Fear Not

For I am with you

How high are the gas prices going to go? I have heard rumors of 10 dollars a gallon. What about heating fuel? How is your 401K if you haven’t looked lately don’t. Have spoken with several coworkers and these are just some of the concerns we discussed. The economic outlook looks pretty bleak right now. So what is our response? How should we feel? What else are you facing this morning? Today is hard for me it’s father’s day and today will be the 5th father’s day without my dad. I know we all have lost loved ones and that is hard if we are aren’t careful we take loved ones for granite. We often forget how fragile life is. The fragility of life hit our family this week, if you received the prayer chain, my niece was life flighted to Danville. For 19 minutes she was non responsive. When we recieved the news it was heartbreaking. It could of been one of those tragic moments that changes your life for ever. While she is stable, they are still not sure what caused it and what the long term diagnosis is, but I guarantee one thing, my nephew Nick is holding her a little closer this morning and I hope enjoying her a little more. That is why Isaiah 41 verse 10 is one of my favorite verses.

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)

fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

How comforting is the line “Fear not, for I am with you”? Well it depends right? Depends who is saying it right?

If I you and I are shipwrecked at see and I say fear not for I am with you be very afraid because I have zero experience on the sea and if I am serious I am probably dehydrated and having a heat stroke. But what about this passage let’s look again. Notice that the promise isn’t delivery out of the situation but what? He promises us strength no matter what the outcome, but you must have faith in Him and in His character. That no matter what the outcome He is with you and notice the last part of the verse “I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” What is God saying here? Let’s start with what is righteousness?

The definiton that always comes to my mind is right living. Do you remember how John described God?

1 John 1:5 ESV

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

In Him there is how much darkness? None so unlike the best earthly father who may be righteous but occasionally gets angry and sin, not our God out God is perfect does that bring you peace this morning no matter what you are facing and more importantly no matter what the outcome is. The key to that last phrase, “I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” Is all of your life is in the hands of a loving God. Who is righteous. And the best part is you don’t ever have to worry about catching Him on a bad day. Unlike your earthly father and my be just preaching to my own kids right now, but I know this is going to come as a shock to you but I am not always righteous. There is a reason I am good at saying I am sorry because I have a lot of practice. But not our Heavenly Father. He is always righteous and that will never change.

So with all that said, let’s turn to out text this morning, because if you are anything like me you may have a tendance to forget who is strengthening you and who is upholding you with His mighty and righteous right hand. So turn with me this morning to Luke chapter 12 and we will begin looking at our text in verse 22.

Luke 12:22–24 ESV

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. 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!

Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Did you ever stop and think about that. God feeds the animals. I always assumed that certain things in nature just happen but our passage this morning states that I was dead wrong. God is feeding the ravens? the ravens? Who cares about ravens or sparrows? Look back out text beginning in verse 4

Luke 12:4–7 ESV

“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him 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 before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

How valuable is a sparrow. Are not five sparrows sold for 2 pennies? They are pretty worthless to us aren’t what does God say “Not one of them is forgotten before God” What an insult to God when we doubt His care for us. He cares about sparrows that are worthless to us, how much more valuable are you? He cares for you. He wants us to turn and have faith in Him. If you don’t turn to Him in faith, what is the alternative? The alternative to faith in our righteous God is anxiousness and worry and how effective is that? Is case you are not sure let’s look at verse 25 of chapter 12

Luke 12:25–26 ESV

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?

I love Jesus’ reasoning. If you can’t add a single hour to your life with worry than why be anxious about the rest? You must learn to trust Him and I think this is a process, but that is why He gave us His story right. He gave us the Bible so we can come to know Him and when He tells to not worry He has entire book full of Examples of why we can trust Him. Amen? If we are called to not worry, what are you to do instead of worry? Look at verse 29

Luke 12:29–31 ESV

And 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. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

What does Jesus mean by seek His kingdom?

Let’s look at the conclusion to this part of chapter 12 that deals with being anxious look with me at verse 32

Luke 12:32–34 ESV

“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.