We're looking at a portion of Luke chapter 12 today. I was speaking with Brother Adam earlier this week, and in our conversation, he quoted Luke chapter 12, the fore end of verse 32. I'd like you to read with me the entire verse. Luke chapter 12 and verse 32. It says, fear not, little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. be looking at the subject or the title of the message this morning, Fear Not, Little Flock. Fear Not, Little Flock. So there's a whole bunch of stuff in Matthew chapter 12 that he says prior to the Lord saying, fear not. And those items may draw us unto fear. So having said all those things, then he said, fear not. So what I'd like to do, and I'm really going to encourage you to settle your mind and to seek God's wisdom and ability as we read through the majority of Luke chapter 12, that you would continue in attention. And then we're going to glean some things out of verse 32. And I'd like to read it at a full go, because if we try to pick up little pieces and you hear it for the first time, it might not make a whole lot of sense. So let's read it and then hear that instruction, fear not, little flop. Luke chapter 12 and verse 1. In the meantime, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, now Luke says that, the Lord Jesus doesn't, but Luke says they're innumerable. and so much that they trod one upon another. He began to say unto his disciples first of all, beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light, and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto you, my friends, remember he says to his disciples first of all, that's important, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear. Fear him which after he hath killed have power to cast into hell, yea, I say unto you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me before men Him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God. But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him. But unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, why would they bring them to the synagogues? because they confessed his name before men. Think about that. And when they bring you unto the synagogues and unto magistrates and powers, take ye no thought of how or what thing you shall answer or what you shall say. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say. After studying the book of John, how does the Holy Spirit lead his people? to speak, confessing the testimony of Jesus Christ. That's the testimony of the Holy Spirit. Not of the Holy Spirit himself, but of Jesus Christ. And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me. Think of the absurdity of what the Lord Jesus Christ is talking about, and this guy has this absurd question. And he said unto him, man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, this will I do. I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself that is not rich toward God. And he said unto his disciples, therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, neither for the body, what you shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which neither have storehouse nor barn. They don't have cupboards and cabins. And God feedeth them, how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you, with taking thought, can add his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They toil not, they spin not, and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothed the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven or burned, how much more will He clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek ye not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after, the Gentiles, the heathen, and your Father knoweth that you have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto it. Fear not, little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms. Provide for yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not. Where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. "'For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. "'Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning, "'and ye yourselves, like unto men, that wait for the Lord "'when He will return from the wedding, "'that when He cometh and knocketh, "'they may open unto Him immediately.'" Having their hand on the doorknob, you can picture. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching, where less and to you, that he shall gird himself and make them sit down to meet and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and have not suffered his house to be broken through. It just makes sense. If I told you I was breaking in your house at midnight, where would you probably be and what would you probably be doing? Be therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh in an hour when you think not. This is important. Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us? or even, oh, you speaking to your assembly? Are you speaking to everybody? And the Lord said, who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath, But if that servant say in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to beat the men servants and maidens and to eat and to drink and to be drunken, the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour when he is not aware and will cut him asunder and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers." That person evidences himself as an unbeliever. It's not that he lost his salvation, he evidences himself in his life that he is not a believer. And that servant which knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. That's the unprofitable servant. But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes, for unto whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required. and to whom men have committed much of him, they will ask the more." We'll stop reading there just for the time being. Fear not, little flock. There's a lot going on there. There's a lot going on there. So the little flock, the little means of little strength or number of influence. So Luke starts chapter 12 saying that there's a number that's