Are You Afraid?

Here are some thoughts on tomorrow's gospel. What are your thoughts?
Gospel: Matthew 10:24-39

[Jesus said to the twelve:] ²⁴“A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; ²⁵it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
  ²⁶“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. ²⁷What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. ²⁸Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰And even the hairs of your head are all counted. ³¹So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
  ³²“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; ³³but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
  ³⁴“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
 ³⁵For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
 ³⁶and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
³⁷Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”

 

There is a lot is this Sunday’s gospel, but as I read it, my mind turns to the hymn “Have No Fear, Little Flock,” ELW 764. The first verse goes like this:

Have no fear, little flock; have no fear, little flock,

For the Father has chosen to give you the kingdom;

Have no fear, little flock.

We live in a time of uncertainty with more questions than answers. This can lead to fear. However, Jesus taught his disciples to be unafraid of those who would call them names as they did their Lord. All of their doings would be brought to light. Our part is to tell the gospel to all, from the housetops!

Then, the disciples are taught to be unafraid of those who could only take their physical life, but rather to be afraid of the One who can take body and soul—God.

Finally, we need not fear because of how precious we are to God. If God cares for the sparrows, how much more does he take care of us? Even the hairs of our head are counted by God. God cares so very deeply for all God’s people. We don’t have to be afraid and that’s a message worth sharing. We don’t have to be afraid because of our mighty Lord who conquered death by his own death, resurrection and ascension, the Lord Jesus Christ. So…

Have no fear, little flock.

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