The Odd Sparrow

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)