Pentecost 11 Luke 12:22-34 Consider the Ravens

Genesis 15:1-6 Hebrews 11:1-16

 Jesus said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.”  Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.” (Luke 12:22-24)   Let us consider the ravens. Down through the ages, ravens were considered to be harbingers of death and pestilence. Since ravens are scavengers, they show up wherever they find garbage and dead things. If you have ever watched a raven or a crow get into a trash can, you know how messy and clever they can be.

Ravens are interesting to watch when they are searching for food.   If they are catching small insects and eating them, they all live in peace, walking side by side. They are not worried or anxious. But if one of them finds a larger morsel of food which it cannot readily swallow, the others chase after it. They try to grab it away from each other and it’s anyone’s guess as to who will end up eating it. All this greed and actively leads to anxiety and disruption among the ravens. As we consider the ravens, we should consider if we act like them at times.

We can all look back to a time in our lives when we were content with something we had. Then one day our friend or neighbor came home with something that was much nicer than what we had and all of a sudden we were no longer content with what we had.  Suddenly our simple things were not good enough.  Our contentment was gone, anxiety and worry set in. In the time of Christ, just getting enough to eat and having enough clothing to protect the people from the elements was a matter of great concern.

Jesus tells his followers that worrying about what to eat and drink and what to wear is for those Gentiles who don't know that God cares for them, as well as for those Gentiles who strive and worry as if there is no God. But you are different, Jesus says to His disciples. You know that God has brought you thus far. You then need not worry for God knows all of your needs.

Look around you. There are very few of us today who worry about having enough food to eat. If you are like me, you are already thinking of the diet that should come after the picnic. And most of you have closets full of clothing. Today is the day to remember how different our focus is from the one Jesus is calling to the awareness of his listeners. We, who have so much more than the early disciples, still want so much more. And we worry all the time, mostly because we see all of those temporary things in the world and we want more than we already have.

When we work extra hard, sacrificing our leisure time and even our time spent with God, we do get more money, a better car, a bigger house and more of those things that we desire. But much to our surprise we do not get the enjoyment from them we thought we would. Instead, we worry about losing them, because it always seems as if someone or something is out to take away what we have. But all of our worry and anxiety over possessions or the lack thereof is a sign that we lack faith. Clearly, sin is at the heart of those involved in greed and anxiety.  When we do worry, we are no different from the unbelievers who are concerned over survival in this world and not looking toward the world to come. As disciples we are not to worry over “all these things.”

    (Paul Calls these things “garbage”. Philippians 3:8)

Instead you are to ask God to supply your needs. Jesus has taught you to ask for your daily bread in the Lord’s Prayer. Why do you doubt that He will provide what you need?

So, let us consider the lilies for a moment. They neither toil nor spin. These were the lilies of the field, wild flowers that Jesus was talking about it. Their beauty is natural, their adornment is glorious, and even kings such as Solomon, dressed many-colored robes and adorned in gold could not compare with them.

God’s purpose for the lilies is to grow; to become larger in beauty and glory.  God’s purpose for you is to grow larger in love, larger in wisdom and larger in the beauty of God’s word. The outward life and beauty which we find in nature and in ourselves is short-lived and quickly passes, but it is a real, earthly means by which the Lord raises His children. Jesus sees the direct involvement of the Creator in all this natural beauty. And it doesn't matter that it is momentary.

Look at the care of God for His creation. The grass is clothed with beauty, the flowers don't make an effort to be beautiful; they simply are! He sends both rain and sunshine at the proper times to nourish them so they grow into something wonderful. Jesus says, “If God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?”

So why is it that we worry so much? Worrying about tomorrow keeps us from paying attention to today and from remembering that God has brought us through to this day. And we are here today to thank God for this remembrance, for the goodness and beauty of nature, for the awareness of the goodness of the day, and for the assurance that we will not be abandoned in the future. God did not create you to be thrown into the fire.

 You are neither a flower nor a bird.  Jesus says you are worth much, much more. In fact you are worth so much more that He willingly died on the cross so that you may have eternal life with him in all eternity. By faith in Christ you have become people of His pasture and sheep of His hand. He tells you, “Fear not little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” 

What is the kingdom that the Father is pleased to give? The kingdom is what we confess in the Creed, namely, that God sent his Son, Christ our Lord, into the world to redeem and deliver us from the power of the devil and to bring us to Him and rule us as the king of righteousness, salvation, and eternal life. He protects us against sin, death, and an evil conscience. For this purpose He also gave His Holy Spirit to teach us this through his holy Word and to enlighten and strengthen us in faith by His power.”

So as children of God, we are called to something higher than the worries of daily life. We look forward to His promised coming not with fear and trembling, but with joy and anticipation. We do not live like a raven grabbing whatever we can for ourselves in this life. Nor do we sit around like a lily looking pious and pretty but accomplishing little.

As Sheep of His pasture we work and grow in life, in faith and in trust of our Savior and Shepherd, learning, witnessing and worshiping our Triune God. Even when we go though times of trial, we know we can turn to God for sustenance. As Jesus tells us in Matthew, “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)  Our daily bread includes the bread that comes from heaven that richly gives us salvation, eternal life and freedom from worry.

(Robert, you and) those disciples who have learned the word of God already know that the real heavenly treasure is Jesus Christ Himself and the heavenly treasures are Christ’s gifts that bring the believer into and keep him in Christ’s kingdom.  Those gifts are continued learning, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. To be rich toward God is to be a recipient of Christ and His gifts. Nothing pleases God more than one who willingly receives His gifts in faith.

Jesus tells you “Seek first the kingdom of God and God's righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Everyone in this life faces two alternatives; you can chase after the fleeting treasure on earth or receive the eternal treasures of heaven. His gospel message is this: for those seeking the treasure of the kingdom, the Father will provide adequate earthly treasure as well to sustain them in their journey from earth to heaven.

 Along the way in addition to food and clothing while still on the earth, the “little flock” will be graced with eternal heavenly treasures through Jesus Christ, the good Shepherd who washes His flock in Baptism, feeds His sheep with His body and blood in the Supper and tends them with the guidance of His Word.

Therefore I would like to leave you today thinking of the words which Saint Luke said in chapter 2. “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen which were just as they had been told.” (Luke 2:16-20)

May you treasure the things of God and ponder them in your heart unto eternal life. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” In Jesus Name, Amen.