Loitering on the Heavenly Journey

‘As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." 59 To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 60 And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

-Luke 9:57-62

‘Oh that I may feel this continual hunger, and not be held back, but rather animated by every cluster from Canaan, to reach forward in the narrow way, for the full enjoyment and possession of the heavenly inheritance! Oh that I may never loiter in my heavenly journey.’

- Jonathan Edwards, The Works of President Edwards, Memoirs of Brainerd, p. 77


The Gospel of Luke will change us. As we begin this preaching schedule through Luke it will make a difference in us. And, truth be know, we’ll likely find ourselves uncomfortable at points. Consider the citation from Luke 9 shown above. Sometimes Jesus shakes us up with His abruptness and His call to radical discipleship. Intimated in His words are God-ward sacrifice, self-denial, commitment and faithfulness. It seems to be a question that comes up every so often. Maybe you have heard it asked in different ways, but the question comes down to this - The biblical doctrine of God’s sovereignty and the doctrine of God’s grace are pitted against the gospel call to discipleship. As if these things can be divorced from one another. The inference is that the sovereignty of God in the salvation of sinners and the grace of God in the unmerited favor of God towards sinners is such that Jesus’ unequivocal demand for gospel obedience loses its clarion and radical call. The correct answer is that these things are never to be held in tension. If our view of sovereignty and our view of grace somehow minimize the gospel call to discipleship we have misunderstood them. Conversion, regeneration, and the new birth all are synonymous with the action of the Holy Spirit that re-creates the sinner to true repentance (i.e. discipleship). Over 300 years ago the writers of the Westminster Shorter Catechism answered similar questions, What is repentance unto life?, by answering, Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it to God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after new obedience. As a church, may God give us great grace so that we are supremely conscious of the radical gospel call to repentance, faith and obedience. In our amazement of God’s sovereignty and grace we mustn’t let the words of Jesus lose their force. In Edwards’ words, may we not loiter in our heavenly journey.

All total, it’ll take less than two hours. I’d like to encourage you to read through the Gospel of Luke this week. You could divide it up into sections and it will only take you 15 minutes a day. Parents, it would be great if you could read it together as a family, even taking time to discuss the implications of what you are reading.

I am profoundly grateful for you all and the many ways you provoke me to be a true disciple.

Well-fed Starlings and the Surety of God's Care

“Now if he supply wild and brute beasts with sustenance in due season, by which they are fed to the full, his blessing will doubtless be to us an inexhaustible source of plenty, provided we ourselves do not hinder it from flowing to us by our unbelief.”

- John Calvin, Commentary on Psalm 104:27,28

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

– Luke 12:6-7


Earlier this week I walked out of Starbucks and looked down to see three well-fed starlings looking for more to eat. I think they were hoping I’d drop some of my scone for an early morning snack. As I watched them I was again struck by God’s faithfulness to feed even the most insignificant of his creatures. For a brief moment I was reminded of the intricacies of God’s providence over his creation. Birds are seemingly insignificant and yet they are the recipients of God’s special care. The starlings were well fed and not by any human intervention.

Are we any different than the starlings? Are we any different than sparrows? Do we have any guarantees that God sees us and cares for us? In God’s omniscience and omnipotence is it possible that the events of my life, from smallest to the greatest, come up on the divine radar screen? I believe that God feeds starlings, but do I believe that he cares for me? Are my needs evident to him? Is he even aware of them?

When Jesus says, “Fear not; you are of more value than sparrows”, he is telling us something significant. He is aware of our fears. He is aware that our tendency is to unbelief and trepidation. He is aware that our tendency is to think that he has forgotten us. Jesus is also making a judgment about man as the crown of creation. Birds are different than men and women. He is making a statement about man in desperate need for a Savior. Man’s sin and rebellion has alienated him from God, but the true value and worth of man would be estimated by Jesus Christ on a Roman gibbet. The sparrows and starlings are not forgotten, rather, they are fed. But man is of greater value. Man’s true need will be met, but not with crumbs from a scone. Man’s true need will be met on a cross. The Bread of Life had to be broken. Man’s true need is shown in the necessity of redemption by the Son of Man himself. In our most dire circumstances God has remembered us. He has not forgotten. God has seen our gravest need and made satisfaction for us in the death of his dear Son. God will never forget the smallest sparrow, and the cross guarantees that God will never forget us. We were once the objects of God’s wrath and judgment, but through the gospel we are the recipients of his effectual love and care. We are worth far more than sparrows, but not by anything inherent in us. We have our sins forgiven through an odious death and this assures us of God’s special care and affection towards us. Because of the cross we have become God’s treasured possession. If your temptation is to fear and the questioning of God’s character, remember the sparrows, and remember that God has remembered. Remember, the cross is the indicator of his unfailing love.

I'm grateful that God remembers.