#5 (The “Forgetting”
Series)
“FORGET INSIGNIFICANCE!”
TEXTS: Luke 12:4-7
Rom.
8:35-39
INTRO: For most
people life is filled with insignificant stuff! Much of our time and energy is spent
dealing with day to day stuff that really doesn’t have earth shattering
significance. If we are not careful
we will easily find our lives cluttered by all this insignificance and we’ll
discover that the truly significant things of God get easily crowded
out!
It often takes powerful demonstrations
of what is truly significant to draw us back to balance in our
lives!
ILLUS: ONE OF OUR
PASTOR’S IN
In our world of so many superfluous
things it is easy to get hung up on insignificant stuff and miss the really
important things!
PROP.
SENT: The Bible teaches
us to guard our spirit against the torrent of insignificant things that can
really sidetrack our relationship with God and prevent us from growing in
significant ways, one of Satan’s most effective tools in a rich society is to
fill us with so much insignificance that we are too busy for the really
important stuff that is eternal!
I. ULTIMATE ISSUES! Lk.
12:4-5
A. Limited
Powers! Lk.
12:4
1. The question of persecution was
being addressed by Jesus with His disciples. A huge crowd (an unruly one at that too! see 12:1) had gathered to hear
Jesus.
a. Jesus turns His attention first to
His disciples!
b. He wants them to know what is
really significant!
c. These are words meant to be
encouragement and direction for the rest of their lives and ministry, to know
what to focus on as life goes on!
2. Jesus instructs them here as
FRIENDS, one of the few times Jesus used this term with them; this was not just
a TEACHER – STUDENT moment, it was the advice of a dear friend who cares about
the struggles in life He knew they would face!
3. Jesus recognizes the common reality
of everyone, to have fear against the backdrop of life’s
struggles!
a. Even the best of Christians can and
will experience fear!
b. Because life is full of surprises
and threats we can easily be drawn into being fearful!
4. These great men of God were no
different; Jesus knew they would be struck with paralyzing fear from time to
time!
a. The question then in Jesus’ mind
was “How do I
prepare them for the times when fear will come, when they will be
afraid!?”
b. Jesus’ starting point was very
basic ... to tell them what the most significant truth for all believers of all
time should remember: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that
can do no more…”
c. Jesus’ statement here was meant to
instruct them about the limited power that man in his worst moments of hatred
and evil can do, the limit of evil’s most horrible thing, that evil’s power has
a limit on believers!
5. What Jesus is really doing here is
laying the foundation of significance: that eternal life is so much greater than
temporal life and that evil’s influence is limited only to our temporal reality, it cannot
touch the eternal in those who belong to Christ!
6. History is replete with examples of
saints who have come to understand this very significant
truth!
ILLUS: SUCH AS
SAINT BONIFACE WHO LIVED 680-755 A.D. – AS HE WAS BEING PUT TO DEATH, EVEN AS
THEY POURED HOT LEAD INTO HIS MOUTH HIS FINAL WORDS WERE RECORDED AS, “I THANK
THEE, LORD JESUS, SON OF THE LIVING GOD!” OR THE THIRD CENTURY BELIEVER NAMED
SAINT LAWRENCE WHO WAS BROILED ON A GRIDIRON ALIVE LIKE A PIECE OF STEAK DURING
THE PERSECUTION OF THE WICKED RULER VALERIAN. HE WAS ASKED TO GIVE UP THE TREASURES OF
THE CHURCH, AND SO HE BROUGHT FORTH THE POOR AND THE SICK THAT WERE IN HIS CARE,
FOR THIS HE WAS COOKED ALIVE AND AS HE BURNED HE YELLED OUT, “THIS SIDE IS
ROASTED ENOUGH, TURN UP, 0 TYRANT GREAT; ASSAY WHETHER ROASTED OR RAW THOU
THINKEST THE BETTER MEAT.” HE HAD
NO FEAR OF DEATH OR THE TYRANT VALERIAN!
