Luke 12:1-12 - Healthy Fear - Great Love

It's a privilege to bring God's word to you today. And so I'm going to get right into the sermon for those of you that we're here a couple of weeks ago that you remember the testimony of Alicia. Has she shared how she had been abused in every way that you could imagine as a child? We hear on the news of the lies that have been spoken people that have been robbed harm that has been done. people that have been murdered We here even in our own country of those who enslave women and children and traffic them for the purposes of sex. And we know these are terrible wrongs. We long for justice. Perhaps you too have been wronged and you too. long for justice How often do we cry out to God on Mighty God? And ask him. Oh God in your Justice punish the wicked. Do I hear an amen?

Perhaps you said an amen in your heart?

And God has given us that sense that there ought to be Justice and God himself. It's perfectly just you might ask why this talk about punishing the wicked.

Because we too. Are wicked in the sight of God our God is Holy. Perfectly loving and perfectly jest and what a special opportunity we celebrated communion for that very purpose. Because God doesn't ignore our sins. He had to punish him. It's who he is, but he combined his love with his Justice in the sacrifice of his son. Jesus Christ to take The penalty for our sins God didn't wash them away. He didn't ignore them. He loved us so much that he poured out his wrath on a son Jesus.

And it fits so well how God orchestrates this timing because we are going to see something similar in Luke 12 1 to 12.

or Jesus speaks in that Passage Are the unforgivable sin? He speaks in that passage of those who deny him before man will be denied before the angels in heaven and he speaks of hell that only God can tell us people into hell, but he does this. In great love he understands what we need. And so he's going to speak to the crowds and I pray that he will speak to you and I today understanding our need that we might run to Jesus. Now we see the context Luke having written an orderly account is being very deliberate and what he's wanting to teach the people and show the people. And so he in chapter 11, he talks about this generation to generation of his time being an evil generation and we can say that he saying the same thing today. Any warrants is here is to examine themselves. Less the light in you be Darkness. Any exposed to Sender the Pharisees in the law Scholars and Judas reminded us from the past 2 weeks that we have much to learn about Jesus for Butte to both that generation and to the Pharisees about ourselves. And now we see is Lucas orchestrating this he's saying hey when so many thousands of people had gathered together Jesus spoke to his disciples May therefore speaks to us. So he was speaking to those that said hey, I want to follow you. But he was also speaking to the broader crowd. They wanted to say some very strong strong words. And I trust that you will keep in mind the infant Eternal and unchangeable nature of God as we read through this and I preached the sermon a sermon which Ivan title healthy fear. Great love. So follow along with me and Luke 12 in the meantime, when so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were trampling one another he began to say to his disciples first Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed or hidden. That will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light and whatever you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the house-tops. I tell you my friends. Do not fear those who can kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do, but I want you who to fear fear Him fear. Almighty God who after he has killed has authority to cast into hell. Yes. I tell you fear Him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies and not one of them is forgotten by God. Why even the hairs of your head are all numbered fear not you are of more value than many sparrows and I tell you everyone who acknowledges me before men the son of man will also acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the son of man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the holy spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues in the rulers and the authorities do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself for what you should say for the holy spirit will teach you in that very hour what you want to say?

Jesus is speaking with authority.

But he's also speaking with great compassion.

He knows how easily we fall. Do you notice how quickly we turn around and say it's bad evil generation. It's those Pharisees. Not realizing how often we bare the same characteristics. He knows how often we become afraid.

To such an extent that our fear leads us away from God instead of to God. And so we see as he speaks and understand Jesus did not speak in the 1 and 1/2 minutes it took to read that scripture. Get a crowd before him. So here we have him speaking and probably speaking this so often throughout his ministry that Has Lucas capturing this from whoever he learned this from this is a theme that Jesus has given. 3 understands how quickly we can turn away from God and that we need to have a healthy fear of him as well as a great vision of his love for us. And so we see here but the consequences of healthy fear and the consequences of unhealthy fear. So that we might learn to live rightly in his presence. Turn the first three verses he talks about Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy and Jude preached on this he reminded us of the six wolves that Jesus gave to the Pharisees the law Scholars and then Jude gave us the six ways that would apply to us that we might remember what we need to do. I want to highlight to briefly right now and verse 38 chapter 11. He says you clean the outside of the cup. And of the dish but inside you are full of greed and wickedness and a verse 42 you tithe mint and Rue and every herb and neglect Justice and the love of God. These were the religious leaders of the day. They believe themselves to be men of God. But they failed to see that they had become proud and arrogant that they were now more interested in seeking their own good and not the good of the people they served. They were leaning on their own understanding.

