The Odd Sparrow
Luke 12:6-7
(3/19/23)
On September 8th, 2022 Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom passed away. Over two thousand people were in attendance for her funeral, hundreds of thousands of mourners passed by her flag draped coffin at Westminster hall, and millions more watched the proceedings around the world. In contrast to this, several years ago I was asked to officiate a funeral for an elderly lady who had been abandoned by her family. Some ten years earlier they placed her into the nursing home and never returned. No songs were sung, no pallbearers were present, and there was no crowd of grieving mourners. The only people in attendance were myself, an employee of the nursing home, the funeral directors and grave diggers. When the time came, I read some scripture, said a prayer and we laid her to rest. Though she had been abandoned by her family, separated from her friends and forgotten by most of the world, that lady’s death did not go unnoticed by God. Jesus tells us that not a single sparrow is forgotten by the Lord.
In ancient Israel, of all the birds available the sparrow was the most inexpensive. Imagine a poor widow going to the meat market desperate for food; she reaches into her pocket and takes out her last copper coin and places it on the table, the merchant then gives her two small sparrows in return. If she only had one more copper coin she could purchase four and receive a fifth one for free. It is that fifth sparrow that demands our attention today.
- I would like to examine this passage of scripture and consider “The Odd Sparrow”.
The Gospels tell us that the Lord chose 12 men to be His Disciples. Those men left all and followed Him throughout His earthly ministry. In the end, one of those men (Judas Iscariot) betrayed Him into the hands of His enemies. Judas was eventually replaced by a man named Matthias. Interestingly after the first chapter of Acts the only Apostles who are mentioned are Peter & John. (There is also a brief reference to James’ concerning his death concerning the death of James in Acts 12.) However, history tells us that all of those men are believed to have given their lives in service to the Lord. Though we may not know the exact details, Jesus was well aware of the pain, the persecution and the deaths of each of His Apostles.
Not only was the Lord aware of the events in the lives of His followers, He was in control of them. This is exactly what He taught them in our selected text. In the preceding verses we are told that “an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together” (v1) The Lord’s Disciples were in that number and they needed to know just how precious they were to God.
As I survey this building today I see many faithful and fruitful servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is very likely that there are some who need to be reminded just how precious they are to God. This passage illustrates your true value in a very beautiful way.
Luke 12:1 says “In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another…” The previous chapter gives us some insight as to why this innumerable multitude gathered together. Jesus had cast a demon out of a man who was possessed and mute as a result. Luke tells us that “when the demon had gone out, the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.” (Luke 11:14) Rather than rejoicing that a man had been delivered from an oppressive demon, some in attendance said that Jesus “casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." (Luke 11:15) Following this, “Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.” (Luke 11:16)
Later a certain Pharisee invited Jesus to come and dine with him. Jesus accepted his invitation but when the Lord sat down to eat the Pharisee “marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.” (Luke 11:38) This issue here was not one of personal hygiene; the Pharisee was offended because Jesus had not observed a certain Jewish tradition that had been handed down concerning handwashing. As a result, Jesus begins to confront the manmade traditions, rituals and ceremonial observances of the Pharisees. In the process Jesus rebuked their blatant hypocrisy. Needless to say they were offended by His teaching.
The scholars of the Law were offended as well. (“one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also." And He said, "Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. - Luke 11:45-46)
After Jesus’ strong rebuke of their hypocrisy: “the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him. (Luke 11:53-54) As this debate between Jesus and the Scribes & Pharisees was continuing a large crowd gathered together. Some in attendance were followers of Jesus, others were His enemies and I am sure that some were indifferent onlookers who were simply enjoying a spirited debate.
In the midst of this vast multitude, Jesus turned to His Disciples and said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” Jesus often used leaven (yeast) is a metaphor for hypocrisy. A Hypocrite literally means a “play actor”; it is a reference to one who wears a mask. William MacDonald says “The Pharisees posed as paragons of virtue but actually they were masters of masquerade.” A hypocrite is one whose outward appearance is far different from what is really on the inside. Jesus mentioned this in chapter 11 as well: (Luke 11:39 But the Lord said, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. 40 "You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also?)
When addressing this vast multitude of people, Jesus said that even though the Pharisees appeared to be righteous on the outside, a day was coming when all that they had covered up would be revealed; all that they had done in the dark would be brought out into the light. (Luke 12:2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.)
It is important to remember that by this time Jesus had already sent out the 12 and then 70 others on short term missions where they preached the Gospel. Though they had influenced many people, in the grand scheme of things their audiences (and as a result their influence) had been limited. But a day was coming when the Disciples of Christ would go out into the whole world and boldly preach the Gospel in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. They must have been encouraged to learn that when that time came the truth that they were proclaiming would be shouted from the housetops!
