A Sermon by Peter Hope
Luke 12:32. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
2. The admonition, “Fear not”. First, they are words of warning. They point to dangers and trials which might dismay the disciples’ hearts. This is clearly implied in the very encouragement they convey, for if there were no causes of fear, there would be no occasion for encouragement. What then are the circumstances calculated to excite alarm? We shall not dwell on the hard lot of the early Christians. You know well what fiery trials they were exposed to, how fully verified were the frequent warnings which their Master gave them of coming evil, and how true it was that through much tribulation they were to enter into the kingdom of God. But we do not dwell on their condition, as their situation was in many respects exceptional, and our wish is to come to the ordinary circumstances of believers in our own day. Are there any causes of alarm in their condition and prospects?
First, as to temporal things. In this respect we are placed in very different circumstances from the early followers of Christ, to whom this admonition was originally addressed. In this land, the profession and the practice of vital Christianity have not for ages endangered the life – or even, in ordinary cases, materially injured their property. Time was indeed when this was the case, and it is possible that the time may come again.
Without wishing to allude particularly to passing events, still in the trying circumstances in which we are this day assembled, it would be inappropriate to be altogether silent on the subject. Events have recently taken place among us which seem intended to warn believers to prepare for a season of trial. No one would now be surprised at occurrences which a few short years ago seemed unlikely to reappear in our enlightened age.
Let us not shut our eyes to the fact but learn the lesson it is designed to teach us. God grant that these events may be sanctified to all of us, that they may be the means of leading us to a deeper concern for our souls! God grant that we may thus be shaken out of our spiritual slumbers and be brought to consider seriously if we are indeed on the Lord’s side and have Him on ours
1The final part of a sermon taken, with editing, from The Free Church Pulpit, vol 3; the first head, which appeared last month, answered the question, “Who are the ‘little flock’ that are here addressed?” The sermon was preached at the Dumfriesshire village of Canonbie, to which Hope belonged, on 20 November 1843, shortly after the Disruption, when the local Free Church congregation was obliged by the local proprietor to worship on a public road. He refers to the events of the time at the foot of this page.
— whether we do indeed belong to the little flock of Christ and have Him for our shepherd. Let us enquire, not whether we profess to be His disciples, nor even whether we suffer for this profession, but whether we truly believe and love and obey Him.
But even though God in His good providence should disappoint the fears which many entertain: that days of trial and suffering for the Church of Christ are approaching, the Christian in this world is exposed to many trials, of which a warning is given in the words, “Fear not, little flock”. He is not in this life freed from the ills to which flesh is heir: pain, poverty, bereavement; indeed these are often sent as salutary corrections by his heavenly Father. “Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.”
But it is also true that “no affliction seemeth for the present to be joyous but grievous”, and the believer is often visited with these afflictions. He may often lie on a sickbed; his lot is often found among the poor of the earth who earn with painful toil their scanty portion of this world’s goods; he often mourns the loss of his dearest earthly comforts; and often, but for the presence of the holy Comforter, his heart would indeed be desolate. He is warned to expect such trials and to prepare. Both the Word and providence of God indicate that they will sooner or later, to a greater or lesser extent, be his portion in this vale of tears.
But even though he may experience fewer of these afflictions than many other children of God, there is one great struggle in which he must engage: the conflict with death. All must meet this terrible foe and, whatever the circumstances — whether at the stake or on the battlefield, or on a quiet deathbed surrounded by affectionate relatives — there is, in itself, something appalling to flesh and blood in the approach of death. The disciples of Christ are not exempted from the trial. Before they can enter Canaan they must face “the swellings of Jordan”. And the words before us may be regarded as warning them of this.
But other trials of a spiritual kind await them; they cannot escape them. And many of the evils just referred to may affect our spiritual frame, and may then be considered as trials of a spiritual kind. The frowns of hostile power, the loss of worldly substance, the pressure of hopeless poverty, the sharp distress of pain and sickness, the bitter pang of bereavement, all these may severely try the faith and patience of the saints. And their faith and patience are in danger of failing in the hour of trial, and thus they may be led into sin. Believers are therefore to look on these evils, not only as salutary chastisements, but also as events which, if not watched for and sanctified, may become new occasions of transgression to the careless.
