Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
In the sermon on the mount Jesus heaps reason upon reason to show why God’s people should not worry or fear with regard to anything on this earth. Consider only Luke’s account.
Jesus says there that we should not worry about where the next meal is coming from. Nor should we worry about being able to have enough clothing. Why? Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing (Luke 12:22,23). What Jesus is reminding disciples of is that our life, with God, in his fellowship and knowing his blessing, is everything. And that, we can be sure, is eternal. We shall be preserved in that life. As surely as God is faithful, the God who has begun his eternal life in us, will we have this eternal: for eternity. So we ought not worry about the necessities of this earthly existence. Be concerned about them. Work to provide for yourself and for others. Enjoy earthly things. Just do not worry about them. Having food, clothing, shelter, or being able to pay the bills does not add to our true life. Not having them or being able to pay them does not subtract from that life.
Then there is the example of God’s care of the birds, ravens. They do not worry about their next meal. They do not store up food in silos or barns. God feeds them, day by day. Ravens. And will he not feed and care for us, of so much more value than the birds (v. 24)? Image bearers of God, that is who we are. The greatest of all creatures of the earth, the most valuable, to God. No need to worry that God will forget your value or forget to provide for our blessed life with him.
Besides, worrying never gets us anywhere. Anywhere! Worrying cannot add to our height (or take away from it). Born a dwarf, you die a dwarf. Born a giant, that is just what you are and shall be. (vv. 25,26)
But then think about things we especially think are needs but are not: like being pretty, honorable, famous, or whatnot. Consider the lilies, how they toil not at all, that they cake on no make up, or otherwise pretty themselves. Yet their natural created beauty is truly glorious. More glorious than the kingly regalia of Solomon. And these things are to perish! So we may not worry about either prettifying or glorifying ourselves. Can not do it anyway. We are glorified by grace. Our beautiful garments are the robes of Christ’s own righteousness. Our crown will be one scintillating crown of his own virtue to God’s praise. We may not look so
glorious now—we ourselves or our church. But God will so clothe us with glory. We must believe this, we of little faith (vv. 27, 28).
Worry. Do not be anxious, fearful, or worry. Now. Or in the days to come, 2024. Worry is, after all, just for the heathen. It is what unbelievers do. These have no life with God, but would get a life and a name for themselves in and out of this world. They seek after all the stuff of the earth, and to be pretty, handsome, wealthy, famous, and seen of men. And they are anxious about their endless quest. We ought not to be heathenish. For the God who shall glorify us for Christ’s sake knows our earthly needs. And he will give us a car, a mate, or a pair of jeans.
Let us, therefore, not worry about earthly things. God will give us just what we need. We are to seek first the kingdom of God, the heavenly kingdom. And not to be anxious or fearful about even that spiritual seeking. No, we are to fear not. We are to fear not though we be little, and as nothing in this world. For we are the flock of the Good Shepherd Jesus. Jesus has given his life for the life of each and every sheep, and for the sheep as they flock together to hear the word of the Shepherd and to feast on the spiritual pasture he provides. And he ever lives at the right hand of God to assure that we shall be taken, in the end, into the heavenly home.
We are the flock of the Good Shepherd Jesus. And this is the Father’s good pleasure: that he gives us the kingdom. He gives. And the giving is grace giving—free, unearned. Of Christ’s own fulness have all we received. And grace for grace. And a kingdom besides. Of this grace and of our God we shall never be ashamed.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.
World without end. Amen. Amen.
-Pastor Dick
revdick.blog 
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