They had lost their healthy fear of God. That would have kept them humble independent on God.

Jesus says to you and me that we too can become Hypocrites like the Pharisees. And respond to Jesus as they did for Jesus and speaking the strong words of wanting to test our hearts will we perceive what he is saying and will we respond in a way that shows the softness of their heart, but it could also show the hardness of our heart for the Pharisees and verse 53 and 54 instead of being soft to the rebuke of Jesus. They began to press Jesus hard and to provoke him to speak about many things lying in wait to catch him in something that he might say. How often even as believers do we push back against God? Rather than humbly submitting to him. When are hypocrisy of the exposed healthy fear is to understand that? Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed.

every word every thought that we have spoken the word every thought that we have God knows. And whether it will be revealed. In this Earth in our lifetime or revealed on the Judgment Day got a sure is us it will be made known Psalm 139 reminds us that our God is so great that he discerns our every thought and knows every one of our words before they come out of our mouths.

How this might be overwhelming. every thought every word exposed made no one made clearly knowing and if you're feeling overwhelmed then rightly, so And yet how merciful is our God? Because he knows our weaknesses. He knows we're not perfect. He knows when we send in secret and before others. And he says let us be quick to repent and ask his forgiveness.

two talked last week about the fact that the inner self is most important, but the outer self is Important as well. And so when you're trying to ask yourself, am I being a hypocrite you get to ask yourself? Okay. What's going on inside and this Cuts both ways so you might be saying hey inside. Yeah, I want to honor God. I want to glorify God. but outside you're not living like you living for God maybe because of the fear of man that will talk about the moment, but it could be the other way around you could be on the outside. Wanted to look. Like a child of God and believing you're a child of God, but on the inside, you're not you're struggling perhaps you're doubting fraps or fearing perhaps you're even mocking God. So that outside inside or inside outside works really really? Well. The point is allying yourself a line yourself both inside and outside. So that you might walk in a manner worthy of the calling that you have received. And when we stumble and fall, let us learn from our mistakes, let us be like Paul and forget what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. So Jesus continues and verse is 4 and 5 and 8/9. He says I tell you my friends. I tell you my friends do not fear those who can kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do, but I warn you whom to fear fear Him. And there's only one who can cast into hell and that's almighty. God fear Him who after his killed has authority to cast into hell. Yes. I tell you fear him and he says in a similar vein and verses 8 and 9 and I tell you whoever acknowledges me before men the son of man will also acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

We don't like to talk about hell. We don't like to talk about eternal punishment. But please understand Jesus is not fear-mongering here. Stop trying to stir up the crowds in the sense of being over-the-top. He's trying to make it plain to them. That we are either for God or we are against God we are either his children or we are children of the devil. We will either spend eternity with God or we will spend eternity without God even as we did on this Earth.

And so he is trying to make it really really playing. I understand your fear. I understand your circumstances understand what's going on in your lives when you are in the presence of other people. He says I know how much you fear.

I know how much you fear them that you would do things. They'll be wrong in the sight of God. And so He even talks about that unhealthy fear of death, and we naturally. fear death And yet God turns around and says hey even that don't fear that but rather fear me he knows our insecurities. He knows the things that Seamus he knows the people that can do us harm. I see that fear of others in my own life. I was experiencing this in this sermon is I was coming to talk to you about hell and realizing how much fear I had in my own life as to what you would think about me by me proclaiming the word of God. And the good news here is only get to preach a couple of times a year. So I've had lots of months to work through the fear. But there's that natural fear, right?

In my fear of men and to my shame I have often dishonor Jesus by not acknowledging him before men. How many of you do your church have like me feared man and denies Christ about fearing God. How many of you do not yet believe are held back from believing in Jesus as your savior because of your fear what your family your friends are your co-workers might think or maybe you even have a fear of what God requires of you.

Jesus is so plain. He says I know that your fear could leave me you to rejecting God's way of salvation.