innumerable, and yet the Lord says, little flock. Isn't that interesting? If I was speaking to a multitude of people and say, hey, look, you few here. I'm speaking to just a few of y'all. That would be a contrast between the big group and the small group, wouldn't it? It appears as though when the Lord says little flock, a flock is a group of sheep. But in the New Testament, the word flock is also used as a word to describe the Lord's assembly. So he's speaking to a great multitude, but he's speaking directly to his little flock in this passage. We know that this little flock was not the entirety of the group by several internal evidences here. In chapter 12, verse 1, it says, he began to say unto his disciples, first of all. So this message was to his disciples. It wasn't to the group at large, though they were there hearing it. This message was to his disciples. We see in chapter 12 and verse 4. He says, I say unto you, my friends, not every person that was in that group was his friend. If you keep reading this long conversation in chapter 16, 17, and 18, these Pharisees are getting fire hot mad. They weren't friends with him. He wasn't friend to them. He's speaking to his friends, friends in this multitude. Who are the us? Peter asked the question. Are you speaking this parable to us or unto all? Well, unto the us, he's talking about the profitable and faithful servants, isn't he? In chapter 13, look at chapter 13, just the first few verses, they were present at that season. So in that same multitude, in that same group, on that same day, at that same time, they were present at that season, some that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with sacrifices. Jesus answering said unto them, suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered such things? I tell you, nay, but except ye repent, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Did he say that to his friends? Did he say that to those who were close? Did he say that to those who were of the little flock? No, he's addressing the rest of the group now. Verse four, or those 18. "'Upon whom the tower of Siloam fell and slew them. "'Think ye that they were sinners "'above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? "'Nay, I tell ye, nay, but except ye repent, "'ye shall all likewise perish.'" He's talking to the remainder of the multitude there. So when he says little flock, I believe he's giving church instruction, church instruction. He's contrasting those present in the flock versus those present who are not in the flock. He says, fear not, little flock, fear not. So the remainder, now that we know who he's talking to here, the remainder of this message makes a whole lot more sense. We talked about logic in the Sunday school. Just understanding the logic of who he's talking to, the fear not makes a whole lot of sense. It really does. Why would they be put to fear, and why would the Lord Jesus Christ say, fear not? That word fear means to be, yes, to show reverence, but also be terrified or put to flight, be alarmed, be struck with fear. Why is he saying, fear not? It's okay. Well, it's all in chapter 12 here. He gives us several reasons why, if we read it carefully, we think, oh man, I didn't know that was a possibility. I know nobody reviewed it with me before the Lord saved me. Nobody reviewed it with me whenever I came for baptism that these things were a possibility, counting the cost. What things might have been fearful? What things might we learn of very rapidly that would cause us to fear when the Lord Jesus Christ says, fear not, little flock. How about attrition? So, in theological terms, it's a form of sorrow, but not unto contrition, not unto repentance. Chapter 12 and verse 1, you see some attrition going on. Oh, they had knowledge, but there was no contrition, there was no repentance. In the meantime, when they were gathered together in innumerable multitude of people and so much that they trod upon one another, he began to say unto his disciples, first of all, beware ye of the eleven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. It's all show. It's all put on. Don't be afraid of them. Fear not, but be aware of it. Beware of them. Be leery. Be distant. Hold them at bay. Beware of them. Don't be afraid of them, but beware of them. Beware of attrition. Beware of those that say they are of God, but don't be afraid of them. There's a whole bunch of people that I sorrow over. There's a whole bunch of people that I've spoken to, and if I could just slap them and know that that would bring them salvation, they'd be black and blue. But the Lord Jesus Christ says, don't be afraid when you're surrounded by religiously unsaved hypocrites. Don't be afraid of that. Don't be afraid and don't be terrified and don't be startled and don't be cast down. Don't be afraid, little flock. I'm gonna let the cat out of the bag here. The solution for every point of fear, verse 32. It is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Don't be afraid of those hypocrites. Don't be afraid of attrition. Don't be afraid of religiously unsaved people. God, he didn't find pleasure to give them the kingdom. I believe the kingdom is the Lord's church. Those things pertaining to salvation expressly the gospel of Jesus Christ. He didn't give them the kingdom. He gave his little flock the kingdom. Don't be afraid of those people. Don't be driven or put to flight. There's another definition of attrition, and this can make you afraid, and Brother and Sister White, maybe you can relate to this. Attrition, the second definition of attrition, is the action or process of gradually reducing in strength, effectiveness, or number through strain, attack, or pressure. Maybe just the fear of dying off. Have you ever felt that? Just the fear of maybe, oh man, I'm afraid. I'm afraid that if something happened to me and something happened, that maybe this assembly will just die off. He said, don't be afraid. Don't be afraid of attrition. Look at verse four. And I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body. Meaning, there will