Download the UBF brochure here
Weekly Message | June 6th, 2010
Passage: Luke 12:1-12
Key Verse(s): 4,5
This passage has both challenging and encouraging aspects of the message. This is about fear. We have all kinds of fear. What are you afraid of? Driving? Getting fired from a job? Getting any job? Dying too young? Dying too old? Doing little and accomplishing nothing in this world? Meeting new people? Meeting the same people? We are all afraid of how others perceive and treat us. Only an idiot is free from any types of fear in this life. The issue is not whether we are afraid or not. Anyway, this life goes on because we are all afraid of one thing after another. Rather, the point is what we really should fear. The right kind of fear makes people prayerful, persistent, and powerful. On the other hand, the wrong kind of fear may make us pretentious, proud, and pitiful. May the Holy Spirit open our hearts to understand, accept, and practice the rich truths spoken here.
First, “Be on your guard.” (1-3)
Look at verse 1: “Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.’” The situation is quite encouraging. Toledo UBF has a prayer topic to fill a small worship room with its 280 people capacity. However, in this passage Jesus’ ministry was flourishing. Too many people were coming to Jesus. Thousands of people gathered. No matter where they met, there were simply too many people. People were trampling on one another. How exciting it is! Such huge flows of people make these meetings dynamic, passionate, and interesting! The disciples thought that everything was fine—very exciting.
Yet, Jesus was different. He was in fact very calm and even sober. He said to his disciples, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Hypocrisy is about becoming pretentious. Hypocrites do not reveal their true color. In appearance they look good but in reality they are not. The Pharisees had the appearance of being holy and gorgeous, but inside they were spiritually bankrupt—full of envy and wickedness. They were high-minded. They heard Jesus but did not learn anything from him. They used their leadership positions to benefit themselves at the expense of needy people. They also rejected Jesus and had no real concern about the truth. They manipulated common people until they forgot all the good things Jesus had done and said, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Later, they condemned Jesus and manipulated the Roman legal system to have Jesus executed.
Jesus spoke about the danger of hypocrisy to his disciples. As was in Jesus’ days, it is so easy to become hypocrites. Why? What is the source of hypocrisy? Hypocrisy is about prolonged discrepancy between our external appearance and internal reality. In this modern world we are all in grave danger of different types of hypocrisy. If asked in a job interview, “What are your weaknesses?” no one would answer such a silly question truthfully. We all try to present our best in this performance-driven world. Too often our internal life cannot keep up with the external demands in this life. Last week I read about the news of the divorce of Al and Tipper Gore. They seemed to be a perfect family. Different from Bill and Hilary Clinton, there were no evidences of unfaithfulness or troubles. What was the problem? We don’t know. What is clear is that the appearance of this perfect family did not match the reality of the internal struggles they experienced. At some point they could not hold it together any longer. In this sense, we all need help. We all need to pay attention in order to cultivate our inner life especially as our external circumstances demand so much from us.
Look at verses 2 and 3: “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roof.” Here, Jesus in fact is saying to his disciples, “Are you excited about these thousands of people that come to me. Don’t look at these people. Look at yourselves. Be very careful. Don’t become hypocrites. Your true state will be revealed at the right time. Cultivate your secret life for your good. ”
In Ecclesiastes 5:2-3 we read, “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and your are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.” In other words, the prevention of hypocrisy is to manage our secret words. Manage what we say in our private world. In time our words spoken in private will be revealed in our actions in public. What happens when we do not keep up our internal life with the external demands in this life? We fall. If we keep feeding our souls with hopeless thoughts and despairing minds, then we become such men and women. We may say whatever we like to say. We may entertain thoughts as we wish. Nobody else will watch out for us. But in the right time our prolonged habits are revealed in actions and disclose who we are. Therefore, watch out! Feed your soul. Do not abandon it. Feed your soul with words of hope, faith, and love. It is our responsibility to cultivate our hungry and destitute souls. Be gatekeepers of your souls. Be on your guard.
Second, “Don’t be afraid.” (4-7)
In this life fear is a powerful reality. In this world we fear death. We fear death by fearful people. Look at verse 4: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more." Here, Jesus calls his disciples “friends.” Jesus called his disciples “friends.” But there was a danger for them to be fearful before evil men. In my early Christian life I read about many Christians who gave their lives. The captors of one Christian inflicted tremendous pain and then murdered him and his family members. Have you ever thought about such possibilities of persecution for the sake of your faith?
We all die in one way or another. However, dying tortured by evil people is quite fearful. Jesus’ disciples had terrible prospects of death. According to the traditions, many of the Twelve Apostles died in terrifying deaths. In A.D. 67-68 Simon Peter was arrested. Peter requested that he would be crucified with his head downward. James the son of Zebedee was put to death by Herod Agrippa (Acts 12: 1-2). Andrew preached in Achaia (southern Greece) and Scythia (Ukraine and southern Russia - St. Andrew is the patron saint of Russia), and was crucified at Patras in Achaia. During the reigns of either Emperor Nero (AD54-68) or Domitian (AD81-96), John was banished to the nearby island of Patmos, now one of the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. He was subsequently freed and died a natural death at Ephesus around AD100. Philip preached the Gospel in Phrygia (west central Turkey) before dying or being martyred there at Hieropolis. Bartholomew is linked with Armenia and India. Traditionally he met his death by being flayed or skinned alive, and then beheaded. Thomas probably died in India. As we read about these details of the deaths of the Twelve, it is quite fearful to die in that way.