But the consequence he wants to make very plain. He will give us over to our sins. If we insist on fearing man over fearing him and ultimately punished Us by casting us into hell. No, The Compassion of God because he says he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and Liv and that our God is patient towards us not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance and he says turn to me and be saved all the ends of the Earth for I am God and there is no other. We as Believers in Jesus Christ do a great disservice to those of you and to our family and to our friends who do not believe by remaining silent about God's judgment and help. I know it's not popular. And we will be accused of fear-mongering. And yet God intends that a healthy fear of hell would lead us to run to him for help. I was helped by a preacher years ago and keeping this in mind that we need both the fear of God behind us driving us forward and the love of God ahead of us to run to love is the greatest of all things. But let us humble ourselves before God and understand that we need both. There's only one way to prepare for God's judgement take God at his word. Because he is perfectly just he must punish sin. Because he is perfect love he has made a way of Escape for all who put their trust in Jesus. And I plead with you to your brothers and sisters. To fear God more than you fear men. I plead with you who do not believe in Jesus to see your peril.

For you are currently under the wrath of God whether you recognize it or not. Repent of your sins believe in Jesus as your savior and you will be saved.

Cast all your anxieties and your fears on him because he cares for you. Our Lord will give you everything you need to live The Godly life. He is called you to live for our God is mighty to save he knows how prone we are to fear. Him He knows how quickly we deny him before men and Jesus reminds us in verses 6 and 7 of how great is his care for all who believe he says are not five sparrows sold for two pennies or not. You are more value than many sparrows.

Some Scholars have said that this this response to fear has been mentioned over 300 times in the Bible do not be afraid fear not our God has said asking for help to believe it. Our Lord says and Isaiah 41:10 fear not for I am with you be not dismayed for I am your God and I will strengthen you I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand and it's Psalm 46. We are reminded our God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble now listen to this trouble. We will not fear though the Earth give way though, the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea though, its Waters Roar and foam though the mountains tremble at his swelling. What a calamity. What terrible things are being envisioned here by the psalmist and yet he says because of our God we have no need of fearing even those things. We didn't need to fear what is in our own hearts. So we come to first 10.

And everyone who speaks a word against the son of man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the holy spirit will not be forgiven. And I can pretty well assure you that you're not going to get the long explanation that you want here. I encourage you to read the commentaries cuz Jesus doesn't give a long explanation. Again, he wants us to examine our hearts. He wants us to understand that every one of us was born in sin. We can say with David in Psalm 51:5 behold. I was brought forth and iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me and we can say with Paul that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and at the wages of our sin is death. Every single one of us was born into this world and grew up in this world of Sinners and enemies of God until we believed in Jesus to be our savior. Every one of us spoke words and live lives were against the son of man. And even now is Believers there are occasions when we will continue to deny Christ even is Peter deny Jesus on the night in which Jesus was betrayed. So how do we understand this verse the one who bossed memes against the holy spirit will not be forgiven first. Let us remember that the father and the son and the spirit are one God in three persons. As such what is done to one member the Trinity is done to all. And best there is a way to blaspheme the spirit. Which also blasphemes the Son and the father in such a way that their son's sins will not be forgiven. That's the point that Jesus is trying to impress upon his hearers. And that way is to consistently reject God's offers salvation such that it becomes a permanent part of our lives. It's a warning we don't get to examine our lives and say have I cross the line or have I not because even the worst sinner even at the very last moment can repent. We know that we know that but God is saying hey don't take the risk.

Don't take the risk. We have many ways of rejecting the father son and spirit. We despise God by denying. He exists. the atheist We believe he exists but he does not concern themselves with our lives the agnostic. We might come by claiming that he is loved and expecting that he will let us into heaven that he'll just kind of forget all our sins. So just ignore them. But we don't have any allegiance to him that we have no need to obey him that we can just live life the way that we want. And it'll be okay because God is our God love we despised him because we in that moment. We're not including his Justice with his love. We even reject God by believing that he cannot or will not save us just as we are. In these and many other ways. We effectively say to God that we know better than he knows. We better we are effectively saying we are a higher God than you are when we are denying his word denying his spirit. God is clear. He gives us Grace, but we are not to trifle with and mock God. Jesus is warning us. He warned his disciples and his hair is long enough. We are at Great risk of the dying him over and over for we do not know when God will finally say enough is enough and give us over to the consequences of our sins.

dear people this is the mercy of God.