be some that kill the body. Attrition! There'll be attack or sustained pressure. There'll be an attempt to snuff out. Attrition. Don't be afraid of attrition. Oh man, it's just two of us. It's just three of us. Well, if we had those spiritual goggles and we saw what was really going on in this room, we'd be highly impressed, I believe. Don't be afraid. Fear not, little flock. Remember, he says little. Little of strength, little of number, little of rank, little of influence. These guys are a bunch of roughneck fishermen, most of them. A bunch of nobodies. Fear not, little flock. Fear not. Don't be afraid of attrition. Don't be afraid of atrocity. All these are going to have A's in them, by the way. Atrocity. Extremely wicked or cruel acts involving violence or injury. Atrocity. Don't be afraid of them. And I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body. They will. They will. Atrocity. You know, we can speak of the word atrocity, and if you say it often enough, the word kind of loses its meaning. John chapter 16. Don't be afraid of atrocity. Don't be afraid. You know, sometimes we don't do things because we're afraid. I used to not like to play baseball. I was afraid of getting hit and therefore I wasn't a good hitter because I was afraid of getting hit. I was afraid to swing the bat. I was afraid of getting in the batter's box. I was afraid. Don't be afraid. These things have I spoken unto you in verse one, John 16, verse one. These things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended, that you don't get shaken, that you don't get put to flight. They shall, not they might, they shall put you out of the synagogues, yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God's service. And these things they will do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me. Atrocities. Do a little bit of study of what they were doing in the book of Acts. They were hunting down families. Do a little study of those people in the book of Hebrews. Those women receiving their children in death. Atrocities! Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Pick up Fox's book of Martyrs and see what men have done to others because of the gospel. Atrocities. Extremely wicked. Jesus Christ says, don't be afraid. Fear not, little flock. Fear not, little flock, over the audacity of men. Audacity. Rude or disrespectful behavior. You see, in verse 1, they had these Pharisees and the leaven and the hypocrites there. In verse 4, they were killing them. chapter 16 the audacity of these in it and if you read through Luke this isn't a bunch of one-liners or This is an entire conversation that the Lord's having with them and Luke chapter 16 and verse 14 Luke chapter 16 and verse 14 in in this conversation It says in the Pharisees also who were covetous Heard all these things and they derided him They derided him when he was hanging at Calvary, they were wagging their heads and saying all kinds of ugly things. Here they derided him basically putting their nose up, oh yeah, haha, you know, they were loftier than the Lord Jesus. They showed great audacity. You ever try to tell someone the things of God, and you can see it in their eyes, and in their face, and their gestures, that they just pity you for being so simple-minded, for believing such things? Don't fear their audacity. And as their audacity increases, guess what? So does their animosity. What's animosity? Those are strong feelings of dislike. They were audacious toward the Lord, but they also had animosity toward Him. They disliked Him. They resented him and they hated him and guess what? Animosity, it starts coming out in people's behavior. If somebody has an approach of the heart, it starts coming out in their body. They had animosity toward the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, the hypocrisy, chapter 12, verse 1. He said they would kill you, chapter 12, verse 4. In chapter 18, Luke chapter 18 and verse 9, animosity, a strong dislike, lending toward hostility, chapter 18 and verse 9. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. And the others, Jesus Christ was in that category. They thought themselves righteous and they despised Jesus Christ. Well, then what happened? Chapter 22, and their animosity toward Jesus Christ. Luke chapter 22, verses 1 and 2. Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew nigh, which is called Passover, and the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him, for they feared the people. If you think about what happened in John chapter 11 Caiaphas the high priest was telling these hey look we got to put these we got to put him away Because Rome's gonna jump all over us and we're gonna lose our place and the nation so because because they were audacious and disrespectful toward him and their animosity grew they had a resentment and a hostility that was growing toward them and Matthew chapter 26 Furthering that idea of animosity, it grows and it grows and it grows. Matthew 26, verse 63. But Jesus held his peace, and the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God that thou tellest whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said. Nevertheless, I say unto you hereafter that ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes. Why? Animosity, building hostility. saying, he has spoken blasphemy. What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? And they answered and said, he is guilty of death. Matthew 27, verses 15 through 18. Now at the feast, the governor was want to release unto the people a prisoner whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, whom that I will release unto you, Barabbas, or Jesus, which is called Christ. For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. Envy, they're building animosity. Well, you know what? We studied in John chapter 15, summarizing. The Lord Jesus said, hey, look, the servant's not greater than the master. They hated me. They'll hate you. I've chosen you out of the world. They hate me. They will hate you. If they don't hate you, that would be some new thing. But because you're of