43 lines
2.2 KiB
Markdown
43 lines
2.2 KiB
Markdown
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title = "Luke 12:4–12"
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date = "2022-12-16"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Lk12.4-12)
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Think back to yesterday, when we were talking about hypocrisy, and how the
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Righteous Judge will reveal all of the wicked deeds that were done in secret.
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Jesus tells us to fear Him because He has the authority to cast us into hell,
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but in contrast, everyone else who might want to cause us harm can only kill us
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physically. Compared to eternity, this life with all of its joys and sorrows is
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but a blip. I'm reminded of a video I've seen that shows a side-by-side
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comparison of planets, moons, and stars. It just keeps zooming out and it's not
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very long before the Earth wouldn't even fill a pixel on the screen by the time
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you have the other objects in the frame. Eternity is bigger than that.
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Right after telling them to fear God, Jesus tells His disciples not to fear
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Him, because not only does He have absolute authority over us, but He knows
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every minute detail about us as well. He knows and cares about the little
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sparrows, and He values us more highly than many sparrows.
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How is this tension resolved? By our response to Jesus. If we have faith in
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Jesus that He has saved us by paying the penalty for our sins, then He credits
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His rigtheousness to us before God, making us holy and acceptable to Him. But
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if we reject Him, saying we will deal with our sin problem on our own, or even
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denying that we are wicked to begin with, then He will deny us before God and
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the angels, and our fate is to get what we wanted: an eternity without God.
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Therefore, knowing all these things, we can be bold, confident, and unafraid to
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speak about Jesus and how He has changed our lives with other people. What are
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they going to do? Laugh at you? So what? God thinks you were worth dying for.
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Will they ostracize you? Besmirch your reputation? Imprison you? God still
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loves you despite knowing the worst things about you and He will take care of
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you. Will they kill you? Wonderful! Then you will be home with the Lord all the
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sooner! Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will give you words to say when you
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need to defend your faith.
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* * *
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Help us remember Your promises and to rely on them when we face trials for Your
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sake.
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