Severe Mercy when it's a strong warning, but it Mercy cuz we have that Assurance from the scriptures that God is ready to forgive. We see the mercy of God in the example of Peter who denied Christ 3 times. And yet upon confession of his sins. Jesus restored him. We see Paul persecuting Jesus by persecuting his followers to the point that later in his life. Paul say he was the worst of sinners. And yet God forgave him.

God knows that we will do battle against sin all the days of our lives and there will be days when we fail when we are afraid.

When we are so afraid that we would even deny God and yet he says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Contrast that with Judas Iscariot, we see that after he betrayed Jesus he was remorseful. the return the blood Money But he did not turn to God. The question for you, and I in the midst of our fears or are we hardening are hard against Christ? Perhaps you have heard the word proclaim for many years and you will know what God is commanding you to do to repent to believe to a bay even now it is not too late, but do not delay. We don't know how long we have to live. None of us knows when we will pass the point of no return. Let us not be those that are trying to press and see how close can I get before I repent? It's the wrong attitude. Come as you are come with your doubts in your fears are God knows them and he exhorts us do not fear man, but fear Him who can cat kill and cast you to hell. But fear Him not so that you're running somewhere else fear. His ability to cast you into hell so that you might run into his Everlasting Arms. Cuz his arms are open wide. He says come on in receive my forgiveness.

Be my friends be my children. Jesus finishes this passage. Giving another word of comfort and verse 11 and 12 assessment when they bring you before the synagogues in the rulers of the authorities do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say for the holy spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. We don't know what the future holds. We don't know what circumstances we will be in. But what hit God is saying right now what Jesus is saying is I will give you what you need. So you don't even have to try and imagine what's ahead of you? I will give you what you need and I can testify to this for God has many times help me giving me words cuz I didn't know what the circumstances didn't know where the people would be coming from. It didn't matter just say God you're going to give me what it takes to do. Our part our part is to hunger and thirst after righteousness. We must treasure the word of God and hide it deep in our hearts and we need to live out that word anticipating that God will provide for every day because he will give us the words. He'll give us what we need out of what we've learned and as his holy spirit leads us.

So the conclusion here and I quote J C Ryle and his commentary. He began these verse is commentary these versus he began in the hearing of the multitude. Jesus delivers warnings against false teachers and announces the sin of the times in which he lived unsparingly unflinchingly and without partiality. This was true charity. This was true love.

It's our challenge in this world. People don't want to hear about the wrath of God. We don't want to talk about the wrath of God. But the same people that don't want to hear about the wrath of God don't want to hear about the love of God either. We need to trust God to give us the wisdom. To put it together. So as I have repeated myself through the sermon as Jesus did I'm going to repeat this again to those who've yet to believe I plead with you as every preacher, please every week. Do not Harden your heart any longer. See the value of healthy fear be overwhelmed by the infinite eternal unchangeable. Love of God towards you and see that your greatest need of God is to be forgiven of your sin and come to him as you are. And receive his forgiveness Our God will give you what you need to believe and walk the Christian life even today. And your brother and sister in Christ, let us not less than God's standards on our lives. We too need to grow and healthy to hear in order to live those holy and blameless lives. God being our helper.

Root out the leaven that leads to hypocrisy let us cry out together asking Jesus to cleanse us and make us whole. Oh blessed be our Lord. He knows our weaknesses. He knows when we stumble and he says Little Children You are from God and have overcome them for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. I got intimately knows you and me he knows our every fear he knows our every need and he is everything we need for life and godliness. Our God says have I not commanded you be strong and courageous

Do not be frightened and dismay think about that. He understands we can tell him how frightened I am and then we can say God because of you. I can be strong and courageous. For the Lord your God is with you. Wherever you go. Let me pray.

father your word your word that you have promised to send out your word that you have promised to put on receptive Hearts. I pray Lord God that you would indeed have given us receptive Hearts today. I pray that we would hear you and that we would find in the way that we respond that we're responding to you humbly and joyfully and confidently with a holy fear and a great sense of your great love for us magnify your name in your lives and our lives father is we hold up your word and hold out your word and is we take your word to those around us that we might plead with them. To be reconciled to you by availing themselves. Other than gracious gift of your son Jesus Christ. Your great gracious merciful perfectly just God. We magnify your name and we ask all these things in the name of Jesus Amen.