me, they will hate you, he says. So there will be because they showed animosity toward Christ. The Lord Jesus is gracious to tell them. In chapter 12 of the book of Luke, our text, they will show you animosity. They will try to kill you. Their hostility toward you, their dislike of you because of the gospel will grow. Fear not, little flock. Fear not. Fear not, little flock, for adversity. Adversity. Adversity is difficulties. Difficulties. Chapter 12 in verse six, He says, are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And not one of them is forgotten before God. So the relationship between the five sparrows and the two farthings is saying how meaningless or worthless a sparrow is in a monetary system. Yet each one of those, not one of them is forgotten before God. In adversity, The picture of being sold, it shows that bird as a light thing. So he's saying, look, little flock. adversity and you being treated as a light thing and men buying and selling you and despising you and having all these all these belittlements onto you and the destruction or attempted destruction of you and all these adversities when it come upon you little flock when all these difficulties come remember that God hasn't forgotten one single one of you and that that price is is known of God, even the price, the precious blood of Jesus Christ. He has not, he will not forsake or forget his people. Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, you're of more value than many sparrows. How wonderful the Lord says, fear not, little flock. There's gonna be attrition. There's gonna be atrocity, audacity, animosity, adversity. It's coming. It's coming. Fear not. Fear not. Fear not authority. What? Verses 11 and 12. And when they bring you unto the synagogues and unto magistrates and powers, when they bring you before the governors and senators and the mayors and whoever, take ye no thought How or what thing you shall answer or what you shall say, for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say. Authority is the power or right to give orders, make decisions, or enforce obedience. Don't be afraid of them, people. Fear not. We were studying this morning in the book of Acts how these men stood before the council Peter said we studied last week how we're gonna obey you or God we're gonna obey God and we're gonna tell you the gospel one more time by the way and All these things fear not fear not these authorities. There is no authority that that is not given of God You can read that in the Book of Romans But don't fear them when when this happens Notice that in verse 11. I hope you saw that not if when When they bring you unto the so-and-so and such-and-such and all these powers and authorities, when it happens, don't be afraid. There's been times in my life where I had something going on and I just rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed what I was going to say when I had to answer for myself. The Lord says, little flock, don't fear that stuff. Now are we to study, and are we to know the Word of God, and are we to have the meditations of our heart upon the things of God? Absolutely! But don't be of script. I know one man that he used to be part of a prison ministry, and he and this other man would go in, and well, the second man, he was more soft-spoken. Well, this particular time they went in, he was really emphatic. on the things that he was saying. Well, by no coincidence, the people who were running the prison ministry, they forgot to come let those people out of there. So now after this man has said all these things, now they're locked in there with these prisoners, you see. Well, the man that I know, he said those prisoners, question after question, after question, after question, after question, kept peppering him. And you're surrounded by a bunch of felons, you might be cautious in how you answer, but he said that with every question that was brought, the Lord gave him understanding and brought back things that he had studied and remembrances in scripture and went straight to and had an answer for every item. You can't prepare for something like that. He promises, thank God, he promises the Spirit will teach us in the same hour what we ought to say. Don't be afraid of that stuff. Maybe you've caught yourself thinking, what am I going to say when somebody comes to do whatever? What will I say? What will I say? The Lord Jesus Christ says, fear not, little flock, when it happens. When it happens. Fear not, little flock, absurdity. Absurdity. Verses 13 through 15, here's this guy out of nowhere. He says, hey, look, speak to my brother that he might divide an inheritance with me. He was focused on worldly stuff, on worldly pleasure, on items, on the things of this life. Now, sometimes that can have an impact on the people of God. And I say that many times it can have an impact on the people of God. Absurdity. The state of being ridiculous or wildly unreasonable. We're talking about the things of God here. Talking about the kingdom and the patience and the gospel and all these things. Life and death. And here's a guy that's really concerned about his inheritance and the struggle he has with his brother. Don't be afraid of that stuff. This world is full of entertainments. This world is full of passions. This world is full of things that will try to distract you and those around you from serving the living God. In the parable of the sower, we know that the fowls of the air come snatch the seed taken away. The picture of Satan himself throwing absurdities out there, blinding people. Absurdity you ever try to talk to somebody about the gospel or the Lord's Church and then they start bringing up ridiculous things ridiculous things Absurdity don't be afraid of that stuff That stuff can't that stuff can't take away the Lord's Word I'm convinced that Jesus Christ came to save his people from their sins and he will save every last one of them but sometimes absurdity can go back to audacity and animosity and that can build. What do I mean by that? Well, this man who wanted to know about this inheritance, the