Luke 12:3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
Our selected text contains great encouragement for the servant of Christ. It was encouraging to its original audience and it has served to encourage Christians throughout the ages. In these verses we see the sovereignty of God and the value of those who belong to Him. The encouragement begins with the designation “My friends” (v4). It is an amazing reality to know that Jesus considers us to be His friends. Jesus called His Disciples His friends in - John 15:13-15 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” We should be greatly encouraged that Jesus considers us His friends as well!
After reminding His followers of their relationship with Him, Jesus warns them not to be ashamed of this great privilege. In verses 8-9 He says: “everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”
This very chapter proves that trials and persecution will come to those who are faithful to proclaim the message of the Gospel. (Luke 12:11-12: “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.")
Jesus warned His Disciples that enemies would arise, persecutions would come, and even death would be a possibility for those who share the Gospel. But He also assured them that there was a limit to the harm that could be inflicted by the Pharisees and other enemies of Christ. The worst that they could do would be to kill them and even that couldn’t happen unless it was the Father’s will. And if martyrdom was their destiny, then they would receive their great reward and enter into the presence of the Lord.
Furthermore, Jesus taught that those who came against His followers with physical harm or even death, would incur a far worse punishment; namely eternal death in Hell. For this reason it was imperative that the Disciples feared God and not man. "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! (v4-5)
In an effort to illustrate just how special God’s people are to Him, Jesus provides and illustration of His divine protection and intimate interest in their lives. The illustration that He uses is that of a sparrow. (v7 Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.)
In Matthew 10:29 Jesus proclaims that two sparrows are sold for a single copper coin. This “copper coin” refers to an “assaria” which was the smallest of copper coins. The value of an assaria was equal to a 16th of a denarius. (less than an hour’s wage).One could purchase five sparrows for two copper coins. The idea is that the price of a sparrow is so insignificant that if you buy four the merchant would throw in a fifth for free. Though the odd sparrow has no commercial value among men, it is not forgotten by God. Jesus’ point is this, if God cares for an insignificant sparrow with no real monetary value how much more does He care for His own. This means that when His people go forth obediently sharing the gospel they can do so with full assurance that He is watching over them.
This fact is illustrated in the life of Stephen; as He was being martyred for His faith, all of Heaven was watching. The same is true for you; nothing that you do for the Lord will go unnoticed! Be comforted, strengthened and encouraged by Jesus’ promise that “you are of more value than many sparrows”.
It is also important for us to comprehend that nothing can happen to the sparrow without God’s permission. Again I refer you to Matthew 10:29 where Jesus said “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.” If not a single sparrow falls to the ground unless it is the Father’s will, no trouble, affliction or persecution can come into your life apart from God’s sovereign will.
We live in a society that is consumed with superficial measures of success but if you look to the Word of God you will find that God does not measure success the way that man does. You may consider yourself to be an odd sparrow, and some of you certainly are strange birds (light sarcasm intended) but God sees you as precious, special and one of great value! Not only does He see your value, He is in control of every aspect of your life. Not one thing can happen to you apart from His will.
- I would like to consider a few areas where you may not realize your true worth. First of all:
YOU MAY SEE YOURSELF AS A WORTHLESS SPARROW IN THIS WORLD, BUT GOD SEES YOU AS A PRICELESS POSSESSION
Your peers may assess your value based on your status in the community, the size of house you own, the neighborhood you live in, the kind of car you drive and clothes you wear. Some people in this world may look at you are a failure and consider you to be worthless or as a “nobody”. Perhaps you have heard this so much that you believe it. It is important for you to understand that God does not measure success or a man’s worth based on status or material possessions.
Furthermore, contrary to what some would preach, earthly wealth is not an indicator of God’s approval in your life. Some of the greatest saints in this world don’t have a dime in the bank; at the same time, some of the wealthiest people in this world are consumed with wickedness and do not even know God!
Not only are we influenced by the opinions of man, we also have an adversary who wants us to believe that we are worthless. Maybe he has whispered negative comments in your ears for years and you have made the mistake of listening to him. If so, let me remind you that you are a child of God and you are special; you are greatly blessed and highly favored. You are a child of the King! When the world looks at you they may see an odd, seemingly worthless sparrow, but God sees one of His own and you are precious in His sight.
- Moving on, let’s consider the fact that:
YOU MAY SEE YOURSELF AS A WORTHLESS SPARROW IN THE CHURCH, BUT GOD SEES YOU AS A PROFITABLE SERVANT
It is not just in the context of the world that we question our worth. Sadly many times we assess our value in the church incorrectly as well. This issue arises when we compare ourselves to others instead of being faithful to the scriptures. Too often we look at other preachers, teachers, singers, and other servants in the church and desire to be like them. We long for opportunities such as they have been presented with, we desire the talents that they have been given, and we envy the success that they have experienced. If this is a reality in your life it is important for you to comprehend the fact that you are not those people. God has blessed them according to His will and for His glory. God has something else in store for you and it is even better because it is a specific plan an path that He has ordained where you can glorify Him.
