Fear Not Little Flock - Part 2 of 2

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There we bring you today. The second part of a message entitled, fear not, little flock, fear not, little flock, the word flock paints a picture brings to mind the shepherd and the sheep. But the word little it's an accurate description. Those followers of Jesus were certain, but few in number compared to the teeming multitudes that followed other persuasions at that time, those today who are dedicated followers of Jesus Christ living in a world where man is the center of the focus on living for myself I'm leaving to make life what I want to make no-fault about submission to Jesus Christ as Lord Jesus is fear not, little flock in comparison to the teeming multitudes that follow evil in error flock is but little and those who are the sheep of this law are little in their own eyes they figured to be feeble to see the language that used in Scripture is obvious to their according to divine purpose when Jesus is talking about is people. He describes the machine is talking about their adversary, Satan.

He described him as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. But these people are defenseless there feeble their week.

Fear not, little flock there little from the standpoint of feeling to be unworthy. Is that not true with you when you think about your standing before the Lord.

When you look with me and you look at yourself. You look at your past you look at your present you look at your failing to see continue their many shortcomings and so you feel to be faithful to such he says fear not. In this chapter of the Gospel of Luke from which our text is taken.

Jesus was dealing with the issue in particular of the anxiety that they might have about material things, and of the 28th verse he said specifically, all ye of little faith, all ye of little faith is talking to a little flock to the people at this time were displaying little faith. And yet, he says fear not, little flock is not only an appropriate description of their condition, being few in number and being weak and little in themselves and with a sense of their own insignificance before human their own failings and the fact that their faith was often, but little but it's also a term of affection. How many times have you used it yourself see a little child.

Maybe having little small her to play.

You observed you know that they're not really her for the little children can sometimes shed off a lot of tears over something that's not all that significant. But you're wanting to express some sympathy and interest in their plight and what you say will come your little boy but that she what's wrong with you Khmer little girl what you mean when you use that term. Are you being unkind. No, it's just an expression of endearment Khmer little lawn limit comfort you limit to make things better when the Lord says fear not, little flock. It's a term of affection. Fear not, John. Not only was that disciple who was especially close to his Lord and described himself as being the disciple that Jesus love, but he uses that endearing term several times in his writings in the book of first John chapter 2 verse 28 he says. And now, little children, abide in him that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. Chapter 3 verse 18 my little children, let us not love in word, neither in tone but in deed and in truth chapter 4 verse four ER of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. You are just little children but you have overcome because greater is he that is in you overcome because you were tough overcome because you were so strong overcome them.

If you overcome because the one that is in you is greater than he that is in the world little children term of affection. Fear not, little flock, it's your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

He specifies your father said, it is my father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. But he embraces them by saying it's your father. You are his children. It's your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom and the chapter the book of Romans we read in the 15th verse for you not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, once more confronted with the issue of fear. That's what this is about Jesus is saying, fear not you not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, father which is equipment and are lying today and saying daddy it's a close, endearing, affectionate term, not talking to a king at a distance. I'm not talking to some monarchs that I tremble to approach I'm talking to daddy the spirit itself back witness with our spirit that we are one of the children of God, and if children, then errors heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the blow rate which will be revealed in us all that we might keep that perspective to understand that whatever the sufferings physical, mental, emotional whenever they are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us. Your father Abba, father, children of God. It's your father's pleasure to give you the kingdom didn't say the king might think that would've been appropriate but giving you the kingdom gives the kingdom of the king. But he says your father gives it to bringing it on the most intimate terminology to expressly endearing love that he has for you the gospel of Matthew chapter 7 says this in the eighth verse for everyone that asked with receive it and he that she could find it again. But not if it shall be open or what man is there of you. If your son asked Brad. Will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him if you as an earthly father know how to give good gifts to your children and certainly you would not give to your son who would ask you, Brad. You would not give him a stone you would give him brand that would be nourishing and beneficial to him if then you know how to give good gifts much more to your father which is in heaven and what is the text says the father is my give you not just bread, not just drink talk about reason to rejoice about reason to be lifted up above our present troubles and trials and to see the greatness of God's mercy and grace upon us now. Sometimes people have difficulty appreciating this relationship as God being described as our father because they tend to conjure up the picture that they have of their own earthly father and not all earthly fathers of been good, father's some of been overbearing some of been unkind. Some been neglectful some of had great difficulty showing affection, but we need to get the right view of our heavenly father through Christ. Even if your earthly father miserably failed, your heavenly father does not. He's a good father. He's a perfect father. He's a caring father sometimes earthly father get so busy they don't really take time to communicate with their children there so absorbed with their own interests. I don't know that much about what's going on in their children's lives. They don't really sit down and talk to them but your heavenly father is so intimately involved with you.