absurdity came down. What was the end result of his absurdity? Well, this man, he was called a fool, God said in verse 20, but God said on him, thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee. Then whose things shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that liveth a treasurer for himself, and is not rich toward God. All the absurdities of this life are vanity before God. All the absurdities of this life will only bring someone to judgment. Don't be afraid of that little flop. I'm convinced when the Lord says something like this, I'm convinced that that farmer was in the crowd. I'm convinced that the Lord Jesus Christ may have been looking at that man and said, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. He might have been quoting the conversation that he was having with himself and his wife earlier that day. I don't know. That's supposition. Don't want to go too far with that. But I'm convinced that the Lord was speaking to that man. But don't fear that. Fear not, little flock. Fear not. Small in strength, number, rank, and influence. But guess what? He says, you're mine. Fear not. There's a lot of reasons why we might fear. And how can we apply these things to ourselves? Well, again, through attrition and atrocity and audacity, all these things. You have opposition. You have adversity. Things are hard. We're going to read through the churches of Asia in months to come. Those churches had significant problems because they would not interact with society as society was demanding them to. They would not be part of their culture. They would not assimilate. They were transformed by God. And thus they had all these types of problems. Historically, the Lord's Assembly has had these types of problems since the days of Jesus Christ until now. Fear not. Well, why would they not fear? Again, look at that. Why would they not fear? Chapter 12 and verse 32. Fear not, little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. So why would this little flock, why would they not fear? Reason number one, first and foremost, because Jesus said not to. Isn't that a pretty great reason? Fear not. Well, I can tell you don't be afraid. Well, what does that mean? Oh, don't be afraid. There's a lion outside. Don't be afraid, though. I got this under control. What? Yeah, just go on out there. I got it under control. Huh? See, me saying fear not might not reduce your fear, but Jesus Christ saying fear not shouldn't reduce our fear. It should dispel our fear. Fear, our flight because of attrition, atrocity, audacity, animosity, adversity, authority, or absurdity. Our fear should be snuffed out just because Jesus said so. Fear not. Recall in the book of Mark when they were going on the other side and Jesus said, hey, look, we're going on the other side. And then there came that big old storm, right? And they came and grabbed him and shook him awake and said, oh, don't you care we perish? He calmed the sea and said, O ye of little faith, I told you we're going to the other side. What's the problem? Fear not. Fear not. Fear not those that can destroy the body but have no impact on the soul. Fear not those people that commit great atrocities. And when I say The level of atrocities that have been committed against the Lord's people, if you saw it, you'd throw up. If I told you about it, some of these things have made you blush, some of it's just horrible, horrible things. God is faithful. Fear not. Fear not. Adversities, authorities, absurdities, fear not. Jesus Christ said not to. That should be enough. but because he knows we're flesh, he gives us multiple reasons why we're to fear not. He says, he talks about the Father's pleasure. Well, that in itself is an amazing thing, an amazing thing. To have knowledge of God the Father's pleasure, how in the world could I find the knowledge of God the Father's pleasure? How would I know that? Well, Jesus Christ condescended to tell us. what the Father's pleasure is. And that word pleasure means determination or favor, what He chose to do. He chose to put life on earth and nowhere else. He chose. He chose the people to save them from their sins. He chose. He chose to give His little flock the kingdom. Fear not, little flock. Where as your father is good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Now it's still God's kingdom, right? It's not like he turned it over and he no longer has possession. But to give us the kingdom, he put us in, he put them in the flock in that day, and I believe he puts his people, such as pleases him, in his flock today. He gave them the kingdom, and I believe that is the Lord's Church. We read Matthew chapter 16 earlier today. Let me read it again just to refresh us on this item. Matthew chapter 16. If you read Matthew chapter 11, you would remember that there was none greater than John the Baptist, and since the time of John, the kingdom had suffered violence. In John chapter 11, you can read that on your own. In Matthew chapter 16, And verse 13, when Jesus came to the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, whom do men say that I, the son of man, am? And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said unto them, but whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood have not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. But I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys," what? Read it. Read it. Say it out loud. Louder. The keys of the kingdom of heaven. What are we talking about? Did he give him to Peter? Is it a physical set of keys? Is it here you go, here's the door? He's talking about his church. The keys to the kingdom of heaven. The keys to the kingdom of heaven. I will give unto thee the keys to the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Fear not, little flock. Fear not, fishermen. Fear not, man, who will soon deny me three times and go out and weep bitterly. Fear not, little flock, when all these things happen. Fear not, little flock, for God, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. It's his kingdom. