Fear meet my Father

Service Notes

We had some title options for today. [Slides]

Don’t worry, be happy

How to be rich and worry free.

Bible Verse: Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Luke 12:22–34 (KJV 1900)

22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Sermon Introduction

Who doesn’t love sharing good news? Today I get to do just that. Truth carries into the night as we look at a “theology of sleep”

More stories than normal today. Helping you understand the passage will not be as difficult as helping persuade you to apply it.

Man has described worry so many ways.

...gives a small thing a big shadow

...is the interest we pay on tomorrow's troubles.

...is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere.

...is an indication that we think God cannot look after us. (O. Chambers)

...is putting question marks where God has put periods. (J R Rice)

...is the interest we pay on tomorrow’s troubles. (E S Jones)

...is an intrusion into God's providence. (J Haggai)

...is a guest admitted which quickly turns to master.

... never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its strength (A J Cronin)

... is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble (G W Lyon)

...is practical atheism and an affront to God (R. H. Mounce)

Worry shifts the focus of attention from the all sufficient power of Christ to your human insufficiency and insecurity Ultimately, worry can undermine your Christian witness by presenting God as powerless and unworthy of praise.... - June Hunt

Therefore I say unto you..

Reminder of the example of worry seen in the previous story

The man who was rich but not rich at all. Luke 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

The mans value system required his constant worry. Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The one who fears God and builds up treasure for him has nothing to fear. Jesus therefore underlines the importance of trusting God.

Where we ended last shows a strong contrast to the No Worry Lifestyle

The rich man made the mistake of thinking

He was the owner of his stuff when he was just a steward.

He was worried about the present and forgot about eternity.

He was concerned only for the physical and forgot about spiritual things.

He treasured stuff more than people. He lived an isolated life

Life was defined by his fear of things of this world with no concern for the things of eternity.

Luke 12:20 (KJV 1900)

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

The Pacific Garden Mission boasts of thousands of stories of men and women who have been "unshackled" by its message. An older man, for example, nicknamed "Sunshine" Harris, spent most of his life on Chicago's streets, living on stale wine and cigarette butts. I met a few men like this on the streets of Chicago in the early 1970's. Mr. Harris wandered in and out of the Mission, and one day someone there gave him a New Testament. As he flipped through its pages, his eyes fell on Luke 12:20, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee...." Sunshine angrily snapped the book shut, but later wanted to read the verse again. When he couldn't find it, he grew furious. Unwilling to be stymied, he started in Matthew 1:1, with the genealogies of Christ, and kept reading until he finally found Luke 12:20. Rereading the parable, he noticed that it spoke of a rich man, and Sunshine knew he was poor, but that didn't seem to matter. The story spoke to him, and that evening, when the invitation was given at the Mission, he raised his hand and a lady led him to the Lord Jesus Christ. The year was 1899, and Sunshine was 71 years old. He spent the rest of his life, night after night, working at the Old Pacific Garden Mission and telling everyone who would listen how Christ had changed his life.

What does fear have to do with worry? Everything.

Worry is a matter of the heart

You do not get a different copy of the Bible with each new tax bracket

God Word is sufficient to address the matters of heart for us and everyone who will ever read it.

Matthew 6:24 (KJV 1900)

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

We are not talking about having two part time jobs.

We are talking about being mastered. Our whole life is given to one of two masters in this world.

This has to do with our affections not just our time.

Jesus tells the disciples Luke 12:22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

Not encouraged to have a thoughtless life.

We have already been given an example of this. Luke 10:40 “40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.”

A very rich man, who had run after the things of the world and had overtaken them, lay dying. He was visited by the daughter of a friend with whom he had been associated in early youth, but who had left their profitable business to serve Christ. Now he too was dying but with great peace of mind and holy confidence. "You may wonder why I cannot be as happy and quiet as he," said the unsaved millionaire, "but just think of the difference between us. He is going to his treasure and I — I must leave mine!"

What worship is to belief, worry is to unbelief.

My head assures me that He will; my heart is not quite so certain. Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: But a good word maketh it glad.

A life of worry.

Robs you of the joy available to you

Robs God of the worship He deserves

A little worry has a devastating effect in our lives.

A dense fog covering seven city blocks, a hundred feet deep, is composed of less than one glass of water divided into sixty thousand million drops.”  Not much there but it cripples the whole community.

Fear is the defining characteristic of worry.

Luke 12:32 (KJV 1900)

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

The word worry and fear is interchangeable.

I worry that my kids are not prepared for life. I fear that my kids are not prepared for life.

I worry about my finances. I have fear about my finances.

Challenge you to use this type of language when you speak of worry. Be honest. Don’t just say “I am worried… say I am afraid.” Name the thing that you believe is bigger than your God.

Worry is not just about potential events but the fear of the possibilities.

Today if you visit Thomas Carlyle’s famous home in London, they will show you an almost soundproof chamber that Carlyle had built so the noise of the street could be shut out and he could work in silence. One of his neighbors, however, kept a rooster that several times in the night and in the early morning gave way to vigorous self-expression. When Carlyle protested to the owner of the rooster, the man pointed out to him that the rooster crowed only three times in the night, and that after all could not be such a terrible annoyance. “But,” Carlyle said to him, “if you only knew what I suffer waiting for that rooster to crow!”

Common to man

1 Peter 5:7 (KJV 1900)

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

You are probably well into worry...

1. When the thing you are concerned about is the first thing you think about in the morning and the last thing you think about at night.