What is the point of these details? It is fearful to die in pain. However, it is fearful to die in such terrible ways. In this context, Jesus urges his disciples not to fear such evil people who cause tremendous pain in our souls and bodies.
Jesus came to set us free from the fear of death (Heb 2:15). Jesus showed us by his own example. After his betrayal, in the span of several hours, Jesus went through the most painful and shameful torture, trial, crucifixion, and death. Yet Jesus earlier struggled with his death on the Mount of Gethsemane. In fact, Jesus made his boldest claim to be the Messiah while on trial before the religious leaders (Mk 14:62). Jesus encouraged Pilate to repent of his cowardice and stand on the side of truth (Jn 18:37). Jesus listened to the plea of a condemned criminal and promised him paradise that day (Lk 23:43). Finally, Jesus gave up his spirit with a shout of victory that was so clear it made a hardened Roman centurion cry out, “Surely this man was the Son of God.” (Mk 15:39) Jesus was not afraid to die. And he tells us, “...do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.”
Look at verse 5: “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” Physical death is not the end of everything. After death, there is the judgment. Hebrews 9:27 says, “Just as man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment.” At the judgment, God Almighty will determine each person's eternal destiny. Revelation 21:8 says, "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” It is interesting that the cowardly, those who fear men, are number one on the list of those who go to hell.
Believing in hell has helped many a person to repent of hypocrisy and overcome the fear of men. Still, some ask, “How could a good God send people to hell?” The word here translated “hell” is repeated twelve times in the New Testament, eleven times by Jesus (Mt 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mk 9:43, 45, 47; Lk 12:5; and Jas 3:6). It is a place of condemnation and punishment in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. God has the power to send men to hell for eternal punishment. So we must fear God.
God has this power to throw people into hell. So fear him. Then, this is followed by a strange teaching. Look at verses 6-7: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Why does Jesus speak about God’s loving care after telling about hell fire? What is the relationship between hell fire and the number of the hairs on our heads? You see hairs in various parts of your body? Do you know how many hairs are on your head? How about inside of your nose? How about your right arm? God numbers all of your hairs on the body. Why? Too much hair makes our lives uncomfortable. God allows only enough hairs for us. God knows us in great detail. God looks at the sparrows in the air. Who cares about sparrows…little birds? Who cares about little squirrels? Who celebrates their birthdays? Does anyone do funeral services for their deaths? They are here for a while and disappear. Nobody cares but God does. In appearance God does not seem to care at all. But Jesus says that God cares for them.
Then, what does this reference about hairs and sparrows have to do with his teaching on hell? God who cares about our hairs and sparrows also cares about people. Thus, God does everything possible so that people may not end up in hell. If any of us ever goes to hell, it is not because God wants to us to be there. It is because God throws us into hell according to our will. People go to hell because they want to. Heaven and hell are real; then, who will be there? We are in heaven by choosing the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ or in hell by our own choice. The important point is this: people go to their chosen places because they want to be there. What do you do with people who simply do not want to be in heaven, who do not want anything to do with God? No matter what God does, they simply refuse to be with God. Then, would God say, “Well, your will be done.” Now, Jesus speaks about the fearful state of some of these people in the next section.
Third, “Do not worry.” (8-12)
Look at verse 8: “I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.” Jesus knew they would be persecuted for doing so. Jesus promised that whoever acknowledges him before men will be acknowledged by him before the angels of God. This is about open confession of faith in Jesus. Stephen boldly proclaimed before the Jewish Sanhedrin that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world They were so furious that they gnashed their teeth and clenched their fists. But Stephen did not look at them. He looked up and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. As they were stoning him, he prayed, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Jesus welcomed him to heaven as a victorious witness of Jesus Christ. Moreover, Stephen's death opened a door for the conversion of St. Paul, who spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. On the other hand, verse 9 says, “But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.”
Look at verse 10: “And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” Why is Jesus so generous to those who speak a word against him? But why is he so absolute about those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit? As Peter denied Jesus out of fear and weakness, we may also speak against Jesus in our fearful and weak moments. In his great mercy Jesus forgives us. Both criminals hurled insults at Jesus on the cross. (Mk 15:32) Then, one criminal repented of his sins and asked Jesus to take him to the Paradise. Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” (Lk 23:43) Those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit are those whose consciences are permanently sealed with no intention to repent no matter what happens. They are those who choose to be alone in hell rather than to be with God. They die without ever being forgiven. They end up in the place they choose.
Look at verses 11-12: “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” This is not an excuse for messengers or testimony sharers to speak at random without prayerful preparation. Rather, it is a promise that in the time of persecution, the Holy Spirit will be with Jesus’ people to give them words and wisdom that none of their adversaries can resist or contradict. Therefore, we do not need to worry about what will happen in the time of persecution. God will be with us through the Holy Spirit to reveal his glory through us. The Holy Spirit enables people to speak. The Holy Spirit enables us to speak. The Holy Spirit enables us to endure even in fiery persecutions.
In this passage Jesus teaches us, “Do Not Be Afraid.” Jesus commands us not to be afraid of those who only kill our body and can do no more. How can we overcome the wrong kinds of fear? “Be on guard. Feed your soul with words of faith, hope and love. When we fear God, we are watchful and careful in our secret life before God. To feed our soul, we choose to come to God, walk with him. We choose our place with God. At the same time, Jesus commands us not to worry about the impending trails. Be prepared to stand but do not worry about all the details that are beyond our control.
June 7, 2010, Dr. Paul Hong; Toledo UBF.
Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
