Pastor Tom Johnson, June 25, 2023
Jesus makes it clear that in this world we will always have trouble (John 16:33). Even father against son, daughter against mother, and in-laws against in-laws. Sadly, Christians all over the world face persecution for the name of Jesus. Last week five deep sea explorers were lost two miles deep on the ocean floor. It gripped the world. There was a great international effort to rescue these five. Each paid a quarter of a million dollars to see the wreckage of the Titanic. Also last week, more than 700 migrants and refugees shipwrecked off the coast of Greece. In contrast to the five titanic tourists, the effort to save the 700 poor migrants was small. Perhaps it’s because shipwrecks off the coast of Greece happen so frequently. More than 500 died. On the surface, it seems like the 700 were not worth the same kind of effort as the five.
Jesus’ words are for us, especially when we feel this kind of tension—when some people are regarded to be of less value—or when we feel less valued—when we feel tread upon, discarded, rejected, worthless. That’s why it makes us so mad when someone cuts us off—insults us—treats us like we do not matter. It’s why it also makes us so sad. It’s heartbreaking to feel invisible—when we don’t feel seen, heard, or valued—when our very existence seems inconsequential. Sometimes we feel like we are treated as worthless. And we, in our worst moments, can treat others like they are worthless. Jesus is there for us. He preps us for these dark valleys that may be ahead in our journey. He does not want us to live in fear. He does not want us to allow the world, the devil, or even ourselves—or anything—to kill our souls and crush our spirits.
As Jesus walks through the marketplace with his disciples, they see costly lambs for temple sacrifice. They see the gold and silver and hear the it clinking into the hands of the merchants. …And then there are the sparrows. Sparrows in the Bible are young, small birds. They were sold for temple sacrifice or ritual cleansing. You’ll remember birds were the poor person’s animal sacrifice. It’s what Jesus’ parents offered up after he was born—two young turtledoves according to the law of Moses. It was the Law’s gracious allowance for poor families such as Jesus’. Jesus says the value of sparrows were so low, it couldn’t be measured by individual sparrows—only in pairs—two sparrows for one penny. And “Yet,” Jesus says, “not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” For God, even one sparrow does not escape his infinite attention and love.
As I prepared this sermon, I watched the house sparrows, house finches, goldfinches, titmice, nuthatches, and woodpeckers take turns at our feeder. Jesus invites us to think about God’s infinite love for each of those creatures. He knows every bird personality. The unique color of every feather and plume. God knows each song they sing. He knows every voice—not just of the species but of every individual bird and creature in and around the church, the millions of birds on Long Island, the billions in North America and around the world. As the Gospel song says, “His eye is on the sparrow.” Jesus uses the diminutive “birdies” highlighting his tenderness and fatherly love for all creation. God has a relationship—yes, you heard me—God has a relationship with each little bird in the world. He knows them not en masse—not in pairs—but as individuals.
Last week we came across a young robin down the street from here on Candlewood Path. The birdie must have fallen from her nest. We were concerned she was in the grass the first time we passed her but in the street the next time. Then we found her in the grass again the next day. And then she was gone. We could not keep an eye on her for long as we passed by. But God always had— and has—his eye on that robin chick. Jesus says, “Not one of them—not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” He is always with each of those tiny creatures. He is their Creator and Heavenly Father.
So Jesus says, “even the hairs of your head are all counted.” Each of us is so intimately known by God—each one of us means so much to God that he keeps track of the number of hairs on our head just as he does each bird of the air. Think about a person you love—someone you know very well. Have you ever thought about sitting behind her or him and counting the individual hairs coming out of their heads? If one of us actually tried to count the hairs on someone else’s head we would say that person is out of their mind or crazy. So God goes bananas over every monkey. His love goes nuts over squirrels. His is cuckoo for every bird and creature.
So, Jesus tells us, God is even more crazy about each one of us. Nothing will happen to you or me apart from our Creator and Heavenly Father. He is always with us. He is there to share in our suffering and difficulties—even giving his life on the Cross and rising again so that each of us will be with him forever. We cannot quantify the love of God anymore than God can quantify our worth to him. Both his love is immeasurable and our worth is incalculable. The sparrows being sold two for one penny are precious and priceless to him. You and I are of more value than many sparrows. We are precious and priceless beyond measure.
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