DO
NOT FEAR FOR YOUR LIFE
LUKE
12:1-7
(See
also Matthew 10)
Luke
12:1 In the meantime, when there were gathered together an innumerable
multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say
unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees,
which is hypocrisy.
Susan: The
crowd was so large it looked like an ant mound or a bee hive, buzzing with the
activity of people practically crawling over one another.
Susie: The
leaven that most of us are familiar with is yeast. When I bake bread, I know
that the yeast is what causes it to rise, to expand by creating air bubbles in
the dough. For two loaves of bread, most recipes call for only four and a half
teaspoons of yeast. It only takes a small amount of leaven to spread through
the entire batch of dough. Leaven in the Bible is often symbolic of sin. The
particular leaven or sin the Pharisees were spreading throughout Israel was
hypocrisy. Therefore, Jesus warned His disciples on more than one occasion to
beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.
Matthew
16:12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of
bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Mark
8:15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
Susan: Let’s
take a look at a definition of hypocrisy:
American
Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828
HYPOC'RISY,
noun [Latin hypocrisis; Gr. simulation; to feign; to separate, discern or
judge.]
Simulation;
a feigning to be what one is not; or dissimulation, a concealment of one's real
character or motives. More generally, hypocrisy is simulation, or the assuming
of a false appearance of virtue or religion; a deceitful show of a good
character, in morals or religion; a counterfeiting of religion.
Susie: The
Scribes and Pharisees were constantly pretending to be what they were not and
concealing their true natures.
Susan: They
were posers.
Luke
11:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid,
that shall not be known.
Susan: The
Lord knows the heart, the true motivation of a person.
Susie: What
is that old saying? “You can fool some of the people part of the time and all
of the people some of the time.” However, you cannot fool the Lord God anytime. When He chooses, He will
publicize what we thought we had carefully disguised.
Hebrews
4:13 (NIV) Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is
uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Luke
12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the
light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed
upon the housetops.
Susie: In the
context of addressing hypocrisy, we cannot hide our true motives from God.
Numbers
32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be
sure your sin will find you out.
Susie: The
same idea of not being hidden expressed in Luke 12:2-3 is stated as a positive
in the Gospel of Matthew meaning that the truth of the Good News of Jesus
should not be hidden but should and would be proclaimed for all to hear.
Matthew
10:26-27 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not
be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness,
that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the
housetops.
Luke
12:4-5 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body,
and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye
shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell;
yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Susan: Jesus
told His disciples not to be afraid of persecutors who could only end one’s
life here on earth because for the believer, death here is the beginning of
life in God’s presence.
Hebrews
13:6 (NIV) So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be
afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
2
Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from
the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Susie: Rather
than fearing the Pharisees or others who would persecute them, Jesus encouraged
His disciples to have a healthy fear of the Lord. Only He has the power to send
a person to eternal judgement in Hell or to save them to eternal joy with Him.
Proverbs
9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the
holy is understanding.
Proverbs
29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord
shall be safe.
Luke
12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is
forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Susie: This
is the basis for one of my all time favorite Gospel songs “His Eye is on the
Sparrow.” You can listen to it here:
Susan: I am
so glad that Jesus used the example of a small, common bird, the sparrow,
because I relate to them much more closely now since in 2015, I was pruned by
23 inches, and am now 3’1”. However, dynamite for the Lord comes in small
packages. LOL
Susie: My dad
always liked to say that he made the Lord’s job a little easier because there
were not many hairs on his head to count.
Susan: In all
seriousness, though, God is keenly aware of children and what is going on in
their lives. Not only does He see, but He cares. He cares more about what is
going on with you than you do.
Susie: God
values those He has chosen to be in His forever family and watches over them,
only allowing what is for our good and His glory.
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