Pentecost 9 Sermon: Fear Not, Little Flock

Preached on Luke 12:22–34
9th Sunday After Pentecost — Proper 14C
11 August AD 2019

Title: Click to hear the MP3 of Fear Not, Little Flock.

Summary: Jesus’ flock of disciples, little in number, social prestige, and power could certainly find reason for feeling anxious. Merely living an everyday life in First Century Judea was difficult for most.

Then their Master sent them out with minimal provisions. His teaching and popularity among the disenfranchised subjected Him to the displeasure of powerful Jewish factions. Following Him made them similar targets for the animosity of many of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Like us, they also probably had similar worries about health and sickness, family and friends, life and death. And as our fellow believers, we can imagine that they at times also worried about their standing before God, knowing that they were sinners by birth and prone to falling back into sinful thought, word, and deed.

For them — and for us — Jesus addressed anxiety head-on. In showing God’s watchful providence over even the smallest, frailest parts of Creation, the Lord teaches His people how important they are to His Father. Calling us a “little flock” identifies us as sheep under our Shepherd’s gentle care.

Therefore, we need not worry about the devil’s hatred or the world’s scorn. Even God’s holy wrath at sin cannot threaten the calm peace we enjoy as His dear children.

Text: And [Jesus] 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! 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?

“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes 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.

“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.” Luke 12:22-34

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Fear Not, Little Flock.

NB: A few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio with Windows Media Player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: Psalm 33:12-22; Genesis 15:1-6; Hebrews 11:1-16