Bottom line up front (BLUF): Wise Fear

Text: “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. ⁷ Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:4-7, ESV).

Context: The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), are written in such a way as to lead up to the cross of Christ. The fancy theological phrases that we use to unpack the infinite wisdom of the cross of Christ all flow from the work of God via the person and work of Christ. Terms like justification, vicarious subtitutionary atonement, reconciliation, imputation, ransom, et al all flow from what unfolded by divine design in Jerusalem, Israel 2,000 years ago. There’s no escaping it.

It is Jesus who is the hinge of history. Everything rises and falls upon God’s work, because God is the Author of life (Acts 3:15). But what is so interesting to me is how often God speaks directly to a reality so many of us face: fear. We fear evil; we fear nefariousness; we fear the seemingly endless craftiness of those who love not the Lord but power. It’s an old, old story, of course. Nothing has changed. But Jesus speaks to our weak faith and fear so clearly.

In verses 4-7 of Luke 12, Jesus tells those who are truly his disciples/followers/friends, to not fear the wicked. He doesn’t tell them not to fear anyone, but to fear God. That’s so important. Fear is not necessarily a bad thing, in other words. We are to fear God. Why? Because that’s the beginning of wisdom. It is folly to not fear God. But we’re not to capitulate to the wickedness of evil men or demonic forces.

Encouragement/takeaway:  Maybe this is for me as much as for anyone else, but I do know what fear tastes like. I do know what it’s like to feel that evil is winning, to see that light is being eclipsed, that spiritual blinders are worn by so many. I totally understand that. After all, when the light came into the world, men crucified it, because their hearts were evil; sinners love the darkness (John 3:19, ESV). But Jesus tells his people in Luke 12 that we are of more value than many sparrows, that we are to fear not the schemes of the wicked, but to fear God, knowing that no one escapes his eye.