Although these trials of the believer’s faith call loudly for watchfulness, prayer and reliance on God for grace to help us in our time of need, it is not here that the greatest spiritual danger is to be found. It is not from this quarter that the most formidable and ensnaring temptations assail the heart of the Christian. It is rather in the hour of prosperity than of adversity, of health than of sickness, of joy than of sorrow, that the heart is most prone to be lifted up and forget God. It is a sad and striking proof of man’s natural alienation from God that it is when we enjoy most of His temporal blessings that we are most ready to offend and grieve the bounteous Giver of them all.
From whatever direction they may come, it is certain that temptations to sin will continually assail the believer. All the admonitions of Scripture warn of this, and also of the imminent hazard of yielding to the tempter. The believer is called to “stand in awe and sin not”, to “resist the devil”, to “walk circumspectly”; and the actual experience of Christians proves that these warnings point to a real danger. The believer has to maintain a sore struggle with the corruption, deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of his heart, leaguing with his spiritual enemies. The conflict is long and severe, ending only with the life of the Christian warrior, and the outcome often seems doubtful, and he is frequently constrained to cry out, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” For this incessant, vexing conflict the words, “Fear not, little flock,” admonish us to prepare.
The words, “Fear not”, are not only words of warning, they are, more especially, words of encouragement. It is true that they speak of difficulties and trials, but they speak of them in an accent of comfort and consolation. And it is important that Christians should take them in both these senses and act practically on them both, joining trembling with their mirth, and hope and gladness with their trembling. This is important in both temporal and spiritual trials. In the midst of the sufferings to which the early Christians were exposed, how often must those who heard them from His blessed lips have remembered these cheering words of the Saviour: “Fear not, little flock”. He dealt faithfully with His followers in telling them of the trials which awaited them, but His warnings were ever accompanied with encouragement. As it was their duty to believe the voice of warning, it was also their duty to believe the voice of consolation.
He still deals faithfully with His people, and their duty is still the same: to look with calm belief at both the intimation of danger and the promise of support. In the seasons of perplexity and distress which they are taught to expect – whether they are the common ills of humanity or the special troubles of Christians – and whether we regard them as temporal evils, such as sickness, bereavement, reproach and persecution; or as spiritual trials, such
as the temptations to sin which continually beset them. In all these ills of the flesh and of the spirit, the believer is not to despair. He is not to quail before the evils which surround him; he is to be of good courage: “Fear not, little flock”.
3. The special grounds for taking courage set before Christ’s flock. How, it may be asked, can the believer do other than fear? What can sustain his sinking heart? There are many causes of alarm; where are his grounds of hope and confidence? Do his resources lie in his power to get the victory, in his capacity of endurance, in his strength to resist temptation? Is it from this source that he draws encouragement, and are the words, “Fear not”, only the whisper of self-confidence and self-complacency? Or is the balm poured in by another hand, and derived from a different quarter?
The first ground of confidence for true believers we shall notice is: they are the “little flock” here addressed. This little flock has a shepherd, and who is the shepherd of Israel? It is the Lord Jesus Christ, who redeemed them with His own blood. “I am the good Shepherd”, He said, “the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” “I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine.” Having finished the work which was given Him to do, the once-crucified Redeemer ascended on high, leading captivity captive, was exalted to God’s right hand a prince and a Saviour, far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion, and has all things put under His feet. This “little flock” has a Shepherd who has all power in heaven and in earth; what have they to fear? Could we always realise this truth, what peace it would infuse into the mind in the time of trouble and darkness and dismay! What consolation and support it would afford under the pressure of calamity and temptation, if we could feel the blessed truth, “the Lord reigneth”!
But as the exalted Redeemer has the power, He also has the will to protect His “little flock” in the wilderness? To doubt His willingness would be worse, if possible, than to doubt His power. Who tells believers, “Fear not, little flock”? Is it not the Saviour? Though He is now on the throne of heaven, He has not forgotten His sheep. Does He not perform on their behalf all His mediatorial offices – teaching them by His Word and Spirit, making continual intercession for them, ruling over and defending them, and restraining and conquering all their and His enemies? Forget them! A mother may forget her sucking child, but He will not forget them. He has graven them upon the palms of His hands, they are continually before Him. What comforting assurances He gives that He will be with them, that He is on their side, that their cause is His! “In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you.” “Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am
thy God.” “My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
If only we would steadfastly rely on it, what a happiness to think that the glorified Redeemer, possessing all power in heaven and in earth, wields it on behalf of His beloved flock! What a consolation to know that this great Captain of their salvation is near in the hour of distress and danger, and especially in temptation – that all events are under His immediate control, that He can make the wrath of men and devils to praise Him, and the remainder of wrath He can restrain! What a comfort to His people, both as individual believers and as members of the Church of Christ, to know that He is made the Head over all things to His Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all! Surely the Church and people of the Lord Jesus Christ need not despair in any circumstances.