OR MEN LIKE SIR WALTER RALEIGH (1552?-1618) THE ENGLISH POET, HISTORIAN,
NAVIGATOR; AS HE WAS LED TO THE
CHOPPING BLOCK TO HAVE HIS HEAD CUT OFF IT WAS RECORDED THAT HIS FINAL WORDS
WERE: “TIS A SHARP REMEDY, (THE AXE) BUT A SURE ONE FOR ALL THAT ILLS.” WHEN ASKED HOW HE WISHED TO PLACE HIS
HEAD ON THE BLOCK HE SAID, “SO THE HEART WILL BE RIGHT, TIS NO MATTER WHICH WAY
THE HEAD LIES ... WHAT DOEST THOU FEAR? STRIKE MAN, STRIKE!” -- SOURCE UNKNOWN
7. These were men who understood the
words of Jesus; Satan and His minions have limited power over any believer, evil
can’t touch the significant stuff in us!
B. Lifelong
Perspective Lk. 12:5
1. Rather than be afraid of evil we
need to have a healthy fear of God.
This fear here is not a panic type but a reverence
type!
2. Since evil’s powers are limited we
would do better to have a healthy respect toward the one who has the real power
over both the temporal and the eternal, the only one that qualifies here is
GOD!
a. This is meant to be a lifelong
perspective for the disciples!
b. If they would keep this perspective
they would avoid falling into insignificance.
3. A healthy respect toward God can
keep us from demeaning what is really important in
life!
a. Proverbs states it like this: “The fear of God
is the beginning of wisdom.”
b. Those who fail to develop a healthy
fear of God will not take spiritual realities seriously!
c. Notice the last line of verse 5 “...yes, I tell you, fear
him!”
d. God is much more than our Santa
Claus in the sky! … He is GOD!
4. Those that have no fear of God in
their hearts will have no respect for spiritual
realities!
a. It is important to understand that
this fear is not the same as panic; it means respect, reverence,
awe!
b. While we serve a personal God ...
He is also a mighty God, a Holy God!
5. A healthy fear of God will help
pull us back in line for what is really important and what is really
insignificant in life! A healthy
fear will keep us focused!
ILLUS: IT IS QUITE
INTERESTING TO KNOW THAT ONE OF THE GREAT ENEMIES OF CHRISTIANITY, CHARLES
DARWIN AND HIS THEORY OF EVOLUTION IS NOT THE ENEMY MANY OF US THINK ... FOR AT
THE END OF HIS LIFE HE TURNED TO CHRIST AND EMBRACED THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.
AS HE WAS DYING IN ENGLAND HE
CONTACTED LADY HOPE OF NORTHFIELD AND MADE THIS REQUEST: “I WANT YOU TO COME TO
THIS PATIO AND HOLD YOUR GOSPEL SERVICE.
I WILL HAVE THE WINDOW OPEN.
I WANT YOU TO TALK AND SING ABOUT JESUS AND HIS SAVING POWER.” HE DIED ONLY DAYS LATER. HE DISCOVERED BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE
WHAT WAS REALLY SIGNIFICANT IN LIFE.
WHILE THE SCIENTIFIC WORLD STILL HOLDS TO EVOLUTION AS THE GREAT
SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERY OF SCIENCE IN THIS MODERN AGE, DARWIN IS SITTING BEFORE
THE THRONE OF THE CREATOR IN WORSHIP RIGHT NOW REALIZING WHAT WAS REALLY
SIGNIFICANT, ALL HIS THEORY EVER DID FOR THE WORLD WAS MAKE A MONKEY OUT OF
MAN! JESUS MADE A SAINT OUT OF MAN!
IF HE COULD TALK NOW TO THE WORLD
WHAT DO YOU THINK HE WOULD EMPHASIZE? -- SOURCE UNKNOWN
II. UNLIMITED IMPORTANCE! Lk. 12:6-7 Rom. 8:35-39
A. Love’s
Priority! Lk.
12:6
1. As if to make the point clear that
Jesus didn’t mean the kind of fear that brings us to be scared of Him He adds
these next two verses to inspire us with how great His love is for us ... the
idea was to show us how great His Love is so that our fear would be that of deep
respect!