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it, it's his kingdom. And oh, little flock, how it should settle our hearts and our minds to know that all these things going on, that it was the good pleasure of God the Father to give such things to us. He didn't give it to everybody. Again, go back to the initial point. There's a whole bunch of people here and he's speaking to his friends, he's speaking to his disciples. Are you talking to us or to everybody? I'm talking to you. I'm talking to you few people here. You faithful servants. The kingdom. What we learned logically from the Sunday School lesson this morning, if it's God's, it will continue. It cannot be overthrown. This is God's kingdom. Oh, don't be afraid. When these hypocrites come around here, and they start trying to strain you, and pressure you, and snuff you out, and they do wicked and cruel things to you, and they're rude, and they're disrespectful, and they dislike you, and they move in hostility, and they create difficulties for you, and they try to kill you, and they do kill you, and they bring you before the people and give you an answer, and you gotta answer for yourself, and they say all kinds of absurd things about you, When all that happens, fear not, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the King. What other arguments do we need? Everything that I'm afraid of and everything that would keep me from doing what Jesus Christ told me to do, He answers in one simple sentence. Fear not, little flock. For it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. So children of God, fear not little flock, fear not. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, fear not. Don't be terrified, don't be alarmed. Everything's gonna be okay. God Almighty will keep his promises. Jesus Christ will continue with his church. Don't be afraid. When all these things happen, don't be afraid. We have to deal with the Lord. Everybody else will do what they're gonna do, what are we gonna do? When all these different things happen, when Satan's henchmen and all these things happen and men rise up and there's such boldness against the cause of Christ, what do we do? We fear not, we declare the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why shouldn't we fear? Because Jesus said to not to. Why don't we fear? Because the Father himself gave us a great treasure of responsibility. I remember when I was handed a set of keys from my first vehicle. Now, it might not have looked a whole lot, very good to a whole lot of people, but those keys, that was a responsibility I was given. And I held it close. The Father has given a great treasure of responsibility to the little flock. Why would there be attrition? Why would there be atrocity on audacity and animosity and adversity and authorities speaking unto us and all these absurd things going on? Why would that happen? Because the little flock, by the power of God, If you look at the wording in Acts chapter 1 and verse 8, Acts chapter 1 and verse 8, you shall receive power. You shall receive ability. Ability. Having received ability. I believe the Lord's church, his kingdom. Having a great treasure and responsibility has historically stood in the face of attrition, atrocity, audacity, animosity, adversity, authority, and absurdity, has stood in its face and declared the gospel of Jesus Christ, has cried unto sinners to repent and believe that gospel, has spoken of repentance and forgiveness of sins throughout the ages. And this old sinful flesh is cut by it. It can't stand it. There's hostility towards it. And thus we have all those things that may cause fear, were it not for the grace of God that declares otherwise. Fear not, little flock. It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Children of God, again, fear not, little flock. Go forth with the gospel. Fear not, little flock. Come what may, fear not, little flock. Sinner, I would encourage you to be very much afraid. Be very much afraid. Look back at chapter 12 and verse five. But I will forewarn you. What's that mean? Something's gonna happen. I'm gonna tell you ahead of time what's gonna happen. I will forewarn you. So says Jesus Christ. I will forewarn you. Whom ye shall fear. Who you, and it says in Revelation chapter 20, they fled away and there was no place found for them. Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say unto you, fear him. May you be a frightened and terrified. May ye be put very low. at the presence of God Almighty. Be very afraid. Fear. What did that thief say? Hanging next to, on the right side of the Lord. Don't you fear God? Seeing that we're in the same boat as the Son of God. Don't you fear God? If He's going to do this to His Son, what's He going to do to us? Don't you fear God? Is it nothing to you? Don't be foolish. Chapter 12, verses 20 and 21. But God said unto him, thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Don't be a fool. Don't be a fool. Don't think to yourself that you got something when you got nothing before God. Don't think to yourself that I'm this or I'm that or whatever, because when he says, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required. I can't tell you with all certainty today your soul will be required, but I know someday it will be. Then what? Then what? Yes, be afraid. In that fear, I'm convinced that man that prayed in Luke chapter 19, that he wouldn't so much as lift up his eyes toward heaven, but beat on his chest and said, my God, be merciful to me, a sinner. He was afraid of God. He knew he was a sinner. He knew the judgment of God would be right and good and holy. And that he would suffer for his sin, were it not for the mercy of God, which can only be called upon in Jesus Christ. I would encourage you to be afraid and in your terror, in your trembling, in your fear, call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. It shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. So says the scriptures. Book of Joel, Book of Acts. Romans chapter 10. Repent. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. And Lord bless the preaching of His word.