So we may need to go to counselling or take medication for a season. That’s ok.

We at VBC are here for you ALWAYS if you need to talk and get pointed in the right direction.

Jesus talks about life’s basics in this passage - not the trappings of wealth.

Food, health, and clothes are the most basic needs we have.

In fact, you may not have ever had to worry about food or health or clothes.

We could maybe even say “general well-being.”

Jesus’ counter to their worry is interesting.

Luke 12:23–24 “For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!”

Something bigger is at play. Before Jesus talks shop, he frames the message around something bigger.

Your life is bigger than food, clothes, and health. Long after you will no longer need food, clothes, and health, you will need Jesus. And others will need Jesus.

Jesus gives an object lesson - ravens.

Ravens don’t worry about food, yet God feeds them.

You are more valuable than many birds - how much more will God care for you.

The reason I brought my mom that particular painting home is that Matthew 6 is her favorite verses. She loved these.

If the Lord cares for the ravens of the sky and you are more valuable than many birds, then just how loving is your heavenly father of you.

Luke 12:25–26 “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?”

Anxiety is worthless to solve life’s biggest problems, therefore, it is even less worthy to solve the smallest ones.

Some of you may say, “My anxiety keeps me out of trouble.” The opposite of anxiety is not stupid decision. That would be the opposite of wisdom. But sometimes in a world where so much effort is placed on mitigating risk, anxiety can feel like wisdom. However, the opposite of anxiety is rest, centeredness, and solace.

To use anxiety to keep us from danger and the Lord is more dangerous than following Him into danger.

Beware of being more cautious than the Lord wants you to be.

Luke 12:27–29 “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.”

The Lord clothes in dignity his people. He cares for those who are His.

From the Lords hand comes more beauty than Solomon could array. He will give you what you need.

Think of all the striving that Solomon had to undergo to wear the clothes and the crown he wore. Yes, God gave to the lilies of the field as a gift more beautiful dress than Solomon.

If God is that generous, and He is, then we have nothing to worry about.

The answer is in verses 30-31.

Luke 12:30–31 “For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”

The greatest pursuit of the most powerful nations in the world boils down to food, clothes, and shelter. But if we know Jesus, we have access to the one who owns all things. He will not leave us without what we need.

Go home this week and notice how many commercials revolve around your health, your food, your clothing, and your shelter.

It isn’t to have those things simply, but rather to have the best, greatest, most tasty, etc.

We are obsessed with things things - either in aquiring them or having a better version of them that distinguishes us as better than the people next to us.

Its often not shelter than makes us anxious. Its the size of the house that makes us anxious.

When our purpose aligns with His purposes - He will give us what we need to accomplish it.

Luke 12:32–34 ““Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

In this passage is the opposite of anxiety - FREEDOM.

Jesus doesn’t promise to give you everything you want. But He does promise to give us everything that we need.

True freedom is knowing that no matter what you have - you have Jesus, and He is all you need.

Psalm 84:3–4 “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah”

Psalm 84:10 “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

Invitation

The peace of Christ in all of life is only a privilege of those who believe.

In this life, you can have peace in Jesus.

We are obsessed with things things - either in acquiring them or having a better version of them that distinguishes us as better than the people next to us.