2. Jesus uses this following
illustration to demonstrate how great God’s love is toward them: “are not 5
sparrows sold for 2 pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by
God.”
a. Matthew’s Gospel tells us that the
going rate of sparrows was 2 sparrows for 1 penny!
b. This means that they had bargain
deals back then much like we do today, if 5 sparrows sold for 2 pennies, you
were getting one free bird by buying a larger number of
them!
c. It also shows how cheap sparrows
were considered!
d. Jesus’ point is simple: though they
are nearly worthless and cheap not one of them, even the free one is forgotten
by God!
3. God does not lose tract of the
really significant things, especially us!
Though we are good at getting sidetracked by the insignificant stuff God
does not turn away from us!
a. We might forget but God
won’t!
b. We might get focused on stupid
little things, but God won’t be sidetracked!
4. How often we get worked up over
really unimportant stuff, how easy to be emotionally crippled over the
insignificant stuff of this world!
a. It is only too easy to get side
tracked over insignificant issues to the point that we miss the really important
stuff!
b. History is full of examples of
tragedy because of a wrong focus!
ILLUS: A GOOD
EXAMPLE OF SUCH A TRAGIC FOCUS ON SOMETHING SMALL THAT COST A HIGH PRICE WAS THE
CRASH OF EASTERN’S FLIGHT 401 IN THE EVERGLADES SEVERAL YEARS BACK THAT KILLED
DOZENS OF PEOPLE AND INJURED MANY OTHERS. THE PLANE WAS BOUND FROM NEW YORK TO
MIAMI WITH A HEAVY LOAD OF PASSENGERS. AS THE PLANE APPROACHED MIAMI AIRPORT FOR
ITS LANDING THE LITTLE LIGHT ON THE DASH THAT INDICATES THE LANDING GEAR IS DOWN
AND LOCKED FAILED TO COME ON. THE
PLANE FLEW IN LARGE CIRCLES OVER THE EVERGLADES WHILE THE COCKPIT CREW CHECKED
TO SEE IF THE GEAR WAS ACTUALLY DOWN OR IF INSTEAD, IT WAS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE
AS THE LIGHT BULB BURNED OUT ON THE CONSOLE. WHEN THE FLIGHT ENGINEER TRIED TO REMOVE
THE LIGHT BULB, IT WOULDN’T BUDGE, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CREW TRIED TO HELP
HIM. AS THEY STRUGGLED WITH THE
BULB, NO ONE NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE, AND THE PLANE SIMPLY
FLEW RIGHT INTO THE SWAMP. DOZENS
DIED WHILE HIGH PRICED PILOTS AND CREW FIDDLED WITH A 75 CENT LIGHT BULB! THEY GOT DRAWN AWAY FROM THE MORE
SIGNIFICANT ISSUE OF THE ENTIRE PLANE! -- SOURCE UNKNOWN
5. God never is sidetracked by what is
really significant – WE ARE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO HIM!
a. How it must hurt God’s heart when
we get sidetracked and forget how important people are to Him by our actions of
neglecting others or getting worked up over unimportant
issues!
b. God doesn’t even forget the one
free bird thrown in on this deal ... nothing is insignificant about life to
God!
c. The point is well made, if this is
true about sparrows with God how much more important are we to
Him!?
B. Love’s
Promise! Lk. 12:7 Rom. 8:35-39
1. Jesus now makes the issue of what
is really significant very clear ... He even knows the very number of the hairs
on our head! ... He misses nothing! (For
some this is easier than others of course!)
a. Love’s promise is really
important!
b. Jesus now adds, “don’t be afraid,
you are worth more than many sparrows!”
2. God’s love for us drives Him to
stay focused on what is really significant against that which is really
insignificant!
a. The Lord doesn’t get sidetracked on
issues of insignificance ... love makes clear what is really important –
people!
b. God’s love in us should do the
same, it will drive us to overlook the things that are really insignificant and
drive us to focus on what is really important.
3. Man is great at missing the real
issues and settling for side issues, man usually focuses on peripheral issues,
God gets to the heart of the matter.