He knows the numbers of the hair on your head. He is involved in every detail of your life, and he cares the gospel of John chapter 14 and verse nine Jesus said to him, have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me, Philip, he that hath seen me hath seen the father and how sayest thou then, show us the father.

If you see me. You've seen the father. So how are we going the right concept about our heavenly father as we observe you through Jesus that what we learn about Jesus.

John chapter 13 verse one now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was, that he should depart out of this world of the father having love cues all which were in the world he loves them. There's the faithful father, having loved his own. He loved them to the end. Your father your father. Fear not, little flock, it is your father's pleasure to give you the kingdom which is pleasure. Maybe you had a relationship with your earthly father where you felt that you were continually having to bake employees and negotiate for everything that you needed you dreaded asking for anything you knew was going to be a conflict really some kind of a battle if I like every time you did, you would put down. There was nobody concerned no great interest in what your needs were, you felt like he was overbearing demanded of you. What you could not produce the just wasn't a closeness with your earthly father. But what a difference God takes pleasure in what he gives you is not holding back encourages you to ask the passage from which we read Moto says asking.

It shall be given to you seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you, he delights to give thanks if you get the mistaken notion that serving God is for the purpose of enriching him take his coffers making things better for God. The way we can truly honor God is to come before him take barn have nothing know Mike, I have no strength.

I looked at me and God is worshiped and honored when we acknowledge that and then he feels this he delights to give what we have such a difficult time come to understand that why is it that we're so reluctant to really come before them in our hearts and understand that he rejoices in fact in giving which is for the good of his people into the ultimate Lord's name in the book of Zephaniah 7 chapter 3 verse 17.

I know that this has immediate reference to God's people in olden times, but I believe that there is an application of it for us today the Lord thy God in the midst of the is mighty he will say he will rejoice over the with joy, he will rest in his love, he will join over the with singing a target business. How could it be that the Lord will rejoice over you with joy you ever think about the Lord singing the says the Lord is saying and what is he saying about you singing with joy because of what he's made out of grace because, as a loving heavenly father likes to give abundantly. When he told his people not to be afraid and full of anxiety because he feeds the birds he wasn't talking about my can you reach universal booze. He taught us in the model prayer. Give us this day our daily bread but let me tell you that all that you have need of in communion with him in spiritual things in knowledge in the truth and understanding in the power and grace that you need to minister to other people. He delights to give it likes to get for spending all your time struggling trying to bring it up from fine the blessing and joy that here is anticipated to see he's not reluctant Matthew chapter 11 to see that the same thought is expressed here in this 25th verse at that time Jesus answered and said, I think the old father Lord of heaven on earth, because thou has hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Here's the key phrase we want to get even. So father for so good in thy sight, even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight. It was good. It was right it was his pleasure to hide these things from the wise and revealed them unto the brain that's God's method that's God's work he does it in a way that his name will be honored. So it is his good pleasure. We read in Isaiah chapter 53 that it pleased the Lord to bruise them. Isaiah 5310 when Jesus Christ went to the cross. This we see by prophetic reference in this passage in the book of Isaiah. It pleased the Lord to bruise him what the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand would talk about something that pleased him.

Psalmist is our God is in the heavens have none whatsoever. Please, whatever. Please God. It was a pleasure to do it. Fear not, little flock is the father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

He's not trying to hold back.

He's not trying to deprive you, he's not reluctant, it's his pleasure.

He delights to do it to give to give you can't earn it. The kingdom is not there for you to buy is not that you can generate enough resources to say I cannot make such an investment that I can secure my part of it know he gives it to you. Matthew chapter 5 verse three Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit in Isaiah 55 said he that hath no money. Let them come in by strange that a market is a poor man's market where you come with money.

Which of the point is that there's nothing that you can generate to pay for this. This is giving you by free and sovereign grace is the father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. James chapter 1 verse 17 every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning every perfect gift. Where does it come from. Now we read in the book of Matthew that you know how to give good gifts unto your children what you have been able to give a perfect gift, but when God gives a gift. It's a perfect gift every good and every perfect gift comes down from the father above P a perfect gift.

