DO NOT BE AFRAID

Luke 12:22-34

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text for this mornings meditation is recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke, chapter 12, verses 22 through 34, particularly these words: “Jesus said, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body what you will put on. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”This is our text.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. Think back for a moment to the last time you were given a gift by a small child. Maybe it was a flower that your son or daughter picked out of the yard. Maybe it was a fishing lure that your child picked out just especially for dad or grandpa. Maybe it was a hand drawn picture which the child painted themselves and now wanted you to have. The gift itself is not important. The cost of that gift is not important. What was important and what had value that money cannot buy, was the smile, and the pride, and the joy that were written all over that child’s face as the gift was given. There is nothing expected in return. There are no thoughts about wither or not it is good enough. There are no thoughts about what that gift might cost. The ONLY thought that goes through that child’s mind is, “This is mine — and I want to give it to you — because I love you. It is a gift given with great joy and pleasure.

Every time I read that verse of today’s text, I think of children and their giving of gifts. Jesus said, ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.’”It pleases God — to give us the kingdom. NOT because we have earned it — because we haven’t. NOT because we are great people who deserve the honor, because we don’t. NOT because it is an inexpensive gift, because it is a pearl without price for which God gave his only begotten Son. BUT it is a gift, given purely out of grace and love, “Your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”God has on his face the smile, the joy, the love — of a child giving a gift to someone very special — and that someone special, is you!

The gift is ours by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. So how does this gift of God effect our lives? First of all our text tells us to focus on Spiritual things. Jesus said, “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. Instead seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.As God’s people we need to seek God’s riches through Word and Sacrament. We all know Jesus’ parable about the rich fool, who has so rich and had so many earthly goods that he could say to himself, “Eat, drink, and be merry.”But God said, “This night your soul will be required of you, then whose will all this be?”And Jesus concluded his parable by saying that we should be “Rich toward God” or as our text for today says, “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.”Regular worship, regular Bible reading, and regular use of the sacraments, are all ways that the Holy Spirit uses to build up our faith in Jesus Christ, so that we experience first hand the forgiveness and the love which our God has pleasure in giving to his people. There is no greater treasure in all the earth than a right relationship with God by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Secondly, knowing that the kingdom is ours will help us greatly in setting priorities for our lives. Jesus said in the text, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

That which we value the most, usually takes up our time, our talents, our efforts, our devotion, and our resources!

A prominent theologian of the 1940′s said that religion is, “The one thing which is most important in our lives” (depth dimension). If the most important thing in life was work, to him work was that man’s religion. If money was the most important thing in a person’s life, then money was that man’s religion.

What is the most important thing in your life? God has made you his very own. God has given you the kingdom. IS GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIFE? Do people“see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.”Or do they see other priorities in your life? Remember Jesus’ words in our text. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”What are your priorities? Our text said, “Seek FIRST, the kingdom of God.”

But what about the anxieties and the fears of our every day life? Do we worry over “what we shall eat, or what we shall drink, or what we shall wear?” Because of our sinful human nature, sometimes we fall short of full trust in God’s providence and care for us. Sometimes we lose sight of how God takes care of the ravens and the lilies. But God’s promise to us is sure – “If God so cloths the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 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.”As sinful people, we all too often doubt that promise — As sinful people, we all too often worry and fret over things over which we have no control — As sinful people we trust our own abilities to solve the problems of life, rather than putting things into God’s hands and trusting his providence and provision. AND for that we ask his forgiveness.

The Promises of God are sure! “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.”And “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”And today’s text, “Do not be afraid, little flock for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”

In the life of the Christian there is anticipation, and expectation, as we joyfully watch for the coming of our Lord and the fulfillment of all his promises to us.

Jesus said in our text, “Fear not, little flock!”Fear is built on concern or anxiety about the future. Because God has given us the kingdom through His Son Jesus Christ, our future is secure. Our confidence, our faith, and our courage are rooted in Christ, in His promises, in His presence, and in His power. In Christ we have nothing to fear. “Fear not little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” To God be the glory! Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.