FEAR NOT ... BUT “WATCH”
Luke 12: 32–37 (to “watching”)
These exhortations, so rich in their prophetic import, have come right down, designedly, to the last days. It is very clear in the words of the Lord Jesus in this gospel, and particularly in John’s gospel, that He envisaged the very days that would obtain publicly just prior to His coming. Beloved brethren, we are assured that we are in such a time, assured inwardly that it is so, and we would not disregard the feelings of many which are also that way, but the experiences at the Supper more and more are assuring us of the imminence of the rapture. Therefore we need to pay attention to the words of the Lord Jesus, and the way that certain exhortations prophetically have been uttered by Him and His servants and have come right down to the present moment.
I want to refer to two of them, and the first is, “Fear not, little flock”, and the second is, to “watch”. There are many more. I just had an impression to speak very briefly of these literal words of the Lord Jesus. It would embrace the disciples to whom He was speaking, but it would extend to those precious to Him, as the note says, ‘There is an emphatic article here, impossible to translate into English’, but it means ‘you who are the little flock. It is the character Christ gives to them as attached to Him in the midst of the world’.
O, beloved, how fitting it is, as claiming nothing; but that is just what the present moment is calling for in the few devoted lovers of Jesus whom He thus designates as the “little flock”; in a sense defenceless, but precious—precious and known to heaven and loved by heaven, and persons who love one another too. It is just that Philadelphian touch of brotherly love among those whom the Lord calls a “little flock”, twos and threes gathered together unto His name, and what He says to them is, “Fear not”. There is no need to fear. “Fear not, little flock”. We need this word. If our trust and our faith were not in Him we would have reason to fear, but there is no need to fear. Beloved, He is in absolute control of everything; in this world, with its governments, and its nations, everything is in the hand of Christ. He is working out His own designs—knowing the end from the beginning. He loves those walking in the light of the assembly, assuming nothing, being nothing publicly but a poor and afflicted people—just like a little defenceless flock. Amidst the great gathering pretentiousness of systems built up by men there is something down here in testimony, representative of the whole undoubtedly, but which calls forth His approbation, and He says it is just a little flock attached to Him amidst the whole course of the apostate world around us. So let us therefore, dear brethren, take courage.
The Father comes into it, you will notice, “for it has been the good pleasure of your Father to give you the kingdom”. What does that mean? It means we need the kingdom, and we need to work out in the assembly the principles of the world to come for its protection and testimony, and it is the good pleasure of the Father to give us the kingdom. Thank God for the principles that we have been taught and which we prove from the word. Let us cleave to them and see that they work; they are on our side for our good and for our protection, and it is a very touching thing that it has been the pleasure of the Father to give this to us. It points, as far as I can see it, to the circle of affection all divine in which the Father’s love and, of course, the love of Jesus, the ineffable love of Christ, and, we may add, the love of the Spirit, enter in a feeling way, a protected position in the midst of all that is developing in the apostate systems around us. So let us be without fear, but in exercise.
That leads me to the second exhortation, but there are many more here that we could allude to because we certainly need our loins girded about. That involves control but is also in view of movement, ready to move, ready to go at any moment with our lamps burning, with oil in them. Oh, what it will be when that cry comes, that midnight cry, Behold the Bridegroom! We want to be ready, and I believe there is something the Spirit of God is producing in readiness immediately to answer to the knocking. It would not be the Laodicean knocking; no, it would point to a readiness and an alertness of lovers to know who it is at the door. So let our loins be girded, ready for movement at any moment to answer that summons, that assembling shout, and let our lights be burning brightly.
In his epistle Peter catches on the idea and extends it in saying as to the flock of God that it is to be shepherded, cared for, and protected, and, beloved brethren, it is a full-time matter. Let our committals be deepened as long as we are left here, and let us be able for it, to care for one another, but it would extend, because it speaks here of the sufferings accomplished in “your brotherhood which is in the world”. What is that? It would surely go beyond the immediacy of the circle of fellowship, because a brotherhood involves the family of God; it would involve every one born of God. We should therefore have a responsibility in our feelings and in our prayers, as indeed we have in some sense tonight, to embrace the tremendous scope of the work of God, including many in suffering. In those countries our dear brother referred to as under communist rule there are true Christians in suffering. How we need to remember them. It says here, “accomplished in your brotherhood”, and if we have to suffer for a little while, it says—“when ye have suffered for a little while, himself shall make perfect, stablish, strengthen, ground”.
What I want to leave with the dear brethren is, “Watch”. Never has it been more needed than now just to be in the sensitivity to watch, that what is precious to the heart of Christ is protected, and the service of God is maintained. The best way to meet the dreadful tide that is against us is to pursue with joy the truth and the service of God and the glad tidings. That is all I wanted to say. “Fear not, little flock”, but then, let us be on our guard; the enemy would again attack to spoil the finish; let our committal be that he is thwarted, that he is resisted; it says, “Whom resist, stedfast in faith”. The exhortation is to “watch”.
CHRISTCHURCH NZ
6th June 1983
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