The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
\nAugust 7, 2016
\nLuke 12:32-40<\/p>\n
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.\u00a0 Sell your possessions and give to the poor.\u00a0 Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.\u00a0 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.\u00a0 Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.\u00a0 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.\u00a0 I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.\u00a0 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.\u00a0 But understand this:\u00a0 If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.\u00a0 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 (NIV1984<\/p>\n Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/p>\n What does it mean to be a \u201cdisciple\u201d<\/em> of Jesus Christ?\u00a0 The answer to that question is actually quite simple.\u00a0 The Greek word which is translated as \u201cdisciple\u201d<\/em> very literally refers to a \u201cstudent\u201d<\/em> or a \u201cfollower.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 A \u201cdisciple\u201d<\/em> of Jesus Christ is someone who \u201cfollows\u201d<\/em> after Jesus.\u00a0 Jesus is their Leader.\u00a0 They follow Him wherever He goes.\u00a0 At the very same time, a \u201cdisciple\u201d<\/em> of Jesus Christ is someone who \u201clearns\u201d<\/em> the Truth from Him. He is their Teacher.\u00a0 They are His \u201cstudent.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n What does it mean to be a \u201cdisciple\u201d<\/em> of Jesus Christ?\u00a0 While the answer to that question is indeed rather simple the application of that answer to our own personal lives can be quite complex.\u00a0 Being a \u201cdisciple\u201d<\/em> of Jesus Christ can require different things from us depending on the type of situation in which we find ourselves.\u00a0 For example, when someone wants us to follow them down a road that we know is displeasing to our God, being a \u201cdisciple\u201d<\/em> of Jesus Christ will require us to remember that Jesus is our Leader and we only \u201cfollow\u201d<\/em> Him.\u00a0 Or, when someone is trying to teach us something that contradicts the Truth of holy Scripture, being a \u201cdisciple\u201d<\/em> of Jesus Christ will require us to remember that Jesus is our Teacher and we are His \u201cstudent.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n What does it mean to be a \u201cdisciple\u201d<\/em> of Jesus Christ?\u00a0 That is the simple yet complex question that we are going to address as we follow a sermon series based on various portions of the Gospel of St. Luke.\u00a0 As we begin this sermon series today let\u2019s focus our attention on this truth:\u00a0 As Disciples of Jesus\u2014 We live by Faith and Not in Fear.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 There are two questions we want to address this morning.\u00a0 The first question is, why. As disciples of Jesus why don\u2019t we need to live in fear?\u00a0 The second question is what does this mean?\u00a0 As disciples of Jesus what does it mean for us to live by faith?<\/p>\n Purely by the grace and power of God alone you and I are<\/strong> disciples of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 Why does that mean that don\u2019t we need to live in fear?\u00a0 Look at how Jesus answers that question in the opening portion of our text.\u00a0 He says, \u201cDo not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.\u00a0 Sell your possessions and give to the poor.\u00a0 Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.\u00a0 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cDo not be afraid, little flock.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 This is not a suggestion that is open to question or debate by the disciples of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 This is an imperative.\u00a0 This is a Gospel command.\u00a0 This is the One who is both our Brother and our God saying to us, \u201cYou are my disciples.\u00a0 As My disciples you do not need to live in fear!\u201d\u00a0 Then why, my friends?\u00a0 Why does Jesus even have to give us a command such as this?\u00a0 Because there are so many things that can cause us to fear!\u00a0 If you have your Bibles open to our text for today look back to the beginning of Luke chapter twelve.\u00a0 Jesus had just warned His disciples about being persecuted for their faith (12:1-12), about how greed can take over one\u2019s life with eternally fatal results (12:13-21) and about how easy it is for us to become overwhelmed with worry\u2014 What am I going to eat?\u00a0 What am I going to wear?\u00a0 How will I ever survive!\u00a0 All of this could <\/strong>become a source of fear in our life.<\/p>\n The fears that we face as disciples of Jesus today could also include the fear of being ridiculed for our faith or the fear of being judged by the world simply because we refuse to compromise God\u2019s Truth for the sake of being politically correct.\u00a0 On a congregational level we might face the fear of the future or the fear of finances.\u00a0 On a more individual level we might face the fear of change or the fear of failure or the fear of disapproval, the fear of becoming dependant on others, or perhaps the greatest fear of all\u2014 the fear that guilt can bring into our heart.\u00a0 All of this could <\/strong>become a source of fear.\u00a0 That\u2019s why <\/strong>Jesus says to us, \u201cRemember, you are My disciples.\u00a0 Since you are My disciples you do not need to live in fear!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo not be afraid, little flock.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Why can <\/strong>Jesus give a command such as this to us, His disciples?\u00a0 What gives Him the right, the power, the authority to give us such a command?\u00a0 Jesus gives us three reasons right here in our text!\u00a0 First, we are not just <\/strong>any \u201clittle flock.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 We are His \u201c<\/em><\/strong>little flock\u201d<\/em>!\u00a0 There are approximately 7.5 billion people on the face of this earth.\u00a0 Of those 7.5 billion people 2.2 billion claim at least some outward connection to Christianity.\u00a0 They may not go to church\u2014 except for maybe Christmas and Easter\u2014 but they still consider themselves to be a Christian.\u00a0 Of 2.2 billion people, 800 million claim to be Protestants.\u00a0 Protestant churches include Methodists and Presbyterians and Baptists and Lutherans along with others.\u00a0 Of those 800 million Protestants, 75 million claim at least some outward connection to the Lutheran Church\u2014 even if it is simply that they were born in a country where you are automatically a Lutheran.\u00a0 When you compare us to all the billions of people on earth we are indeed a \u201clittle flock\u201d<\/em>!