ILLUS:
FOR
INSTANCE, SEVERAL YEARS AGO THE BARBERS IN AMERICA PROPOSED A NATIONAL
CONVENTION IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK. THE STEERING COMMITTEE DESIRED TO SPEND A
GOOD SUM OF MONEY IN ADVERTISING THE GATHERING. THEY HIRED A PUBLICITY GENIUS, AND TOLD
HIM THAT THEY WANTED TO USE HIS SKILL. THEIR GOAL WAS TO MAKE AMERICA CONSCIOUS
THAT THE BARBERS WERE MEETING IN NEW YORK. THEY PLACED A GOOD SUM OF MONEY AT HIS
DISPOSAL, AND THE YOUNG MAN WENT TO WORK. THIS IS WHAT HE DID, AND IT MADE NATIONAL
NEWS AT THE TIME. HE WENT TO THE
BOWERY OF THE CITY AND FOUND A WRECK OF A MAN, A YOUNG MAN WHO CLEANED UP WOULD
BE QUITE HANDSOME. HE ASKED THIS
WRECK OF A MAN IF HE WANTED TO MAKE SOME EASY MONEY. THE YOUNG DERELICT SAID “YES.” HE ASKED HIM TO COME WITH HIM AND DO
WHATEVER HE ASKED. HE TOOK THE
UNSHAVEN, MATTED HAIR, DIRTY AND ALL AND HAD A PICTURE OF HIM TAKEN. THEN HE HAD THE MAN GET A DECENT HAIRCUT
AND ANOTHER PICTURE. THEN, HE
HAD HIM GET A SHAVE WITH HIS NEW HAIRCUT AND ANOTHER PICTURE. THEN FOR THE THIRD PICTURE HE HAD HIM
SHAVEN, HAIR CUT; THE MAN HAD THE WORKS. FOR THE FINAL PICTURE THE MAN WAS TAKEN
TO A FANCY STORE AND A WONDERFUL NEW SUIT WAS BOUGHT THAT FIT HIM TO A TEE.
THE 4TH AND FINAL
PICTURE WAS TAKEN AND THESE 4 PICTURES WERE BLOWN UP AND PLACED IN THE LOBBY OF
THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH THE MAN HIMSELF STANDING NEARBY IN A SUIT OF CLOTHES
AND GROOMED TO THE TEE! THE
TRANSFORMATION WAS SO DRAMATIC THAT IT GOT NATIONAL ATTENTION IN THE PRESS!
THE CONVENTION SLOGAN WAS CREATED,
IT WENT LIKE THIS: “THIS IS WHAT THE BARBERS OF
4. “Don’t be
afraid...” love’s promise is that God will always keep us in His
focus no matter what goes on in this world of ours!
a. God doesn’t lose focus on what is
significant, He can’t, that’s love’s promise!
b. And if we love like God loves then
we won’t get lost on the more insignificant stuff
either!
5. Paul expresses this same truth in
ROMANS 8:35-39.
a. Shall any NATURAL DISASTER separate us from God’s love 8:35-36?
Paul’s answer is NO!
b. Shall any SUPERNATURAL THING separate us from God’s love
8:38-39?
Paul’s answer is NO!
6. In fact, Paul says that we are “MORE THAN
CONQUERORS through Him who loved us.” 8:37
a. The word translated “conquerors” here is HUPERNIKOMEN, literally “hyperconquerors” or
“SUPERCONQUERORS!”
b. There is no way for us to lose
against Satan ... not with God keeping us in perfect focus!
c. And things will go better for us if
we can learn to forget the insignificant stuff and stay focused by His love
too!
7. Forget what is unimportant or
insignificant in life, focus on the important things!
CONCLUSION:
Most of the frustrations
and stress in our lives are founded on things of minor significance! There really are but a few significant
things to be concerned about! We
would all be healthier if we could learn the difference between “truly
significant” and “insignificant” issues. Focus affects mood, and mood affects
behavior and priorities. What do
you really consider “significant” in life? FORGET
INSIGNIFICANCE...