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In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “…………..“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two assarions? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12: 4-7 [Jesus Christ - circa AD 30] |
The biggest crowds in Jersey gather at the Battle of Flowers or at Jersey Live, both in August.
Back in AD 30 – see bold above - the crowds of ‘000s trampled one another whilst they listened in to Jesus speaking to his “friends”..... Yes, Jesus was anxious to make sure that his followers had the very best advice in the world – advice from the Son of God, Son of Man.
Imagine it. Thousands of people are listening to Jesus speaking to his “friends” whilst they are all “trampling one another”.....
Maybe a listener could learn something of value.
He’s talking about fear. (I’ve got some of that.) Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him! (Gehenna was the Jerusalem incinerator – same as the one on Jersey’s South Coast.) |
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‘We only tend to behave ourselves in the presence of God, and if the sense of God’s presence weakens, humanity tends to lark about.’ (C S Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia, 1898-1963)
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About whom is Jesus speaking? Who is this person who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into gehenna? And how are Jesus’ disciples (including, especially, me) taking this?
This person-to-be-feared is so much more to be feared than Kim Jong-un of North Korea (who could so easily kill us all) and, in their day, than even Caesar himself. This person has post-death authority….. Do Jesus’ disciples know who this is? Do you?
Here in Jersey we don’t eat sparrows anymore. It seems that in Jesus’ day, you could buy five of them (dead, of course) for two assarions (£8 today - inflation adjusted). But, please answer me. Why is Jesus now telling these Christians – in front of a crowd of ordinary people – that not one low-value sparrow is forgotten by God? Why is he telling them that – immediately after warning them to fear the person with post-death authority?
Today in Jersey also we still can’t number the hairs on our head. But Jesus says – to his followers – to Christians – that each hair on their heads has a number attached, a number known to his Father. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Why does Jesus tell his friends to fear an unidentified person – and then tell them not to fear because they are of more value to God thsan many sparrows?
The contradiction is amazing. |
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‘If we stress the love of God without the holiness of God, it turns out to be only compromise.’ (Francis Schaeffer, philosopher and writer, 1912-1984)
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There are those, Kim Jong-un included, who kill today – and that’s all that they can do. We see the lifeless bodies on TV. Nothing more can be done to them, we think. Not so, Jesus says. There is another who, having killed, has yet more authority over the dead…..
And that authoritative one is the same person as the one who does not forget even a single sparrow, the same person as the one who numbers each hair upon the heads of the followers of Jesus.
In fact, as I listen in to Jesus teaching of own followers, I again hear him say to them: Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Tell me. Why are they valuable to God and Jesus?
Richard Syvret would dearly love to say that Jesus and God his Father are not to be feared. But he's heard Jesus say “Fear him who…!” as well as “Fear not!” He daren't. |
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