It's it's it's it's not something that's difficult for the Lord to do. It may be a problem for you. Sometimes a safe, now I am I guess I feel obligated this is my child I have responsibility here, but you don't enjoy giving your heavenly father enjoys it is his pleasure. He delights to give PDUs and the text that stands out above them all to confirm. This has reference to the greatest of all gifts. Romans 832 he that spared not his son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things. He has given you the greatest gift he did not scary Sonny did not hold him back. He gave his son Jesus Christ to die for you as one of the sheep of his flock. If this is the case, what is not free to give us all things, whatever things are that we actually need to gives glory not what we lust after.

As far as our current electric concerned with what we need, to the glory of God to do likes to do it. He gives wanted to give you gives the kingdom. The kingdom that class in chapter 1 tells us that he hath translated us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his dear son. This is by divine grace is his work. John chapter 18 verse 36 says, my kingdom is not of this world were talking about this kingdom were not talking about something that's tangible and material that the Lord would establish on the servant was a mistake the Jews made when Jesus came only lined the streets and they cried. Hosanna, hosanna, they thought that one had come to deliver them from all their oppressors. They would gladly have crowned him king if it meant that they as a people would become a world power in a military way but he says my kingdom is not of this world. Romans chapter 14 confirms that thought one of the 17th verse says, for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

For he that in these things, servant of Christ is acceptable to God and approve the plan is to serve Christ in his kingdom.

When your focus is on righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, that is as much as is possible to live peaceably with all men.

Something seem to have a knack for causing controversy and division. How is it with you or your peacemaker peers kingdom is not meat and drink his kingdom is not of this world. The father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. There are kingdom enjoys kingdom benefits that we have even now because Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of lords, or what a delight to worship the king. What a joy to know that the king that we honor is on the throne and is working his way on that none can defeat him. He's already proven that he is victorious over sin over Satan and over death and then someday the eternal aspect of that kingdom will be yours to enjoy.

Paul said in second Timothy chapter 4 talking about the fact that the Lord had stood with human strength in human times of opposition and persecution he was delivered out of the mouth of a lion that was on those two legged lines. It was after the Lord delivered him and he said in verse 18 and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever.

Amen. The Lord is going to preserve me, he said unto his heavenly kingdom is the father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Yes, there kingdom benefits now in the kingdom of his church in the kingdom where the gospel is preached in the kingdom where Christ is honored and recognized their joys and benefits now, but Paul says he will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom.

So no matter what opposition may come no matter what trials may be sent me in my life no matter what I may encounter.

The Lord is on the preserve me and keep me on to his heavenly kingdom. Finally, in Matthew chapter 25 verse 34 then shall the King say unto them on his right hand column E blast. My father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world and that final day. He says that those on the right hand. The goats on the left hand but his people, the sheep are on the right hand and he says, come, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world wasn't something that was recently plan it was planned.

It was prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Now you come to inherit old anticipation to eventually be there to receive the eternal joys and benefits in that heavenly kingdom. So the text says fear not, little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Jesus selected just exactly the right words to make that a powerful declaration.

Fear not, your answer soon troubled about food and raiment lysozyme feeding the birds and I'm closing the fields.

Think I will take care you your more importantly, the birds are take care of you.

Don't be alarmed. Don't be afraid. Don't fear. Fear not, troubles trials, heartaches from fear not you decide, be not afraid I'm with you that his promise, fear not, little flock you feel to be little you feel that your faith is little you feel that your weak and inadequate as canopied was talking to. Fear not, little flock, talking about a flock which indicates the affection that the shepherd has for the sheep. It indicates something about the protection that they are given, he watches over them. He cares for them and it's your father's good pleasure.

Your father, your heavenly father.

The one to whom you cry, Abba father is his pleasure, not reluctant, not hesitant to do likes to do it, he rejoices to do it. He sings over his people as he gives them this which he has promised is his good pleasure to give, not the sale, not to trade not to bargain but to give what the kingdom. The kingdom by talk about just a little token to get your bath today.

Your heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

Fear not, little flock. If you see yourself to be little and you can see Christ to be great. Scripture say he shall be great, and he was your little he's big your feeble he's strong your week. He has all power. Your sinful.

He's righteous. You have great meaning he has none. You're poor, he's rich, fear not, little flock is the father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. I pray that this message, fear not, little flock has been a blessing to you if you'd like to get the complete message on CD requests that when writing this and we hope that you will be able to make donations to help keep the program on the air and to defray the expense of sending out the material we addresses the Baptist Bible.

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This is will share Bradley Junior bidding you goodbye and may God bless and all in all, and all