HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW

Matt 10:28-31

Morning Meditations 1/26/16

The verses we are going to consider this morning are verses 28-31: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

The farthing was equivalent to about two mites and was evidently the price of a sparrow in our Lord’s day. He is using it here to show the insignificance of the price or worth of a sparrow. The sparrow was practically worthless in our Lord’s day. Yet God knew every time a sparrow fell to the ground.

Gill says, “Two birds, or sparrows, as the word may be rendered, in Lev. 14:4 were used in cleansing the leper; one was killed, and the other let loose into the open field: and though it might be a contingent thing with men which was killed, and which preserved, yet not with God; and some think the allusion is here to that case.”

So while the sparrow and it’s price may be insignificant to man, they were still aware that there was some importance attached to it because the sparrow was used in an offering required by God for the cleansing of the leper.

Jesus goes on to say, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

The question arises, does God know what is going on in our lives? Even Christians ask this question. It was something that Jesus dealt with in this passage. Jesus taught us to deny ourselves and follow Him. Paul said, “For I know that in my (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing....” (Rom. 7:18). Satan can use God’s truth about our total depravity and malignance of the flesh to lie to us about our importance to God. Sometime we feel totally abandoned by God. But we need to be assured that we are important to God and He knows everything that happens to us. He knows where we are and knows all about the circumstances and He cares.

This has always been a problem. I have a book by Sir Robert Anderson called The Silence of God. The first words in chapter one are: “A silent Heaven is the greatest mystery of our existence.” The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 73:11 “And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?”

Jesus wants us to know that we have not been forgotten. The words “Your Father” in verse twenty nine are important. Jesus was talking to His born again disciples. He knows what goes through the mind. He is reminding us that we are God’s children by birth. He is our Father. The Father cares. The Father knows. He is not an irresponsible Father. And if God in His omniscience knows when a sparrow falls to the ground, He, as our Father, knows all that is going on in our lives and cares. God is the sparrow’s Creator, but He is the believer’s Father.

How is this information that Jesus is giving us going to help us in time of need? We must learn to walk by faith. Jesus says, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” When circumstances say, “Your heavenly Father does not know. He does not care about your pain or the trauma of this situation,” we must answer “He is here. He knows what is going on. He is working out His will in this situation. I will be conformed more to the image of Christ after this is all over.” This is faith in what He says in His Word. Faith is our God given capacity to be able to see the invisible and walk in relation to the Father who is invisible. His contact with us in the world is His Word. Faith hears what God is saying in His Word. Faith sees the Father and accepts His silence as the best way for Him to work out His plan in this present age.

The Hebrew Christians were having a real struggle. They were being persecuted by their families and were being pressured to go back to temple worship. Hebrews 3:12 says, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” The “brethren” were having problems. Their faith was being challenged. Verse 14 of that same chapter says, “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.” There was the temptation to abandon the faith when they were not seeing God or hearing His voice or having some physical contact. God expects us to hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end no matter how difficult the times. We can do this by knowing that God cares. He is here. He knows what is going on.

Do you know that God is with you right now? Your perception of His presence will be determined by your faith in His Word. You may be distracted by circumstances. Your emotions may be overwhelmed by Satan’s accusations. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. Rev. 12:10: “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” He does not only accuse us to the Father but he accuses us to ourselves. He tells us God does not care or He would not allow what is going on right now. He tells us God has not forgiven us of some sin we have previously confessed. I have dealt with many people over the years who were still bothered about a sin that they had already confessed and asked forgiveness. God forgets the sins He forgives (Heb. 10:17). If it comes back up, who brings is up? God certainly does not!

Jesus wants us to know if God cares for the sparrow. We are much more important than the sparrow and He cares for us. If He knows when a sparrow falls, He knows all about our circumstances. You say, “Then, why does not God say something?” He has and is. He says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.” I am comforted by this. If Jesus came to me in a physical body and spoke to me in an audible voice, He would say no more than He says right here. Your faith is the God given capacity to accept, embrace and act on His written Word the same way you would do if He said it in person.

God cares for us. May He bless this truth to our hearts as we believe Him.

In Christ

Earl White