“Fear not, little flock”
Original sermon given August 7, 2022, written and delivered by Pastor David Brummer at First Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church
Watch the sermon live here
“Fear not, little flock”
Luke 12:32-40
Luke 12:32-40
FDR in 1933—The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
He spoke to a fearful nation during the Depression.
Jesus could agree with that. But he said much more here.
We’re going to take a look at our Lord’s answer to fear.
Jesus confronts anxiety and fear in today’s Gospel.
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. V. 32
He has a message of reassurance, earlier in this chapter.
Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. V. 22
There is a godly kind of fear encouraged by God: yirah
The Hebrew word, means awe, respect, reverence.
Today’s Psalm: The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Ps. 110:10 Prov. 1:7 & 9:11
That godly kind of fear isn’t what Jesus addresses here.
He’s obviously talking about anxiety, worry, panic.
The word he uses is a form of phobos, our word: phobia.
Here Jesus says that God GIVES us the kingdom.
We are part of God’s kingdom because of God’s initiative!
IT IS A GIFT NOT A WAGE.
Jesus said, It is your Father’s good pleasure to GIVE you the kingdom. He didn’t say,
“If you’re good enough you’ll earn a place in the kingdom.”
He speaks of God’s kingdom often in the Gospels:
(Matthew 53—Mark 19—Luke 42—John 4)
Kingdom is a word that makes us think of antiquity.
That’s how people were governed mostly in the past.
So what IS God’s kingdom?
In John’s Gospel account, Jesus told Pilate what it is not.
My kingdom is not of this world. John 18:36
It doesn’t consist of armies, palaces, thrones, wealth.
It’s not a humanly devised way of governing people.
Instead, it’s God’s way of ordering people’s lives.
IT’S GOD’S PATTERN FOR THE WAY WE LIVE.
God’s kingdom exists where God controls hearts and minds.
And God takes delight in giving it to us!
So….ENJOY! Take delight in being part of it!
Remember your blessings as a member of God’s kingdom!
With any gift we receive, there’s a proper response to make.
Our appropriate response is grateful loyalty and obedience!
Now let’s look at what else our Lord says here.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be.
We all want to provide for ourselves and our loved ones.
I do it. You do it.
But how do we regard or prioritize our resources?
Are our resources a means or are they an end?
Today’s Psalm 33 is about trust and confidence in the Lord. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Our coins still say, In God we trust.
Do we trust God or do we rely on having enough coins?
Our Lord is here both reassuring us and challenging us.
Where are we?
Alan Paton + 1988, White South African author and political leader who opposed Apartheid, wrote this prayer:
Give us courage, O Lord, to stand up and be counted,
to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves,
to stand up for ourselves when it is needful for us to do so.
Let us fear nothing more than we fear Thee.
Let us love nothing more than we love Thee,
for thus we shall fear nothing also. +
I close with this encouragement.
This week may we be given challenges instead of ease,
courage instead of contentment,
opportunities instead of rest
We have a Savior who brings strength out of service,
faith out of struggle,
and victory out of defeat.
Go then, fearful of nothing,
sure that in everything
we are held secure in the Master’s steadfast love. +
E. Lee Phillips b.1941,Baptist pastor, prayer book author