Surely they should not be afraid when they think who is on their side, as well as who is against them. Surely, however waste the wilderness may be, the “little flock” need not be troubled when they know that the good Shepherd is near. The more fiercely the storm rages, let them cling the more closely to Him; then, in spite of the devil, the world and the flesh, this shall be their joyful song: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.” Such are the ample grounds for encouragement that believers have as the “little flock” of Christ, having Him for their shepherd.
But another source of consolation is set forth in the word, Father: “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”. What a relation to stand in to Jehovah! If we are indeed true believers in Christ, then “He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren”. “Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.” With Jesus as our elder brother, we are the sons of God; “and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ”.
Listen to the Saviour’s earnest prayer to His Father in heaven for His followers, and not for His followers only in His own day, but for all who should believe on Him through their word, for all His flock in all ages: “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given Me; for they are Thine. And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine, and I am glorified in them.” And what is His prayer? “I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”
With Jehovah standing to them in the relation of a father, and they to Him in the relation of sons, what have Christ’s “little flock” to fear? Will He suffer His children to be torn from Him and destroyed? If they truly confide in Him, will He suffer them to be tried above what they are able? Will He not with the trial make a way to escape, that they may be able to bear it? They now have all the glorious attributes of the Almighty arrayed on their side: His power, His wisdom, His goodness, His truth – and His justice, for He is faithful and just to forgive them their sins, and to confer upon them all the blessings which Christ has purchased, and it would be charging God with injustice to suppose that He would now withhold any of them. True, He may chasten them, but this is just a proof that He deals with them as sons, “for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not?” He will make all things work together for good to those that love Him; and therefore, with God as their reconciled and loving Father, let the firm, abiding thought of every lamb in Christ’s “little flock” be, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Finally, the more special ground of encouragement our text affords to believers is contained in the assurance, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”. Two elements of encouragement are combined in this precious declaration: first, the value of the reward; second, the certainty of obtaining it. The word, kingdom, expresses the greatness of the reward. It is obviously heaven, with all its glories and joys. It is to this that the faithful people of Christ are hereafter to be welcomed. “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”.
I need make no feeble attempt to set before you the blessedness that awaits the redeemed. We might cluster together the glowing terms which the inspired writers employ: the thrones, the crowns, the white raiment, the melody of harps, the songs of triumph, the living fountains of waters, the tears wiped away by God Himself, the fullness of joy, the perfection of holiness, the immediate presence of God and of the Lamb, and all this for eternity – after thousands of ages have rolled away, the happiness only beginning, and will be only beginning at the end of thousands of ages more. We might expand, but we must conclude in the words of the Apostle, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him”. But we need not dwell on this. All think of heaven as a place of happiness and glory.
It is not by contemplating the exceeding greatness of its delights that the humble believer is to be specially encouraged in his struggles here below. The eternal joys of heaven would seem sufficient recompense, were they much less entrancing than they will be. The chief encouragement will rather be found to rest in the second of the elements: the certainty of attaining this
inheritance. When we think of who the Father is: the Lord Jehovah who does according to His will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, surely the words, “It is your Father’s good pleasure”, should be enough to pour comfort and consolation into the Christian’s troubled heart.
If it is the Father’s good pleasure, who shall thwart it? Who shall stand between His purposes and their accomplishment? The “little flock” of Christ are His own gift to the Redeemer, and under His own special care. “My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.” They are the objects of His everlasting love, the partakers of His covenant blessings, the heirs of His heavenly kingdom. Through every trial and every temptation He will infallibly bring them to that glorious inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for them.
If then we are indeed Christ’s people, let us be of good courage. We have Him for our watchful Shepherd and our ever-present Almighty Friend. We have His Father for our Father; we have an eternity of unspeakable blessedness in prospect, and the faithfulness of the Omnipotent One is pledged to our inheriting the kingdom, and all His attributes are engaged to secure it. In every time of trial and temptation, let us go forward with firm and well-founded confidence – confidence in our Saviour-God alone and not at all in ourselves; confidence, not in order to relax our efforts and thus be guilty of presumptuous sin, but in order to redouble them, steadfastly performing every duty in the face of whatever opposition, resisting every temptation, enduring every hardship, and braving every danger; looking at all times to Him for grace and strength. And by His grace and strength granted to us, we shall be “more than conquerors through Him that loved us”.