You Have Nothing to Fear!

12th Sunday after Pentecost, 8/7/16
Luke 12:32-40


You Have Nothing to Fear!
I. When your treasure is in heaven
II. When you’re ready for Jesus to return


Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could stand up before you this morning and tell you, “Everything is just fine. You have nothing to worry about”? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could tell you that this November’s presidential election would be exactly what you hoped for? Wouldn’t you be thrilled if I could assure you that we were never going to face a terrorist attack? Would you reply with a full-throated “Yes!” if I could promise that you will breeze through the rest of your life without any aches or pains? What if I announced that your children would attain all of their dreams in life and be endlessly happy and successful?

By now you’re likely thinking to yourself, “Pastor, that’s enough. What you’re describing or suggesting isn’t real life. My real life is full of daily worries and paralyzing fears. I’m fearful for my life. I’m fearful for my country. And I’m fearful for my world.” Most of us share your assessment of your life. We know what that’s like.

But then Jesus begins this morning’s Gospel reading with these words, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” What would cause Jesus to speak this way? Well, he was addressing a crowd of thousands of people who were overly concerned about what was going on in this world and in their lives at the moment. Jesus tells them in no uncertain terms not to be afraid. That sounds great, but we’ve heard similar words before. And as things turned out, our fears were well-founded. We feared the worst and it happened.

So why should we put any confidence in these words? Because they are the words of the Son of God himself. So, when Jesus tells us not to be afraid, you can take that to the bank. The truth is that you have nothing to fear. You have nothing to fear. Let’s see why as Jesus shares his reasons with us this morning.

Part I.

In the middle 1500s a man named William Cecil served as the Lord Treasurer of England, a highly influential but also stressful position in those days when record-keeping was done with paper and pen. It’s said that at night, when Cecil was ready to retire, he would cast off his official robe as treasurer and declare, “Lie there, Lord Treasurer,” bidding good night to all state affairs so that he could sleep in peace.

If only it were that easy, right? Instead, many of us endlessly toss and turn, trying to fall asleep. We replay in our minds the day almost past, fretting over our failures and disappointments. Or, we’re already stressed out over the day that faces us in just a few hours. How will we manage? Will we even be able to cope?

Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid.” And why not? “Because your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” In other words, Jesus is telling you that you already have the kingdom of God. Just what is he talking about? This—what we’re experiencing right now—is life in God’s kingdom?! This is what God wants for me—days of endless stress, countless failures, dysfunctional relationships, fragile friendships?

First of all, the kingdom of God is not a place. It’s not here. It’s not over there. It’s not hidden so that you have to search for it. Nor is the kingdom of God glorious living right now or in the life to come. The kingdom of God is not heaven.

Instead, the kingdom of God is his gracious activity in the lives of sinful people. The kingdom of God comes to us through the good news of Jesus Christ which creates and sustains saving faith in Jesus. The kingdom of God—his saving activity—comes to us in Baptism as the word and the water bring a little child to faith in Jesus and, thus, into his kingdom. The kingdom of God comes to us when we receive our Savior’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper. That’s God’s gracious activity in us. Every one of you has experienced that gracious activity. You have the kingdom of God.

So take Jesus’ directions to heart. “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.” St. Francis of Assisi, who grew up surrounded by wealth, took these words literally, cast aside all his possessions, and lived a life of poverty. But he missed the point. Everything we have is a blessing from our God. He wants us to use what we have to his glory. What he gives us he wants us to enjoy.

But not to treasure them. When the attainment of things and the enjoyment of them becomes our focus in life, we’ve missed the point. We’re misusing what our God has given us. And then we begin to become fearful about our lives here and now. Jesus reminds us, “Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Everything you’re working so hard for now will one day be taken from you. So why do we spend so much time fretting over the things of this world? Why do we think we can find our joy in what this world has to offer? All the stuff we have is just that—just stuff.

So make sure you have real, lasting treasure. You’ll find it in Jesus, your priceless treasure. Only Jesus gives you what lasts forever. Only Jesus gives you what no one can take from you. Only Jesus can give you eternal happiness and bliss. Only Jesus can give you what all the money in the world can’t buy—forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And all these things are yours through faith in Jesus.

Do you believe that Jesus is your Savior? Then you have nothing to fear. You have nothing to fear when your treasure is in heaven.

So, why is it so difficult to take the words of our loving Lord Jesus to heart? We can make our resolutions here and now not to be afraid of what might happen to us and the people and things that make up our lives, but we no sooner get home and our pious, church-made resolution becomes just another broken promise to ourselves. Why is that? Because our sinful nature won’t take Jesus at his word. Our sinful nature sucks in every last sound byte of materialistic advertising and nods in hedonistic approval. Our sinful nature isn’t content to keep up with the mythical Joneses; it wants to kill the Joneses with envy over what we’ve amassed. Think about the last thing you worried about. Recall your last fear. Now, what do those things matter since you already have the kingdom of God? And in that kingdom you have forgiveness for making all created things rather the Creator of all things your highest treasure. In that kingdom there is no fear about what your future holds. It’s heaven. Pure heaven with your Savior Jesus, the one who died for you to make life with him a reality for you. So, you have nothing to fear when your treasure is in heaven.

Part II.

If you knew that today was your last day on earth, how would you spend it? If God told you that you will close your eyes in sleep tonight and wake up in heaven, what would you do today? If Jesus revealed to you that the last day in history will be this coming Saturday, that he would return in glory at noon EDT on August 13, what kinds of things would you take care of in the next six days? Good questions, aren’t they? They have a way of putting things into perspective. All the things you had planned to do now definitely aren’t going to happen. You won’t be going back to school. Ask for your deposit back because the reception won’t take place. Ditch your plans to take a vacation or buy a new vehicle. They won’t happen.

So, what should we do? Listen to what Jesus says. “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.” Be dressed, ready for service. Be of Christian service to anyone and everyone. It’s not all about you; it’s about serving others. What can you do so that someone else has the eternal treasure that you have? What plans can you make which will result in making an eternal difference in the life of someone else?

Jesus pictures these servants, ready to open the door when he arrives for a wedding banquet. But did you catch what happens next? “I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.” He turns this service opportunity on its head. The master serves the servants! Incredible! But isn’t that exactly our Lord’s deepest desire every day? He wants us to come to the banquet of his gospel which he has prepared for us. He wants to fill us with himself as the Bread of Life. He wants us to drink deeply of his spiritual water. In the kingdom of God, we’re on the receiving end of the greatest blessings—forgiveness and eternal life in Christ.

And while we’re serving others and receiving spiritual blessings from Christ, Jesus wants us to keep one eye on the skies. Jesus closes with this encouragement, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” It could be later today. Make sure you’re watching.

So, when you consider all the things you’re concerned about, when you’re anxious about your future, you really have nothing to fear when you’re ready for Jesus to return.

Are you ready? What makes you feel unprepared? The common answer is sin and guilt, our natural sinful disposition. Sinners have never felt comfortable in the presence of the holy God. And we’re afraid we’ll be terrified in the presence of the glorious Lord Jesus on the Last Day. But you have nothing to fear. Remember? Your sins and guilt have been washed away by the blood of Christ. That’s why he came to earth the first time. By faith in Jesus as your Savior you live in constant readiness. So, why do we have such a difficult time watching? Because of all the stuff that makes up our lives. We’re consumed with living each 24-hour period. We just hope we can make it through the next one. Cast it all aside, dear Christian friends! Put it all in the background of your lives and watch for Jesus. Everything is going to be fine! Your risen and ascended Lord Jesus promises it! You have nothing to fear! Amen.