In Case You Missed It: August 10, 2025 Sermon
Fear Not, Little Flock
Series: What Moves You?
Gospel Reading: Luke 12:32-40
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
1. Today’s Word in the Summer Series
Dear friends,
This summer we’ve been asking one question:
“What moves us?”
The first week, we learned about carrying one another’s burdens.
Then we saw mercy move our feet into action.
We discovered the courage to pause—not merely to sit at the Lord’s feet, but to anchor our hearts so they are not invaded by distraction or fear.
Last week, we met the rich fool—
a man who stored up for himself but was not rich toward God.
Jesus warned us that greed doesn’t just harm us—
it bends our relationships out of shape.
It can sever our ties with our neighbor.
It can even fracture our relationship with God.
And here’s the thread:
From the fool’s barns full of grain,
to the disciples’ anxious questions about food and clothing,
Jesus is leading us to one central truth—
the kingdom of God frees us from fear and calls us into readiness.
2. Our Everyday Worries
Let’s be honest—
we all know what it’s like to wake up and start the day with questions:
What will I wear?
Is this a visitation day, or a sermon-prep day?
Will I meet someone for the first time, or visit a dear friend in the hospital?
My shirt, my shoes, even my hair often follow the answer.
Meals are the same.
My wife plans ahead, shops, cooks—
and still asks, “What do you feel like eating today?”
It depends on the weather, the mood in the house, the kids’ schedules—
and sometimes what’s on sale.
In verse 22, Jesus says:
“Do not worry about what you will eat or wear.”
He isn’t dismissing these as trivial.
He’s asking:
When you worry, where does your heart go?
3. Holding Tighter in Uncertainty
We live in the fastest-changing era in recorded history.
Climate, war, economy, politics, technology—everything shifts daily.
And the more uncertain we feel, the more tightly we hold on.
We insure, we save, we prepare for the worst.
The first-century world was no different.
The Roman Empire taxed heavily.
Small farmers and fishermen lived one poor harvest away from ruin.
Chronic hunger and exhaustion were normal.
And into that world, Jesus says:
“Seek first His kingdom, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Friends, this is not a casual invitation.
It is a call to reorder our lives.
And that is never easy.
4. Words for a “Little Flock”
I imagine some people heard this and quietly slipped away.
Others stayed but thought, “Beautiful words, but impossible.”
Luke alone records Jesus’ tender phrase here:
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
In Greek, “little flock” (μικρὸν ποίμνιον) is deeply pastoral—
it speaks of a vulnerable, precious group.
In the ancient world, a small flock meant limited defense, constant risk.
But here is the shock:
Your security is not in the size of the flock,
nor in the strength of its defenses—
but in the delight of the Shepherd.
The kingdom is not a wage to earn;
it is a gift already given.
That changes everything.
5. A Kingdom Account
Then Jesus moves from comfort to command:
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor.
Make purses that will not wear out.
Store up treasure in heaven,
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
In Greek, “treasure” (θησαυρός) means more than wealth—
it is whatever we store for safekeeping.
And “heart” (καρδία) is not just emotion, but the center of thought, will, and desire.
Jesus’ logic is startling:
Your heart doesn’t simply guide your treasure.
Your treasure directs your heart.
So if you want your heart in the kingdom,
put your treasure there.
6. Depositing into the Account
And how do we make these deposits?
Every act of love toward the orphan, the widow, the stranger—
none of it is lost.
Each is credited to that heavenly account.
John Wesley called this “laying up treasure in heaven”
and insisted it was the surest way to keep the heart free from the tyranny of possessions.
Give, and your heart follows into God’s reign.
7. The Servants, the Master, and the Thief
Jesus then paints another picture:
Servants, dressed for action, lamps burning,
waiting for the master to return from a wedding feast.
And then—an unthinkable twist:
“It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching…
Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve,
have them recline at the table,
and will come and wait on them.”
In the ancient world, no master served slaves.
But in God’s kingdom, love upends hierarchy.
The Master becomes the servant;
the feast is for those who were waiting.
Then comes the second image:
If the owner knew the hour the thief would come,
he would not let his house be broken into.
Jesus’ point is not fear, but readiness—
the kingdom comes suddenly, and blessed are those found awake.
8. Don’t Miss the Secret
We can so easily dismiss this as “just another sermon about money.”
But Jesus is giving us a way to live in God’s kingdom—now.
A kingdom vast yet intimate,
full of grace and love,
overflowing with justice and peace.
Our feet may stand on this earth,
but our hearts can rest in the reign of God.
9. Where Is Your Heart Today?
Friends, Jesus asks:
“Where is your heart?”
“What moves you?”
Today is the final day of our Backpack Mission—
preparing school bags for children starting a new academic year.
We may never see their faces or know their names,
but will you place part of your heart there?
There are families right now living in fear,
caught in political and social uncertainty.
Will you share your heart with them?
Through UMCOR—the United Methodist Committee on Relief—
we can reach brothers and sisters in Christ
across the United States and around the world
who are facing disaster, hunger, and displacement.
Will you let your treasure lead your heart into their lives?
One small deposit—
one act of trust, one act of generosity—
can move your heart deeper into God’s kingdom.
Fear not, little flock.
Your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
Reflection Questions – August 10, 2025
What moves you when the future feels uncertain?
Think about moments this week when you felt unsettled.
Were your choices shaped more by fear, by self-protection, or by trust in God’s promise?Where is your treasure—and what does it say about your heart?
Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
If someone looked at your recent spending of money, time, and energy, what would they learn about what you value most?Generosity as a way of moving your heart
Can you recall a time when giving—whether finances, skills, or presence—drew you closer to God or to someone in need?
This week, what is one specific way you can let generosity reorient your heart toward God’s kingdom?Keeping the lamps burning
Jesus’ parable calls us to be ready for the Master’s return.
What might “keeping your lamp burning” look like in your daily routine—at home, at work, or in your community—so that you remain attentive to God’s presence?Living as God’s “little flock”
If you fully believed that God delights to give you the kingdom, how would it change your relationship with possessions, your willingness to share, and your level of daily worry?
Where might God be inviting you to live this way starting now?