So instead of comparing yourself to others and wanting what they have, surrender to God, follow His path and glorify Him in whatever He has chosen for you to do! You may never be in the spotlight, you may never receive the praise of people in the world or even in the Church, but you can be encouraged that every deed done in the name of Jesus will be blessed and rewarded in eternity. Your peers may not recognize your effort, but rest assured that Jesus knows and He will reward your faithfulness.
Mark 9:41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
Whatever your service, whatever the task that Jesus has chosen for you, it is an honor to be chosen to serve. Do not let anyone tell you that your place of service is insignificant. You have been chosen by the Creator of the universe to accomplish something special for Him. Out of over 7 Billion people in this world, He has called your name, and there is no greater honor than this!
Not only are we guilty of assessing our value in the local church incorrectly, there are times when we assess the value of the local church in an improper way. Many are of the opinion that a “successful church” is one with a massive state of the art facility with all of the modern amenities. They believe that a successful church is one that has large crowds, ministries for every segment of society, an eloquent, educated and dynamic preacher, uber-talented singers, a vibrant worship band or a 75 member orchestra.
Many churches in our day measure success by how big their building is, how many people attend, how large the budget may be, and how many new members and baptisms they had the previous physical year. Granted, there are many churches that have all of these things and they are well pleasing in the sight of the Lord; on the other hand, there are many other “assemblies” that have all of these things and they are a stench in the nostrils of God! I am encouraged to know that there are countless assemblies that are comprised only a handful of people that are special in the eyes of God.
The church growth experts and revitalization specialists would assess our own church and immediately deem us to be “unsuccessful”. For the right price they would develop and plan that in their estimation would make us a “successful church”. Thankfully they are not the ones who set the standard concerning what is valuable, God is the standard and He sees us as precious and of great value!
It is not just those on the outside who incorrectly assess our value; often we are just as guilty! We see what others church have to offer; we hear about all of the amazing things that are happening in the church down the road or across town and we are tempted to think something is wrong with us. Let me remind you that God does not measure success the way that man does. We should not envy those churches where God is clearly moving; rather we should rejoice with them and pray for them. Always remember that they are not our enemies, they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus told His Disciples that “For he who is not against us is on our side.” – Mark 9:40
Perhaps you would like to know if our church is successful. If so, then compare it to the scriptures and not any other assembly. If we are united, loving, biblical, spirit filled, evangelistic and Christ centered then we can rest in the fact that God is pleased with us! We may never be featured in the Alabama Baptist, but if we are faithful to the Lord and devoted to His will and His glory then we can take comfort in the fact that we are known in Heaven!
- You may see yourself as a worthless sparrow in this world, but God sees you as a priceless possession. You may see yourself as a worthless sparrow in the church, but God sees you as a profitable servant. And finally:
YOU MAY SEE YOURSELF AS A WORTHLESS SPARROW IN ETERNITY, BUT GOD SEES YOU AS A PRECIOUS SOUL
There are some of you who have been redeemed, yet you have forgotten the price that was paid for your redemption. The Bible says that “you were bought with a price”. No matter who you are, where you have been or what you have done you were so valuable to God that He sent His only Son to die for your sins. You were so valuable to Jesus that He was willing to go to the cross for you! You may see yourself as a worthless sparrow, but to God you were worth so much that He bought you with the most valuable substance in the history of the world; I am referring to the precious blood of His dear Son! The precious blood of the sinless Savior is the only means of salvation for lost man.
The Bible has much to say about the blood of Jesus. Judas called it "innocent blood" (Matthew 27:4). Peter called it "precious blood". John called it "cleansing blood" (I John 1:7). He referred to it as "washing blood" in Revelation 1:5 and "overcoming blood" (Revelation 12:11). Paul calls the blood of Jesus "Purchasing blood" (Acts 20:28), "Redeeming blood" (Colossians 1:14 & Ephesians 1:7), "Justifying blood" - (Romans 5:9), and "Peacemaking blood (Col. 1:20). The writer of Hebrews called it "sanctifying blood" in Hebrews 13:12. Jesus said that His blood is the "blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins"
Someone has said that “The blood of Christ is forever innocent, infinitely precious, perfectly justifying, always cleansing and fully sanctifying.” The blood is our only hope of salvation! Hebrews 9:22 tells us that ..."without shedding of blood is no remission". The blood of Jesus is the only substance with the power to completely wash away man's sin.
Before the foundation of the world God had a plan to redeem mankind. He knew that we would need a perfect sacrifice, as a result He provided that perfect sacrifice in the person of His only Begotten Son. (Romans 5:8 But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.)
Jesus came to earth and shed His blood for us. He knew the cost, He knew the kind of sacrifice He would have to make and He came anyway. Why did He do this? He did it because you are valuable and He sees your soul as precious.
You May See Yourself As A Worthless Sparrow In This World, But God Sees You As A Priceless Possession.
You May See Yourself As A Worthless Sparrow In The Church, But God Sees You As A Profitable Servant.
You May See Yourself As A Worthless Sparrow In Eternity, But God Sees You As A Precious Soul
