Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Luke 12:32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
LITTLE FLOCK
The first four words above say, "Do not be afraid." But after that, the echo of those four words comes back in each of the terms that Jesus uses. Read the passage again, but this time, emphasize the words that are capitalized: Do not be afraid, LITTLE FLOCK, for YOUR FATHER has been PLEASED to give you the KINGDOM.
Each of these terms reminds us why we have nothing to fear. Today let's look at "little flock".
Talking to His believers, Jesus calls them a flock. Now if they're a flock, like a flock of sheep, then they have a shepherd. Isn't that what He's reminding them of? Don't be afraid little flock, you have the Good Shepherd as your caretaker.
Little kids sometime imagine what it would be like to be an animal. What animal did you want to be? I'm guessing it wasn't a sheep. How many kids would say, "There's just something about a sheep. You know, standing around on your four stubby legs with a big furry pelt. I would just love eating grass and having absolutely no way to protect myself. I want to be a sheep."
Clearly, it's not because we're a flock that we are without fear. It's because a flock has a shepherd, and we know who our Shepherd is. The one who watches over us with staff and rod, protecting us in the valley of the shadow of death, protecting us from ourselves and from all other danger (See Psalm 23).
"Do not be afraid, little flock" reminds us that our Shepherd is God's Son, who in his love for us came down, became one of us and suffered a terrible, terrible death in our defense.
Jesus is our good shepherd who has risen victorious over death to stand over us and protect us in this life and on judgment day and lead us into everlasting life.
Do not be afraid little flock, for your shepherd is Jesus.