2. When you find yourself thinking about it during every spare moment.

3. When you find yourself bringing it up in every conversation you have.

Unnecessary

Luke 12:29 (KJV 1900)

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

The goal in the society we live in is managed anxiety" The goal of any treatment is to make anxiety a manageable part of daily existence." OSU

Managing our anxieties only lead us to see that we have a wealth of poverty.

A band of gangsters in France got away with more than $3.5 million. But the thieves had a problem. The loot was in French coins worth only about $2 each and weighing a total of 17 tons!

A Paris newspaper taunted the bandits with this statement: “You can’t buy a chateau, a car, or even a pair of crocodile shoes with bags of change. And if you go out to celebrate your coup, the owner of the smallest cafe will become suspicious before you drop the tenth coin on the counter.” The article continued, “Their punishment is included in their success. They will have to spend their loot franc by franc. They can buy millions of bottles of soft drinks. But what else?”

Those robbers had what might be called a wealth of poverty. Although they were rich, they couldn’t spend their money for anything worthwhile.

A life on the run from the police trying to spend 3.5 million $2 at a time sounds miserable. Id rather surrender my life.

Introducing our fears to our great God

Three wonderful descriptions of our great God and what how heart needs to hear when it battles fear.

Luke 12:32 (KJV 1900)

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Fear meet my Father

You exist for a higher purpose, you are a child of God.

You are more than mannequins or just mouths to feed. Luke 12:23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

Worry causes us to forget the divine priority God has placed on our lives.

Birds know they will be cared for.

Luke 12:24 (KJV 1900)

24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

Said the Robin to the Sparrow, "I should really like to know Why these anxious human beings Rush about and worry so."

Said the Sparrow to the Robin, "Friend, I think that it must be They have no Heavenly Father, Such as cares for you and me."  —Author (bird) unknown

We are not as the other nations of the world.

Luke 12:30 (KJV 1900)

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

Our fear needs to know this.

Our fear needs to be introduced to our Father.

Stress meet my Shepherd

Much of our fear comes from believing we will not have enough.

Greed is disdained but somehow we have let worry be fashionable

Greed can never get enough, worry is afraid it may not have enough

Psalm 147:9 He giveth to the beast his food, And to the young ravens which cry.

Do you believe your shepherd will care for you.

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

If you do; you worship.

If you don’t; you worry.

If He gave you life, He will sustain that life and He will provide all you need if you continue to honor Him,

God’s provision is greater than anyone else could provide for themselves.

Luke 12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

God will take care of us until our appointed time. As Creator He determines the length of our days.

Luke 12:25–26 (KJV 1900)

25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

Typically used as an opportunity to make fun of short people; better understanding would be about adding days to your life.

If you can’t even add a single minute to your life then why do you think that you are the Great Shepherd of your life?

Worry meet my Warrior King

Luke 12:32 “32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

He didn't say He'd give you something out of the kingdom. 

He doesn't say He'd give you resources from the kingdom. 

He says He'll give you what? The kingdom.

Everything that brings about righteousness and joy and peace, every resource in the kingdom your Father delights to give to you. Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Our lives should give priority to the Kingdom. Luke 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Heaven is scarcely a reality to a man who is not prepared to invest hard in it and in its interests; but by that same token it becomes more of a reality to the man who is

If you live like there is no Heaven then do not be surprised when the reality of the Kingdom does not bring any comfort to you.

Make believe land and fairy-tale bring no lasting comfort to men. That is how many Christians treat the Kingdom.

Jesus has given us what has been given to Him. Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

In the late 19th century John Wanamaker opened a department store in Philadelphia. Within a few years that enterprise had become one of the most successful businesses in the country. But operating his store wasn’t Wanamaker’s only responsibility. He was also named Postmaster General of the United States, and he served as superintendent for what was then the largest Sunday school in the world at Bethany Presbyterian Church. When someone asked him how he could hold all those positions at once, he explained. “Early in life I read, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.’ The Sunday school is my business, all the rest are the things.” One evidence of Wanamaker’s desire to keep the Lord’s work first in his life was a specially constructed soundproof room in his store. Every day he spent 30 minutes there praying and meditating upon God’s Word. He had his priorities straight!

It is with pleasure our father, Shepherd, King will confront our fears.

Luke 12:32 (KJV 1900)

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

His good pleasure directed towards us is the reason we are given to not fear/worry.

So what are you worrying about? 

What are you fearful about? 

What are you anxious about? 

There's no reluctance on God.

“Yes we are vulnerable little flock, but our Father, Shepherd, King is not reluctant in His care for us!”

Every talked yourself out of an invitation because you weren’t sure if the people really wanted you there. You wanted to know if it was talk or was it a true invitation.

Perfect Love Casts out Fear

Nothing would make John happier than to see a generation of Christians who were utterly confident that God would accept them and provide for them. 1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Verse 17 tells us how to have something everybody wants to have.

verse 18 tells us how to get rid of something everybody wants to get rid of.

1 John 4:17–18 (KJV 1900)

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Your battle with worry is a battle with fear.

Your fear is based on a lack of understanding may be based upon your understanding of how powerful and capable our God is to provide.

Or it may be based upon your lack of understanding that not only is He able but it is His good pleasure to do so.

God love is perfect towards us in that it has been shown time and time again.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Hebrews 12:2 “2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Isaiah 53:10 “10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”

Conclusion

Can God be trusted?

Unbeliever: To genuinely put your life in the hands of the Lord, you have to abandon it. He can be trusted.

Believer: We are told we can have “boldness in the day of judgement” so why wouldn’t you have it on a Monday.

God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He loves us.

Time to introduce your fears to your father.

He loves me more than you could ever hate me.

He is more powerful than you are destructive.

You may come and go but He will always be here when you show up.