\u00a0 What is important, however, is that we are indeed His <\/strong>\u201clittle flock\u201d<\/em>!\u00a0 So why live in fear?\u00a0 Jesus is our Good Shepherd.\u00a0 Jesus is the One who leads us and provides for us and protects us from our enemies.<\/p>\n Secondly, while we may indeed be a \u201clittle flock\u201d<\/em> Jesus assures us that our heavenly Father \u201chas been pleased to give you the kingdom.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 This is, of course, a reference to the eternal kingdom of heaven.\u00a0 Why is our heavenly Father \u201cpleased\u201d<\/em> to \u201cgive\u201d<\/em> us His Kingdom\u2014 absolutely free of charge?\u00a0 Because of our connection to His Son, Jesus Christ!\u00a0 We are His Son\u2019s \u201cdisciples.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 We are His Son\u2019s \u201cstudents.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>Since we \u201cfollow\u201d<\/em> His Son here on this earth we will \u201cfollow\u201d<\/em> His Son into eternity.\u00a0 So why live in fear?\u00a0 As disciples of Jesus Christ we know that our heavenly Father is \u201cpleased\u201d<\/em> to \u201cgive\u201d<\/em> us His eternal heavenly Kingdom!<\/p>\n And finally, as disciples of Jesus we do not need to live in fear because we understand.\u00a0 We understand that because our heavenly Father was \u201cpleased\u201d<\/em> to give us His eternal Kingdom, our true riches, our \u201ctreasure\u2026that will not be exhausted,\u201d<\/em> that is, our \u201ctreasure\u201d<\/em> that cannot and will not run out, is stored up waiting for us in heaven.\u00a0 We could sell everything we have and give it to the poor and in His eyes (Pointing to the cross) we would still be listed among the richest people on earth!\u00a0 That, my friends, is why Jesus can and does say to us, \u201cDo not be afraid, little flock.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Our Lord makes it very clear to us as to why we, His disciples, do not need to live in fear.\u00a0 At the very same time, our Lord makes it very clear to as to why we, His disciples, are to live by faith.\u00a0 And to help us understand what it means to live our life by faith Jesus uses a picture that was extremely familiar to the people who originally heard Him speak these words.\u00a0 If you have your Bibles open to our text look at verses 35 to 38 where Jesus uses the example of a Jewish wedding.\u00a0 The key point in these verses, the point that helps us to understand what it means to live our life by faith, is found in the words, \u201cBe dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The picture here is not difficult to understand.\u00a0 When a master went away to a wedding banquet\u2014 whether as a guest or as the groom\u2014 his servants never knew how long he would be gone.\u00a0 What they did know is that their master would indeed be coming back.\u00a0 What they did know is that while their master was away he expected them to be \u201cdressed ready for service.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The servants did not see their master\u2019s absence as an opportunity for them to do whatever they wanted or to go wherever they wished.\u00a0 They lived in the faith that their master would return.\u00a0 They lived in the faith that when their master did return he would be pleased to find them \u201cdressed ready for service.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n So also with us.\u00a0 Our Master, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, has returned Home to heaven as the Victor over sin, death and the devil.\u00a0 Our Master, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, has promised <\/strong>us that He is coming back\u2014 we just don\u2019t know when!\u00a0 What we do know is that our Master, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, has told us that while He is gone He expects us to be \u201cdressed ready for service.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n That is precisely what living our life by faith means for us as disciples of Jesus.\u00a0 Living our life by faith does not mean doing whatever we want while our Master is away.\u00a0 Living our life by faith does not mean just sitting back and enjoying life while our Master is gone.\u00a0 Living our life by faith means making sure that every single day we are \u201cdressed ready for service.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Living our life in faith means that every single day we strive to faithfully carrying out the work that our Savior has given us to do while He is away\u2014 letting our light shine before others, sharing the message of Jesus with as many people as we can, supporting and carrying out His kingdom work here on this earth\u2014 all in joyful anticipation that today <\/strong>could be the day that Jesus returns to this earth!<\/p>\n While the whole picture of servants being \u201cdressed ready for service\u201d<\/em> while their master is away at a wedding banquet was indeed extremely familiar to the people who heard Jesus speak these words, they would have undoubtedly been surprised at one detail Jesus includes here in our text.\u00a0 Look at verse 37, \u201cI tell you the truth, he <\/em>(the master) will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come to wait on them.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 This is not what we would expect, is it!\u00a0 Our Master, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, will one day invite us to sit down at His heavenly feast and He will serve us!\u00a0 While this is not the way the world operates this is how our Master, our gracious Lord and Savior works.\u00a0 Therefore, as disciples of Jesus we can be \u201cdressed ready for service\u201d<\/em> living every single day by the faith that when our Master returns He will invite us to enjoy His heavenly feast for all of eternity!<\/p>\n What does it mean to be a \u201cdisciple\u201d<\/em> of Jesus Christ?\u00a0 While answering that question might seem rather simple, applying that answer to our day-to-day lives is can indeed be rather complex.\u00a0 My prayer is that our sermon series on various selections from Luke\u2019s Gospel will help us to grow in both our understanding of and in our appreciation for the fact that purely by the grace and power of God we are <\/strong>\u201cdisciples,\u201d<\/em> we are <\/strong>\u201cfollowers,\u201d<\/em> we are <\/strong>\u201cstudents\u201d <\/em>of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n To God be the glory!<\/p>\n Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost August 7, 2016 Luke 12:32-40 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.\u00a0 Sell your possessions and give to the poor.\u00a0 Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no 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